Alun Davies: I do believe that we have a collective responsibility to improve the health of our communities. Members will, I hope, be delighted to hear that I've just signed up to a daily mile in a school in my own community, addressing some of these issues—it might take me more than a day to complete it, but it's certainly my ambition. I believe that we do have a collective responsibility to address...
Alun Davies: ...female offenders. We want specific facilities for youth offenders. We want to see an investment in rehabilitation. We want to see an investment in community support. We want to see investment in education. We want to see investment in how we rehabilitate young offenders. So, we want to see a great deal of investment in the secure estate in Wales. What we don't want to see are...
Alun Davies: ...Valleys that he represents above Port Talbot, and to maximise the impact of investments that are taking place there. I won't accept his invitation to venture into the dispute on the location of the school in his constituency. That's beyond my pay grade and beyond my ability this afternoon in a short debate. I've been tempted into temptation, as you know, before, Deputy Presiding Officer,...
Alun Davies: ...thing is that he describes himself as somebody from Monmouthshire and he takes ownership of that, but I'm from Monmouthshire. I was born in St James Hospital, Tredegar, Monmouthshire. I was educated in Monmouthshire as well. And the first time I saw the All Blacks play, they played Monmouthshire. You know, it is part of my identity as well as a part of your identity, Nick, and you know...
Alun Davies: ...do believe that we need a level of consistency in services and a consistency in democratic accountability, and a consistency in how we're able to manage our affairs. Mike Hedges and I were both in school in 1973—I suspect different schools, but we were both in school—and we were both born in and have lived in different local authority areas, and I accept that there's been a search for...
Alun Davies: ...acknowledgement that more money, even if it were available, would not necessarily solve all of these problems Working together regionally remains crucial. It is central to our model of delivery in education and social services, and has been led proactively by local government through the city and growth deals. This must continue and I know that local government leaders remain committed to...
Alun Davies: ...and family in Wales. There are a number of different elements to that and you've described the challenges that we have in the health service. There are also significant challenges facing us in education and also in terms of the secure estate and provision in Wales. I think there are some significant areas there that we need to continue to address. I'm confident at the moment that the...
Alun Davies: ...probation service that was raised by the leader of Plaid Cymru at FMQs earlier today, within the context of health services being delivered by the local health boards, within the context of local education providers providing education for people who are currently in prisons, without the context of the police working alongside other blue light services, without the context of being able...
Alun Davies: ...terms of how to engage with people—and I think, if you don't mind me saying so, we've got a textbook example of how to do that in the way that Mick Antoniw has spoken with the students in Y Pant School in his constituency, and that is a great way forward for all of us. But let me say, as I conclude, on this matter, we have expected and we expect young people to take decisions on their...
Alun Davies: ...a stake in the future of their families and their communities. And we will give them the right to vote, and we will ensure that they feel able to exercise that right. We will do that simply through education, but we will also do it by the way in which we campaign as political parties, and by the way in which we govern as politicians and Ministers. And we will inspire people to vote. That's...
Alun Davies: Citizenship is vitally important. It’s important that it’s taught in our schools, but also, I would say that citizenship is important to us all, and understanding how we all live together is something that is vitally important. I very much hope that the way in which we change our politics to extend the franchise to young people, and to also ensure that we change the way in which we...
Alun Davies: ...I concur with very many of the points that the Member has made, Llywydd. I agree with you when you talk about the lack of understanding of politics in Wales. I know that my friend the Secretary for education, for example, will be writing to the BBC today after their report on Today yesterday talking about the education policy in Wales and England—and I think they were saying 'England and...
Alun Davies: ...to take some of the views that have been expressed in terms of proportional representation versus first past the post. I have to say to the Member for Aberconwy that part of personal and social education is around active citizenship. I'm surprised that she is not aware of that. Our ability to communicate and to educate young people about the importance of the political structures of...
Alun Davies: .... We will be following Scotland in this, and their experience already shows how much young people of that age welcome the opportunity and make use of it to further the democratic process. Within schools, the active citizenship theme of personal and social education will provide young people with an understanding of politics and the right to vote. Everyone who has committed to life and...
Alun Davies: ...enabling and encouraging electoral registration officers to automatically add people to the register where they are satisfied with the information to hand. That should work particularly well with school students where local authorities already have their details and simply need to transfer these to the ERO. Anyone automatically registered would be added to the edited register, not the one...
Alun Davies: ...raise. I will say to Jenny: Huw Thomas, the leader of Cardiff council, raised these matters with me last week, and I'm also aware that the leader of Swansea has written to the Cabinet Secretary for Education. I know that the Cabinet Secretary will be replying to the leader of Swansea, and we have asked our officials to work with both the leaders of the councils you've named, but also...
Alun Davies: ...provide targeted relief to support local businesses that would benefit most from additional assistance. Within the settlement, we are prioritising funding for essential public services such as education and social care. Whilst there is no ring fencing on any specific element of the settlement, I am prioritising funding for schools, through £62 million in 2018-19 and a further £46...
Alun Davies: ...community; a prison policy that isn't based on simply a punitive desire for revenge, but a policy that is based on safe communities; and a holistic approach to bringing together services such as education, skills and healthcare, which are already devolved. At the moment, the current devolution settlement does not serve Wales well. It means that our administration of justice policy is poor...
Alun Davies: ...a conversation that we can continue to have. In correspondence to the Secretary of State for Defence, we have asked for further consideration to be given to the continuation of the service children education support fund. I would also say, Deputy Presiding Officer, we have published a 'Welcome to Wales' package tailored specifically for our service personnel and their families. Members...
Alun Davies: I’ll say this to the Member: Jesus College Oxford took a group of Welsh students to Oxford in the summer, to a summer school, and spent considerable time talking with them. Over 2,000 people are now a part of the Seren network and are benefiting from all the advantages that that has given to them. It enables them to understand the processes needed to apply for and to gain a place in one of...
