Julie Morgan: I warmly welcome this announcement. I think it's very positive and very exciting and will bring great benefits to Wales. I certainly welcome the method of procurement, which I think will result in a more passenger-focused service, and I congratulate the Cabinet Secretary on his achievement. I just want to welcome particularly a certain—. I welcome the emphasis on introducing electric...
Julie Morgan: The decisive vote in the Irish Republic last week to repeal the eighth amendment and overturn a near-total ban on abortion I think has been widely welcomed. I think it was really a momentous occasion, but it does highlight the fact that Northern Ireland is the only place in the UK and really almost the only place in Europe where abortion is not legal except in very extreme circumstances. I...
Julie Morgan: Thank you very much for calling me to speak in this debate, and thanks very much to the petitioners for bringing these important points to our attention. I'm not actually on this committee, so I wasn't present to hear some of these discussions in detail, but I have certainly been approached by many people in my constituency and by different petitioners. In a fairly short contribution, what...
Julie Morgan: I'd like to start off by also saying 'thank you' to Sarah Rochira for her six years of work as the Older People's Commissioner for Wales. Of course, her period in office has covered some really big changes, such as the advent of the Social Services and Well-being (Wales) Act 2014, so she has been here at a very important time. I think we should say how proud we are that Wales was the first...
Julie Morgan: I welcome this document very much and the statement by the Cabinet Secretary. I'm very glad that she started off mentioning section 28, because I can remember the terrible burden that section 28 put on staff in schools. I can remember them talking about it to me, and I can remember the huge relief when it was repealed by the Labour Government in Westminster. I think that we are now in a much...
Julie Morgan: I thank the First Minister for that response. Last week, it was very pleasing to see that Wales had been awarded 47 blue flag beaches, which means that we have more per mile of coastline than any other country in the UK. So, that was very pleasing news. But what, First Minister, do you think the effect of leaving the EU will be on environmental standards, as it has meant until now that we...
Julie Morgan: 10. What action is the Welsh Government taking to enhance the natural environment of Wales? OAQ52254
Julie Morgan: I thank the Member for giving way, and I regret this debate is only for half an hour, because there's so much to say on this issue. But I wondered if she was aware of the cross-party working group in Westminster that's recommended that the role of an independent sexual violence adviser should be set up, bearing in mind that sexual harassment and sexual violence should be dealt with by a...
Julie Morgan: Well, I know I'm certainly one of the ones who books more than 10 events a year, and I certainly don't want to stop anybody else being able to book an event, but I certainly wouldn't want the place not to be used and left empty. Because this is the heart of our democracy, we want people to be here all the time, as much as we possibly can. And I just have a fear that this policy may turn out...
Julie Morgan: I thank the Cabinet Secretary for that response. It's generally accepted that women have suffered disproportionately under austerity in the UK, and we all know how important European structural funds have been in tackling inequalities. How can we ensure that any replacement for the EU structural funds post Brexit will concentrate on the inequalities in society?
Julie Morgan: 1. What discussions has the Cabinet Secretary had with the UK Government regarding the shared prosperity fund? OAQ52189
Julie Morgan: Thank you very much, Presiding Officer, for calling me to speak in this important debate. I'd like to start off by congratulating the Cabinet Secretary on all his hard work in turning the situation around so that the Government is able to recommend voting for this LCM today. I think there's no doubt that, originally, this was a power grab by Westminster, and I think it does reflect badly on...
Julie Morgan: Following on from the task and finish group review of breastfeeding support and practices in maternity and early years settings, which has just been published, would the leader of the house look for opportunities for us to highlight the importance of breastfeeding and to debate the issues raised in this document, as it is absolutely essential for the future health of our children that women...
Julie Morgan: What assessment has the First Minister made of the numbers of EU professionals working in Wales?
Julie Morgan: Seven hundred and fourteen staff are affected from the Gabalfa site in my constituency of Cardiff North, and there are a high number of those staff who do have disabilities and do have caring responsibilities, so there is huge concern about how they're actually going to cope with this move. Can the Minister find out why a consultation hasn't already started with the staff? Because, as we...
Julie Morgan: I share the concerns about outsourcing to the private sector, but would the Cabinet Secretary agree that there is sometimes a case for public services to be delivered in the voluntary sector? For example, in children's services, the voluntary sector is often able to get much closer to families than staff in the public services. So, would he agree that there is a case for some services to be...
Julie Morgan: I welcome the Minister's statement. It's a very wide-ranging statement, I think, and covers many aspects, so I think it's very welcome. You spoke, at the end of your speech, about the enthusiasm from the public and how they are leading us. In my constituency, I recently attended the launch of a plastic-free Rhiwbina initiative, started by a constituent and supported by our MP, Anna McMorrin....
Julie Morgan: Can we have a debate on the announcement that the First Minister mentioned in his questions today, that the Department for Work and Pensions plans to close five offices across south Wales and centralise those jobs in one new build, in Treforest? The plans will affect jobs in Newport, Cwmbran, Caerphilly and Merthyr, as well as 714 staff working at the Gabalfa office, in my constituency of...
Julie Morgan: What plans does the Cabinet Secretary have to develop integrated transport in Cardiff?
Julie Morgan: Thank you, Deputy Presiding Officer. I very much welcomed the First Minister's answer last month to a question about the bus station—that we're seeking to provide seamless integration between trains, buses, coaches and the metro, and to provide easy access for cyclists and pedestrians. However, I understand that, in the new design for the bus station, there are actually fewer cycle spaces...
