Suzy Davies: Just again to offer my thanks to Members.
Suzy Davies: Thank you again, Llywydd.
Suzy Davies: We've already mentioned—. Sorry, I move amendment 43, which I've already mentioned in previous debates. I don't need to rehearse it again, by the sound of it; Members have given an indication of their support for this. It's just a situation—. Just to confirm that it's the Assembly itself that has the responsibility for undertaking certain functions, rather than a committee directly, and...
Suzy Davies: Thank you, Llywydd. Just to thank Members for taking these amendments with serious consideration. Thank you.
Suzy Davies: Move.
Suzy Davies: Move.
Suzy Davies: Move.
Suzy Davies: Diolch, Llywydd, and I move amendment 39, speaking to all the amendments in this group. These amendments refer to section 72 of the Bill, which means that the Assembly has the opportunity to review the work of the ombudsman, something I'm sure we all approve of, particularly as the ombudsman is directly accountable to us. These amendments remove the reference to an Assembly committee from...
Suzy Davies: Move.
Suzy Davies: Just briefly to thank those who contributed to this part of this debate, and for taking on board the arguments. I think there's an important principle involved with this and, as the Minister said, this actually aligns this Bill with other Bills that are attempting to do something similar. So, I'm grateful for the response.
Suzy Davies: Diolch yn fawr, Llywydd. I move amendment 44 and I'll be speaking to amendment 44 and 45. Both of them relate to the appointment of the ombudsman and the Assembly's power to waive certain restrictions imposed on the ombudsman after leaving office, as set out in Schedule 1. Amendment 44 clarifies that the Assembly is required to determine the terms and conditions of appointment for an...
Suzy Davies: Yes, to start.
Suzy Davies: Thank you, Deputy Presiding Officer. May I thank the committee for this report, specifically the section on the Welsh language? The Welsh language is a cross-cutting issue, of course, for the Government, so perhaps some of my questions may be a matter for the Minister, rather than the Chair, but I would like to hear from both of you, if possible. The future of the Welsh language doesn’t...
Suzy Davies: Thank you very much. That's encouraging and—. Shall we take those thanks as read? I was grateful to you for that quick response—it's great to get that. And Members will remember that I raised, in business statement last week, the very unfortunate situation of women experiencing miscarriage before 20 weeks being located on a mixed-sex ward in Swansea's Singleton Hospital. And it may well...
Suzy Davies: Diolch yn fawr, Llywydd. Minister, first of all, can I thank you very much indeed for the very speedy response you gave to the concerns I raised during the business statement last week?
Suzy Davies: I'm so sorry. How long have I been here?
Suzy Davies: Again, thank you for that answer. Well, obviously, I'm hoping, like me, you're interested in the life chances of pupils from all backgrounds, and, at the moment, it's those in more affluent areas who seem to be taking the brunt of the way that local authorities are making decisions about how they distribute moneys—core funding. It's all well and good to speak about some of the other grants...
Suzy Davies: Thank you. That's a very helpful answer, Minister. You've just confirmed that this is going to be ring-fenced money and it will be going to the schools, and, if that doesn't happen, then, obviously, we will be holding you, as well as local authorities, to account on that. Perhaps you can let us have a note at some point about what the difference is between the money that you've had from the...
Suzy Davies: Diolch yn fawr, Llywydd. Minister, can I thank you very much for confirming that you've now heard from the finance Minister with a figure to be passported to you from the UK Government budget to meet—and I think; I'm just quoting you—that £47.7 million in full? It meets the costs of the pension hike in full. So, that's pleasing to hear. Can you tell me what steps you'll be taking to make...
Suzy Davies: 1. Will the Minister make a statement on mixed wards in hospitals? OAQ53568
