Russell George: Thank you for your answer, Trefnydd. You've previously talked about, and your predecessors have talked about, reforming the business rate system in Wales. When it comes to business full rate relief, properties, of course, with a rateable value of up to £12,000 can benefit from rate relief in England, but in Wales that figure is just for business properties with a rateable value of up to...
Russell George: 3. Will the Minister explain how the awarding of discretionary business rate relief can support small and medium sized businesses? OAQ54311
Russell George: Thank you, Deputy Presiding Officer. I move those amendments in the name of Darren Millar. I'd like to thank the Deputy Minister for his update on the progress of the Valleys taskforce and also for his earlier update sent by e-mail to Members this afternoon; I haven't had time to look at that in great detail. I would like to reiterate the Welsh Conservatives' support for the Valleys...
Russell George: Why didn't you say it?
Russell George: Thank you for your answer, First Minister. The level of service on the rail network in Wales has been wholly unacceptable over the summer. I have received dozens and dozens of complaints, either with people copying me into their own correspondence to Transport for Wales, or constituents contacting me directly—not to mention the issues aired over social media. Complaints fall into a number...
Russell George: 6. Will the First Minister make a statement on the performance of services provided by Transport for Wales? OAQ54313
Russell George: Thank you, Minister, for your answer. I recently met with the executive officer of the Farmers Union of Wales Montgomeryshire branch, and, on behalf of members in Montgomeryshire, a number of issues were raised, which included an increasing spate of theft of farm tools and farm equipment, also the introduction of nitrate vulnerable zones, and also their campaign to minimise dog attacks on...
Russell George: 2. How is the Welsh Government supporting the farming community in mid Wales? OAQ54260
Russell George: Thank you for your answer, Deputy Minister. Transport for Wales has to, of course, ensure that reasonable adjustments for disabled people are in place following the Act. Now, reasonable adjustment for a train where you could sit for over three hours between Aberystwyth and Birmingham International is simply, of course, a properly designed disabled toilet. It's the case at the moment that many...
Russell George: 4. Will the Deputy Minister make a statement on the implementation of the Equality Act 2010 in Wales? OAQ54259
Russell George: Thank you for your answer, Minister. I'm sure you would agree with me that it is, obviously, vital to engage with businesses across Wales in preparation for Brexit. You mentioned that you have been talking to some of the key organisations and they are around the table in your meetings also. But I'm particularly concerned about small, independent businesses that might not be members of such...
Russell George: Thank you, Minister. I'm pleased to hear that answer. A member of the Montgomeryshire access group has contacted me to say that they've received yet another complaint from a wheelchair user that they could not use a toilet on the Cambrian line, which means that, in some cases, people have resorted to, in their words, wearing adult nappies. Following, of course, the Equality Act 2010,...
Russell George: In the first 20 years of devolution, we have pretty much solved a challenge that Wales has faced during the course of deindustrialisation, which is a higher level of unemployment than the UK average. We brought it down to the UK average and, indeed, on many occasions in the last year, it's dipped below the UK average, and for the first time, as I say, again, inactivity rates have fallen to...
Russell George: Well, thank you for your answer, Minister. I appreciate you speaking candidly about some of the challenges of the Welsh economy as well. Two main strands of the economic action plan, the regional business plans and the plan for the foundational economy, remain undelivered. So, I would ask you if you would look at some of the ideas that we have on these benches, for example for deploying trade...
Russell George: Thank you for your answer, Minister. Your Deputy Minister, of course, has recently said that the Welsh Government has pretended to know what it's doing on the economy for the last 20 years, and efforts to improve the economy under devolution have not worked. Personally I think it is refreshing to hear a Minister speaking very candidly about the economy. I very much agree with the Member for...
Russell George: Diolch, Llywydd. Minister, do you agree with the First Minister when he said that there have been major improvements to the Welsh economy since devolution?
Russell George: 4. Will the Minister make a statement on train services on the Cambrian line? OAQ54198
Russell George: 3. Will the Counsel General make a statement on the Welsh Government's engagement with small businesses on Brexit preparedness? OAQ54221
Russell George: Thank you for your answer, First Minister. In the eight years that I've been an Assembly Member, it's the last couple of years that my office and I have received the most significant concerns in regards to slow ambulance response times. In a letter to me last year, the chief executive of the Welsh ambulance service confirmed for my constituents that the average ambulance handover time was...
Russell George: 3. Will the First Minister make a statement on ambulance response times? OAQ54197
