Peredur Owen Griffiths: I welcome the interim report and echo some, not all, of the comments that we've heard in this Chamber this afternoon. I'd like to concentrate my contribution on a small aspect of what you've said this afternoon, Minister. Can we ban the use of the words 'progressive' and 'radical' when referring to the Gordon Brown proposals? They are anything but radical or progressive. Giving us control of...
Peredur Owen Griffiths: Thank you. We're still waiting for the Minister's workforce plan, which was promised for this month; given that there are a few hours left in the day, we remain in hope that it will come in time. Oh, there are thumbs up there, so that's good. Can you confirm that you and your officials were heavily involved in devising this plan? This is a key question, because mental health support has often...
Peredur Owen Griffiths: Diolch, Llywydd. The cost-of-living crisis is having a significant impact on our health service. From increasing health inequalities to preventing people from being warm and fed this winter, the NHS is showing signs of extreme strain and crisis. The strain is also evident in those who work in public health. The nurses' strike, backed by Plaid Cymru, has been well-documented in this Senedd....
Peredur Owen Griffiths: The Senedd has already heard from Jack about how unfair forcible installation of prepayment meters are; I endorse his points wholeheartedly. Prepayment meters are disproportionately prevalent in the social housing sector, which means that tenants on some of the lowest income bands in the country are having to pay the highest energy tariffs. It's incredibly perverse that those with the least...
Peredur Owen Griffiths: Thank you for that response.
Peredur Owen Griffiths: Although the powers to legislate on gender recognition are not yet available to this Senedd, the First Minister has expressed a desire to introduce similar legislation to the GRR Bill here in Wales. He recently said in this Chamber, 'we will seek the powers. If we obtain those powers, we will put them to work here in Wales, and we will put proposals in front of this Welsh Parliament'....
Peredur Owen Griffiths: Diolch, Llywydd. The UK Government's decision to veto the passage of the Gender Recognition Reform (Scotland) Bill marks a new low in relations between Westminster and the devolved administrations. Over the past 13 years, this Tory Government has frequently demonstrated its thinly veiled disregard for devolution. Instead of working constructively with its devolved partners, it has resorted to...
Peredur Owen Griffiths: Thank you, Llywydd, and apologies for not being ready there.
Peredur Owen Griffiths: I'm pleased to speak in the debate. The committee considered these regulations at our meeting last Thursday after the Legislation, Justice and Constitution Committee had laid its report. We have no further reporting points to make other than those already covered by that committee and therefore consider it appropriate and proportionate on this occasion not to produce our own separate...
Peredur Owen Griffiths: How is the Government easing the cost-of-living crisis for people in South Wales East?
Peredur Owen Griffiths: Our NHS is at breaking point. Something has to give. There have been long-standing problems with patient flow through hospitals. When you combine this with an increased pressure on our emergency service and more and more patients being added to waiting lists, our hard-working staff are being forced to work harder, and work harder in worse conditions. There will be some in this Chamber that...
Peredur Owen Griffiths: Thank you for that response.
Peredur Owen Griffiths: I raise this matter as there have been problems occurring on common land within my region. The current relaxed model of ownership and accountability means that all it takes is a rogue landowner to expose the inherent flaws within the system. Without going into too much detail about a local case that springs to mind, there is a glaring example in my region of how a landowner can get away...
Peredur Owen Griffiths: 3. What is the Minister doing to help manage common land in South Wales East? OQ58943
Peredur Owen Griffiths: Thank you very much to the committee and the Chair for the work that they've done, and thank you to the Counsel General for bringing this Bill forward.
Peredur Owen Griffiths: We welcome the introduction of this Bill to create a consolidated, accessible and modernised legislative framework for the conservation of Wales's historic environment that will better reflect the dynamics of the devolution landscape. We hope this will make the people of Wales feel more engaged with our rich and diverse national history, and better able to contribute to conversations on how...
Peredur Owen Griffiths: Thank you very much to the committee and the Chair for bringing this debate forward today and for this important report.
Peredur Owen Griffiths: Our communities have faced hardship after hardship in recent years, following over a decade of austerity from the Conservatives in Westminster, then we had Brexit, then the pandemic, and now this pervasive cost-of-living crisis. Yet, above all, we have seen that kindness in our communities has prevailed. Wales is rich not just in terms of resources or talent but in our communities. We have to...
Peredur Owen Griffiths: Thank you, Llywydd. I am pleased to move this motion today on behalf of the Finance Committee and to ask the Senedd to agree to appoint Dr Kathryn Chamberlain as chair of the Wales Audit Office board in accordance with the Public Audit (Wales) Act 2013. Dr Kathryn Chamberlain has significant senior leadership experience in the public sector, with a strong audit and governance background. She...
Peredur Owen Griffiths: Can we have a Government statement on the fire service please, Trefnydd? Like many who saw the ITN report on South Wales Fire and Rescue Service yesterday evening, I was horrified. There should not be any place for misogyny within the workplace, but this is especially the case with a public service like the fire brigade. I was extremely disappointed to discover that this behaviour has been...
