John Griffiths: When Charles Hendry held an event here on the tidal lagoon, Cabinet Secretary, it was clear that there’s a very strong consensus of support across the political parties and, indeed, in Wales in general. Now that Charles Hendry has submitted his report last week, I think, to UK Government, will you continue to make Welsh Government support apparent to UK Government and also emphasise the...
John Griffiths: 7. Will the Minister make a statement on Welsh Government policy to improve the environment in the inner urban areas of Newport? OAQ(5)0079(ERA)
John Griffiths: May I join other Members in welcoming this statement today and the focus that it brings to child poverty and reducing child poverty? Could I begin, Cabinet Secretary, by thanking you for the attendance of your staff at a recent meeting in a community centre in Newport East to discuss the future of Communities First and tackling poverty programmes, which was very useful? Two matters that came...
John Griffiths: Diolch yn fawr, Lywydd. I intend to give Jane Bryant two minutes, Llywydd, and Mohammad Asghar a minute to speak in this debate, following their requests. I’m very pleased to have the opportunity of this short debate, which I hope to use to highlight the ways that well-thought-through regeneration plans can help reinvigorate a city like Newport and give the city, and indeed its wider...
John Griffiths: Many communities in Wales and beyond have had similar experiences to those of Newport over the last few decades. The changing nature of work and the decline of heavy industry has seen a fall in traditional jobs, and these changes have questioned how we will prosper again. So, I welcome the opportunity to use this debate to highlight how this challenge is being met in Newport and how a...
John Griffiths: I very much welcome Tata’s statement today, and indeed your response, Cabinet Secretary, here in the Chamber. I think Tata’s statement is testament to the very strong ‘Save Our Steel’ campaign of the steelworkers and the trade unions representing them, and indeed the role played by our Welsh Labour Government here and yourself as Cabinet Secretary, and of course many Assembly Members...
John Griffiths: Diolch, Ddirprwy Lywydd. I think the challenges are abundantly clear, as we’ve heard from others, and have been apparent for some time, but no doubt will be coming ever more apparent because of the ageing society that we have, because of the pressure that brings on the health service. We’ve talked for quite some time, haven’t we, in terms of trying to be more preventative as far as the...
John Griffiths: I, too, welcome the CMO’s report and its emphasis on creating a health service, rather than an illness service, which is something we’ve spoken about for quite a long time, and also its emphasis on socioeconomic status, which again is something that’s been debated and discussed for quite some time, but perhaps with a new emphasis in this particular report. It also emphasises the...
John Griffiths: Cabinet Secretary, a big part of the job of Government is to decide on priorities, and for me there is no higher priority than education. I believe a well-educated population benefits all aspects of life and life chances in communities. In addition to that, the recent report by Gerry Holtham and Brian Morgan looked at economic development policy across the world and found the strongest...
John Griffiths: 6. Will the Minister make a statement on the overall budget allocation to the education portfolio? OAQ(5)0065(FLG)
John Griffiths: Will the Minister make a statement on the Welsh Government's strategy to facilitate access to the countryside in Wales?
John Griffiths: The campaign to abolish the second Severn crossing toll and the first Severn crossing toll, of course, are very long standing and long running and far pre-date the UKIP campaign that Gareth Bennet has just referred to. In fact, Labour politicians and politicians of other parties have been involved in this campaign for many years, so I think we should get that straight as a starting point in...
John Griffiths: I thank the Cabinet Secretary for that. Your announcement that you are minded not to continue with Communities First has, of course, created considerable concern, particularly in community centres that are not currently delivering Communities for Work or the Lift programme or other programmes that you’ve stated will continue. So, I wonder, Cabinet Secretary, if you could offer some...
John Griffiths: 7. Will the Minister make a statement on the importance of community centres in community development in Wales? OAQ(5)0069(CC)
John Griffiths: I too welcome this debate today and the ‘State of Nature 2016 Wales’ report, in which I think many organisations have played a very valuable part in helping to produce and highlight. Of course, there are causes for concern, which Members have already mentioned, and a need for the Welsh Government and other public bodies to act to address those concerns. As with other Members here, I am a...
John Griffiths: As others said earlier, Minister, I think it is very important that we get a more physically active population in Wales. I do believe that community-focused schools, as Angela Burns touched on, are a very important way forward. I also think that air pollution hasn’t had sufficient attention. I met with a group recently, for example, that told me that capital conversion costs for their...
John Griffiths: In what ways will the Welsh Government's economic development policy tackle poverty in Wales?
John Griffiths: Diolch, Lywydd. This week marks the one hundred and seventy seventh anniversary of the Chartist uprising and march on Newport for political and democratic reform. On 4 November 1839, over 20 Chartists were shot and killed. They lie in unmarked graves at St Woolos cathedral. Their leaders, John Frost, William Jones and Zephaniah Williams, were tried at Monmouth Shire Hall, convicted of high...
John Griffiths: Will the First Minister make a statement on Welsh Government policy to tackle inequality in Wales?
John Griffiths: I thank Joyce Watson very much for her views and thoughts. I did say earlier, actually, that I do very much agree with the sentiments that express great concern around the comments of David Davies in terms of age checks and how they might be carried out. It’s very undignified and, as I say, it gives rise to many concerns around medical ethics, as well as many other concerns. In terms of the...
