Hefin David: Such evidence needs to be presented by Public Health Wales, and I'd like to give the Cabinet Secretary a chance to answer that specific question. At the Senedd on 6 February, though, I also—and perhaps in answer to David Melding—I spoke to an oncologist who raised some questions about changing the age range. He wasn't talking about over-75s, he was talking about lowering it to 50, and...
Hefin David: Yes, of course.
Hefin David: Diolch, Llywydd. Members in this Chamber may have noticed that I wear this signet ring. It was given to me by my father when I was 16 years old. It was actually my grandfather's ring. It's got tighter as I've got older, it's got to be said. My grandfather was diagnosed with bowel cancer in the 1970s, and survived into the 1980s. One of the things he said to me was, 'I just want to live long...
Hefin David: In 2016, Caerphilly County Borough Council scrapped its LDP after listening to the views of local people. I've not seen stronger views expressed on many other issues, as Mike Hedges alluded to. Part of the problem, the reason that the local development plan wasn't working, was because viability of land meant profitability for the big developers, and land that was not viable, not profitable,...
Hefin David: For some time since I was elected, there's been some distance between my view and the Welsh Government view. And, in recent days, Janet Finch-Saunders will be glad to know that the Welsh Government, in the form of the Cabinet Secretary, has gone some way to bridging the distance between us, and I'm very pleased—and I'll elaborate on why in a minute—that the Cabinet Secretary has taken...
Hefin David: I had no idea what I was going to say until I'd heard what David Melding had to say. And what a wonderful, evocative and living picture that you've presented of my home community. I went to school in Heolddu in Bargoed and would walk up the side of the mountain to the school at the top of the mountain and see these wonderful terraced houses. I've talked about Bargoed, but also...
Hefin David: I'll keep my contribution short, given that we're so pressed for time. I wanted to make the case for higher level apprenticeships and the fact that development of degree apprenticeships in Wales is at level 6. I think there are universities that are ready to provide degree-level apprenticeships at Master's level. I think that's a significant way forward that will, certainly from the evidence...
Hefin David: I'm grateful for that, and I'll stand with my colleagues—Julie Morgan, Lynne Neagle, John Griffiths, Jayne Bryant and Dawn Bowden—who have raised concerns about the impact in their constituencies, and I also thank the work of the Public and Commercial Services Union who have worked very hard in ensuring that we have full knowledge of what is going on here. There was a letter from the...
Hefin David: 2. What discussions has the Welsh Government had with the UK Government regarding the proposed centralisation of existing Department of Work and Pensions jobs at Treforest industrial estate? 169
Hefin David: How is the Welsh Government working with the UK Government to regulate estate and property managing agents?
Hefin David: On 27 April, elected representatives of the Cardiff capital region wrote to the Cabinet Secretary for Energy, Planning and Rural Affairs and said they firmly believe that the best opportunity to deliver positive planning outcomes and deliver the transformational change is to prepare a strategic development plan for the region that is genuinely a regional plan, based on regional evidence,...
Hefin David: 2. What discussions has the Welsh Government had with the cabinet for the Cardiff capital region with regard to a strategic development plan for south-east Wales? OAQ52154
Hefin David: Will the Cabinet Secretary make a statement on planning work for future phases of the south Wales metro?
Hefin David: What support does the Welsh Government provide for businesses and residents affected by pinch-point relief road works in Caerphilly?
Hefin David: I'd like to welcome the review of the affordable housing supply, and I feel that local authorities are under pressure to entice big developers with low affordable housing targets, because that's the only way you can get big developers to build. I fear that the current local development plan system works with that grain rather than against it, to the outrage of residents who want affordable...
Hefin David: Earlier this month, my constituent Mr Huw Thomas of Bargoed brought to my attention a new initiative for cancer treatment that is being introduced by NHS England, which is the creation of one-stop shops for cancer diagnosis with all of the necessary tests to diagnose the disease being carried out in one centre. The aim is to speed up the identification of particular types of cancer. I...
Hefin David: 5. Will the Cabinet Secretary make a statement on cancer services in Wales? OAQ52027
Hefin David: Will the Cabinet Secretary provide an update on breast cancer services in south-east Wales?
Hefin David: My concern is that the house building industry is dominated by a very small number of very large firms, which effectively creates a cartel, keeps prices artificially high, and prevents the mass building of affordable homes that are needed, because it's not in the interest to meet demand in the long term because that will cause prices to fall. The answer, I think, is an expanded housing...
Hefin David: 2. Will the First Minister make a statement on Welsh Government support for small and medium-sized house builders? OAQ52054
