Paul Davies: Llywydd, I'm not going to take any lessons from the First Minister on investing in our health service, because it was his party that actually cut health service funding some years ago. In 2016, my party put forward a comprehensive plan for change in NHS Wales, a vision for a Welsh NHS that's better resourced, more accountable to patients, and delivers better results for those who use the...
Paul Davies: Clearly, First Minister, you don't have a 10-year plan. Publishing a 10-year strategy is essential so that users of the Welsh NHS can see a road map as to how their services can be developed in the future and what they can expect in terms of delivery. As the Welsh Government received the largest uplift in funding for health and social services since devolution, this funding will be essential...
Paul Davies: Diolch, Llywydd. First Minister, on behalf of these benches, can I take this opportunity to welcome you to your place? I look forward to our weekly exchanges, and I want to make it clear that I will work with you constructively where I can, but my colleagues and I will also be robustly scrutinising your Government on behalf of the people of Wales and making sure you are held to account for...
Paul Davies: Paul Davies. [Laughter.]
Paul Davies: Well, I'm glad she's had a very constructive dialogue with Pembrokeshire County Council. Now, as the leader of the house is aware, schools rely on broadband to help deliver parts of the curriculum, and it's imperative that it is available to all schools across Wales. I understand that Ysgol Llanychllwydog in Pembrokeshire is the only school in the area that is not able to receive broadband,...
Paul Davies: Leader of the house, as you are fully aware, superfast broadband is critical for many people, particularly people running businesses and people living alone who rely on it as a lifeline. On 23 October you said that you would provide us with details of who would be next able to access superfast broadband. In fact, you said, and I quote, 'I am hoping that, within the next month, we will be able...
Paul Davies: Diolch, Llywydd. First Minister, as you've said, you have led your party and your country for nine years, and as has already been said in this Chamber earlier today, you have been a member of the Welsh Government's Cabinet for over 18 years—almost as long as your former Government colleague, the Member for the Vale of Glamorgan. Of course, during that time, you have held many of the major...
Paul Davies: First Minister, for all the fierce exchanges across this Chamber, no-one can be in any doubt about the efforts and sacrifices that you have made in public service in Wales. Despite our political differences, we have been bound by an unshakable commitment to the people we serve and you have carried out that duty with dedication and devotion. So, on behalf of these benches and on behalf of the...
Paul Davies: Thank you for that response. As you know, the Welsh Government will soon become responsible for raising a proportion of its revenue via income tax, and this is the final area of policy that I would like to raise with you in this Chamber. Thanks to the UK Government, income tax rates for working people across the UK have reduced significantly since 2010. More and more people in Wales are...
Paul Davies: Diolch, Llywydd. First Minister, in your nine years in post, what do you feel you have learnt and what advice would you give to the new First Minister?
Paul Davies: 2. Will the Leader of the House provide an update on superfast broadband in Preseli Pembrokeshire? OAQ53065
Paul Davies: 6. Will the Leader of the House provide an update on the progress of digital transformation across Pembrokeshire’s public sector? OAQ53066
Paul Davies: Diolch Llywydd. On the eve of learning the identity of the new Welsh Labour Party leader, it is timely to reflect on the performance of the Welsh Government under the leadership of the current First Minister—the success, the failures and the lessons for the future. It will be for others to cast judgment on the First Minister's legacy, but today I want to focus specifically on policy and...
Paul Davies: The Swansea bay city region deal should enable the potential projects being proposed to bring significant economic benefit to the four local authority areas covered. Does the Cabinet Secretary agree with me that these projects have the potential to bring major employment opportunities across the region? Does he also agree with me that this sort of collaboration, if done in the right way,...
Paul Davies: What consideration does the Cabinet Secretary give to infrastructure projects in west Wales when allocating funding to the economy and transport portfolio?
Paul Davies: Thank you, Llywydd. The mandate for Brexit amongst the electorate is only surpassed by the Welsh popular vote for Tony Blair and New Labour in 1997. Of course, Members will not be surprised that I was extremely disappointed by that election result in 1997, but I respected the mandate of over 800,000 voters in Wales and certainly I did not call for that election to be re-run because I...
Paul Davies: No, I will not. The only two alternatives: either gamble with the jobs of the people we represent or ignore their decision to leave. Llywydd, this motion from the Welsh Government tells you all you need to know. You only really need to read the last five words: 'whether it wishes to remain'. Wales was asked on 23 June 2016 whether it wishes to remain and the verdict of the people of...
Paul Davies: No, I'm not.
Paul Davies: This is what the EU has said time and time again, and Brexit was, in many ways, a vote against the political establishment in Westminster and Cardiff Bay as much as in Brussels. For the establishment to respond to that vote by completely ignoring the will of the people would be a dangerous act, and, as we get closer to 29 March 2019, the clock is ticking and this is the only deal on the table.
Paul Davies: It's important that we honour the referendum result, and I think that this deal will respect— [Interruption.] Llywydd, this deal will respect the referendum result, and, at the same time, it will enable our businesses to continue trading with the EU. Now, the Welsh economy is more dependent than other parts of the UK on exports to the EU. These businesses need certainty to plan for the...
