Carolyn Thomas: NHS Wales, despite having the funding from UK Government, will still have an energy gap to fill of £100 million, nearly—£90 million to £100 million, I heard last week. Is that true?
Carolyn Thomas: Thank you, Minister. Businesses and agencies are struggling to recruit due to leaving the EU, visa complications and the pandemic. The slogan 'Stop immigration now' drove a lot of the Brexit rhetoric, without any recognition of the huge contributions that those that move here make here in the UK. The pandemic made people over 50 rethink their lifestyle, not wanting to work the now normalised...
Carolyn Thomas: 6. What is the Welsh Government doing to address the workforce shortage and skills gap in North Wales? OQ58583
Carolyn Thomas: Thank you. So, Minister, what representations will you be making back to the UK Government that we do need investment in public services? Thirty per cent of people in Wales are employed in public services, and you need them to help the private sector grow. Thank you.
Carolyn Thomas: Diolch. When I was a councillor having to deal with 10 years of austerity and cuts, we often used to think what's the point in having Government setting policy and Parliament setting policy when we didn't have the budget or resources to actually deliver them. Now the situation has got much worse under the chaos and inflationary pressures brought on by the UK Government. Cardiff's gap is £53...
Carolyn Thomas: Sorry, I just want to carry on. I'm mid flow and I've only got a minute left.
Carolyn Thomas: I've just—sorry, I don't know where I'm up to you, now. I have just read that the Scottish Government's rent freeze has lots of exceptions for private landlords, where a landlord faces increased property costs, mortgage interest payments and some insurance costs, so they do have exceptions, and they're not included in that rent freeze. We need to ensure that there is targeted help for those...
Carolyn Thomas: In many European countries, the majority of people rent their houses, but in the UK, properties are classed as an investment. The idea that a home is a human right and that everybody is entitled to a roof over their head is subordinated to the whims of market forces, privatisation and the pursuit of profit. When Margaret Thatcher came to power, the Government withdrew funding for councils to...
Carolyn Thomas: Further to the question raised by Jane Dodds last week, there's still concern from local rescue centres about the fate of dogs racing at the Valley stadium. The Valley's own database records show that, between 2018 and 2020, an average of 141 greyhounds finish racing at the track every year. Their racing career finishes at the age of four to five years, and, in the last month, 20 greyhounds...
Carolyn Thomas: First Minister, the serious cost-of-living and economic crisis due to the incompetence of the UK Government will hurt vulnerable disabled people and women the most. Labour-controlled Flintshire County Council and Welsh Government, together with the business community, have established a pilot project to locally support disabled people to access training and employment to help tackle...
Carolyn Thomas: Thank you to Sam Rowlands for giving me a minute of his time and bringing forward this debate today. Beautiful north Wales is the home of outdoor sport and recreation. Whether it's cycling in the Clwydian, scrambling up Snowdon or kayaking off Anglesey, there are so many opportunities to connect sport with nature. Sport often begins at grass-roots level, through school, a shared interest with...
Carolyn Thomas: There is a dire shortage of properties to buy and rent. Everyone should be entitled to one. Everyone should be entitled to a home, and yet 25,000 properties in Wales stand empty. The reality of the impact of second homes was clear to me whilst visiting a village in north-west Wales, seeing the amount of unlived-in two and three-bedroom properties that would have made really good starter...
Carolyn Thomas: Thank you for the answer, Counsel General. Following the proclamation of the ascension of King Charles III, a number of arrests of peaceful protesters were made. A barrister was even threatened with arrest for carrying a blank piece of paper. These incidents are significant because they demonstrate the draconian limits the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act 2022 now places on our...
Carolyn Thomas: Thank you for your answer. I have recently been contacted by a constituent who, sadly, lost her son and is now part of a group seeking coroners to be held accountable to a public body. Should justice be devolved to the Senedd? I believe it should. What considerations have you given to this issue? Thank you.
Carolyn Thomas: Thank you for that answer, Minister, and I agree with your conclusion. These plans will do little to support families through this difficult time and instead focus on putting more money in the hands of the rich. This makes the support from Welsh Government even more vital, and I appreciate that the Government has given out far more in cost-of-living grants than it has received from the UK...
Carolyn Thomas: 5. What assessment has the Welsh Government made of the impact that the UK Government’s fiscal statement will have on people's ability to pay for energy bills? OQ58477
Carolyn Thomas: 1. What recent conversations has the Counsel General had with other law officers regarding the devolution of justice? OQ58479
Carolyn Thomas: 8. What discussions has the Counsel General had with other law officers in respect of the right to protest? OQ58478
Carolyn Thomas: I welcome your focus on biodiversity and your passion. It's wonderful to be a Member of the Senedd and hear biodiversity being talked about so much. I was banging my head on a brick wall, basically, as a councillor for 12 years as a biodiversity champion, but to hear your passion is wonderful. The understanding of the nature and climate emergencies is in such stark contrast to the UK...
Carolyn Thomas: I welcome the statement and the investment in the area, and I'm proud to say that north Wales now has three world heritage sites, including the Pontcysyllte aqueduct, which is fantastic. And I'm looking forward to the creation of the new national park as well. The Clwydian Range and Dee Valley area of outstanding natural beauty was designated thus because of its built heritage, its castles...
