Gareth Bennett: This local government settlement is the first for four years to show an overall increase in funding, and this is welcome, and UKIP will be supporting the settlement. However, we do need to ensure that local authorities make the best use of this funding, and this entails clamping down on wasteful council spending.
Gareth Bennett: One new problem area is the use of Government procurement cards. Some £92 million has been spent on these cards by Welsh councils over the last five years, so we are talking about significant amounts. The National Audit Office reported in 2012 that procedures relating to these cards were too lax, and there was a lack of central guidance on when it was appropriate to use such a card. Rather...
Gareth Bennett: Many people would agree that a major factor in the Brexit vote was public anxiety over immigration. That is not just the conclusion of me and my colleagues in UKIP, it is also the view of Theresa May, previously a ‘remainer’ of course, and the Conservative Government at Westminster. It is also the view of the First Minister here in Cardiff Bay, who has told the Chamber on myriad occasions...
Gareth Bennett: What discussions has the Welsh Government had with the UK Government about immigration policies and controls for Wales?
Gareth Bennett: Thanks to the committee Chair for his statement. I’m sure that this human rights inquiry will bring to light many areas of interest, not least to me, as the whole issue of human rights has tended to mystify me somewhat over the years. I recall reading a lot about the Human Rights Act 1998 prior to its implementation and, as I worked in a call centre at the time, I wondered what wonderful...
Gareth Bennett: It’s interesting that the environmental push is now there to reduce the use of diesel cars because it seems to be only a few years ago that we were actually being encouraged to use diesel by many of the same people. So, I wonder if the Minister would agree that this is one example of an area where the received wisdom in the environmental field, within a few years, turns out to be completely...
Gareth Bennett: I thank the First Minister for his answer. As you will no doubt be aware, there are major housing developments planned for the edges of Cardiff, which will, undoubtedly, increase road traffic congestion in the next few years. Of course, we’re hopeful that the south Wales metro will eventually arrive. But, in the medium term, are there any steps that the Government here could take to...
Gareth Bennett: 1. What steps is the Welsh Government taking to alleviate road traffic congestion in South Wales Central? OAQ(5)0344(FM)
Gareth Bennett: Diolch, Lywydd. Thanks for the opportunity of bringing this debate today. As many of us know, moving from one rented property to another can sometimes be difficult. I do understand this, as I have never had a residential mortgage, and hence have never been an owner-occupier. So, I have spent a lot of time in my life living in the private rented sector. Oddly, though, I do also have a...
Gareth Bennett: Thanks to the five Members listed for bringing the debate today. There’s a range of issues under deliberation here, too many to cover in one contribution, so I’ll concentrate on the issues of obesity and physical activity, active travel being part of that. Levels of participation in active travel have not shown improvement, unfortunately, since the active travel Act was passed, and the...
Gareth Bennett: Yes. Thanks, First Minister. I’m glad you referred to the pledge by the UK Government to match the funding. Paul Maynard, the UK’s transport Minister, specifically advised the Welsh Government to apply for the ERDF funding, so would you agree that the Brexit vote is not necessarily any impediment to going ahead with the south Wales metro project?
Gareth Bennett: 6. Will the First Minister provide an update on funding for the South Wales Metro? OAQ(5)0317(FM)
Gareth Bennett: I think the issue of political education in schools may be quite pertinent now that we have the local government Minister’s proposals for extending the vote to 16 and 17-year-olds possibly at some future date. So, I wondered how we ensure that political education is taught in a balanced way to represent different political viewpoints.
Gareth Bennett: Of course, it is concerning that the board has been suspended, which does indicate a certain amount of lack of co-ordination, but of course it’s good that the normal activities of Sport Wales will continue in the meantime, and hopefully with minimal disruption. I’m sure the staff at the organisation will be able to run the show for the next few weeks without the contribution of the board....
Gareth Bennett: Thanks for that, First Minister. Yes, I’m aware it’s a problem that is essentially dealt with by Network Rail. Are there regular channels of communication between the Welsh Government and Network Rail?
Gareth Bennett: 6. What discussions has the Welsh Government had with rail authorities about delays to services caused by compacted leaves on the line? OAQ(5)0305(FM)
Gareth Bennett: Low pay is a serious problem for public sector workers at the bottom end of the scale in Wales. Local councils no longer have direct labour organisations, agency workers are often used, and this tends to have a depressing effect on wages. So, we do have to have a look at this, and one way in which low pay might be partially addressed is by trying to put a brake on excessively high pay. So, if...
Gareth Bennett: Okay, well done, Rhodri Glyn. But it may not be enough, Leanne. Independent remuneration boards always sound like a good idea, but somebody has to appoint the independent board members in the first place. Sometimes these tend to be one set of public officials recommending a hefty pay rise for another set of public officials. So, the appointment of these board members needs to be carefully...
Gareth Bennett: Thank you for that, Minister. I’ll move on to something else, as you dealt with that one so capably. It’s to do with the Localism Act 2011, which they have in England and which we haven’t adopted in Wales yet. The Campaign for Real Ale have pushed for this as a means of protecting the local pub, which I think is an admirable campaign. Whether or not the Localism Act is the best way of...
Gareth Bennett: Yes, thank you, Minister. As a non-driver, I do appreciate your regard for public transport, which I share. In an ideal world, your answer would be correct, but, unfortunately, given Cardiff’s traffic problems, sometimes drivers do inadvertently find themselves in bus lanes. To continue with the theme, Cardiff probably does have the worst traffic problems in Wales, and the council has also...
