Jack Sargeant: In the middle of a cold winter and significant growth in poverty, with inflation rampant and wages lagging behind, we're allowing energy companies to forcibly switch people to the most expensive and precarious way of paying for energy—hundreds of thousands of people. And of the 500,000 applications for court orders to forcibly switch residents, just 72 were refused, and that's despite the...
Jack Sargeant: Diolch yn fawr, Deputy Presiding Officer, and in opening today's short debate I'd like to give a minute of my time to both Sioned Williams and Jane Dodds. A 'cost-of-living crisis' is another way of saying that increasing numbers of people are being forced into poverty. It's a sign of failure of policy makers and of the way our economy is organised. It is not inevitable, and we can and we...
Jack Sargeant: Can I thank Jenny Rathbone for that suggestion? That's certainly one we will look into further. It's a valued suggestion from the Member. Of course, any suggestions on the committee's work are always welcome. Llywydd, the challenge facing those who run swimming pools was an issue raised in the culture committee's inquiry, as we've heard today, and it's in this report that we are debating. The...
Jack Sargeant: Of course.
Jack Sargeant: I extend my thanks to the culture committee for undertaking this piece of work and raising this important issue. Llywydd, I stand and contribute today in my role as chair of the Petitions Committee. One of the most popular petitions since the start of this year has focused on the impact of high energy costs on swimming pools and leisure centres. The petition titled 'Protect leisure centres...
Jack Sargeant: I thank the Counsel General for his answer, and the leadership of Welsh Government colleague Jane Hutt in this topic. This is nothing short of a national scandal. We have seen hundreds of court orders issued at a time, and now data shows that, out of the 500,000 applied orders for forced switching to prepayment meters, only 72 were refused. Out of 500,000, just 72 were refused. Nobody could...
Jack Sargeant: I'm grateful, Presiding Officer, for allowing me the opportunity to correct the record. In questions to the Counsel General, it was not done lightly, but I forgot to remind Members of my interest as a proud trade union member, when asking a question about the strike. So, I'm grateful for the opportunity to remind Members that that is available online, but also for the opportunity to say, in...
Jack Sargeant: Diolch yn fawr, Llywydd. It's clear that significant work is done to promote the work of our national Parliament, and this could be done through the large acts, such as you mentioned, with the engagement with all the parliaments, or perhaps even smaller acts. Now, Cymru, as a nation, is a generous and welcoming place, and so is our Senedd, and I'm sure that Members, like myself, have...
Jack Sargeant: Yet again, Counsel General, another example of aggressive legislation from the UK Tories, one that seeks to divide working people. It seeks to cover for the 12 years of Tory failure by blaming key workers. They are the very workers they clapped for during the pandemic. Counsel General, the right to strike is a basic right, and leaders across the United Kingdom should always seek to...
Jack Sargeant: I'm grateful to the Counsel General for his answer this afternoon. I'm sure he'll be aware of the report published just yesterday by the Senedd's Petitions Committee, which I Chair. This report was endorsed by the majority of the committee, and it did recommend a four-day-week trial within the public sector in Wales. The pilot will build on the evidence of the private sector trials that have...
Jack Sargeant: 3. What legal advice has the Counsel General provided to the Welsh Government regarding its ability to carry out a four-day week trial in Wales? OQ58997
Jack Sargeant: 6. What legal advice has the Counsel General provided to the Welsh Government on the impact of the UK Government's Strikes (Minimum Service Levels) Bill on the devolution settlement? OQ58999
Jack Sargeant: 2. How does the Commission promote the Welsh Parliament to the world? OQ59007
Jack Sargeant: 1. What advice has the Counsel General given the Welsh Government on whether processing hundreds of court warrants at a time, allowing energy firms to install prepay meters without individual checks, is a breach of Welsh residents’ civil rights? TQ713
Jack Sargeant: I join calls from opposition Members in welcoming today's announcement and statement from the Minister and its desired intentions, with the outcomes of reducing the pressures on our hospitals. Minister, you've mentioned funding within your statement today, but in order to achieve the desired outcomes that we all want to see, a sustainable funding package must be in place. Can you outline to...
Jack Sargeant: Can I thank the Minister for her answer? She will be aware that, over the last two months, I've been raising the issue of the installation of prepayment meters and calling for an immediate ban on their installation. These meters mean the poorest residents in our society pay more for their energy, and, Llywydd, I have spoken to a number of charities who've given me evidence that court orders...
Jack Sargeant: 2. What discussions has the Minister had with local government partners on how they can support residents during the cost-of-living crisis? OQ58962
Jack Sargeant: Can I thank the Minister for his statement, in particular the references to the advanced technology research centre and to the steel industry? But a key component of future economies, both in Wales and across the globe, will be digital infrastructure and digital connectivity. Presiding Officer, I will declare an interest as an unpaid member of the project consortium, 5G project consortium,...
Jack Sargeant: It's fitting that I follow the contribution of colleague Joel James as the Chair of the Senedd Petitions Committee that Joel also sits on. It's in that capacity today, Presiding Officer, that I wish to say a few words, focusing on a petition entitled, 'Help Welsh Communities Buy Community Assets: Implement Part 5 Chapter 3 of the Localism Act 2011'. It called on 'the next Welsh Government...
Jack Sargeant: thanks for everything, Gareth Bale.
