Mike Hedges: Thank you. I'm very pleased this has happened yet again. Can I say that you've talked about north Wales transportation, you've talked about south Wales transportation; what about those of us in west Wales and the west Wales metro?
Mike Hedges: Will you take an intervention?
Mike Hedges: Can I thank the First Minister for that response? I very much welcome that the Welsh Government has committed to additional funding for the discretionary assistance fund, which has helped individuals and their families during times of crisis and, quite frankly, destitution. To ensure the fund's long-term future, additional funding will be required. Will the First Minister outline his...
Mike Hedges: 2. What action is the Welsh Government taking to support children in poverty in Wales? OAQ55025
Mike Hedges: Can I also thank Rhianon Passmore for giving me a minute of her time? I represent a constituency with a great choral tradition. Currently in Swansea East, we have the following major choirs: the world famous Morriston Orpheus, Morriston rugby club, Swansea Male, Phoenix Wales—which are all male choirs—Morriston Ladies Choir, where I have the privilege to be president, Tabernacle mixed...
Mike Hedges: Will you take an intervention?
Mike Hedges: Did he also say how many were not being let out of hospital or weren't able to go home because the pharmacy wasn't ready to give them their medication? And how many were fit enough to go home, but a consultant hadn't come around to let them go?
Mike Hedges: I just wanted to talk about air passenger duty and aggregates levy. The reason why we couldn't have aggregates levy being devolved ends at one second past 11 p.m. on Friday. So, can we expect, at two seconds past 11 p.m., aggregates levy to be devolved? And have you had any further discussion regarding the devolution of air passenger duty?
Mike Hedges: 2. Will the First Minister make a statement on further devolution of taxes as recommended by the Silk Commission? OAQ54983
Mike Hedges: Diolch, Llywydd. I am pleased to be able to contribute to today's debate on behalf of the Climate Change, Environment and Rural Affairs Committee. Before turning to our views on the LCM, I'd like to point out that we had very little time to consider and report on it. Within the time available, it wasn't possible to consider the LCM or the Bill's provisions in any great detail. That said, what...
Mike Hedges: When traffic problems on the M4 are discussed, the problems of traffic jams during peak periods between junctions 44 and 46 tend to be overlooked, though not by those of us travelling along those roads. The reasons for traffic hold-ups include vehicles changing lanes and vehicles entering and leaving the motorway—the same reasons that we have hold-ups everywhere else on the M4. I'm...
Mike Hedges: 5. Will the Minister make a statement regarding Welsh Government efforts to reduce traffic congestion between junctions 44 and 46 of the M4? OAQ54936
Mike Hedges: You've talked about the additional costs. What about the savings that may occur because of a lack of psychological damage to children from being hit, and what about the savings that can be made in that parents not starting off with hitting a child lightly don't move on to hitting them more violently?
Mike Hedges: I would like to ask for two Government statements. The first is on British Sign Language and the provision of courses, especially for the parents of deaf children. We received and debated a petition from Deffo!, which was supported by the Government and supported by Members across the Chamber, and people are saying to me at Deffo!, 'What's happening now?' Can we have a statement on what...
Mike Hedges: Will the First Minister make a statement on introducing a 'Lucy's law' to regulate puppy farming in Wales?
Mike Hedges: Setting the amount we borrow doesn't deal with how much you can afford. It's how much you're paying back is the important bit, isn't it?
Mike Hedges: Can you name a PFI scheme that, over its lifetime, has been value for money?
Mike Hedges: While alchemists wanted to turn base metal into gold, politicians want to get private money cheaply into public projects, thus avoiding falling foul of the public sector borrowing requirement and being capped by the Treasury. The latest attempt in Wales is the mutual investment model that levers in private capital to support public sector projects. When launching the mutual investment model...
Mike Hedges: Can I thank the First Minister for that response? There are certain life skills that all children should have when they leave school—skills that will be more useful than a lot that is in the formal curriculum. Basic first aid, including things such as stopping heavy bleeding, cardiopulmonary resuscitation, the Heimlich manoeuvre, are basic life skills and they help someone save a life. Does...
Mike Hedges: 2. Will the First Minister make a statement on the teaching of basic first aid in schools? OAQ54893
