Huw Irranca-Davies: I welcome that response and I have to say it's very welcome for me that I seem to be, every other month now, attending the opening of a new facility within Ogmore, either primary or secondary schools. Most recently, in fact, the former First Minister in September opened the new Betws primary—wonderful for that community where the previous school had been damaged by fire only a few years...
Huw Irranca-Davies: 7. What support does the Welsh Government provide to improve primary education in Ogmore? OAQ53946
Huw Irranca-Davies: I welcome this debate thoroughly. My blood pressure went up a little bit at Mark's contribution, so you’ll understand if I address some of the comments in my opening remarks directly to Mark. First of all, let me say: I'd always want a Government that seeks to be an active partner in economic growth, not a disinterested bystander; one that seeks to work with unions and employers, businesses...
Huw Irranca-Davies: I really welcome that answer and the optimism that lies within it. As you will know, David, these cargo bikes are not some strange little niche area, they're actually in many of the European capital cities now. They've become a fundamental part of that last-mile delivery within cities and urban areas. They don't have to deal with parking tickets. They don't have to deal with problems of...
Huw Irranca-Davies: Not as far as Japan, but actually much more locally, I was very pleased, David, on Monday, to join housing Minister Julie James on a visit to a project led by Valleys to Coast and the modular building specialists Wernick Buildings, delivering eight new modular homes in Sarn and Tondu, after being awarded funding from Welsh Government's £90 million innovative housing grant and supported by...
Huw Irranca-Davies: 3. Will the Commission explore the potential of using cargo bikes for deliveries to the Assembly? OAQ53888
Huw Irranca-Davies: Could I ask for one debate? I know we've recently had a debate on rugby, which mainly focused at the regional level, but I'd like to seek a debate at some point on community and grass-roots rugby, because it would allow us then to talk about the challenges, but also the successes, not least last weekend, when Maesteg 7777s, the Old Parish, of which I'm proud to be president, gained promotion...
Huw Irranca-Davies: I welcome that news and the fact that we've got the delivery not just on time but ahead of time, and within budget as well, of this very ambitious and groundbreaking childcare offer, being taken forward very ably by my colleague Julie Morgan. But, could I ask the First Minister whether his Ministers and Welsh Government officials will meet with the officers and cabinet members of Bridgend...
Huw Irranca-Davies: 5. Will the First Minister provide an update on the roll-out of the Welsh Government-funded childcare offer? OAQ53887
Huw Irranca-Davies: Indeed. Could I then ask, after those helpful suggestions—? Diolch, Llywydd. I'm sorry. I've tested your patience. Could I then ask: would she explore with Cabinet colleagues radical action that could include using our tax-varying powers in Wales to look at banning, taxing or even putting environmental levies on environmental bads to fund environmental goods?
Huw Irranca-Davies: I welcome that response. As many others, I'm a species champion. I'm the species champion for lapwing here in the Assembly, and we know that we've gone from 7,500 breeding pairs within Wales since the 1980s to now fewer than 700, despite good work by people such as the Wildlife Trusts and others. The IPBES report shows the scale of the challenge, and we do face—. Whichever way you want to...
Huw Irranca-Davies: 4. What steps will the Welsh Government take to halt and reverse biodiversity loss? OAQ53864
Huw Irranca-Davies: Can I also thank the chief medical officer for the report? It's curious that we've had an afternoon where we've debated some elements that appear within this report—the issue of behavioural change and active lifestyles, whether it's through active travel or elsewhere. We're very cognisant of the fact as well that 'A Healthier Wales', the strategy that the Minister laid out last year and...
Huw Irranca-Davies: Thank you, acting Presiding Officer. Can I welcome the statement, but also the way it's being framed—that it's not simply on the promotion of cycling and walking, but it's in the context of the emergency that we have with climate change, it's with the obesity crisis that we have, and it's on the issues of air quality? Because I think that is the right context, and, actually, if we get this...
Huw Irranca-Davies: My only regret in celebrating, as I did, last weekend with Ramblers Cymru, Pembrokeshire national park, Natural Resources Wales, a local ramblers group, my old colleague Andrew Campbell of the Wales Tourism Alliance—. We were gathered there in Saundersfoot doing a mix of coastal path and heritage trails, going inland a little bit—some of the new circular routes. My only regret is that...
Huw Irranca-Davies: When I grew up, I was born in Gowerton, and if you turned left going out of my house—the steelworks were right in front, but, if you turned left, you'd walk down the old—submerged now—canal path, where once a famous Conservative son of Swansea was lifted bodily out of a Labour Party meeting and hurled into the canal. It's now been filled in, so that can't happen anymore. But you follow...
Huw Irranca-Davies: The Welsh Government has taken, I think, quite a responsible and diligent approach to preparing for a 'no deal', but this hasn't been without some real direct costs to date, but also some real indirect costs from diverting resources from other priorities. However, this is as nothing to the cost of actually leaving on a 'no deal' and the lasting damage that will do to jobs in our local...
Huw Irranca-Davies: I thank the First Minister for that answer. As we celebrate the twentieth anniversary of this democratic institution, it's also a chance to celebrate the growth in Assembly Members and Ministers, indeed, over those 20 years who are co-operators and members of the Co-operative Party as well as the Labour Party. In fact, though the Co-operative Party is, of course, a sister party of the Labour...
Huw Irranca-Davies: 5. How is the Welsh Government helping to embed co-operative principles at local and national level throughout Wales? OAQ53795
Huw Irranca-Davies: It will take brave national leadership to make the changes we and the planet need, because they will affect the way that we and our electorate will live and work, how we travel, how we take our holidays, what we buy, what we eat, and more. They will affect the way that we as Government prioritise investment, we regulate and legislate to modify behaviour, consumption and lifestyle. So, be...
