John Griffiths: —is very short, Dirprwy Lywydd, so perhaps I can move on and say that, in conclusion, we very much welcome this Bill. Our recommendations are set out. They have been referred to by the Member in charge. To conclude, Llywydd, we believe this Bill will deliver on its policy intentions, and we would call on the Assembly to support the general principles.
John Griffiths: We heard from the Member in charge, the current ombudsman, and his counterparts in Northern Ireland and Scotland, that this was a critical tool in the ombudsman’s toolkit. It is also one that is available to most of their counterparts across the world. We noted the concerns raised by stakeholders about creating additional complexity in that already crowded regulatory framework, but the...
John Griffiths: Diolch, Dirprwy Lywydd. I'm very pleased to speak in this debate as Chair of the Equality, Local Government and Communities Committee and to outline our findings from our scrutiny of the Bill. As the Bill was introduced by the Finance Committee, we also conducted the financial scrutiny alongside our general scrutiny. I would like to thank everyone who contributed to that scrutiny, those...
John Griffiths: I just wanted to address a particular point, really, and it is with regard to the importance of leadership in our schools, which we very regularly hear is vital, and I believe that, indeed, it is. We must have the right leadership skills and the right leadership teams in place if we're going to make the sort of progress that we wish to see in our schools. I want to relate that to the...
John Griffiths: Cabinet Secretary, I wonder if you would join me in applauding the work of Kaleidoscope and Gwent Drug and Alcohol Service in providing a wide range of activities for those in recovery from their drug and alcohol problems, so that they can develop new interests, find more useful ways of occupying their time in aiding that recovery process and, in particular, recognise new initiatives, such as...
John Griffiths: I want to speak briefly in support of the general principles of the proposed legislation. I do believe that the ill effects of excessive alcohol consumption are well documented and the effects on people's health and the ill health that results in is, again, well established and accepted. And of course it also impacts on the wider family, as well as the individual who drinks too much. There's...
John Griffiths: I'm pleased to speak today as the Chair of the Equality, Local Government and Communities Committee. We have been considering the human rights implications of leaving the European Union over the past year. In December, we outlined a number of core principles that we identified. Our overriding priority is that there is no regression in equality and human rights protections once we have left...
John Griffiths: First Minister, a few weeks ago, Sophie Howe as Future Generations Commissioner for Wales gave evidence in facing scrutiny to the committee I chair, the Equality, Local Government and Communities Committee. She mentioned that she's proposing to Welsh Government that new money for health should be earmarked for the preventative agenda, and subject to joint work between health and non-health...
John Griffiths: 8. What further steps will the Welsh Government take towards a more preventative approach to ill-health in Wales? OAQ51891
John Griffiths: I think if the prisons are grossly overcrowded, as they are, and many of the people there shouldn't be there in the first place, it makes rehabilitation much more difficult. There are much better ways of dealing with these unfortunate people, in many respects, with mental health issues, substance misuse problems—probably they may well be illiterate or innumerate or have very poor skills....
John Griffiths: I agree with many speakers today that criminal justice in England and Wales is a story of regressive and unproductive policies. We would do much better, I'm sure, if we had devolution of responsibility for criminal justice here in Wales. As many have said, we have the highest rate of imprisonment in western Europe in England and Wales—those are Council of Europe annual penal statistics....
John Griffiths: Will the First Minister make a statement on Welsh Government support for regeneration in Newport?
John Griffiths: Thank you for that answer, Cabinet Secretary. We know that the UK Government's austerity policies are placing great pressure on our local authorities, and obviously they have to meet what many would say are their primary statutory responsibilities in terms of education and social services, for example. But leisure services, libraries, museums, youth services and many other services are also...
John Griffiths: 4. What steps is the Welsh Government taking to support local authorities to protect their non-statutory services? OAQ51814
John Griffiths: So, I just ask about cycle training as well, and Cymru Travel Challenge has ended in terms of workplace behavioural change, Cabinet Secretary, with no replacement.
John Griffiths: I will be very quick. It's all connected with behavioural change, Deputy Presiding Officer.
John Griffiths: Can I very much welcome the statement, Cabinet Secretary, and your commitment, which I think is very clear? Some of the answers you've given on funding, for example, I think are very welcome. You will have the support, I'm confident, across this Chamber, that you're looking for in terms of the difficult decisions around implementation. Could I just say that interest groups, I think, are...
John Griffiths: What further steps will the Welsh Government take to promote and develop the Welsh language in Newport?
John Griffiths: Diolch yn fawr, Dirprwy Lywydd. I welcome the Government statement and action plan. As we've heard, rough-sleeper numbers do appear to be increasing in terms of the counts that are taking place. That's why I'm very pleased that the committee that I chair, the Equality, Local Government and Communities Committee, is doing a piece of work on rough-sleepers. We've already made visits to Solas in...
John Griffiths: Cabinet Secretary, in accordance with the Well-being of Future Generations (Wales) Act 2015, I think it's widely accepted, and I think Welsh Government would certainly support a move to a more preventative approach in dealing with ill health in Wales, and being more proactive. Where there are examples, as I believe there is a particularly good one in Newport of the local health board coming...
