Janet Finch-Saunders: First Minister, 10 October is World Mental Health Day, and I'm sure that you would want to join me in offering our full support and gratitude to the many mental health service providers and charities who help our vulnerable people across Wales every day. However, suicide rates in Wales, and particularly amongst young people, are a very serious issue. Childline Cymru is reporting a 20 per...
Janet Finch-Saunders: I’d like to thank the chairman for presenting our committee report in the manner he did, and thank the clerk and my fellow Petitions Committee for actually having such a proactive approach on this issue. Acknowledgement must go to the late Peter Baldwin’s family for helping our committee and for seeking to use their own tragic circumstances to ensure no other family has to endure such a...
Janet Finch-Saunders: What actions will you take—
Janet Finch-Saunders: Not you, no, no, not you; this one here—your questions are coming up next. What actions are you taking to prevent the disposal of what is considered potentially dangerous sediment here into the beautiful Cardiff Bay?
Janet Finch-Saunders: As you know, Cabinet Secretary, again, the Petitions Committee has taken much evidence on this and has given detailed consideration to the petition calling for the suspension of marine licence 1245ML. This licence has been opposed by so many, including the committee itself. And I want to put on record my thanks to you, Neil, for being so determined to stand up for the people who you believe...
Janet Finch-Saunders: Of course, this has been a hot topic in the Petitions Committee, where it has been proven that there is an overwhelming response across Wales for the installation of CCTV. Whilst I appreciate this is progressing, CCTV in slaughterhouses will definitely ensure that mistreatment is detected and dealt with. This is an important step in ensuring that we have very high levels of protection on...
Janet Finch-Saunders: I do thank you, Minister, for your words, and I, too, on behalf of the Welsh Conservative group, absolutely support the ambition to enhance our older people's rights through the raising of awareness and, more, to see this aim manifested in real policy improvement. I have the immense privilege of serving Wales's older people twice over, both as the Welsh Conservative older people's champion...
Janet Finch-Saunders: Thank you, First Minister. However, I am becoming increasingly concerned at the rising numbers of those having to brave the elements without any accommodation, particularly so as we approach winter. In my own constituency of Aberconwy, there are a growing number of vulnerable people sleeping rough. A week last Friday, a constituent approached my office requiring emergency accommodation and...
Janet Finch-Saunders: 3. Will the First Minister make a statement on the provision of homelessness support in north Wales? OAQ52687
Janet Finch-Saunders: I'd like to thank the Chair—certainly, for my time whilst I was on that committee—the clerk and other committee members. This was a really interesting piece of work to do, and for me it was really good in that it brought together, whilst taking evidence, people from the private sector, the public sector and the voluntary sector. Our report did come up with 34 comprehensive...
Janet Finch-Saunders: Thank you, Cabinet Secretary. A number of constituents have approached me recently about a recently announced withdrawal of playground facilities at their own school, without any explanation from the local authority. Now, set this against a background of a 35 per cent real-terms cut in local government expenditure for play and recreational facilities, the £15,000—that's all—repair bill...
Janet Finch-Saunders: 6. Will the Cabinet Secretary make a statement on the provision of play facilities in local schools? OAQ52581
Janet Finch-Saunders: We do have to make sure that the Bill does in fact make it easier for mothers to get back into the workforce and does not provide too little too late. I believe that the recommendations outlined in the Stage 1 CYPE committee report are vital to ensure those positive long-term outcomes for our parents in Wales. I was disappointed to see that the Minister rejected recommendation 7 in his...
Janet Finch-Saunders: I'm pleased to take part in this debate on the childcare funding Bill this afternoon in my new capacity as the shadow Cabinet Secretary for social care, children, young people and older people and I'd like to place on record my thanks to our new leader, Paul Davies, Assembly Member, for his confidence in me in appointing me to this important role. I would like to thank all the other AMs...
Janet Finch-Saunders: Will the First Minister make a statement on the support offered by Business Wales to individuals and businesses?
Janet Finch-Saunders: I am pleased to be contributing to this debate today, after the insightful and eye-opening report on poverty in Wales by our committee. As you know, it is our committee's third strand of work on this exceptionally important issue, and the report stands by the need for the Welsh Government to streamline policy and set forth a clear, creative strategy to tackle poverty and to ensure that people...
Janet Finch-Saunders: Cabinet Secretary, thank you for your statement. Now, from the start, we as Welsh Conservatives did raise initial concerns about the Green Paper proposals. You and your predecessors, for the past three or four years, have been playing with the hearts, minds and lives of many working within our local government organisation. The aim of your Green Paper in March was supposedly to invigorate the...
Janet Finch-Saunders: Oh, that is—you are a—[Inaudible.]
Janet Finch-Saunders: First Minister, your own intentions towards honing a Government of equals is sadly undermined by figures that make clear that the Welsh Government's gender pay gap, for your own staff, has recently increased. The annual employer equality report earlier this year found that the pay gap between men and women working in the Welsh Government had actually increased in 2017 from the previous year....
Janet Finch-Saunders: Will the Cabinet Secretary make a statement on how the planning system can support the development of high streets in rural Wales?
