Tom Giffard: Not bad. [Laughter.] The total round trip was 22,000 miles.
Tom Giffard: It makes me wonder though what you learnt by making the trip, and what you couldn't have learnt on Zoom if you followed the logic of your climate change Minister. Or is it just another example of the typical virtue-signalling hypocrisy we've become used to from the Welsh Labour Government? Nevertheless, one thing I hope you will have seen out there is that, in New Zealand, 47 per cent of boys...
Tom Giffard: Can I thank the Minister for his statement? Firstly, Minister, this policy of a licensing scheme was announced back in July, with the First Minister and the leader of Plaid Cymru announcing it to the press. We're now in November and it's the first time that the Chamber has had to hear in more detail about the scheme. Those in the industry have said that there's been considerable anxiety...
Tom Giffard: As the first Member to speak in this debate who is not on the committee, can I thank the members of the committee who have spoken so far, especially Paul Davies as the Chair, as well as his research and clerking team and all those who gave their evidence for the report on this important sector, for the recommendations to Welsh Government and for bringing this debate to the Chamber...
Tom Giffard: I'm grateful to you for your answer. I wanted to draw your attention to the terrible fire at Windmill Farm, a much-loved rural hotel and wedding venue on the Gower peninsula, in the heart of my South Wales West region. The blaze spread rapidly across the property, and firefighting efforts were delayed by an insufficient water supply to operate the hoses and the time taken in transporting a...
Tom Giffard: 4. How does the Minister ensure that the fire service benefits the people of South Wales West? OQ58647
Tom Giffard: Diolch yn fawr iawn, Llywydd. Age Cymru West Glamorgan is an independent charity supporting older people across South Wales West, and, for the last 20 years, they've run the Afan Nedd community centre and have provided a lunch club for over 120 people. However, in the last week, they've been forced to close their doors. And while the charity's seen utility bills rise, they've also seen their...
Tom Giffard: How does the Welsh Government ensure that children from poorer backgrounds reach their potential in the Welsh education system?
Tom Giffard: It has been four years now since that review was published and still there has been no increase in funding from the Welsh Government to bring it in line with the rest of the United Kingdom. How can our universities compete when we continue to invest less in them than Scotland or England? We're all competing for the same funding streams, but Wales is at a significant disadvantage—a...
Tom Giffard: Thank you very much, Llywydd.
Tom Giffard: I've given four minutes of my time away, to Peter Fox, Mike Hedges, James Evans and Laura Jones for this debate. First of all, I want to place on record my thanks to all at the British Heart Foundation, in particular Gemma Roberts, for highlighting this important campaign and for their work in helping me to bring this debate to the Senedd today. Research, development and innovation are...
Tom Giffard: Minister, I think it's important that we stress here that this was due to be a twenty-first century state-of-the-art school with local facilities for children with additional learning needs and a new pool as well, which is much needed in the community. But what must be made clear is the fact that local authorities perhaps need clearer guidance when consulting on issues such as these. This...
Tom Giffard: I thank Peredur Owen Griffiths for tabling this question. I just wanted to follow up as well on the point about reserves, because I think it is important, and you're right—people don't necessarily understand the definition of usable reserves, particularly those councils that call them usable reserves and then never use them. So, in my region of South Wales West, Bridgend, Neath Port Talbot...
Tom Giffard: First Minister, you'll be aware of the recent report by Loughborough University that showed that, in 2020-21, child poverty across the UK went down by 4 per cent, but, in Wales, it had gone up by 5 per cent. So, can you tell us, First Minister, why the statistics are telling us that your Welsh Labour Government is failing to tackle child poverty?
Tom Giffard: Diolch, Llywydd. If the Welsh Government is going to implement a tourism tax—and I sincerely hope you don't—what we're calling for is for the Welsh Government to exempt those with disabilities and armed forces personnel, at a minimum, from paying a tourism charge. Is this something you'll commit to today?
Tom Giffard: I'm afraid I have to disagree with you, Minister. The fact that you're the Minister responsible for tourism, but haven't really had anything proactive to say on the topic, whilst the finance Minister has been introducing tourism taxes and changes to self-catering holiday properties, tells us that this is a Government that doesn't see tourism as something to be promoted or enhanced—that you...
Tom Giffard: Thank you, Minister. I'm grateful to you for making that clear and I think the Senedd stands united in distancing us from those comments as well. As you say, sport and politics are intertwined and it's very important that we make that very clear to those travelling Cymru fans who will be going out to Qatar as well. It's my first opportunity also to question you as the Minister responsible for...
Tom Giffard: Diolch, Llywydd. Good afternoon, Minister. This is my last opportunity to question you before Cymru begin their historic first world cup campaign in 64 years. I wanted to highlight though what Nasser Al Khater, the chief executive of Qatar 2022, recently said in a media interview. He suggested that Governments should focus on the football and leave it at that. We all know that Qatar has, at...
Tom Giffard: Thank you, Minister. The pleasure is all mine. While we're all urged to do our bit to recycle at home, I want to draw your attention, Minister, to the policy of Swansea council of preventing the recycling of wood at Clyne in Gorseinon recycling centre. That policy results in thousands of people from right across Swansea—from the tip of Gower and places like Mumbles, and areas like Gorseinon...
Tom Giffard: 6. Will the Minister make a statement on the role of local councils in helping the Welsh Government meet its recycling targets? OQ58561
