Vikki Howells: Diolch, Dirprwy Lywydd. Cabinet Secretary, I'd like to welcome your announcement today, particularly the boost in funding available centrally for infrastructure investment. During recess, I and my colleague Dawn Bowden had a wonderful day trip where we were actually allowed to go through the Abernant railway tunnel that links our two constituencies, and you'll recall that I raised a...
Vikki Howells: Thank you, leader of the house. It was a real privilege for me, last summer, to visit the lunch and fun club in Penywaun in my constituency and see the positive benefits that this initiative was having, and that's threefold: it's in terms of providing two hot meals a day to all pupils who are eligible for free school meals; providing fun educational activities; but also I was...
Vikki Howells: 3. Will the First Minister outline the Welsh Government’s plans for its food and fun school clubs this summer? OAQ51822
Vikki Howells: Yes.
Vikki Howells: I couldn't agree with the Member more. If you take a school, for example, if a school was performing badly and not delivering results for its pupils, then action would be taken to ensure that it was brought up to standard. But in terms of the private sector, we don't have these powers currently, but we do have the ability through the planning review to look at this, and I think it's...
Vikki Howells: In rising to speak in support of this motion today, I will focus my remarks on the experiences of my constituents—my constituents who live not just on unadopted roads, but, as so many of my colleagues here have stressed today, on unadopted estates. I want to talk about the impact that the failure of developers to bring these estates up to adoptable standards is having on my constituents....
Vikki Howells: Diolch, Llywydd. AMs from all parties came together today at an event organised by the Wales Environment Link. This was held in support of the Show the Love campaign. We know the risks posed by climate change to the world around us. It’s affected the behaviour, abundance and distribution of all manner of flora, fauna and fungi around the world, but also here in Wales. But it is not too...
Vikki Howells: Thank you, Minister. I was really glad that you could speak at the event on community spaces that I hosted the other week. The event heard how access to community green spaces can help to improve health, well-being and prosperity, although it also noted some of the barriers to community ownership. What support can the Welsh Government give to make it easier for communities to not only access...
Vikki Howells: 9. What action is the Welsh Government taking to improve community access to green spaces? OAQ51743
Vikki Howells: Diolch, Dirprwy Lywydd. Thank you, Cabinet Secretary, for your statement today. I think it's a really exciting announcement. Land banking is certainly an issue that is—very passionately expressed views on the doorsteps in Cynon Valley, and my first question in the Chamber when I was elected was actually about land banking. My question focuses around the statement you made earlier, where you...
Vikki Howells: What are the Welsh Government's priorities for strengthening the economy of the Cynon Valley?
Vikki Howells: I'd like to thank all Members who took part in this debate today, and especially the Minister as well. Just to respond to some of the points raised, my colleague Bethan Jenkins asked what would it look like on the ground, and Michelle Brown raised some concerns about resourcing. I think that's the beauty of my suggestion, that these changes could be incremental. I've been trawling through...
Vikki Howells: Would the Minister take an intervention?
Vikki Howells: Minister, I agree with you that there is some really good practice out there already, and I'd just like to invite you to come to my constituency where I could show you an example of a really good inclusive play area. Maybe you could meet with some of the children and parents that I've been working with.
Vikki Howells: Diolch, Dirprwy Lywydd. Play is something that is vital for children and young people. It encourages physical health and well-being, tackles obesity, improves dexterity and motor skills, builds resilience and fitness levels. It also promotes mental well-being. Play contributes to healthy brain development. It offers opportunities to use the imagination. It grants children new chances to...
Vikki Howells: I rise to speak in this debate as chair of the National Assembly Labour group. The issues addressed in the report of the expert panel on Assembly electoral reform are matters not for the Government in the first instance, but for us as representatives of our political parties, and for our communities and parties more widely to consider. I would like to place on record the thanks of my party...
Vikki Howells: Thank you, Cabinet Secretary. When Sustrans looked into how 25 disused railway tunnels in Wales could be converted into active travel routes, there was one clear winner. That's the Abernant tunnel, which links Cwmbach in my constituency to Merthyr Tydfil, which scored highest on the rate system in terms of both benefit-to-cost ratio and annual usage estimate. Some work has been ongoing...
Vikki Howells: 2. Will the Cabinet Secretary provide an update on the Welsh Government's work to promote active travel in Cynon Valley? OAQ51722
Vikki Howells: Cabinet Secretary, will you join with me in congratulating my constituent, Janet Lewis, whose leadership in devising solutions to improve healthcare provision and equality for patients with neuroendocrine tumours led to her becoming the well-deserved winner of the endocrine nurse award for 2018? More generally, how is the Welsh Government working with Welsh patients and healthcare...
Vikki Howells: 6. Will the Cabinet Secretary provide an update on how the Welsh Government is supporting people affected by neuroendocrine tumours in Wales? OAQ51647
