Andrew RT Davies: I really resent the implication that I'm tarnishing young people. I speak to young people every day of the week; I have four children myself. I am not tarnishing anyone. In fact, in my opening remarks I made the point that we need to empower young people to be engaged in the process and put their views forward. But by your motion, which talks of strikes in education and withdrawing themselves...
Andrew RT Davies: No, I'm not at all. At the end of the day, if this was on another issue, I'm sure Leanne Wood would be taking a separate view on this. But how can you force people—force people, because that's what you're doing and I used the example that was on the Jason Mohammad show this morning—to say that if you didn't engage in this strike action on Friday, you would be a climate change denier? We...
Andrew RT Davies: Thank you, Presiding Officer, and I move the amendment in the name of Darren Millar that's from the Conservative group today. And I would be one of the biggest supporters of young people expressing their views, taking part in action, but I do think that we do have to pause and reflect when we actually encourage students and pupils to come out of school on strike, and the damage that might do...
Andrew RT Davies: I would also draw on what David Melding has said about the Conservative benches bringing forward the 'Liveable Cities' document, which is now some 12 or 18 months old, with real solutions for some real quick wins that we can achieve in this particular area. And I would urge the Government to redouble its efforts in this particular field. I am grateful for the Brexit Party's contribution as...
Andrew RT Davies: Thank you, Deputy Presiding Officer. I welcome the contributions from across the floor on this very important subject. We can split hairs on the totality of the numbers, whether it's 1,400 or 2,000; I think what we all accept is that there's an unacceptable number of premature deaths in Wales. The figure that is in our motion is taken from Public Health Wales, which as I understand it is the...
Andrew RT Davies: Will the Member take an intervention?
Andrew RT Davies: I'm grateful to the Member for taking an intervention. Of course, that's the deaths figure that Public Health Wales have put there, but how much illness, and critical illness, is caused that is underlying that graphic figure that you just put out there?
Andrew RT Davies: I do think there's been a missed opportunity that the invitation was not extended. Sorry, my translation device fell out of my ear just as you were saying your opening remarks. But I think I am correct in saying that no invitation was extended to the head of state to come to this legislature, this Parliament, which is an important part of the democratic make-up of the United Kingdom, and I do...
Andrew RT Davies: It is important that there's plurality of thought and as many speakers as possible should be engaged by the Assembly so that that plurality can be listened to by as many people as possible. We're a democratic institution. But it is a fact that Carole Cadwalladr has had to put many clarifications and corrections out there, and I'm just interested to understand why an alternative view isn't...
Andrew RT Davies: Thank you for that answer, Minister. I have to say, it must have bypassed me, I didn't realise we had a dome in Japan. I'm sure we're all waiting with bated breath for the pictures of that dome when it arrives on those shores. But, what is key is that, at the end of this process, we don't just say, 'Welsh Government spent x and sent y number of people out there.' We need to measure how...
Andrew RT Davies: I hear what you said, finance Minister, about waste flow and monitoring that within local authorities, but surely one of the things that as finance Minister you must be concerned about is the strength of the audit trail. Many of us have seen television images and pictures in newspapers showing Welsh recycled waste—and people have entered that in good faith—appearing on shores many, many...
Andrew RT Davies: 5. What key objectives has the Minister set for the Welsh Government's promotional activity at the world cup in Japan this year? OAQ54332
Andrew RT Davies: 2. Will the Commission confirm why, unlike the Scottish Parliament, Her Majesty the Queen has not been invited to the Assembly to mark celebrations of 20 years of devolution? OAQ54309
Andrew RT Davies: I am grateful, and I think we all do stand shoulder to shoulder with the workers at the Orb steelworks in Newport, but it's my understanding that Tata haven't cited Brexit as the issue of the closure. In fact, they've been actively trying to market the plant for some time. It is the massive capacity increase that China have put into the market. Every sinew must be pulled to try and save that...
Andrew RT Davies: Will you take an intervention?
Andrew RT Davies: I fail to see how you can say that when the Prime Minister has offered to put his argument before the country in a general election and, only two to three years ago, the European Union were trying to strike the same sort of trade deal with America that was putting the NHS up for grabs.
Andrew RT Davies: —that has to be welcomed in politics. I’ll gladly take an intervention.
Andrew RT Davies: What has happened with the suspension or the ejection of the 22 Members of Parliament was that it was made very clear to them before they voted that it was a matter of confidence and that confidence vote had to be adhered to. They chose not to stick to the confidence vote, therefore, the political principle is, if you don’t vote on confidence in your Government or your leadership, you leave...
Andrew RT Davies: I welcome the opportunity to rise in the Chamber this afternoon to speak in this debate, albeit I recognise the limitations of the actions that we can take. I do identify myself with many of the comments that David Melding made—the Conservative Party is nothing if it is not a broad church. Some people might find that odd coming from my mouth as a Brexiteer, but actually, as a Brexiteer, I...
Andrew RT Davies: I am grateful to the Member for Torfaen for giving way. Are you saying it's undemocratic when the Prime Minister's been on his feet for the last 24 hours calling for a general election so he can put his argument to the people and the people can decide whether they want that argument? And the Prime Minister himself has emphasised the point that he wants a deal. So, why will you not support a...
