Vikki Howells: Thank you, Minister. The Welsh Government's commitment to regulating animal welfare establishments is very welcome and has received support from animal welfare organisations to help ensure the adoption of best practice. The regulation of these establishments is also important, as it closes a loophole in Lucy's law that third party sellers can exploit. Given the importance of this regulation,...
Vikki Howells: 10. Will the Minister provide an update on the Welsh Government's work to improve animal welfare standards? OQ58604
Vikki Howells: I'd like to start my contribution today by thanking the new children's commissioner and her team for their work in producing this comprehensive report. I'd also like to join colleagues from across the Siambr in offering my thanks to Professor Sally Holland for all that she achieved during her term of office. Sally was a robust champion of the rights of children and young people in Wales. I...
Vikki Howells: Thank you, First Minister. In terms of borrowing powers, I wanted to ask for your reflections on the Institute of Welsh Affairs's latest publication, 'Fiscal Firepower: Effective Policy-Making in Wales', which calls for reform of the Welsh Government's borrowing powers. In addition, in view of the Prime Minister's well publicised refusal to engage with you as First Minister of Wales, and the...
Vikki Howells: 8. What assessment has the Welsh Government made of the impact of the UK financial crisis on its current plans for the use of its borrowing powers? OQ58592
Vikki Howells: Thank you, Minister. I'm really pleased to see the recent lowering of the bowel cancer screening age to 55, as we know that screening people earlier means cancer can be identified earlier. However, it is also important that treatment can be accessed as speedily as possible. So, I was concerned to note that, in July, just 36 per cent of lower gastrointestinal patients in Cwm Taf Morgannwg...
Vikki Howells: 6. What steps is the Welsh Government taking to tackle bowel cancer? OQ58530
Vikki Howells: Thank you for that answer, First Minister. Across Cynon Valley, constituents frequently tell me how important the provision of good quality, locally accessible childcare is to allow them to progress their own careers and contribute to family finances. The significant additional funding of £100 million for childcare settings that was announced last week will be warmly welcomed by families and...
Vikki Howells: 6. How is the Welsh Government supporting childcare provision in Cynon Valley? OQ58501
Vikki Howells: Diolch, Trefnydd. Child poverty is an issue of great concern to me, and today I sponsored an event held by the National Education Union and the Child Poverty Action Group, who've been working together to highlight the impact of poverty on education. The Welsh Government's roll-out of free school meals to all primary pupils is welcomed by families across the Cynon valley and across Wales, as...
Vikki Howells: 8. How is the Welsh Government supporting people in Cynon Valley affected by the cost-of-living crisis? OQ58427
Vikki Howells: Deputy Minister, when you and I have discussed inclusive play previously, we've agreed that key to improving access to these opportunities is making sure that information is easily available so that parents, guardians, children, young people and families know what inclusive play is available and where it's located. How will Welsh Government work with partners to ensure this sort of...
Vikki Howells: How is the Welsh Government supporting health boards and local authorities to tackle delayed transfers of care?
Vikki Howells: Thank you, Minister, for your statement today. I'm proud of the record of achievement that my local authority has for delivering Welsh-medium education in Cynon Valley and the ways in which they've taken advantage of Welsh Government funding to increase provision, with, for example, a £12.5 million expansion of Ysgol Gyfun Rhydywaun currently under way, and the new £4 million purpose-built...
Vikki Howells: Thank you, First Minister, for that answer. It's also really positive to see the range of possible interventions under ReAct+ to support people into work. How will Welsh Government ensure this aligns with the opportunities created in a green economy as we transition to net zero, so that people in Cynon Valley can train and retrain for the jobs that we need now and in the future?
Vikki Howells: 1. How is the Welsh Government supporting more people in Cynon Valley to access work? OQ58336
Vikki Howells: I'd like to thank Joyce Watson for her comments here today, and I sympathise very much with the comments that the Member has made. And what I would say in reply to that is that the issues that Joyce Watson has raised today fall mainly under the code, the code of conduct, which was subject to significant consultation and discussion in the latter half of the last Senedd, and the review that was...
Vikki Howells: Good afternoon, and thank you, Dirprwy Lywydd, for the opportunity to make this statement today. The committee has today laid a revised procedure for dealing with complains against Members of the Senedd, and an accompanying report. The procedure will come into force on 18 July 2022. As elected politicians, we have a responsibility to ensure that we set the highest standards of behaviour...
Vikki Howells: Diolch, Dirprwy Lywydd. This month sees the hundred and fiftieth anniversary of Caradog leading the Côr Mawr to victory in the challenge cup. Caradog—Griffith Rhys Jones—was born in Trecynon and worked as a blacksmith in Aberdare ironworks. He was a talented musician, but learnt everlasting fame as a conductor. The 500-strong South Wales Choral Union was formed to compete in the...
Vikki Howells: Minister, thank you for your statement here today. It was a real pleasure to accompany you last week on a visit to Pontypridd High School in my constituency to showcase the brilliant work that the school has been doing in conjunction with the Moondance Cancer Initiative, raising awareness of bowel cancer using a multipronged approach running through many different subject areas in the...
