Mark Isherwood: ...Act 2020 introduced flexibility for councils to carry out their democratic and governance arrangements differently and proportionately, given the challenges faced, but as you know, this was not intended to diminish the voice of communities or weaken democratic accountability and representation. How, therefore, will you ensure that councils without LDPs do not pursue a challenging use of...
John Griffiths: ...' understanding that they too could represent Newport on the city council. It encouraged them to get involved in front-line politics in different parties, and it's so good to see the diversity of representation that we have on Newport City Council today. I know many of them would recognise the debt of gratitude that they owe to Oscar in those terms. Of course, as an Assembly Member and a...
Julie James: ...vacancy will be held between 1 February 2021 and 16 April 2021. The exact date of the election will be determined by the appropriate returning officer. By disapplying sections 39 and 63 of the Representation of the People Act 1983, we've also ensured that the actions or omissions of returning officers in relation to a poll that was due to be held but was postponed cannot result in criminal...
Suzy Davies: ...and protection, and so they are important. The second point I want to make is that there are similar regulations that apply in England that extend the period of suspension even further. That's not important, partly because my constituents in the Ogmore valley and central Swansea don't live in England, and partly because there isn't a Senedd election in England in May. Now, there will be...
Mandy Jones: ...are reliant on parks being accessible. So, people want refunds and, if standards are to remain high, maintenance costs will still be there. Businesses are losing faith. My questions are: what representations have you made to your Cabinet colleagues with regard to the gradual reopening of caravan parks in particular, which are mostly distanced apart? If Wales continues with restrictions...
Suzy Davies: ...to be allowed to be registered. So perhaps you could clear that up. Secondly, as I think David Rowlands mentioned, we have still got businesses that are outside the ERF at the moment. I've had representations made by people who have actually been very successful, but can't actually access anything without giving personal guarantees, which they're reluctant to do because they're not sure...
Ken Skates: Absolutely, I'll guarantee today that I'll make those representations, and in regard to what support we may be able to offer, if we were able to introduce a hardship bursary for any individuals that simply cannot benefit from existing support systems, then we will do so in partnership with our local government colleagues. A significant number of businesses are still able to apply for...
Helen Mary Jones: ...and the Minister talking about need for such a return to be done with compassion and understanding from businesses, can the Minister confirm this afternoon that those who are shielding at home, not because they are vulnerable themselves but because their family members are vulnerable, can he confirm that he does not expect businesses in Wales to be pressurising those people to return to...
Mick Antoniw: ...those workers can expect to receive those payments, but, secondly, in respect of the issue of the tax and national insurance that would be chargeable to it. I know that you reported previously that representations had been made to the UK Government to waive the tax and national insurance because of the exceptional circumstances. I think across all parties we would see it as offensive if...
Mark Drakeford: ...on those conversations and thinking ahead to what we might be able to offer in terms of lifting the lockdown. If it is possible, then, beginning with self-contained accommodation, where people are not sharing kitchens and toilets and showers and so on, seems to be a sensible and safe way of thinking about how we can resume activity in the tourism industry. The other key factor—and Mr...
Vaughan Gething: ..., so you will hear that in the coming days, and I think it'll provide the clarity that you're looking for, Angela. In terms of the tax on the £500, it's always been a UK decision. We did make representations through officials in advance about the taxable treatment of it, and we wrote directly to make representations. It was also raised by the finance Minister in conversation as well. So...
Vaughan Gething: I think there are two things—the first is that the Welsh Government was never in a position to give a guarantee that it would not be taxed. We made clear publicly that we wanted the UK Government to agree not to tax this so it could be treated, as Mike Hedges said earlier, as a gift, not as a taxable payment. They've done that in the past in extraordinary circumstances—for example, it was...
Helen Mary Jones: ...delay has been necessary, which I do accept that it has been. Can he confirm that this slightly longer pause—I'm very pleased to hear, by the way, what he says about including businesses not able to pay VAT, but can he confirm that this slightly longer pause will enable him to give further consideration to some of the other missing businesses that he might be able to include where proof...
Rebecca Evans: Yes, I'm happy to take that forward in terms of making those representations to secure Wales a fair share of any resource that goes towards the tourism industry. As I mentioned earlier, and as Helen Mary Jones has alluded to as well, it is a larger and more important part of our offer that we have here in Wales. Of course, whilst we're closed to tourists at the moment, we absolutely look...
Rebecca Evans: ...worked with that sector, and I think that we've provided a settlement that does enable them to continue to do the vital work that they're doing at this moment. I haven't heard that the funding has not been sufficient for that, but certainly if Mark Isherwood has evidence or representations to make on that I'd be happy, of course, to listen to them. The funding that we announced very early...
Jeremy Miles: ..., which is really focused on recovery and the future, to make sure that those external reflections are fed directly into the work of the Government at large, really. And that will have a range of representation on it in the usual way. So, the objective is to make sure that policy development and planning for the future, as I mentioned to Darren Millar earlier, has a kind of common...
Mark Reckless: ...for Public Policy Research are all heavily represented, and I just wonder: is that accepted and intended, as a Government of the left, that you want to have advice externally with at least greater representation from people of a similar outlook? You spoke about the recovery document that was published on 24 April, and that seems to be driving, from what you say, a lot of what you're doing,...
Jeremy Miles: ...people who are isolated, and the speed, really, of our ability to introduce GP appointments online, over video, at scale. I think part of the challenge for all governments in the future, really, is not to unlearn that behaviour and to be able to make that kind of change into the future in, hopefully, more benign contexts, in more benign climates. But the point that you make is absolutely...
Baroness Mair Eluned Morgan: .... And the problem is that it looks like it's going to be a long-term issue, if you think about social distancing and the practical issues of getting people into hotels, of serving food—this is not going to be a quick fix by any means. And that's why we have been discussing in those COVID-19 meetings with those representatives—there are representatives, regional representatives, at...
Vaughan Gething: ...Ministers do then have a final form of advice about what that will look at in each of its aspects. I think the idea that Ministers are rejecting the advice that they're receiving on this issue is not to give a fair or accurate representation of what's being done. That draft report is being worked through, as you would expect it to be, with partners in the health service, local government...
