Joyce Watson: Diolch, Dirprwy Lywydd. I promise not to take my full five minutes. I want to start first of all by saying that I’ve been in this Chamber for 10 years, and I have never heard the like of what I heard in this Chamber being espoused, like we’ve heard this afternoon from the UKIP benches. It actually would serve them well, I think, to go and visit, collectively, the Wales PEN Cymru project...
Joyce Watson: Will you take an intervention?
Joyce Watson: I’m pleased that you managed to take an intervention; I couldn’t bear to hear you much more. But I would like to invite you to meet the midwives from Betsi Cadwaladr University Local Health Board who volunteer in Lesotho. I would like to invite all the UKIP Members who speak here today to also visit Lampeter’s Community Carbon Link, helping to plant 0.5 million trees in Kenya, or the...
Joyce Watson: And the last speaker, Rhun ap Iorwerth.
Joyce Watson: I now call on the Cabinet Secretary for Health, Well-being and Sport—Vaughan Gething.
Joyce Watson: I’d like to call Michelle Brown.
Joyce Watson: I’d like to call Lee Waters.
Joyce Watson: Rwyf wedi dethol y ddau welliant i’r cynnig. Galwaf ar Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet dros Iechyd, Llesiant a Chwaraeon i gynnig gwelliant 1, a gyflwynwyd yn enw Jane Hutt, yn ffurfiol.
Joyce Watson: Galwaf ar Mark Isherwood i gynnig gwelliant 2 a gyflwynwyd yn enw Paul Davies.
Joyce Watson: I actually agree with everything that you have just outlined. To that end, I have met with staff here to look at the way that we can improve the facilities. You’re absolutely right to say that the parent and child room had nothing in it, that it was pointless in that regard, but what I can tell the Member is that we have recognised those weaknesses and we are setting about making some of...
Joyce Watson: I thank you very much for your question. The Assembly Commission is committed to being family friendly and, in the Senedd, we do have family-friendly and accessible facilities that include baby-changing facilities, an accessible coffee shop, and a regular programme of events aimed at families. We will consult with those visiting families for their thoughts on further improvement to that...
Joyce Watson: I thank you, Cabinet Secretary, for the answer. The commitment from Welsh Government to £1 billion of innovative investment in infrastructure for three major capital investment projects through the mutual investment model in March was, indeed, very welcome news. And it does indeed demonstrate that, in these financially challenging times, the Labour Welsh Government rises to that challenge of...
Joyce Watson: 3. Will the Cabinet Secretary make a statement on the Welsh Government’s plans for investing in infrastructure in Wales? OAQ(5)0119(FLG)
Joyce Watson: I thank you for that answer and I share your opinion. Do you agree that by forcing public sector employers to publish information on facility time—that is, the time taken off from work to allow union representatives to carry out their duties when helping employees—that by doing this, the Trade Union Act 2016 blatantly discriminates against public sector workers and serves to weaken their...
Joyce Watson: 9. What assessment has the First Minister made of the impact of the Trade Union Act 2016 since it came into force in March this year? OAQ(5)0565(FM)
Joyce Watson: I thank you for that answer, and this is really, really good news, because we all know that, by the age of 11, 40 per cent of children are obese in Wales, or they’re overweight, and that is a very, very unhealthy state for children to arrive at in such an early age. You did mention the £1 million funding from Welsh Government and Innovate UK, and that it will be open to companies and...
Joyce Watson: 2. What is the Welsh Government doing to help promote the production of healthier food? OAQ(5)0122(ERA)
Joyce Watson: Will the Cabinet Secretary make a statement on the licensing system for breeding and selling animals?
Joyce Watson: Leader of the house, I’d like to request that we have a debate on the licensing fees for dog breeders and pet shops in Wales. It was recently brought to my attention that the licensing fees for both can vary significantly—dog breeding licences from £23 to £688, and pet shop licences can range from £23 to £782. As a consequence of the UK Government austerity, many local authorities...
Joyce Watson: I was particularly pleased to see that, as part of that announcement last week, there was funding for road safety measures in my area, and particularly near schools. Hakin and Hubberston, Newtown High School, Presteigne primary and Lampeter are all now going to benefit. So, I thank you for that. But, under the Wales Act 2017, Welsh Ministers will now have more power over roads and transport,...
