Dawn Bowden: Firstly, can I join everybody else in thanking the Children’s Commissioner for Wales and her staff for presenting us with such a comprehensive report? Again, like others, she should be applauded, I think, for the wide-scale consultation undertaken by her and her staff, having met with the thousands of children, parents and professionals that she did. The report does cover several...
Dawn Bowden: Thank you, Deputy Presiding Officer. Can I thank the Cabinet Secretary for his comprehensive statement, which is very welcome? I do think it shows that the Government has given much thought and consideration to the issue, because it is evident. There are a whole variety of factors that impact on the preparedness of health and social services to cope with those additional winter pressures, and...
Dawn Bowden: Yes, I’m coming to the question. I realise that TISS is a scheme based on the funder of last resort and, you know, after all others have been exhausted, and I know that it’s only limited to £0.5 million and it mostly covers projects around accommodation, activity and restaurants and so on—
Dawn Bowden: The question is: can the Cabinet Secretary advise me whether there is flexibility within the rules governing the scheme that would allow access to funding that could assist with some minor heritage projects that couldn’t attract any other funding, but which, if developed, could help to draw people into the town?
Dawn Bowden: Cabinet Secretary, from previous contributions I’ve made on this subject you’ll know of my personal interest in raising awareness of the industrial and social heritage of Merthyr Tydfil, in particular, and I’ve been working with the council, discussing options for developing these into significant tourism opportunities. Indeed, last week I was pleased to address Merthyr’s heritage and...
Dawn Bowden: Thank you, Deputy Presiding Officer, but actually Bethan Jenkins has already asked the question I was going to ask in terms of the issue around FIFA, and I think the Cabinet Secretary has responded to that. But, while I’m on my feet, I would like to just add my congratulations to D.J. Rees Decorating Services of Merthyr, which won the gold award for supporting the employability of our armed...
Dawn Bowden: Thank you, Cabinet Secretary, for your response because it certainly was with considerable shock that we learned about this announcement only yesterday afternoon, and we know that we’re now starting a 45-day statutory consultation process. It was only earlier this week that I was at a conference, speaking at the Bevan Foundation, on the living wage, when I was talking about the signs of...
Dawn Bowden: Thank you, Counsel General. You will be aware of the ongoing High Court action in respect of article 50. What steps has he taken to ensure that Welsh interests are being protected in respect of this action?
Dawn Bowden: 3. What assessment has the Counsel General made of the implications of triggering article 50 on the devolution settlement? OAQ(4)0007(CG)
Dawn Bowden: What is the Welsh Government’s response to the announcement that 350 jobs are at risk due to the decision of 2 Sisters Food Group to move all its retail services from Merthyr Tydfil to Cornwall? EAQ(5)0065(EI)
Dawn Bowden: Thank you, Cabinet Secretary, for your response. Recent research by Middlesex University and the University of Liverpool showed a clear case in support of the real living wage, as opposed to, of course, the Tories’ phony living wage, with businesses who are paying it experiencing fewer employee disputes, an increase in productivity and staff motivation, and reputational and corporate brand...
Dawn Bowden: Diolch, Lywydd. Nine-fifteen a.m., Friday 21 October 1966—the terrible events visited on Aberfan that day reverberated around the world. On the last day of the school term, one small mining village lost 116 children and 28 adults. Nothing would ever be the same for Aberfan, for Wales, for the world. Just one day later, just one hour earlier, things would have been so different. Aberfan was...
Dawn Bowden: 6. Will the Minister make a statement on the real living wage in the Welsh public sector? OAQ(5)0037(FLG)
Dawn Bowden: Will the Minister make a statement on the trade union bill?
Dawn Bowden: I think much has already been said very powerfully in this debate, and covered, so I’m not going to touch on those areas that have already been covered. I want to confine my comments, quite briefly, to support for mental health in the workplace. Could I start by commending the intent behind this motion from Plaid Cymru? But I believe the third proposal of the motion is a diversion away...
Dawn Bowden: Thank you, Cabinet Secretary, for that response. I’m certainly pleased to learn that those bodies and organisations responsible for addressing homelessness in Wales have given positive feedback on the results of the changes brought about under the Housing (Wales) Act 2014. For my part, I’m certainly encouraged by how these initiatives have assisted me in supporting constituents faced with...
Dawn Bowden: Can I thank the Cabinet Secretary for her response previously on this? The active travel plan, which I referred to yesterday, in fact, in relation to road safety around schools, also places an expectation on local authorities in Wales to start drawing up maps of proposed new networks for walking and cycling routes. In Merthyr Tydfil and Rhymney, as you probably know, there are already...
Dawn Bowden: 13. Will the Minister make a statement on tackling homelessness in Wales? OAQ(5)0046(CC)
Dawn Bowden: Can I thank the Cabinet Secretary for bringing forward this particular motion, which I think is well timed, given where we are this week? No doubt a good proportion of what we are going to hear today will be related to hate crime post Brexit. We’ve heard some of that already. But we shouldn’t forget that hate crime does include attacks—as we’ve already heard—based on gender,...
Dawn Bowden: I think I agree with much of what’s been said by many of my colleagues, so I don’t want to repeat that and prolong it—
