Julie James: ...health board would be in a position to meet those expectations consistently, and we are very happy to have those conversations. Indeed, we have been having those conversations for some time. That's not to say, however, that the local planning authority cannot consult the health board outside of it being a statutory consultee, and we certainly recommend that as good practice. The local...
Mick Antoniw: ...public services. I wonder whether any progress has been made in that respect, and also on my suggestion that there should, perhaps, be a levy on major planning applications that would actually fund representation for community groups where it's clear large applications are going to have a massive impact on local communities.
Jayne Bryant: ...and much valued service. If this is taken away, there is a fear that the link that community postmen provide will be lost. Can the Deputy Minister assure me that the Welsh Government will be making representations to Royal Mail to highlight the value it puts on the equal six-day service, ensuring that it does all it can to protect the role of the community posties?
Mark Isherwood: ...border between Ireland and Northern Ireland. We know that 75 per cent of Wales’s exports are estimated to go to the rest of the UK, and only 15 per cent to the EU. And when officials from the representation of the German state Bremen told the external affairs committee that 10 per cent to 15 per cent of the gross domestic product of Germany is to the UK, they put this as it’s exposed...
Rebecca Evans: ...be more appropriate than just to the Members who have raised it in the Chamber this afternoon. On the issue of pest control, I'm familiar with the situation in Mayals. I have also had the same representations as you've had. The environment Minister has been here to hear the discussion, and I know that she'll look carefully at the different ways in which local authorities are dealing with...
Elin Jones: I think the point that is made in the report is that the international comparisons and those within the United Kingdom show that there is under-representation of the people of Wales in their national legislature. So, the international comparisons demonstrate that that under-representation makes it more difficult for us as a legislature to do our scrutiny work as compared with similar...
Elin Jones: ...the electoral system. The Commission had already consulted the public on these particular issues and received the agreement of a majority of responses. However, last month, it emerged that we could not proceed with part 2 of the programme during this Assembly. There’s no doubt that the case for more AMs has been argued effectively, but parties are still considering the implications of...
Alun Davies: I actually hadn't said that, but I was just about to. [Laughter.] I do not believe—. I recognise what you're saying, Joyce, and I recognise, of course, why you're saying it, but I do not believe that regional representation is real representation, I'll be absolutely clear about that. I do not believe—[Interruption.] I don't believe it. I'm afraid I don't believe it. And do you know what?...
Alun Davies: —as you will remember—I'm making the point—as you will know. And I know that the experience of being a constituency Member and a regional Member is different, and I do not believe that regional representation is effective representation. I do not believe that the people of Blaenau Gwent—
Joyce Watson: ...Laughter.] I've been a regional Member in this Assembly for 12 years, and part of that time alongside you and others, and I cannot sit here and listen to you saying that you believe that regional representation, somehow, is less representation. So, I'm afraid I'll have to completely and utterly disagree with your comments.
Delyth Jewell: The building that we're debating in is often celebrated for its architecture, its concave ceiling, its sloping walls. The contours of the space itself remind us of not just the principles of openness and transparency in democracy, but also the, at times, circuitous path we've taken to get here, winning the vote in 1997 by a whisker and the work that's happened in the past 20 years to engage...
Hefin David: ...across the Chamber. I've spoken to the leader of Plaid Cymru and to Siân Gwenllian today, I've spoken to Jayne Bryant, and one of the things that Jayne Bryant said to me is we need to look at representation as a whole across the UK and how our representation works. I buy into that argument. One of the things I was disappointed with Plaid Cymru—I could have signed up to their motion...
Paul Davies: ...of the additional recurrent annual costs that could arise from an additional 20 or 30 Assembly Members. And I fully accept that these costs should be considered in the broader context of democratic representation in Wales. As a consequence of Brexit, there will no longer be Welsh MEPs, which I understand is the equivalent of funding 24 Assembly Members. I therefore accept and agree that it...
Mark Reckless: ...that they represent, and I think, perhaps, the leader of Plaid Cymru may have touched both those issues today. For our group, we are clear—we’ve moved our own amendment. Firstly, we want to note the report of the expert panel on Assembly electoral reform. Even though we may not be able to support it, even at the lower end of the range of AMs that the panel gave, I’m very appreciative...
Darren Millar: ...we've legislated for that here in Wales, and, as a result of that, therefore, I think that it's recognised that young people below the age of 18, including in their mental abilities sometimes, are not fully developed—not everybody; we know that people develop at different rates. [Interruption.] We know that people develop at different rates, but the fact is that their skin doesn't...
Joyce Watson: ...Westminster Government over six years ago, the number of parents having to represent themselves now in child custody cases has more than doubled. Many families simply cannot afford to pay for legal representation, and are having to navigate complex issues alone without any understanding of that law. This, of course, is putting tremendous pressure on families and campaigners have said, and...
Mark Drakeford: Llywydd, I share the Member's concern, and I know that the education Minister does as well, at the over-representation amongst school exclusions of pupils with additional learning needs. It's partly why we are investing £20 million to prepare the system and staff for the new regime that flows from the Act that was put on the statute book in this Chamber, and, in doing so, we certainly look...
Helen Mary Jones: ...a bit more today, Deputy Minister, about what the Government is doing to ensure consistency in those services, how families get access to those services, the kinds of support that they need. I'm not suggesting you need to impose some sort of national model, because what's appropriate in Gwynedd might not be appropriate in Blaenau Gwent, but we do need to have that consistency. Because I...
Rhianon Passmore: I absolutely concur that there are real pressures and real challenges, but not just for the higher education sector, bearing in mind the topic of this debate. The radical reforms this Welsh Labour-led Government has implemented in response to the Diamond review are radical and they will create a strong and sustainable funding settlement. This radical and progressive approach will also mean...
John Griffiths: ...puts us in quite a strong position when making recommendations and advising others. I, like Huw, plead guilty to being in the male, white and around 60 years of age demographic. [Laughter.] There's not much we can do about that, but we can certainly work towards greater diversity in general. What Huw said about Paul Flynn I think is very true—that Paul was very strong in arguing for the...
