Vikki Howells: As a member of the economy committee, I'd like to start by echoing the thanks of our Chair, Paul Davies, to all those who took part in or supported our inquiry. It's a really important subject, at its core investigating something that touches the lives of all citizens in Wales on a daily basis, that is, how goods and products get on our shelves in our communities, and how we treat those...
Vikki Howells: Thank you for that update, First Minister. Cwm Taf University Health Board is closing two of its community vaccination centres, including the one in Cynon Valley. For my constituents, the closest site now will be Merthyr Tydfil. There are real challenges around public transport links, and some of my constituents would need to catch four buses just to get there. What discussions is Welsh...
Vikki Howells: 2. Will the First Minister provide an update on the Welsh Government's COVID-19 vaccination strategy? OQ57856
Vikki Howells: Thank you, Minister for your answers so far. I would like to warmly welcome the extra £100 that is being awarded to every family that is entitled to the PDG access grant. That is very much welcomed by families in Cynon Valley and I'm sure across Wales this week. Can I ask, Minister, what is being done to raise awareness of that extra fund, and in particular to support families with language...
Vikki Howells: Thank you, First Minister. Last week, the cross-party group on industrial communities heard from deputy principal Sharon James about how Cardiff and Vale College is working to ensure that Wales has the skills needed to flourish from the move to net zero. I took away two key messages around the importance of collaboration across all partners and at all levels of training, from apprenticeships...
Vikki Howells: 3. What are the Welsh Government's priorities for skills policy during this Senedd term? OQ57808
Vikki Howells: Thank you, Minister. It's welcome to see initiatives such as the ban on the third party sales of puppies and kittens—Lucy's law—coming into effect, but this is also increasing the inspection and enforcement roles of our Welsh councils. How is Welsh Government supporting councils to fulfil these functions, and is there any role for providing similar statutory responsibilities to, for...
Vikki Howells: Minister, tomorrow Rhondda Cynon Taf council will be voting on their budget for 2022-23. Thanks to your local government settlement, which empowers Welsh councils, under these proposals services will be protected, and additional funding will be allocated to schools, social services and to support a minimum rate of pay above the real living wage, all whilst limiting the council tax increase to...
Vikki Howells: 6. How is the Welsh Government engaging with partner organisations to ensure animal health and welfare standards are being upheld? OQ57745
Vikki Howells: Thank you, Minister, for your statement today. I was really pleased to hear mention of the Elaine Morgan statue that will shortly be unveiled in Mountain Ash in my constituency. I'm looking forward to attending, with you, the official unveiling a week Friday, which I know will be a wonderful focal point in the town. I recall when I was first elected to this place in 2016 that I spoke out...
Vikki Howells: First Minister, last week I chaired the launch of a very interesting report from the Wales Co-operative Centre into enhancing community ownership of land and increasing community housing opportunities. I know this was raised in Plenary with the climate change Minister and I welcome her comments, but an additional key recommendation from the report was to develop a standardised approach to...
Vikki Howells: Thank you, Minister, for that answer. Now, Cynon valley has a number of flourishing meithrins, in Penderyn, Aberdare, Mountain Ash and Abercynon, and it is important that they are sustainable and can access suitably qualified staff. The extra financial support from Welsh Government for meithrins that you announced a little while ago is of course very welcome, and I know you referred to Cam...
Vikki Howells: Deputy Minister, as you know, a key element of the south Wales metro, funded by a Welsh Labour Government, will be the introduction of cleaner, greener, environmentally friendly electric tram-trains on the core Valley lines, including between Aberdare, in my own constituency, and the capital. What assessment has the Welsh Government made of the impact that these trains will have on reducing...
Vikki Howells: 5. What action is Welsh Government taking to improve access to Welsh-medium early years provision? OQ57713
Vikki Howells: Thank you, Minister. 'No place like home', recently published by the Royal College of Physicians, builds an urgent case for increased investment in intermediate care provided in a patient's home. This can improve the quality of care, reduce admissions to hospital, and also get people back out of hospital and home more quickly. I'd welcome your response to this report and information on how...
Vikki Howells: Thank you, Minister. As you note, there is a lot of support out there for start-ups, not just from Welsh Government, but also from, for example, Rhondda Cynon Taf council, with its nine-to-five hub for budding entrepreneurs. However, recent research from the Bevan Foundation suggests that there needs to be at least 1,000 new businesses in the Cynon Valley just to match the Welsh average. How...
Vikki Howells: 5. What action is the Welsh Government taking to support business start-ups in Cynon Valley? OQ57659
Vikki Howells: 1. What is the Welsh Government doing to improve access to specialist medical care in the community? OQ57660
Vikki Howells: First Minister, as a former teacher, I take pride in my close connections with schools in my constituency, all of whom report to me very favourably on the speed of the roll-out of the new curriculum. Indeed, a few weeks ago, I enjoyed a virtual visit to Aberdare Town Church in Wales Primary School where year 6 pupils were keen to show me their fantastic work on Cynefin, a central tenet of the...
Vikki Howells: Thank you, Minister, for your statement today on an issue that is of concern to very many of my constituents. I've got three questions for you. Firstly, I note the comments from the Minister for Social Justice that Welsh Government has called on the UK Government to consider introducing a differentiated domestic energy tariff cap, or a social energy tariff. I wonder whether you could say a...
