Mike Hedges: I very much welcome the statement by the Minister. We cannot continue to lose species. I'd take up more than my minute by listing the species in Wales that are under threat, but in biodiversity, of course, we need an equilibrium. We cannot afford to lose top-end predators. If we lose top-end predators, then animals lower down the food chain multiply massively, putting pressure on animals...
Mike Hedges: Swansea Council was never going to build 1,600 houses of its own. That would be more than they've built in the last 30 years. What they were relying upon is the private sector to build, and the private sector only builds when it can make a profit. The problem we have at the moment is, with interest rates going up, the private sector cannot make profits on these houses, therefore they've...
Mike Hedges: Can I thank Joel James for giving me a minute in this debate? In the nineteenth century, there was a belief that you could put anything into the sea and rivers and it would dissipate, no problem at all—it would just dilute down to nothing. In the second half of the twentieth century, we came to realise that this was not true and started to clean up our rivers. Unfortunately, we appear to be...
Mike Hedges: Thank you, Minister. The Environment Agency modelling suggests that the sources of pollution in the Wye come predominantly from agriculture. Phosphorous pollution is known to cause the process of eutrophication in rivers, a highly problematic issue that causes excessive growth of algae, which smothers and blocks out light for other aquatic plants and animals. NRW said that 'phosphorus...
Mike Hedges: 10. What assessment has the Welsh Government made of the effect of agricultural pollution on Welsh rivers? OQ58423
Mike Hedges: Can I welcome the Government's statement? We have had a catastrophic Westminster Government financial statement. Inflation and interest rates are increasing, but the pound is collapsing. The Bank of England's interest rate still remains at a historically low level, although I probably won't say that in a month's time. Unfortunately, house prices have increased based upon the expectation of a...
Mike Hedges: I'm asking for two Government statements. Will the Government make a statement on Welsh Government policy on the outsourcing and privatisation of the Welsh Government-funded public sector in Wales? Can the statement include what arm's-length bodies, funded by the Welsh Government, are told about outsourcing and privatisation in their annual ministerial letter? Also, will the Government make a...
Mike Hedges: Will you take an intervention?
Mike Hedges: Would you also agree that probably the thing that's easiest to do and needs to be done immediately is to end standing charges? People are putting £10, which they've taken a week to save up, into the meter, to find out that a quarter to a third of it has already been eaten up by standing charges when they weren't using the energy. That's simple. It shouldn't have to cost the Government...
Mike Hedges: First of all, can I say I chair the PCS cross-party group in the Senedd? Can I also say that I'm politically opposed to the outsourcing of services by the Welsh Government—absolutely, unequivocally opposed to it? Not-for-profit's a really interesting thing, because lots of places are not-for-profit; it's easy to get around it, of course, because you pay consultancy fees, you pay support...
Mike Hedges: I thank the Minister for that response. Can I correct something that's been said earlier? School budgets are not the responsibility of the headteacher; they're the responsibility of the governing body in law. That's an important point to remember. Yes, maybe the average amount of money in school governing bodies is relatively high, but that doesn't mean that some schools aren't running with...
Mike Hedges: 11. What assessment has the Minister made of the effect of inflation on 2022-23 school budgets ? OQ58383
Mike Hedges: Thank you, acting Presiding Officer. The priorities in every budget are the same: to improve health, support local government, improve the environment and reduce carbon emissions, improve educational attainment, improve the economy and improve the quality of life for people in Wales and reduce or preferably end poverty. Well, we have all these debates as we all have different ways as to how...
Mike Hedges: In one of the richest countries in the world, no child should go hungry. No child should live in a house that is in poverty. Unfortunately, very many do. The expansion of free school meals—which I've asked for over several years, and was then taken up by Plaid Cymru and the Welsh Government—is a very positive step, but I have mothers in my constituency who dread the school summer holidays...
Mike Hedges: Can I thank you for that answer? We know that smoking has reduced, and is continuing to reduce, and many of us are waiting for it to reach zero. Unfortunately, obesity is moving in the opposite direction, and that is causing a large number of people to suffer from things that can cause heart disease. Hardening of the arteries happens 10 times more often in people who are obese than in people...
Mike Hedges: My mother had a brain tumour, which she sadly died from. The GP was treating her for a long period of time, in its early stages, for thyroid problems—having tests done on the thyroid. By the time she went into hospital, it was stage 4. It was only when it spread to other parts of the body that she was referred for a CT scan. I request that GPs are trained to identify the symptoms and then...
Mike Hedges: 10. What steps is the Welsh Government taking to prevent heart disease? OQ58332
Mike Hedges: The first supplementary budget has usually been a minor event, making slight changes, which this one does. But the supplementary budget comes at a time of high inflation, which is currently at 9.1 per cent—the highest for 40 years—and maybe higher now than when I wrote this. This is a unique experience both for the Senedd and the Welsh Government. Inflation will affect both capital and...
Mike Hedges: I thank the Minister for her statement. We know we need more regular revaluations. Every 20 years is not acceptable. We know two other things: a local income tax is preferred by the rich because it will save them money via tax reduction schemes. But we also know that, under the current system, those with the least ability to pay spend a greater portion of their wealth on council tax. Someone...
Mike Hedges: I want to ask for a Government statement on the census, the first part being about the population changes in Wales. Population change is a good proxy for relative affluence, as the more successful areas have a higher population growth rate, while the poorer areas have a relative or actual population decrease. I'd like the statement to include how the Welsh Government is going to promote...
