David Melding: Yes.
David Melding: Can I say, Presiding Officer—? I know you’re the guardian of our procedures, and the greatest procedure is to take a Bill through, because it helps the Government sort out some of its thinking, and a wiser Government pays heed to the discussions and, indeed, some of the amendments that come from other parties. A lack of that process I do think has had a big impact on this unfortunate...
David Melding: Thank you, Presiding Officer. I welcome the Public Accounts Committee’s report into the accounts of Natural Resources Wales, and specifically in respect of the timber sales contract. Given the scale of the expenditure of public money in this particular scheme, it is no surprise that detailed scrutiny has followed, and a very apt and focused report has been published. As we’ve just heard,...
David Melding: I thank you for that answer. Can I express my sympathy, Presiding Officer, to the family of the man who was killed yesterday? I do think there’s a need to take prompt action when buildings are identified as high risk. We have quite a large number of Victorian public buildings that are not in regular use, as this building was not, and at risk of deterioration. I think particular care needs...
David Melding: Will the Cabinet Secretary make a statement on current guidance for the management and removal of dangerous structures, following yesterday’s fatal building collapse in Splott? TAQ(5)0166(ERA)
David Melding: Cabinet Secretary, when it comes to mental health services, there is evidence that good counselling services can prevent repeat GP attendances, and they have a proven track record of helping and managing and even alleviating mild to moderate symptoms. I do think this sort of innovation is something we need to see more of in the NHS, particularly if we want to retain more GPs, perhaps some of...
David Melding: I look forward to scrutinising in this Chamber ‘Our Valleys, Our Future’, because we certainly need a transformative vision for the Valleys. I’m not sure the Valleys landscape park would constitute a hub, but it would be a transformative vision, potentially. We’ve got to start to recognise the real potential of this resource. The Valleys were once amongst Britain’s most beautiful...
David Melding: I did say, ‘affordable homes’; I didn’t say ‘total number of homes’; I said ‘affordable’.
David Melding: Will the Member give way? The figures are—. Even if the Minister hopes to build getting on for 3,500 to 4,000 social homes a year, there are barely 400 sold at the moment, so there is a big difference.
David Melding: I’ll take this opportunity to thank the chair of the Equality, Local Government and Communities Committee, John Griffiths. I did say that I was the minority voice, but I do thank you, John, for the exemplary way you chaired the committee and ensured that I had every opportunity to advance the concerns I had in the preparation of the report. Thank you.
David Melding: Briefly, yes.
David Melding: Not only do I accept there should always be social housing stock, I think for very many people by far the best option for them is social housing, and we should meet that demand, and build more social homes. That’s what we need to do. And I just wish that the Government had brought forward policies on that basis, to meet the undoubted crisis that we are in in general on house building. I...
David Melding: Chair, we need to build more homes—many more homes. This is the only way to meet the housing crisis. Demand for housing has outstripped supply in Wales, as across the UK, for many years. The extra requirement for housing is mainly due to the increase in the number of households, especially one-person households, but also other factors such as the increase in the overall population. The...
David Melding: Will the First Minister make a statement on the importance of woodland in Wales's urban areas?
David Melding: Thank you very much, Deputy Presiding Officer, for calling me to move this very important motion, which is proposed also by Caroline Jones, Rhun ap Iorwerth, Dai Lloyd and Julie Morgan. I’m also very grateful to those Members who have supported this motion. I’d like to open this debate with the story of a young girl from Haverfordwest. Her name is Aimee, and some of you may have met her...
David Melding: Wagner was shorter than that. [Laughter.]
David Melding: First Minister, this is a very important issue, and I commend the education Secretary’s announcement, earlier this year, to pilot these lunch and fun clubs for primary schools at first. But I just wonder if it’s going to be a scheme you will examine for the secondary school sector, because helping those that receive free school lunches, in terms of healthy nutrition, eating, and a healthy...
David Melding: What plans does the Welsh Government have for the future of Cardiff Airport?
David Melding: I want to concentrate on the first part of our motion and just say that when regeneration is well thought through, it can bring great benefits. Aberdare town centre is an example. Here in Cardiff Bay, we have seen over the last 30 years a most astonishing transformation in our capital city, and, Llywydd, I’m very pleased to say this building itself is a great example of that regeneration,...
David Melding: Can I warmly welcome this proposal and commend Bethan for bringing it forward and speaking so eloquently and with great passion in this cause? I do think schools are key to supporting young carers and ensuring that their caring roles do not reduce their life chances through poor educational attainment. Often, they will need a lot of flexibility, they will lack a certain structure, and they...
