Delyth Jewell: The closing couplet translates loosely as, 'Idleness is the glory of the sword / and its rust is its distinction.'
Delyth Jewell: I'd like to start by paying tribute to all men and women who've lost their lives in conflict. There is a fundamental distinction between celebrating war and marking the sacrifice of individuals. It is the latter that I would wish to do. When I worked as a researcher in Westminster, I worked closely with Elfyn Llwyd and our much-missed friend, the late Harry Fletcher, on a manifesto for...
Delyth Jewell: Diolch, Llywydd. I wanted to speak very briefly to this group of amendments and to welcome the Minister's commitment, given at Stage 2, to explore the potential for guidance to be issued that would strengthen the role of democratic services within local government, including the potential for a research service function, as has just been mentioned by Mark Isherwood. In that respect, amendment...
Delyth Jewell: Diolch, Llywydd. Earlier in the debate and at Stage 2, the Minister has made points about unintended consequences that there may be to some amendments, and I had accepted that point. I do accept the Minister's point here that the intention of this limited power to compel local authorities may well be meant to be used in a very limited sense. But, again, I would make the same point to the...
Delyth Jewell: Diolch, Llywydd. We wanted to table amendments to remove the power of the Minister to force local authorities into corporate joint committees. Some of those amendments have been tabled by Mark Isherwood, so ours are consequential amendments to those, but tabled with that same policy intention and, of course, drafted by the legal services here. This reflects our position as a party that local...
Delyth Jewell: I thank the Minister. I take those points on those things that could happen as an unintended consequence of the amendments. I do welcome some of the Minister's comments, but because of the importance of these principles, we will push them to a vote. Thank you.
Delyth Jewell: Diolch, Llywydd. I speak to all the amendments in this group, which have been tabled following discussions with external organisations, who, like myself, are continually disappointed at the lack of diversity in local government. At Stage 2 I tabled a number of probing amendments on equality and diversity, and I hope the Minister will work with us on this agenda, regardless of how this vote...
Delyth Jewell: Moved.
Delyth Jewell: Yes. Thank you, Llywydd. I thank the Minister for that. I am disappointed to hear that the Minister has said that the Government is willing to agree in principle, but not willing to take action immediately on this. But I do hear her comments and there are some things that we would welcome. But I would just restate that the Government has accepted this approach and this drafting in order to...
Delyth Jewell: Thank you, Llywydd. It's a pleasure to open the debate on this group and to formally move the four amendments—all four tabled in my name on behalf of Plaid Cymru. We have four amendments in two sets, 158 and 159, and 165 and 166. The intention of this first set of amendments is to scrap the anomaly in law that means that returning officers, or acting returning officers, are not subject to...
Delyth Jewell: Thank you, Llywydd, and a thank you to everyone who's participated in this debate. It's disappointing to hear that the Government is to miss the opportunity once again to create a fairer voting system, and we will be pushing these amendments to a vote. Thank you.
Delyth Jewell: Diolch, Llywydd. We've tabled these amendments to change the voting system in local government to a fairer one. The arguments have been rehearsed before, and I apologise to members of the committee who may have heard me making these arguments previously, but I think it's important to state them again at this stage. First-past-the-post has created many undemocratic outcomes. For...
Delyth Jewell: I thank the First Minister for his answer. I'm sure that he, as he has just said, has been following not only the result of the US election, but the fascinating coverage that has been of it. I'm delighted by the Democrats' victory against probably the worst US President in history, and I'm glad that the First Minister has joined me in congratulating Joe Biden and Kamala Harris on their...
Delyth Jewell: 1. Will the First Minister make a statement about the importance of increasing public understanding of politics in Wales? OQ55848
Delyth Jewell: I like the wording of the first petition that we're discussing particularly. The point has been made that the language is florid and important. It calls on the Welsh Government to create a common body of knowledge about the history of Wales that every pupil would be taught. And the second petition is related to that, because it asks for the histories of black people and people of colour to be...
Delyth Jewell: Thank you, Minister, for the statement.
Delyth Jewell: We obviously welcome the building of more social housing and more innovative methods of doing this. There's a lot in the statement that we do welcome. I'm also pleased to see that this has been used in retrofitting, as that's also a really important area to go at. Perhaps, Minister, you could outline whether a similar approach could be used in bringing empty homes back into use and made...
Delyth Jewell: Okay, Llywydd. I know that the First Minister said earlier that he needed clarity about the Barnett consequentials on this, but I would welcome further clarity on what he meant, because this seems to be a formula for funds that's already provided. So, I'd like that statement, please, from the Minister urgently, because these businesses do deserve better.
Delyth Jewell: I would like to add my voice to some of what's been said, because I'd also like to call for a statement urgently from the Minister for the economy that's going to update business owners on this, Trefnydd, and how the Welsh Government intends to provide interim support for those companies that were relying on the ERF phase 3 funds. Now, I know that this is something that's been raised a number...
Delyth Jewell: What discussions has the Welsh Government held with relevant organisations to ensure that the Welsh electorate is politically informed ahead of the 2021 Senedd election?
