Carolyn Thomas: Diolch. I was going to say also that the north Wales economy and transport work cross border. I attended a Growth Track 360 fringe event last week. We talked about the importance of HS2 funding coming to that border region and, with Cheshire West and Chester being possibly an investment zone, the impact it could have on Wrexham industrial estate, Deeside industrial estate, and enterprise...
Carolyn Thomas: Thank you for that answer, Minister. I'm particularly concerned about the use of cages for the breeding of gaming birds. Partridges normally mate with a partner for life in the wild, but, in commercial breeding cages, they are forced together, sometimes wearing saddles and beak covers to protect from maiming. This practice is cruel and unnecessary, all in the name of sport. In 2021, polling...
Carolyn Thomas: Minister, around £45 billion of tax reductions for people and businesses by 2027 could have paid for public sector increases of 19 per cent, improving services, filling vacancies, and growing the economy here in Wales where nearly a third of people are employed in the public sector. Minister, the mini budget from the UK Government does little to help the public sector, including councils,...
Carolyn Thomas: 8. What progress has been made towards restricting the use of cages for farmed animals? OQ58455
Carolyn Thomas: I’d like to start by welcoming this statement and the fact that Wales is the first country in the UK to introduce a complete ban on snares and glue traps. I’m also pleased to see the introduction of an objective to promote public access to the countryside. Will the Minister please confirm for me that compliance with right of way maintenance will be a core part of the scheme, and to set...
Carolyn Thomas: The rich are getting richer; the poorer are getting poorer. People will be struggling to pay their mortgages on top of rising energy costs. Public services are on their knees following 10 years of austerity. Forty-five billion pounds of tax cuts could have paid for a 19 or 20 per cent increase in public sector workers, including carers, and universal credit is the impact of that as well. So,...
Carolyn Thomas: Following on from that, Minister, I was going to say: could I ask for a statement on the investment zones, or, rather, deregulation zones? Cheshire West and Chester Council have been named as possibly one, which could impact on the Deeside area and the enterprise zone in Flintshire. I do also have concerns regarding planning deregulation and the impacts it could have on nature. Affordable...
Carolyn Thomas: Minister, I was very grateful to hear that the First Minister reaffirmed the Welsh Government's commitment to the moratorium on fracking here in Wales. It shows the Welsh Labour Government's commitment and dedication to building a sustainable future, whilst protecting the health and properties of people in Wales. Unfortunately, border communities, like the ones I represent in north Wales,...
Carolyn Thomas: I'll struggle to follow that, Delyth. It was very good. I strongly believe that fossil fuel companies and shareholders should not be profiting from the high price of fossil fuel, while households, businesses and public services are suffering such severe hardship. Councils and community groups are looking at setting up warm homes and soup kitchens. How has this been allowed to happen in...
Carolyn Thomas: During my time as county councillor, I gained first-hand experience of people struggling with fuel poverty and trying to cope with the additional burden of faulty heating systems, especially off grid. I was asked to visit an elderly resident who was having problems with her oil central heating. The lady had her doors and windows wide open to release the terrible fumes, and the house was...
Carolyn Thomas: When I visited Plas Menai with the Culture, Communications, Welsh Language, Sport, and International Relations Committee with Heledd, I was struck by what a great facility it is, in a stunning setting, but also what further potential it could have to incorporate more activities as well. The offer did seem a little limited compared to other outdoor activity centres. I was concerned about the...
Carolyn Thomas: Thank you for the answer, Minister. According to research by the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds, only one in five children has a connection to nature, and time spent playing outdoors has halved in just one generation. Exploring the natural environment is incredibly beneficial for young children, particularly for their sensory and emotional development. It's important that these...
Carolyn Thomas: Okay, thank you. Earlier this month, the Scottish Government committed that they would be freezing rents and suspending evictions to help tenants through the cost-of-living crisis. This year, Wales has seen the highest increase in the cost of renting outside London, with rents up to an eye-watering 13.9 per cent increase, on average. This comes alongside rising fuel, energy and food prices,...
Carolyn Thomas: 7. Will the Welsh Government commit to freezing rents and suspending evictions to help tenants through the cost-of-living crisis? OQ58395
Carolyn Thomas: 9. How is the Welsh Government ensuring schools teach children about the importance of nature and biodiversity? OQ58396
Carolyn Thomas: I really value these measures coming forward, but to deliver them, we need public services, and I'm really concerned; I've heard from the Prime Minister about funding for businesses and also for households, but nothing for public services, and they're facing the rising energy costs as well, and the cost-of-living crisis. They've had 10 years of austerity, so they're already cut to the bone...
Carolyn Thomas: As we come today to what I know as the debating Chamber, it's really good that we're coming together today, putting aside politics for once, and I'd like to recall the words of the late Jo Cox, where she said that 'There's more that unites us than divides us.' We're here as sons, daughters, some of us parents and grandparents, just as the Queen was a granny as well, and we talk about how we...
Carolyn Thomas: Thank you to Jane for bringing this incredibly important debate, which I'm very pleased to co-submit to the Senedd. The roll-out of the Welsh Government's basic income trial is a most welcome step towards a more progressive welfare system. I look forward to seeing the results and hope that they will lead to a wider expansion of a basic income across Wales. The path to a zero-carbon economy is...
Carolyn Thomas: On reading the report, I saw that initially 80 per cent of people were in favour of 20 mph, but last year's consultation indicated that there were mixed results with 47 per cent in favour then. Desktop exceptions became an issue when delivered in reality, following the pilots conducted in Buckley in Flintshire, and officers were not permitted to do local exceptions to remove key arterial...
Carolyn Thomas: The benefits of a land value tax are quite clear—it could replace a regressive council tax system, which has no relation to household income, with a system that creates a far greater equality in the distribution of wealth, lowering housing costs for many households across Wales. A land value tax would also help to end land speculation, encourage more efficient allocation of land and provide...
