Vikki Howells: Today is World Tourism Day, as I’m sure you know, First Minister, and it’s so important that we highlight what is on offer in all parts of our country to visitors. My own constituency, the Cynon Valley, possesses world-famous attractions like the Penderyn whisky distillery and unique events like the Nos Galan road races, which commemorate the memory of Guto Nyth Brân. So, how does the...
Vikki Howells: 2. What are the Welsh Government's priorities for increasing the number of tourists who visit Wales? OAQ(5)0156(FM)
Vikki Howells: Diolch, Lywydd. Many colleagues here in this Chamber will be aware that, until March of this year, I was a full-time practising teacher. I certainly enjoyed my 16 years in the classroom, but my best memories of the job are the times spent outside of the classroom. By this, I’m not referring to the supposedly long holidays teachers receive, which, I can confirm, incidentally, are filled with...
Vikki Howells: Natural Resources Wales, in their evidence to the Children, Young People and Education Committee inquiry into their priorities for this Assembly term, succinctly list the benefits to a young person’s education from this contact with the great outdoors. I won’t repeat the list, but I do want to mention some examples that reinforce my own understanding of the benefits that this type of...
Vikki Howells: With regard to ALN.
Vikki Howells: Thank you, Cabinet Secretary, for your statement. Teaching was a first-choice career for me and I spent 16 very rewarding years in the classroom. I know, from my own experience of working with ITE programmes as a student mentor myself, just how important they are in ensuring that teaching remains as a first-choice career, and also how beneficial it is for practicing teachers to have student...
Vikki Howells: Leader of the house, it was good to join with you and many other Labour AMs outside the Senedd last week to support the women from all across Wales who are protesting against the unfair changes in women’s pension arrangements that have simply been steamrollered in by the UK Government. Could we have a statement from the Welsh Government on their assessment of the impact these changes have...
Vikki Howells: I’ve recently been contacted by a constituent who is affected by young-onset dementia, and she was advised to give up work and put in an application for personal independence payments. My constituent was left feeling distressed and devalued as her assessment solely focused on physical capability and not her mental health needs. Do you agree, Cabinet Secretary, that this is unacceptable and...
Vikki Howells: I recently met with a farmer in my constituency who’d cleared land to create a new woodland under the Glastir scheme. However, he was having problems because that land had since been invaded by Himalayan balsam, which is a problem throughout his farmland, and there was a possibility that that had actually crept down the hill from a Natural Resources Wales site as well. So, I was wondering...
Vikki Howells: Diolch, Lywydd. Three quick-fire questions for you, Cabinet Secretary: firstly, in view of the significance of the rail franchise and metro project for the south Wales Valleys, I was wondering what consideration you’ve given to locating the Transport for Wales team in the Valleys. Secondly, the metro project offers the opportunity to reconnect communities that have lost their public...
Vikki Howells: Adult education can play a vital role in breaking the poverty cycle. That was the message from the Inspire! adult learners awards last month, at which I presented the life career change award. The new £22 million Coleg y Cymoedd building in Aberdare will provide an aspirational setting for adult education, but the challenge is also to ensure suitable provision of good-quality courses for...
Vikki Howells: 4. Will the First Minister make a statement on the Welsh Government's approach to increasing opportunities for adult education in Wales? OAQ(5)0113(FM)
Vikki Howells: First Minister, we know the importance of healthy lifestyle choices in reducing the risks of cancer, so it’s good to see from the results of the Welsh health survey 2015 that the number of smokers in Wales has decreased from 26 per cent to 19 per cent of the population, also meaning that the Welsh Government has exceeded its target for reducing smoking rates. The revisited public health...
Vikki Howells: Thank you. I recently met with my inspirational constituent, Mia Thorne, aged just nine, who is an ambassador for Caudwell Children Wales. During our discussion, Mia highlighted concerns about inconsistencies in building regulations, for example regarding door width so that wheelchair users can navigate around their own home. How does the Welsh Government engage with disabled people to make...
Vikki Howells: Thank you. Flying Start has had a transformational impact on the lives of tens of thousands of children across Wales, including in my constituency of Cynon Valley, during the last Assembly term. However, I know concerns have been raised about the geographical basis upon which support is allocated. How is the Welsh Government working with local authorities to ensure that help reaches those...
Vikki Howells: Thank you. The risk of flooding to properties in Abercynon, Aberaman, Cilfynydd, Cwmdu and Ynysboeth in my constituency has been reduced through Rhondda Cynon Taf’s multimillion-pound flood alleviation programme, funded by the council’s capital programme, Welsh Government money and European regional development funding. Do you agree with me that these schemes to protect homes and families...
Vikki Howells: 9. Will the Minister make a statement on the Welsh Government’s approach to preventing flooding in the Cynon Valley? OAQ(5)0007(ERA)
Vikki Howells: 6. Will the Minister make a statement on the future of Flying Start provision in the Cynon Valley? OAQ(5)0010(CC)
Vikki Howells: 13. How is the Welsh Government ensuring housing in Wales meets the needs of people with disabilities? OAQ(5)0009(CC)
Vikki Howells: Thank you, First Minister. Last week was Cervical Screening Awareness Week, a Europe-wide project to raise awareness of the role of screening in tackling cervical cancer. While mortality rates for cervical cancer are dropping, there was also a slight decline in screening uptake, and I’m particularly concerned that one in three 25 to 29-year-olds don’t attend their smear tests. How can the...
