John Griffiths: 7. What Welsh Government support is available for initiatives to prevent ill-health in Wales? OAQ51653
John Griffiths: Cabinet Secretary, Coleg Gwent plans to relocate its Newport campus to the city-centre riverfront, which could be transformative for further education in Newport, would involve collaboration with the University of South Wales and their city-centre campus in Newport, and is also very much backed by Newport City Council in terms of wider regeneration plans. In general terms, I wonder whether...
John Griffiths: 1. A wnaiff Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet ddatganiad am ddyraniad Llywodraeth Cymru o arian cyfalaf? OAQ51619
John Griffiths: Diolch, Dirprwy Lywydd. Cabinet Secretary, you will be aware that there are many issues in terms of rail services around Newport. Commuters are often on grossly overcrowded trains travelling to Bristol, for example. There are issues of people being asked to stand in toilets to allow more people to get on, people fainting, people being left on the platforms, issues of unreliability and,...
John Griffiths: Cabinet Secretary, leisure services are vital to health and quality of life and enjoyment for our people here in Wales. Will you join me in recognising the value and the contribution of Newport Live, which delivers recreational, sport and cultural services? I've been involved in a number of meetings they've had with Aneurin Bevan Local Health Board and a range of partners, including Newport...
John Griffiths: Minister, what would certainly help address any increase in house prices would be delivery of Welsh Government plans for 20,000 extra affordable homes in this Assembly term. So, will your discussions with Newport City Council and Monmouthshire County Council include discussion as to how affordable homes can be best taken forward in that area?
John Griffiths: 3. What strategy is the Welsh Government following to support local government non-statutory services in Wales? OAQ51565
John Griffiths: First Minister, for the reasons that you have mentioned and others, we do have a worrying level of rough-sleeping and begging on our streets and I think that's been very visible and noticeable to all of us and the public in general. We do need constructive responses. So, I wonder if you would agree with me that Newport business investment district, representing city centre traders and...
John Griffiths: Absolutely.
John Griffiths: It is a problem all over Wales and far beyond Wales, and there's a lively debate going on in Newport, and I'm sure in other parts of Wales, as to what the best approach is. I'm engaging in that debate at the moment. One positive aspect of it, I think, is Newport Now BID, which is an organisation involving lots of the city-centre traders, taking forward a proposal for diverted giving, which I...
John Griffiths: I very much welcome this debate today, as others have, because homelessness and rough-sleeping are very major issues that have come to the fore in recent times. We have seen some changes in the way that Welsh Government seeks to address the issues, and we need to evaluate those and reflect on what else is necessary if we are to make the progress that I'm sure that we would all like to see. I...
John Griffiths: I welcome the committee's report, Dirprwy Lywydd, and very much agree with them that we should be proud of our Welsh seas and our Welsh coastal environment, and that the marine protected areas are important for healthy seas that will maintain that advantage that we have, and support tourism, fisheries and other uses. I also agree with the committee that, of course, you can never take that...
John Griffiths: How does the Welsh Government’s prioritisation of walking, cycling and public transport over private motor cars impact on the allocation of resources within the economy and transport portfolio?
John Griffiths: As others have said, I think we are very fortunate in Wales to have such a high-quality marine environment, and it's very important that we now take forward marine planning as is proposed by Welsh Government so that we do have a more co-ordinated approach that, again, other Members have spoken of. Up to now, I think we have seen different particular interests pursuing their own agendas with...
John Griffiths: Will the Cabinet Secretary make a statement on Welsh Government policy on tertiary education in Wales?
John Griffiths: I am pleased to speak in this debate today as Chair of the Equality, Local Government and Communities Committee. The commission, of course, is one of the committee's key stakeholders. We have enjoyed a very positive and constructive relationship with them, and, over the past year, they have directly informed a number of pieces of our work, including our report on refugees and asylum seekers...
John Griffiths: First Minister, if we are to meet the challenges of achieving a more preventative and proactive approach to better health in Wales, we do need a more physically active population. That is an important part of making that necessary change. In Newport, the Aneurin Bevan health board public health department, together with Newport Live, Newport City Council, Natural Resources Wales, local sports...
John Griffiths: 4. What action is the Welsh Government taking to promote joint working between the health sector and the leisure and sport sector in Wales? OAQ51484
John Griffiths: Thank you for that response, Cabinet Secretary. There is considerable interest in the committee's report in Newport, which, obviously, is one of the more ethnically diverse cities and areas in Wales, but also there are other areas in Wales that are similarly so. So, there is considerable interest out there and it's good to know that Welsh Government is working with refugees and asylum...
John Griffiths: Cabinet Secretary, the book The Spirit Level and much other evidence show that we all have much to gain from a more equal society in every way. The Joseph Rowntree Foundation this week stated that 400,000 more children and 300,000 more pensioners are living in poverty in the UK now than in 2012-13. The Social Mobility Commission have resigned en masse in protest, in part at least, at the...
