Russell George: 4. Will the Minister make a statement on the ability of Rent Smart Wales staff to respond to queries from members of the public? OAQ(5)0060(CC)
Russell George: 12. Will the Minister make a statement on the regeneration of the Severn Valley? OAQ(5)0061(CC)
Russell George: I’ll give it a try in any case. I do suspect that Montgomeryshire is of course No. 1 as well. I’d like to think that that is the case. But I would like to join the Cabinet Secretary in welcoming the reported 25 per cent increase in the number of visitors to Wales, and the increase in the associated visitor spend as well, which now stands £3.5 billion. I’m sure that the success can...
Russell George: I’d like to thank the Cabinet Secretary for his statement this afternoon. I do think it is fantastic that Lonely Planet recently announced that north Wales is one of the top four places in the world to visit. I have no doubt that most the best places in north Wales were of course in the Vale of Clwyd, Deputy Presiding Officer.
Russell George: First Minister, an Expo in Wales would have to build, of course, upon our business community’s success. We know that there’s a clear gap in young people’s business skills. The UK Government has announced that the apprenticeship levy is to be apportioned to devolved institutions. Will you commit to ring-fencing funding, so that Welsh businesses will be able to benefit from the...
Russell George: Thank you, Cabinet Secretary. I think there’s probably another question there about what is it that ‘a headquarters’ means. Is it a wholesale move of staff to another part of Wales, or is it just a title as well? So, perhaps you could address that point. But the final point I’d like to make is: in the annual report for 2015-16, Finance Wales confirms that the remuneration of its...
Russell George: Well, Cabinet Secretary, you won’t have any disagreement from me. I firmly believe that we should be moving out of this place and across to all areas of Wales. Finance Wales was telling the Economy, Infrastructure and Skills Committee this morning that it’s becoming more and more difficult to retain and recruit staff. Now, there is a concern that, as a result of a proposed relocation to...
Russell George: Diolch, Lywydd. Cabinet Secretary, I would be grateful if you could outline the benefits and the costs associated with the decision to locate the headquarters of the Welsh development bank in the north-east of Wales and also to outline what discussions you’ve had on this with Finance Wales.
Russell George: I’d like to thank the Minister for her statement today, and it was very welcome to have that written statement yesterday, which, of course, is useful ahead of today’s statement. I’m very grateful for that. I’d like to think that the result of today’s announcement is a result of the contributions made at the Welsh Conservatives’ debate last week. Many of those very frustrated...
Russell George: First Minister, Labour candidates in the Assembly elections this year met with small businesses across Powys during the election campaign and told them, ‘Vote Labour and get a tax cut’. I do quote one candidate who said: ‘Business rates tend to form a higher proportion of the total operating costs for small businesses and…many Powys businesses are under serious financial pressure,...
Russell George: First Minister, I certainly believe that more needs to be done to protect consumers against unsolicited mail and nuisance calls. According to the Office of Fair Trading, these types of scams are estimated to cost the victims around £3.5 billion a year. Can I ask, has the Government considered imposing a levy on the sender of mail, similar to that of the carrier bag charge, of course,...
Russell George: Thank you, Deputy Presiding Officer. I’d like to thank all the Members for contributing to this debate today. I did notice that there weren’t any Labour Member backbenchers that contributed, apart from David Rees popping up a couple of times for some interventions, so perhaps that’s a sign that broadband is good in all those constituencies, which would be welcome news. And I should say...
Russell George: Thank you, David, for your third intervention in our debate today—it’s welcome. I should say, to be charitable to the Minister, I agree absolutely with Janet Finch-Saunders that I do think that the Minister is very passionate in her area here and I very much welcome that. She’s agreed to come to various constituencies with Members and explain the situation. Even if there’s a few...
Russell George: Thank you, Presiding Officer. I’d like to move the motion in the name of Paul Davies and indicate my party’s support for both of Plaid Cymru’s amendments today. We won’t be supporting the Government’s amendment today, on the grounds that it doesn’t adequately reflect and acknowledge the failure in delivering the Welsh Government’s 2011 programme for government commitment to...
Russell George: Neither does its amendment indicate any kind of urgency in using the levers at its disposal to get on and sort out the lack of mobile coverage in large areas of Wales. Beyond a loose intention to work with the regulator and network operators, and an intention to reform the planning system, and an intention to reflect on the Scottish Government’s mobile action plan, there is very little in...
Russell George: Thank you, First Minister, I appreciate your answer. The Welshpool air show is celebrating its tenth anniversary next June. It’s now called the Bob Jones Memorial Airshow. Over the last nine years, the event has gone from strength to strength and now attracts thousands of visitors to mid Wales each year. It’s previously played host to the Red Arrows, the RAF Falcons parachute display team...
Russell George: 1. Will the First Minister make a statement on the Welsh Government's support for major events in mid Wales? OAQ(5)0228(FM)
Russell George: Each year for the past 10 years, either Powys or Ceredigion county councils have received the worst or joint worst funding from Welsh Government. I’ve heard your answers to earlier questions today, but what I would ask you, Cabinet Secretary, is: do you accept that you need to take into account the minority view that’s often posed by rural local authorities that isn’t heard when that...
Russell George: I very much welcome, Cabinet Secretary, your statement today. It’s a very positive statement, and I’m impressed with what you’ve said today. I do have a number of questions. Firstly, I would be grateful if you could outline the funding attached to the commitments made today, and whether you have considered a multi-year funding agreement to provide certainty for operators to plan and...
Russell George: I’d like to thank the Cabinet Secretary for his statement today. The proposed infrastructure commission for Wales doesn’t, I would say, seem to bear much resemblance to the original proposal put forward by Plaid Cymru—a proposal that, of course, formed the basis for Plaid Cymru’s support for the Welsh Government. You’ve also proposed a non-statutory advisory body that doesn’t seem...
