Llyr Gruffydd: The mid-year population estimates are showing clearly that the projections that have been used as a basis for many of these local development plans are clearly incorrect. In Wrexham's case, the population projection back in 2014 was for an increase of around 1,200 people in population by mid 2016. We now find, of course, that the increase has actually been four—not 4 per cent; four people....
Llyr Gruffydd: 7. Will the Cabinet Secretary make a statement on local development plans in North Wales? OAQ51551
Llyr Gruffydd: May I ask for a statement from the health Secretary on the impact that cuts to the all-Wales school liaison core programme, or SchoolBeat, will have on the important work that that programme delivers? I know that in north Wales, it employs 16 officials who visit all schools and convey important messages to the children, from the youngest at age four up to those at age 16, on issues such as...
Llyr Gruffydd: I listened with interest to the answers that you gave to Rhun ap Iorwerth earlier, but we do know that only 3.5 per cent of trainee doctors in the UK are in Wales, although we have 5 per cent of the population and, I would argue, that our health needs are greater than that. I just don’t feel feel that the Government fully understands the level of the problem that we have in north Wales....
Llyr Gruffydd: You tell us you're considering it—I'm afraid it's been considered for a very long time now, and we know that the child practice review report published last year into the Dylan Seabridge case recommended firmly that changes in legislation were needed to require parents to register with a local authority children who are receiving home education, and also to ensure that those children are...
Llyr Gruffydd: I find it interesting that you say that feedback from practitioners has been less than positive, because the Government’s own evaluation of the implementation of the Learning in Digital Wales Programme in October last year reported positive feedback from schools on Hwb+ and concluded that, 'Abandoning the project would severely disappoint and alienate teachers, who are enthusiastic about...
Llyr Gruffydd: But it’s no small undertaking, is it, to move from one particular type of provision to another? You stated in June, ‘From the outset— and I quote, —‘we have been clear that being digitally competent is one of the fundamental pillars of a modern education'. Nobody would doubt that. ‘That is why digital competence was identified as the third cross-curricular responsibility,...
Llyr Gruffydd: Diolch, Llywydd. Cabinet Secretary, it's taken four years to embed the Hwb+ virtual learning platform and get more than 80 per cent of schools using the platform. All schools have been trained to use it after a great deal of time, effort and money. So, can you explain to us why you believe it's the best use of public funds to abandon that project now?
Llyr Gruffydd: 4. Will the Cabinet Secretary make a statement on home-schooled children? OAQ51462
Llyr Gruffydd: 4. Will the Cabinet Secretary make a statement on GP training in North Wales? OAQ51480
Llyr Gruffydd: Will the Cabinet Secretary make a statement on new health and social care centres in North Wales?
Llyr Gruffydd: The inclusion of medical conditions in the definition of additional learning needs certainly is a positive outcome, and an all-Wales template and clear timescales for preparing independent development plans, provision for preschool children and young people in further education and the provision of independent advice and advocacy as well are all positives. That's not to say that...
Llyr Gruffydd: May I echo the thanks that have been given to everyone who have participated, from the stakeholders to Government representatives and committee members, and the officials of the Children, Young People and Education Committee, as this Bill has proceeded through the Senedd? There is no doubt that there has been a consensus from the outset on the need to reform additional learning needs. We've...
Llyr Gruffydd: On Monday, 11 December we will be commemorating Llywelyn ap Gruffydd, or Llywelyn ein Llyw Olaf, Llywelyn the Last. Llywelyn was the first, of course, to be acknowledged Prince of Wales, and through the Treaty of Montgomery in 1267 the King of England, Henry III, had to accept terms and acknowledge that he was the leader of Wales and that Wales was an independent country, to all intents and...
Llyr Gruffydd: What consideration does the Cabinet Secretary give to the needs of local government in setting the Welsh Government's budget?
Llyr Gruffydd: May I also endorse the thanks given to the Cabinet Secretary for the statement? I look forward to seeing progress in this sector along the lines that have been outlined. It is certainly a journey that is travelling in the right direction. We may have to discuss this further when we deal with the minutiae, but we’re certainly supportive of the ambition. And I also thank the Cabinet Secretary...
Llyr Gruffydd: The previous questioner asked particularly about the timescale of the technical consultation. I'm just interested in your confirmation, maybe, that you still intend for this legislation to have completed its journey through this Assembly by the end of this Assembly, and maybe you could map out some key milestones for us on that journey if that's possible, just so that we have that broad...
Llyr Gruffydd: Could I ask for a statement from the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Services following the news yesterday that the Care and Social Services Inspectorate Wales, CSSIW, has classed 14 care homes in Wales as services of concern, meaning there's a possibility of suspending the service or, indeed, of cancelling their registration? I'm particularly concerned about the disproportionate...
Llyr Gruffydd: Could I ask for a statement from the Cabinet Secretary for the economy, or indeed the First Minister, in response to comments by Airbus UK senior vice-president Katherine Bennett to MPs last week that Brexit could add significant costs and red tape to the UK operation? She's warned that Brexit could actually blunt the competitive edge of the Broughton plant, which as we know is a key...
Llyr Gruffydd: May I also ask for a further statement? May I ask for statement from the Minister for Welsh Language and Lifelong Learning on the Welsh in education strategic plans? We did have a statement from the former Minister at the beginning of autumn—there have been almost two months since then. He accepted each of the recommendations made in the speedy review carried out by Aled Roberts. Now,...
