Bethan Sayed: I apologise that it’s me that’s actually contributing on behalf of Plaid Cymru throughout this afternoon; I’m sure people have had enough of hearing my voice. But I’m happy to welcome the contribution of the Equality and Human Rights Commission here in Wales by highlighting the work that they have done in maintaining momentum towards a fairer, more inclusive Wales, and also in...
Bethan Sayed: I always start from the point of trying to—. Especially as somebody, if we want to out ourselves as being someone from the Valleys, I want to start from the point of where we can make improvements, but I do fear—and I want to be constructive—I do fear, having read this, that it is a commentary from the sidelines. I see quite a lot of pretty words, I see a lot of talk of collaboration...
Bethan Sayed: Thank you very much and thank you for the statement here today. We wouldn’t, obviously, dispute the fact that a target of the nature you’ve arrived at is to be welcomed, but I would echo some of the comments that have been made in relation to whether there is an issue with regard to the figure that stands. I say this not because I am saying it only—I’m saying it because I’ve had...
Bethan Sayed: I wondered if we could have some explanation from you as to how the Welsh Government issue statements, because you may have noticed—obviously you will have noticed—that the Cabinet Secretary for the economy announced that junction 41 in Port Talbot would remain open, which of course I welcome, but we only received a written statement after people like myself took to social media to...
Bethan Sayed: First Minister, analysis by Shelter Cymru states that there are major differences between local authorities in the context of the targets that they have in terms of avoiding homelessness. For example, the most successful is Gwynedd, where 84.6 per cent of people are assisted before they become homeless, whereas in Merthyr it’s 44.4 per cent, which is the worst in Wales. So, what are you as...
Bethan Sayed: Obviously, you will appreciate that, across Wales, one of the first ways that people can access the arts is in relation to small-scale arts centres. Therefore, I was really concerned that Neath Port Talbot County Borough Council has decided to close Pontardawe Arts Centre one day a week—the day of the week that community groups actually do use the centre. I was there recently to watch...
Bethan Sayed: 7. Will the First Minister make a statement on the provision of arts centres throughout Wales? OAQ(5)0208(FM)
Bethan Sayed: Like I said, we can look at other conditions down the line. I seriously don’t think we should rule it out because there are other conditions that would need to be potentially legislated for. I sat on the Children, Young People and Education Committee when we took out the additional learning needs section of that particular legislation, and it only dealt with people in the education system....
Bethan Sayed: Thank you, and I’m pleased to contribute to this debate, having many constituents here today. The day that school photos come home is an annual highlight for every parent—as I’m sure you can imagine—who hand them out with pride around the family so everyone can compare the children to how they were a year ago and remark upon how much they’ve grown. So, imagine if your children’s...
Bethan Sayed: I just wanted to pick up on the point you made about deprived areas. I visited a friend who works in a private school in London to talk to him about many of these issues, and, actually, there was isolation from their parents because they were living away from them, and they suffered mental health problems, just as people do in deprived areas.
Bethan Sayed: We’ve had many debates in this Chamber over the years on mental health, and I think, obviously, it’s been a challenge for us to discuss this, but more of a challenge for people to be able to deliver services in this area, and to speak about personal experiences, as many have in this room today. Usually, I start off by speaking about the rights and the protection of the sufferers, but...
Bethan Sayed: Thank you for that reply. Despite these traumatising stories that I’ve exemplified here today, Cabinet Secretary, there was no impact on opinion polls about immigration, with a substantial minority believing that no controls even existed, despite what I have just said. So, this shows that appeasement of the far right isn’t working for its own terms. The people who are supposedly being...
Bethan Sayed: I didn’t have time to sit down, hardly. [Laughter.] I’m glad that you agree with me, Cabinet Secretary. The previous Westminster Government took a decision to deny public funds to many migrants, including those from A8 countries. This led to an Amnesty International report in 2008 noting it had led to women being unable to access refuges when fleeing violent relationships, a factor noted...
Bethan Sayed: Diolch. Cabinet Secretary, yesterday we heard from your Government about how you’re going to tackle hate crimes. Unfortunately, the political climate is now such that hate crimes have been partly legitimised by the rhetoric coming from many politicians and elements of the media. Can you tell us today whether you believe that immigration to Wales has been a good thing in helping to develop...
Bethan Sayed: Thank you for the answer. I’m afraid I missed the short debate by Huw Irranca-Davies on this issue, because I was chairing a cross-party group, but I’d like to put on record that I support all of his proposals, particularly those regarding directors and restricting legal challenges to stop notices, not least because it may be of benefit in other ways, such as in opencast mining. So, I was...
Bethan Sayed: Cabinet Secretary, I was wondering if the Welsh Government would consider taking a more legislation-based approach to animal welfare in this Assembly. I remember in the last Assembly, sitting on the Petitions Committee, that we received a petition calling for an animal abuse register, which would obviously incorporate those in circuses, should it be required. The Minister at the time wrote to...
Bethan Sayed: 8. Will the Minister make a statement on the Natural Resources Wales investigation into the fire at South Wales Wood Recycling’s site near Heol y Cyw? OAQ(5)0039(ERA)
Bethan Sayed: Thank you for this debate today. Plaid Cymru obviously is completely opposed to hate crime, and what I’d like to say at the beginning is that I think the target of hate crime changes from generation to generation and from community to community. I say this because my mother comes from Belfast, from the north of Ireland, and I remember distinctly, when we were walking down the...
Bethan Sayed: I note the Cabinet Secretary’s statement, and I think that it’s important for us to say, as a party, that the flagship programme that you’re announcing the review and the phasing out of today has come under much scrutiny over the years here in the National Assembly. In fact, we’ve probably had review after review, from the Public Accounts Committee, the communities committee, and so...
Bethan Sayed: Thank you, and I move the amendments. Home ownership is something many people do aspire to and it is something that is increasingly beyond the reach of many people, through a combination of low wages, insecure employment and a refusal by successive Governments to recognise that house price inflation is just as bad as conventional inflation. But, creating wider home ownership must not be done...
