Gareth Bennett: 6. Will the Cabinet Secretary make a statement on the online broadcast of council meetings in Wales? OAQ(5)0123(FLG)
Gareth Bennett: Thanks to the Minister for his statement today. Nick Ramsay made the point that this report may well not end up being the talk of pubs and clubs throughout south Wales—throughout Wales, rather—and I think he could well be right. And I think, to a few Members here in the Chamber, it all remains a little bit mysterious, even to us. And the process by which we’ve arrived at having a future...
Gareth Bennett: Thanks to the Conservatives for bringing today’s debate. We support their motion. We, like them, recognise the crucial role played by local authorities in delivering public services. As challenging financial times continue, local councils are having to deliver these services in different ways. Outsourcing is now becoming a fact of life for many councils. Outsourcing can work, but, of...
Gareth Bennett: Yes, I appreciate there are problems in that area. If we keep to the housing supply angle, which you’ve been articulating, another area is bringing into the housing supply empty homes. I know you’ve had some success with the Houses into Homes scheme. The latest figures I’ve seen indicate that there are around 23,000 empty houses currently in Wales. That’s your figure, by the way. So,...
Gareth Bennett: Yes, thanks for your answer, Minister. I know that you have the Bill going through to safeguard the social housing stock, as you see it, which is your approach. But I’m looking at the other end of it today—increasing the actual supply, which you are enlightening me as to the efforts that you’re making. Now, another possible area where this could be improved is by the release of...
Gareth Bennett: Diolch, Llywydd. I was going to ask you today, Minister, some questions relating to housing and, in particular, the Welsh Government’s involvement in stimulating housing supply. I know that there have been efforts to increase the use of publicly owned land for housing supply. Could you update us on these efforts, also on the operation of the housing supply taskforce, which was set up in 2013?
Gareth Bennett: Yes. Thank you for the answer and your acknowledgement of the problem. Is there anything—? Given that the problem seems to be getting worse in some areas, are there any measures that the Welsh Government could take to assist in tackling it?
Gareth Bennett: 8. Will the Cabinet Secretary make a statement about the environmental impact of illegal off-road motorcycling in Wales? OAQ(5)0129(ERA)
Gareth Bennett: Thanks to the Government for bringing today’s debate. I thought the First Minister raised some reasonable points today, and in a balanced manner, and it hasn’t actually been as heated today, which is perhaps a welcome development—but maybe that will change. [Laughter.] After Brexit, the UK will need an independent arbiter to rule over issues such as legal competence and what is being...
Gareth Bennett: I thank Lee Waters for what I thought was a very good contribution to today’s debate. I think today’s debate is an important one as I believe it touches on the tension that is sometimes generated when two separate political objectives come into conflict with one another. One of the objectives is the Welsh Government’s aim of achieving 1 million Welsh speakers by 2050, in which education...
Gareth Bennett: The Sport Wales situation is now in danger of becoming a long-running bad-news story. The story proceeds in a series of unfortunate instalments, with the latest episode today rather conveniently occurring on the same day as the article 50 announcement. [Interruption.] Well, maybe they are, maybe they’re not. As the story has proceeded, various questions have arisen. Paul Thomas, the...
Gareth Bennett: Yes, thanks for the answer. There has been a lot of contention about the charges, particularly at the university hospital, known as Heath hospital colloquially. Recently, there was an instance of a nurse who was charged despite leaving a sign on her dashboard saying that she was a cardiac emergency nurse on call. So, the wardens may have been over-zealous in their approach. I understand that...
Gareth Bennett: 8. Will the Cabinet Secretary make a statement regarding hospital car parking charges in South Wales Central? OAQ(5)0150(HWS)
Gareth Bennett: I take on board Nick Ramsay’s reservations that he expressed. However, UKIP does support the Plaid Cymru amendment allowing local authorities to make representations to the Welsh Government regarding tax bands and tax rates. We believe that, in general, powers should be devolved to the lowest possible level of Government. This is backing the principle of localism, and we stated this...
Gareth Bennett: Thanks. Yes, I understand it is a matter principally for the council but the bus station is an issue of growing concern to south Wales residents in general. There have long been fears that the new facility may be too small and now there are fears over the funding as well; there is also the little matter that we don't yet know if there will be coach bays at the new station—none of which...
Gareth Bennett: 7. What discussions has the Welsh Government had with Cardiff Council regarding the provision of a new bus station in the city? OAQ(5)0538(FM)
Gareth Bennett: Despite the twenty-first century schools programme, difficulties do still arise with older schools in need of repair. We had a rather ludicrous situation this winter, when 1,400 pupils from three Cardiff secondary schools were being ferried out to places like the Motorpoint Arena, the SWALEC stadium, county hall and Barry College for lessons. This did cause considerable disruption. Does the...
Gareth Bennett: Thank you, Deputy Presiding Officer, and thanks to the Minister for today’s statement. We do welcome the statement, because we are very sympathetic in UKIP to the concerns of the park home residents. Some of the UKIP Members did meet today with the residents, and it became clear that one of their ongoing concerns is that the Welsh Government consultation is viewed by many of them as simply...
Gareth Bennett: What discussions has the Cabinet Secretary had with local authorities to ensure accountable and transparent governance of the Cardiff Capital Region City Deal?
Gareth Bennett: Will you give way?
