David Rowlands: Would the First Minister agree that, rather than spending tens of millions of pounds on wind turbines—which are said to be only around 35 per cent efficient, environmentally damaging and cost the very poorest in the country in increased energy costs, whilst, incidentally, putting large amounts of money into wealthy landowners’ pockets—it would be better to spend the money on home...
David Rowlands: Can I also add my congratulations to the Chair of the standards committee on the excellent way that you delivered your first statement to the Chamber? That also reflects the way that you’re running the committee in general anyway. Okay. Being new to the standards committee, I had little time to get to know Gerard Elias personally. However, I’m very aware of the legacy he’s left from his...
David Rowlands: Well, it will come as no surprise to the Counsel General that, as a member of the UK Independence Party, I obviously welcome the fact that the Prime Minister is working on a new Act of Parliament to repeal the iniquitous 1972 European Communities Act. However, to set UKIP’s position with regard to this, whilst we support the Act, we’re also adamant that it in no way rolls back the...
David Rowlands: And so do I, Llywydd. Thank you very much. ‘There is under investment in many smaller cross-border sections, and bottlenecks’. I trust the First Minister would agree that the M4 at Brynglas would certainly qualify for the description ‘bottleneck’.
David Rowlands: Llywydd, I’m glad they realise what they’re saying, and that we now can get funds from the EU, post Brexit, of course. I shall start again, First Minister. I thank the First Minister for his answer, but this is a serious proposition, as I understand Ireland may be able to access funds from the trans-European highways fund. Here I quote fund allocation principles—[Interruption.]
David Rowlands: [Continues.]—but the whole ethos of the thing—. Right, I’ll start again, First Minister.
David Rowlands: I thank the First Minister for the answer, but this is a serious proposition, as I understand Ireland may be able to access funds from the trans-European highways fund. [Interruption.] Very ironic, you say. And here I quote—[Interruption.] And here—[Interruption.]
David Rowlands: And here I quote fund allocation principles: ‘Although we have been investing a lot in improving transport infrastructure, there is under investment in many smaller cross-border sections’—
David Rowlands: Diolch, Lywydd. First Minister, given that a large proportion of all Irish exports, both to the UK—
David Rowlands: [Continues.]—and to the EU pass along the M4 motorway.
David Rowlands: I’m sorry. Well, I just missed two of the words or something out of it. If I have, I apologise to the First Minister—
David Rowlands: 4. Will the First Minister explore the possibility of part of the cost for the M4 improvement scheme being borne by the Irish Government, given that three quarters of all Irish exports to the EU and UK pass along that road? OAQ(5)0301(FM)
David Rowlands: Yes, thank you, Dawn. I fully appreciate that, but we are talking about people who are casual shoppers most of the time, and they would not be wanting to get one of these monthly tickets. The increases in Newport beggars belief, given that the town has lost out to Cwmbran town centre, which has offered free parking for many years, and resulting in Newport, as Asghar has already pointed out,...
David Rowlands: Yes, of course.
David Rowlands: I also want to concentrate on the high-street businesses. It is an incontrovertible fact that there is a dramatic decline in high-street shopping across the whole of Wales. This, of course, is a problem shared throughout the rest of the UK, but it seems Wales has been hit harder than many other parts of the country. We have to ask the question: can this decline be halted, or at least...
David Rowlands: I thank the Cabinet Secretary for his statement that contained many encouraging comments with regard to his visit to Japan. However, turning to exports in general, would the Cabinet Secretary confirm to Members that Wales’s exports to the EU have been in sharp decline over the last decade, falling, as my colleague pointed out earlier, from 60 per cent to less than 40 per cent during that...
David Rowlands: I thank the Cabinet Secretary for his statement. First, can I congratulate the Cabinet Secretary on the very successful Year of Adventure? I would add that following his own personal involvement with Bear Grylls and Richard Parks, we are all grateful that he chose not to pursue a career in that direction. The excellent promotion of such iconic attractions as ZipWorld in Bethesda and the...
David Rowlands: Thank you for that answer, Cabinet Secretary, but I would have liked to have been able to take back a little bit more of a positive message to these people. Are you in any way able to give me some sort of indication as to the possibility of this happening, or not?
David Rowlands: Thank you for that answer, Cabinet Secretary. If you’re still thinking of funding, can I be as impertinent as to ask if he may consider totally funding the GRIP 3 application, which is probably in the region of £160,000? I raise this possibility, Cabinet Secretary, because it can be noted that this station has actually been indicated on the South Wales East metro plan several times, and it...
David Rowlands: Diolch, Lywydd. I’m going to bring matters back now to the regional level that we talked about a little earlier on. I believe the Cabinet Secretary is aware of a group called MAGOR—Magor Action Group on Rail—which is campaigning for a station in Magor in Gwent. They have been engaged in this project for a number of years and have been successful in obtaining funding from several...
