David Melding: Perhaps I can bring a little calm consensus to this matter. It is important that we strike the right balance here—that we don't put off potential landlords and existing landlords and ladies from making available housing for rent. But we do need a rebalance as well, and the UK Government has been part of a similar approach. I do urge you to remember what Richard Lambert said—who is the CEO...
David Melding: Minister, would you join in congratulating the Assembly Commission with me on the action it has taken? I clambered up to the top of the Pierhead building a couple of weeks ago, with our excellent staff there, some of whom are now expert beekeepers, and indeed I think some Assembly Members' support staff also have joined the programme. I saw our two hives, and they were very active and, I'm...
David Melding: First Minister, housing policy has a key role to play in tackling climate change. The UK Government announced yesterday that it will amend building regulations so that the installation of charge points for electrical vehicles will be required on all new housing developments. You may have realised that, when the Welsh Conservative group published its housing strategy, this was one of the...
David Melding: Will the Member take a point?
David Melding: Well, English, for a legislature, uses the French loanword 'parliament', and in Welsh we use the Latin loanword 'senedd'.
David Melding: I know I'm out of time, but can I just record my gratitude, as a former Chair of CLAC, that the recommendations on disqualification will now take forward quite fully the work of that committee in the fourth Assembly? I'm grateful to see that.
David Melding: Deputy Presiding Officer, I hope you'll forgive me for starting in a slightly more celebratory mood because the central purpose of this Bill as far I'm concerned is to extend the franchise to a most important group of people and, for me, the experience of seeing how 16 and 17-year-olds contributed to the 2014 Scottish referendum was real confirmation that this is a positive move. Far from...
David Melding: I'm pleased to contribute to this debate, although I was not a member of the committee when the report was being formulated. I have been very pleased to follow the work as it moved to publication and was then launched, as the Chair has indicated. I think it has been a very important area of work, and the report focuses on very practical ways in which we can improve film and major tv...
David Melding: I note, at this stage of the development of UK common frameworks, that the aim is to widen engagement and consultation, and indeed the UK Government stated on 3 July that they have developed a more detailed engagement plan, and this is to mandate increasing engagement and to raise transparency. Now, it does seem to me that this is exactly how the system should operate. I note that you have...
David Melding: How does the Welsh Government intend to safeguard tourism from the EU post-Brexit?
David Melding: I welcome the tone, especially towards the end, about the need to work together and increase the pace and scale of social home building. But also, across the piece, I think we need to look at our targets and set a really serious ambition for the 2020s. We need to do that now so that we can get all the necessary approaches in place so that we can see an increase at scale, then, in house...
David Melding: I think the World Health Organization has said that antibiotic resistance could be one of the major health challenges we face, as common infections once again become common killers if we don't get this right and there are fewer new drugs coming on board. One thing we could do is to encourage people, instead of going to the doctor in search of an antibiotic for a common cold or a sore throat...
David Melding: Thank you for that answer, Minister. Would you join with me in congratulating Ysgol Gynradd Gymraeg Hamadryad in my region in Cardiff, which is becoming a pioneer for active travel in schools, not just in Wales but the rest of the UK? Their innovations are quite incredible: personalised travel planning for the pupils and parents; park and stride, so that, where a car has to be used, at least...
David Melding: 6. What is the Welsh Government doing to educate pupils on the benefits of active travel through the education system? OAQ54176
David Melding: The Minister has been kind enough to refer to my role as chair of the ministerial advisory group, and I remind Members now of my position there. Deputy Minister, I think it is important—we've heard really insightful questions and comments, and inevitably they've looked at the challenges, but we should remind everyone that outcomes are good when we get care right, and there are foster...
David Melding: First Minister, we need to take great care with our most precious buildings. You may have heard that plans are now being considered—I don't expect you to comment on these, but plans are being considered for the development of the Howells store. And they're very interesting, in fairness. They deserve good examination. And, if we turn to Newman's great book on the buildings of Glamorgan, he...
David Melding: Can I commend Dawn's enthusiasm and the clear way she set out the case for the recognition of housing as a basic human right, and, in this context, the right to adequate hosing being a central principle in which we organise public policy? It would fit very naturally, when we're looking at the most severe need, our housing first policy, for instance, where we're helping those people who have...
David Melding: I am very grateful, Minister, that you have referred to the National Eisteddfod in 2022 visiting RCT; it's going to be a key opportunity to build on the 28,000 Welsh speakers who are already in Rhondda Cynon Taf. And I think it's a major opportunity for language recovery in a really important part of Wales, because, if we're going to be a bilingual nation, it's in this area, and others like...
David Melding: I urge you, Minister, to look at the situation in Scotland, because companies there making similar sized purchases to the ones in Wales will be paying 4.5 per cent—that's below the English rate and, obviously, 1.5 per cent below ours. The month they made that decision, they saw their revenue increase by an amount that was highest on record, and their yearly rise so far stands at something...
David Melding: 3. How is the Welsh Government promoting the Welsh language in Rhondda Cynon Taf? OAQ54125
