Mark Isherwood: Well, thank you for that. I look forward to that conversation. Perhaps you could, in your answer, tell me whether you want me to contact you or your office to contact—
Mark Isherwood: Sorry?
Mark Isherwood: Diolch, Llywydd. My questions relate to your responsibilities for equality and human rights. On Monday, I hosted and spoke at the Going for Gold Autistic Acceptance event in the Senedd. It was an autistic-led event, at which they, autistic adults—highly articulate and intelligent autistic adults—covered the areas of concern that they have, but also put forward ideas of how we can all...
Mark Isherwood: How does the Welsh Government ensure that it is meeting the requirements of the Equality Act 2010 with regard to disabled pupil access?
Mark Isherwood: Could I call for two statements, the first ahead of World Curlew Day, next Saturday 21 April, and Curlew Crisis Month, which will be running throughout May—an oral statement in the Chamber on the curlew crisis in Wales? The population in Wales has fallen by 81 per cent and continues to fall by over 6 per cent annually, with country-level extinction expected by 2030. Now, 21 April was chosen...
Mark Isherwood: Let's have another go. After this announcement was made, the Welsh Government said that the cost of uniforms had reduced. The Bevan Foundation called this a mealy-mouthed justification for a cut that will save a small sum. A headteacher in Bangor said uniform is a way of avoiding social stigma because pupils all look the same. He blasted what he called the bonfire of the grants affecting...
Mark Isherwood: Will the First Minister provide an update on the Caernarfon to Bontnewydd bypass?
Mark Isherwood: Community transport operators are increasingly providing health and social care services, taking pressure off public sector bodies and allowing people to live independently for longer. However, few operators receive financial recognition for this, relying on volunteers to go the extra mile to ensure that individuals have the support they need. Finding and retaining volunteers is already a...
Mark Isherwood: Diolch. Community transport is about providing flexible and accessible community-led solutions in response to unmet local transport needs, and often represents the only means of transport for many vulnerable and isolated people. Significant user groups are older people and disabled people, with a majority of services and projects working in rural areas, but, of course, not exclusively in...
Mark Isherwood: Well, evidence shows that people on universal credit are moving into work faster and are staying longer in their work, and that over three quarters of the tenants were already in rent arrears before they started claiming universal credit, but, after four months, this had fallen by a third. It's always been recognised, however, that some will need extra support, which is why the Department...
Mark Isherwood: As the Cabinet Secretary's aware, these are matters covered in the cross-party group on armed forces and cadets' report on the armed forces covenant in Wales, and I know that the group is looking forward to your formal response to that. One of the things it also covers is the call for core funding for third sector partners delivering peer-mentoring schemes. You'll be aware that the Change...
Mark Isherwood: After storm Emma hit on 1 March, there were immediate warnings from the community that diesel, debris, polystyrene would get out to the open sea if urgent action wasn't taken, but the booms—the environmental booms—didn't go in until the Sunday afternoon. And, despite warnings by the council, coastguard and police that people shouldn't take on board the clean-up themselves, from the day...
Mark Isherwood: Thank you. Well, we've heard much of your general thrust, including your acknowledgement that we need devolution of powers within Wales, which is precisely what the North Wales Economic Ambition Board is calling for in its growth bid. Could I suggest that an alternative model might be the collaborative regional approach developed in north Wales by the North Wales Economic Ambition Board,...
Mark Isherwood: Whilst we've been in the Chamber, you might have seen it's been reported that emergency services have been sent to RAF Valley after a Hawk aircraft flown by the Red Arrows display team has crashed. Members may be concerned. Hopefully there haven't been injuries or fatalities, but we know that 1,500 people work on the base and there's also residential accommodation on and surrounding the base....
Mark Isherwood: Having battled 17 years ago as a parent to secure speech and language therapy, I know how critical it is for young lives and life chances. We know, over eight years ago, when the Communities and Culture Committee here did an inquiry into the youth justice estate, that the Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists told us then that a high proportion of people in the youth justice estate...
Mark Isherwood: During the 21 November Welsh Government debate on tackling substance misuse, I noted that, despite the all-Wales substance misuse framework for residential rehabilitation, large numbers of people from Wales proportionately were still being referred to providers in England that weren't on the framework. I have since received concerns from the sector, saying that the pathway to residential...
Mark Isherwood: Could I call for a single Welsh Government statement providing an update on the integrated autism service, following the Welsh Government's publication of 1 March 2018, 'Evaluation of the Integrated Autism Service and Autistic Spectrum Disorder Strategic Action Plan: Interim Report'? The findings in this include weaknesses and inconsistencies in both assessment and diagnostic services for...
Mark Isherwood: Thank you. Well, writing in last November's edition of the 'Heritage Railway' magazine, its editor, Robin Jones, referred to the Llangollen Railway big push into Corwen Central, as well as the Bala Lake Railway extension, highlighting the multiple economic benefits to local councils and others that heritage railways can guarantee. What action will you therefore take to ensure better...
Mark Isherwood: 3. What assessment has the Welsh Government made of the economic benefits that heritage railways bring to Wales? OAQ51884
Mark Isherwood: Thank you. I've been contacted by the mother of a young man on the autism spectrum. They've looked at the Welsh bac at level 3 and have doubts about their son's ability to cope with aspects of the Welsh bac, particularly the maths skills needed for the level 3 Welsh bac, where there's a need for a lot of executive functioning skills and collaborative and social skills that are likely to cause...
