Mr Simon Thomas: I thank Rhun ap Iorwerth for his questions and for his general welcome for this process, the development of the process and the need for more formal guidance, perhaps, so that everyone can understand how committees operate with Government. May I just say, first of all, that I feel that the committee ultimately did have an opportunity to assess the candidate and an opportunity to hold the...
Mr Simon Thomas: Thank you, Deputy Presiding Officer. This is the last time you’ll hear from me this afternoon—before Easter even. Despite that, I am pleased to make this statement here today on behalf of the Finance Committee, talking of our experience of holding a pre-appointment hearing on a ministerial appointment, which we undertook as part of the process for recruiting the chair of the Welsh Revenue...
Mr Simon Thomas: Thank you, Presiding Officer. May I thank everyone who’s contributed to the debate and particularly thank the Minister, who’s just confirmed that the Government is still keeping in mind the need of a deposit-return scheme in Wales? At the heart of this debate is the circular economy that David Melding and many other Members have mentioned. We must emphasise, in that context, that...
Mr Simon Thomas: I’m sure they would, but I would say to Dai Lloyd that they’re not necessarily his friends, because I think they travel a long distance, and they’re probably as much Irish and Breton friends as they are Welsh friends. But it just shows the marine environment is there to be protected. And I think if anyone has undertaken a beach clean—and perhaps Dai Lloyd would like to consider a...
Mr Simon Thomas: Yes, indeed, I would do.
Mr Simon Thomas: Thank you, Presiding Officer. I want to propose that the Assembly notes the proposal for a waste reduction Bill in Wales, and the purpose of the proposed legislation would be to reduce waste, and in two particular ways: to address the need for a deposit-return scheme in Wales and to address the need to either ban, or at least have a levy on, polystyrene packaging in Wales. The context for...
Mr Simon Thomas: Wales’s recycling rate has doubled over the last decade, from just under 30 per cent in 2006-07 to over 60 per cent in 2015-16. However, not everyone recycles, and there are also local authorities that are significantly behind the pace of change. The current 58 per cent target of Welsh Government was not met by Newport, Torfaen, and Blaenau Gwent in 2015 and 2016. I believe, therefore, that...
Mr Simon Thomas: Thank you, Llywydd. Henry Richard was born in Tregaron on 3 April in 1812. He was an Independent minister and was a prominent figure in the Welsh Liberal movement. In 1868, he was elected Member of Parliament for the constituency of Merthyr and he served there for 20 years. The constituency, at that time, included the town of my birth, Aberdare. Henry Richard is mainly remembered as a...
Mr Simon Thomas: I thank the Cabinet Secretary for his reply and can I particularly thank him for his officials who attended a meeting with me on the Gypsy site in Kingsmoor near Kilgettty on Friday. My thanks also to Ruby Price who hosted us in her home for a couple of hours where we discussed Tros Gynnal Plant, the Travelling Ahead project and other needs to support Gypsy and Traveller sites in...
Mr Simon Thomas: I thank her for referring to that consultation, due to begin on 24 April. I look forward to seeing how that works out between the different devolved administrations. There is, however, as we are talking about nitrogen oxide emissions, one very big polluter here in Wales—Aberthaw power station—which has already been found to be in breach of EU law and putting out double the amount of toxic...
Mr Simon Thomas: I thank the Minister for that statement and I look forward to seeing very firm proposals from the Welsh Government to ensure that that does indeed take place. In particular, I want us not to rely on the UK Government to represent our interests here in Wales, and looking at air pollution in particular as an area, we are already hearing of some extreme measures—some would say ‘extreme...
Mr Simon Thomas: Thank you, Presiding Officer. Leader of the house, yesterday the National Assembly agreed that one of the responses to the decision to leave the European Union should be the introduction of a continuation Wales Bill in order to uphold Wales’s constitution and convert into Welsh law all European legislation related to devolved policy areas. It’s true we voted 9-6, which is more like a...
Mr Simon Thomas: Thank you for that response, Minister, but the problem with the current situation is that it allows people, for example, to keep monkeys in ordinary houses, and it also allows circuses with live exotic animals, and which perform with those animals, to visit Wales. We have been waiting for some months, if not a year or two, for the Government to take action in this area. So, can you give us an...
Mr Simon Thomas: 1. Will the Cabinet Secretary make a statement on the well-being of exotic animals in Wales? OAQ(5)0128(ERA)[W]
Mr Simon Thomas: 5. What support is available for Gypsy and Traveller communities in Mid and West Wales? OAQ(5)0135(ERA)[W]
Mr Simon Thomas: May I also add my support for the Bill at this stage and say, although the Cabinet Secretary is technically right that this is the second finance Bill, for the public, this is the first taxation Bill because this is the first Bill that sets tax rates and changes the way that we collect taxes in Wales? I do think that that will be, if not welcomed, then certainly it will change the way that we...
Mr Simon Thomas: Will the Member give way on that one?
Mr Simon Thomas: Would the Member agree, just on that point, that what he is, in fact, advocating, is a federal system for the United Kingdom?
Mr Simon Thomas: Just on that point, does he not agree with me, therefore, that the White Paper does not, in fact, take that interpretation that he has just set out and with which I agree, but rather takes an alternative interpretation that it’s been the UK, i.e. the English Government, that has led on these issues?
Mr Simon Thomas: Thank you, Llywydd. I follow Darren Millar and endorse what he said, and welcome his contribution to this debate, which has been very positive, if I may say so. We’ve heard this afternoon just how positive the leader of UKIP can be to our debates here. During the course of a 10-minute speech, he didn’t mention a single policy that would lead to an increase in the number of Welsh...
