Alun Davies: I don't deny anything; I don't need to. It's a failure I'm describing. It's not about expenditure; it's about delivering on the objectives of policy, and that is where the failure lies. And you don't need to defend everything the UK does. Sometimes, it fails, and this is an example of failure, and it isn't just Government failure, as I've said to you—it's market failure, and a failure of...
Alun Davies: Like others, I want to thank the committee for this report and for this short investigation. I thought the points made by the committee Chair in opening this debate were well made, and established a very clear group of findings, which I’m glad the Welsh Government has responded to. But the reality is that we need the UK Government to respond to this as well. And I'm participating in this...
Alun Davies: It's a non-devolved function.
Alun Davies: It's a non-devolved function; [Inaudible.]—spend money on it.
Alun Davies: Will the Member take an intervention?
Alun Davies: I'm listening with great interest to your contribution. The numbers that you're reading out are an extraordinary indictment of the United Kingdom Government and their failure to deliver on what is a reserved matter. Will you be joining us in supporting the Welsh Government in telling the UK Government it's time to pull their finger out and actually remember that Wales is a part of this UK and...
Alun Davies: Presiding Officer, there does need to be a point of order.
Alun Davies: When Members are afraid to sit in this Chamber—
Alun Davies: I'm grateful to the Minister for that earlier response. It's certainly true that people want that level of reassurance that an ambulance will be available should they, or a member of their family, become seriously unwell and require an ambulance. And it's important that we're able to provide that level of confidence to people. And one of the things that people raise with me isn't simply the...
Alun Davies: 4. Will the Minister make a statement on ambulance response times in Blaenau Gwent? OQ58699
Alun Davies: —we won't just be changing Welsh language policy, we won't be changing the Government's approach, but we'll be changing Wales.
Alun Davies: Like others, I'd like to start my contribution this afternoon by paying tribute to Aled Roberts. I served here with Aled, and I remember seeing his face on those benches over there, and he was smiling across the Chamber. Whatever people said, he had a smile on his face, and he always had a kind word to say in the tearoom after any debate. It was a pleasure to serve here alongside Aled, and it...
Alun Davies: Will the First Minister make a statement on the future of public services in Blaenau Gwent?
Alun Davies: I hesitate to expand on any matters in this forum, but I'm grateful. I think it's right that James Evans has thanked other members of the committee. I'd like to add to that Rhys ab Owen and, of course, other Members who have sat in this place—Jayne Bryant and Peter Fox as well have contributed to the work of the committee. I also want to thank of course not only the Chair, but the...
Alun Davies: I'm grateful to the Presiding Officer for that. Presiding Officer, I want you to rip out these grotesque computers that we have placed in front of us. They are completely inappropriate for a debating Chamber; they were designed at a time before we had iPads and before we had the ability to communicate in the way that we can. It's a twentieth-century response to a need that doesn't exist in...
Alun Davies: I'm grateful to the Counsel General for that. I'm grateful to hear his final point there. This is a rotten and grubby piece of legislation that has, by its introduction, tarnished the reputation of the United Kingdom in councils across the world. It has damaged our relationship with the EU and has demonstrated that the UK Government itself is prepared to break international law and agreements...
Alun Davies: I'm grateful to the Counsel General for that response. It is, of course, a forced labour Bill. It takes away freedoms and it takes away rights from people, and acts in a way that is incompatible, I would argue, with our expectations and our values in a free and open and democratic society. It is also at odds with the values that we, on this side of the Chamber, have certainly held dear...
Alun Davies: 5. What discussions has the Counsel General had with other law officers regarding the impact of the Transport Strikes (Minimum Service Levels) Bill on the devolution settlement? OQ58668
Alun Davies: 8. What discussions has the Counsel General had with other law officers in the UK about the impact of the Northern Ireland Protocol Bill on the UK constitution? OQ58670
Alun Davies: 3. Will the Commission provide an update on the provision of ICT for Members in the Chamber? OQ58669
