Gareth Bennett: Thanks to Mick Antoniw and the other various Members who were responsible for bringing today's debate. I think we're not going to have as much media interest in this debate as in the previous one, but it is an important subject, especially to householders who've suffered from poorly installed cavity wall insulation, or CWI. Now, Mick, in his well-researched speech, which opened today's...
Gareth Bennett: Thanks for that response. I hope that there will be a joined-up approach to this very important issue. Now, an awful lot of young people these days go to university or college, as I'm sure you're aware. But this may not be the best route for everyone, and, indeed, a significant number of young people may not want to go to college and might prefer exclusively on-the-job training. Does this...
Gareth Bennett: You also bring with you from your previous role the job of delivering the programme of the Valleys taskforce, which we've been hearing about at some length today. I think it's interesting that we have been talking about this a lot because it's possibly a subject that—over the last 18 months, we probably haven't heard enough about the mechanics of how it will work. So, I think we do...
Gareth Bennett: So, welcome. [Laughter.] It's a bit of a reconfigured—[Interruption.] Sorry. It's a bit of a reconfigured department that you'll be running, in that you have the local government responsibilities that Mark Drakeford used to hold and also the communities portfolio, which has come from a different department. So, it may take us all a little while to get used to what is, essentially, a...
Gareth Bennett: Diolch, Llywydd. I'd like to welcome the Cabinet Secretary to his new role.
Gareth Bennett: Thanks, Minister, for your response. Fforest Fawr is a well-used local walking area next to Castell Coch. Many locals are worried that NRW doesn't have any plan to replant the area following the culling. There is a campaign, which has been launched, calling for a replanting programme. Could I ask you to consult with NRW to ascertain what more might be done about the replanting?
Gareth Bennett: 2. What discussions has the Cabinet Secretary had with Natural Resources Wales about the tree felling programme at Fforest Fawr in Tongwynlais? OAQ51376
Gareth Bennett: First of all, I agree with David Melding's comments about the former Minister, Carl Sargeant. Of course, there were political differences on the committee when the Bill was debated, and there are bound to be political differences, but he was always amicable on a personal level. So, I would like to agree with what David said about Carl. As a group, UKIP didn't support the abolition of the...
Gareth Bennett: Unfortunately, we could end up with a large vacant site in north Cardiff to add to eventual vacant sites at the tax office and Tesco House. This could well lead to more contentious housing schemes for north Cardiff. What can your Government do to protect residents from the problem of urban overdevelopment?
Gareth Bennett: What assessment has the Welsh Government made of proposals for stamp duty relief as announced in the UK Government's budget?
Gareth Bennett: Thanks to the Conservatives for bringing today's debate on the important subject of the armed forces covenant. We agree, in UKIP, that a high priority should be given to the welfare of both people serving in the forces and veterans. We are also keen to see the encouragement of cadet activity. So, we broadly share the enthusiasms of the Conservative group in this area, and we commend the...
Gareth Bennett: There are issues of cyclist safety, as have been raised by the last two Members, and we do need to make steps to encourage safe cycling. Unfortunately, when cyclists come off the road and onto the pavement, they can also become a danger to pedestrians. In Peterborough, the council are currently issuing PSPO notices, which are public space protection orders, to stop dangerous cyclists. One...
Gareth Bennett: Thanks for the answer. Given the high levels of obesity in Wales, I think that active travel is a very important tool in getting better public health outcomes. Now, I believe that departmental responsibility for implementing active travel has now shifted from the health department to the economy department. I wonder what are your reflections on the reasons for that, and how do you think this...
Gareth Bennett: 8. Will the Cabinet Secretary make a statement on the health impact of the Active Travel (Wales) Act 2013? OAQ51277
Gareth Bennett: I'd also like to welcome the new leader of the house to her new role. Her position is due, as we know, to a fairly major reshuffle. What we in UKIP would like to request is a statement on what are the projected costs to the public purse of this reshuffle. It is a biggish reshuffle. As stated, the number of Ministers has risen from 12 to 14. Given that there will be a cost in terms of spin...
Gareth Bennett: Thanks for the latter part of the answer. I agree that integrated transport is crucial. One aspect I wanted to touch on was lack of roadside information. Many motorists have observed that on major roads in England there is often better information available on digital road signs than here in Wales, for instance estimated travel times to particular junctions, which can warn motorists of...
Gareth Bennett: 6. What steps is the Welsh Government taking to alleviate the increasing congestion on motorways and trunk roads in South Wales Central? OAQ51297
Gareth Bennett: Yes. So, in general, we agree that this is a massive problem. The other issue that no-one’s talked about, which I don’t have time to go into, is that there is no meaningful way of retraining people through the system at the moment, and that is the crucial element. If you’re going to get people into work, why is there no real emphasis on retraining them and getting them into meaningful...
Gareth Bennett: Thanks to Plaid for bringing today’s debate. The new system of universal credit is causing major concern among those who will be affected by it. We are seeing this from the results of the roll-out so far. So, in UKIP, we share the concerns. We agree with Plaid to that extent, and we think that Plaid are right to bring this forward as a subject for debate, although we don’t support...
Gareth Bennett: Yes, thank you. That, of course—. I think you need to have some kind of thought to the possible disadvantages, which you’ve outlined, so I think that’s a sensible answer. Now, another development in England—[Interruption.] Another development in England is that at least one council has successfully set up a not-for-profit energy company. That is the Robin Hood Energy company in...
