Joyce Watson: —who have acted. Thank you very much.
Joyce Watson: Diolch, Llywydd. And I'm going to speak in support of this firebreak that will be introduced on Friday. I do recognise that it's absolutely necessary. I have listened to the debate and there have been some excellent statements, and, unfortunately, not such excellent statements that have been made here today. I want to also make it very clear that it isn't just the Labour Party who are...
Joyce Watson: I thank you for your answer, First Minister. In April, UK Government increased universal credit payments by £20 a week, and that indeed did serve as a lifeline for many families during the pandemic. But this increase is only temporary and it's due to end in April 2021. There have been many, many calls from many, many charities right across the UK to request continuation of that extra £20 a...
Joyce Watson: 4. What assessment has the First Minister made of the increase in the number of people claiming universal credit? OQ55740
Joyce Watson: I want to start by thanking Jenny Rathbone for bringing this debate forward today, because all too often women's health issues don't see the light of day. They don't get discussed and therefore they don't necessarily get due attention. So, endometriosis, as everybody has said, is an extremely debilitating disease, and it does then consequently have a devastating impact on women's health in...
Joyce Watson: What plans does the Welsh Government have to reduce homelessness this winter?
Joyce Watson: Diolch, Llywydd, and I thank you for accepting this question today, because I asked for a statement yesterday. But what's important here is, I think, registering two facts. And the first one, it seems to me, is that the 129 people who are employed here were the last to know, and that should never be the case. So, going on from that, Minister, I heard what you've said, you're working with...
Joyce Watson: I want to disassociate myself from an awful lot of what has been said before. I'm going to welcome this debate, especially as we celebrate Black History Month and acknowledge that it is an integral part of the history of all of us here. Black History Month provides us with an opportunity to celebrate the achievements and the contributions made by individuals with African and African Caribbean...
Joyce Watson: I have considerable concerns about this arrangement: one of them is that I don't trust the Tories, and that's my red line for myself. I will support it, but I'm going to support it with huge reservations, which I want to outline. I don't think that biennial reporting is equitable to a sunset clause, and that concerns me. But what really concerns me here is that 90 per cent of the Welsh...
Joyce Watson: It's a bit unfortunate—I was trying to listen to the previous speaker and it was being interrupted all the time. But, nonetheless, my reason for speaking here is to thank the Minister for the update, and to reiterate that the success of the public restriction hinges on the public's trust in both each other and those who are making those decisions. And that's why I think that the behaviour...
Joyce Watson: I want to ask for two statements, Trefnydd, and the first one from the economy Minister about the Stadco car parts factory closure in Llanfyllin. There are 129 workers and their families who would urgently want to know what help and what support is available to them in the immediate future. And then, following on from that, I know that there will be wider public interest in what happens to...
Joyce Watson: I thank you for that answer. In his evidence session with the Senedd's health committee last week, Dr Quentin Sandifer from Public Health Wales said that 'in ordinary times, we would aspire to a 75 per cent flu vaccination uptake in eligible groups' and that would 'maximise the protective effect'. So, clearly, we want to hit at least that this year. So, what, then, is being done to ensure...
Joyce Watson: 2. Will the Minister provide an update on this year's winter flu vaccination programme? OQ55595
Joyce Watson: Thank you for that answer. But at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, Welsh Government capped the eligibility scheme for business rate holiday and excluded all retail, hospitality and leisure premises with a rateable value of more than £0.5 million. And that targeted approach enabled Welsh Government to add £100 million to the economic resilience fund that, in turn, helped safeguard...
Joyce Watson: 1. What discussions has the Minister had with the UK Government regarding the autumn 2020 budget? OQ55560
Joyce Watson: How does the Welsh Government plan to support tourism for the next 12 months?
Joyce Watson: Thank you for that. One of the findings in the report is the impact of the continued austerity inflicted on Wales by the UK Government spending plans. That austerity did reduce local authority investment in industries, and other forms of money that we would have expected to have come to Wales, and it was purely a political decision. So, what discussions have you had with the UK Chancellor to...
Joyce Watson: 6. What assessment has the Welsh Government made of the findings of the OECD report, 'The Future of Regional Development and Public Investment in Wales'? OQ55579
Joyce Watson: Former NFU chief economist, Séan Rickard, estimates that one in three farms could be driven out of business within five years in the event of a 'no deal' Brexit. So, the best way that Paul Davies can support Welsh farming is by steering his party away from that disastrous destination. Another way is by supporting sustainable farming that delivers public good for public money. Minister, in...
Joyce Watson: I've campaigned for many years to increase the use of 20 mph zones in Wales. I first looked at this in 2011, and at that time there were 237 serious pedestrian casualties in Wales, and sadly that included 82 children losing their lives or being very seriously injured, and I think it's those stats that we have to keep in our minds when we're talking about this. At that time, I focused my...
