John Griffiths: Diolch, Diprwy Lywydd. I'm grateful for the opportunity today to celebrate the unique and historic Gwent levels. It is one of the largest areas of coastal and floodplain grazing in the UK, made up of a rich patchwork of different habitats and landscape running along the Severn estuary coastline, from Cardiff and Newport, past the second Severn crossing and beyond. A considerable area of the...
John Griffiths: Thank you very much for that response, Minister. I think youth services are rightly greatly valued by the general public, obviously by young people themselves, and by a range of organisations, including the police, because they do provide so many different activities and opportunities for young people because of the social aspects, because of the range of encouragement and advice that's...
John Griffiths: 4. Will the First Minister set out the Welsh Government's strategy for youth services? OAQ53504
John Griffiths: Diolch, Dirprwy Lywydd. May I thank everybody who's taken part in this very important debate? There is a strong consensus, as Russell George mentioned, behind the legislation. I do believe that it's legislation with great potential and great importance; I would say that, Dirprwy Lywydd, having been the Minister that took it through the Assembly, but I do genuinely believe that. And it is...
John Griffiths: Would you take an intervention?
John Griffiths: We do need clarity in terms of Welsh Government and Transport for Wales, in terms of who is driving this agenda, and in terms of that resource capacity in local authorities, where some local authorities do not have the expertise that Huw Irranca referred to as Bridgend having had. How is the Welsh Government going to ensure that every local authority in Wales is supported to be able to...
John Griffiths: On the same subject, Minister, given that Welsh Government removed prisoners from the priority need category, and then there was a protocol set in place that should have joined up organisations and agencies to make sure that prisoners upon release did have a roof over their head, it seems that that isn't working very well, given the statistics that Leanne Wood has referred to. I just wonder...
John Griffiths: Will the Minister make a statement on the success of Welsh Government policies to end rough sleeping in Wales?
John Griffiths: It's good to speak in this debate today as Chair of the Equalities, Local Government and Communities Committee, Llywydd, because, as has already been mentioned, this is the second debate in short succession covering work the committee that I chair is currently undertaking as to whether prisoners in Wales should have the right to vote in Assembly and local elections. As part of that work, we...
John Griffiths: Diolch, Dirprwy Lywydd. May I begin by thanking all Members who've taken part and contributed to this debate? I do feel that there can be little doubt of Members' commitment to the steel industry in Wales, regularly evidenced in this Chamber in debates and at questions in general. Obviously, foremost amongst those contributions, always, is Dai Rees's, so it was entirely fitting that David...
John Griffiths: What further action will the Welsh Government take to prevent ill-health?
John Griffiths: Minister, I think many people do share a very strong feeling that it is simply morally indefensible that in the fourth, fifth, sixth biggest economy in the world, we have so many people homeless and sleeping rough, and I think that manifests itself in the sort of voluntary response that Jenny Rathbone mentioned earlier. And I know that at Christmas time, for example, so many people came...
John Griffiths: First Minister, success at a professional level is very important in terms of inspiring greater grass-roots participation, and in that context, I wonder if you would join me in acknowledging the success of Newport County in returning to the football league in recent times, in achieving a miraculous escape from relegation and then going on to the fourth round of the FA Cup last year, defeating...
John Griffiths: 8. Will the First Minister outline the Welsh Government's priorities with regard to developing participation in sport? OAQ53371
John Griffiths: Yes, Minister, I think it's very important to continue to open Wales to the world and the world to Wales, which I think has been an important benefit of devolution. One aspect of that has been the programme for Africa, and I think the evaluation of that shows that it is punching well above its weight. We have, I think, 20 per cent of the hospital-to-hospital links, UK to Africa, in Wales. We...
John Griffiths: Minister, taxation powers offer the opportunity to introduce change to the tax system to help create a fairer and more equal Wales. At the moment, private schools sustain an institutionalised unfairness and inequality, working against social mobility by entrenching educational inequality that feeds through to careers and life chances, with ex-private school pupils disproportionately featuring...
John Griffiths: 4. Will the Minister set out the Welsh Government's policy in relation to developing taxation measures? OAQ53314
John Griffiths: 4. Will the Minister set out the Welsh Government's initial priorities for Wales's international relations? OAQ53312
John Griffiths: Yes, certainly, Dirprwy Lywydd. I very much welcome your statement today and the action plan, Deputy Minister, and I think the 'Nation of Sanctuary' is very welcome as a title, because I think it's indicative of the ambition of Welsh Government to drive progress in providing a welcome and the support and services that asylum seekers and refugees need. Just to pick up on what you said earlier,...
John Griffiths: First Minister, most people in Wales live in urban areas, and many of our inner urban areas lack sufficient green space. If they were greener, I believe quality of life would be improved, air pollution would be lessened, people would be encouraged to have more of an outdoor life, taking more exercise and enjoying better health, and they would also, I think, feel more strongly linked with...
