Darren Millar: What action is the Welsh Government taking to ensure that local authorities uphold the Armed Forces Covenant?
Darren Millar: Thank you, Deputy Presiding Officer, and can I thank the Cabinet Secretary for his extremely kind and generous words about the work of the cross-party group on the armed forces and cadets? I have to say, it's been a pleasure to be able to work with the Welsh Government to improve the lot of servicemen and women and veterans in Wales in recent years—both with you and your predecessor. So,...
Darren Millar: Thank you, Deputy Presiding Officer. Can I thank the Cabinet Secretary for his statement? I think it is important that this Chamber is updated on a regular basis about the situation in terms of any progress that is taking place in north Wales under special measures. My party has expressed significant frustration over the past three and a half years about the lack of progress. We know that...
Darren Millar: Thank you, Cabinet Secretary, for your statement. I think it's important that you keep this Chamber up to date with the situation in terms of the special measures in north Wales. You know that I've been extremely critical of the lack of progress that there has been over the past almost three and a half years since this organisation went into special measures. We've seen performance on a...
Darren Millar: Can I ask the Cabinet Secretary what assessment she has made of the opportunities to commemorate the significant contribution of the Royal Welch Fusiliers, of the 53rd Battalion, to the war in Palestine and Egypt during the first world war? The Cabinet Secretary will no doubt be aware of the Wrexham museum exhibition that has taken place, which was excellent, but the only exhibition of its...
Darren Millar: Will the First Minister make a statement on the performance of public services during his tenure?
Darren Millar: I'm very grateful to you for taking this intervention. You will surely recognise that the situation that the Conservative Government inherited back in 2010, in terms of public finances, was absolutely horrendous. Gordon Brown brought our country to the brink of bankruptcy, and this responsible Conservative Government has turned that situation around.
Darren Millar: I know, to be fair, Cabinet Secretary, that you do value independent advocacy for people with mental health—. But I am a little bit concerned about some of the restructuring that's going on with mental health advocacy in my own constituency at the moment. You will be aware that there's an organisation called Un Llais that has been extremely effective in building capacity in the third...
Darren Millar: You said you didn't want to set out a time frame for improvements, and yet I remember, when the previous health secretary actually put this health board into special measures, he announced there were 100-day plans to turn the situation around. Well, it's now been 1,228 days. Many of the indicators in terms of performance in that health board are going backwards. It's a record-breaking health...
Darren Millar: 6. What action is the Welsh Government taking to ensure access to independent advocacy and support for those with poor mental health in north Wales? OAQ52788
Darren Millar: Cronyism.
Darren Millar: Can I thank the Minister for his statement this afternoon? Although, I have to say, I find it bizarre that he's making this statement when the UK Government has already committed to consulting on the shape of the new UK shared prosperity fund in the future, and has also given a commitment to making sure that it respects the devolution settlement in terms of the way that that fund is going to...
Darren Millar: Leader of the house, can I call for a statement from the Cabinet Secretary for Education on the process by which she determines school closure proposals that have been referred to her by various organisations that are able to do that? She will be aware that there is an outstanding school closure proposal that has been on the Cabinet Secretary's desk—or, certainly, a desk in the Welsh...
Darren Millar: Earlier this year, leader of the house, I was in rural parts of western Kenya and I have to say, I was appalled at the fact that their mobile signal seemed to much better than it is in some parts of my own constituency in Clwyd West. So, I'm wondering what action you can take, given the devolved powers that you have over the permitted development rights in terms of the heights of the...
Darren Millar: I'm very grateful to you for taking the intervention. The Welsh Government supported the establishment of HMP Berwyn in Wrexham, so I'm astonished to find you now criticising the significant investment and the skilled jobs that have been brought to north-east Wales as a result the UK Government's decision.
Darren Millar: We set out a legislative programme in our manifesto before the last Assembly elections, and in addition to that, of course, my colleague Paul Davies, the leader of the opposition, is bringing forward legislation on autism that your party is opposing.
Darren Millar: I just wanted to take part in this debate to reflect on some of the challenges that are ahead. I have to say I did regret the rather self-congratulatory tone of the First Minister in his opening speech and I don't think it reflected many of the challenges that are still ahead. We know, for example, that the performance of our education system is lagging behind other parts of the UK. That's,...
Darren Millar: Leader of the house, can I call for two statements today, please? One is from the Cabinet Secretary for transport infrastructure. I was very pleased to see the announcement of investment in the south Wales Metro that was announced this week—£119 million—but it's left a bit of a bitter taste in the mouths of people in north Wales, who are looking for investment in our own...
Darren Millar: What action is the Welsh Government taking to improve infrastructure in north Wales?
Darren Millar: I don't think I'm a right-wing zealot, but it's for others to describe me. The problem is that I remember, in the referendum campaign, making many of these points. I was an enthusiastic remainer. I've not changed my judgement on the strategic advantages to the UK of remaining in the EU, but a decision was made. What assessment have you made of the damage you will cause to our democratic...
