Janet Finch-Saunders: Well, on behalf of my constituents in Aberconwy, I would like to thank Darren Millar for raising this issue once again in the Chamber. And I have to say I was deeply disappointed yesterday at the flippant remarks made by our First Minister in response to the question that Darren Millar posed of him yesterday, implying that age is likely to be the main reason why this figure seems high. We are...
Janet Finch-Saunders: I thank the Cabinet Secretary for this statement. It does present some opportunities, but it also presents a number of questions. Of course, we recognise the need, as highlighted by the Electoral Reform Society, to increase participation in local democracy. However, the issue of whether to seek the reforms outlined to tackle the root causes of the problem of voter disengagement and the...
Janet Finch-Saunders: I have your response here—
Janet Finch-Saunders: I have the letter to Professor Healy. I have the response. First Minister, I would like to share these with you, but I am asking, on behalf of my constituents, on behalf of the staff who work in these units: will you please look at the service more carefully and actually maybe have a conversation with the Cabinet Secretary and perhaps just get him to show a little bit more enthusiasm and...
Janet Finch-Saunders: First Minister, you may recall that I've previously raised on numerous occasions my concerns and those of my constituents—[Interruption.]
Janet Finch-Saunders: Thank you, First Minister. I have previously raised with you my immense concerns, on behalf of my constituents, about the current mental health provision in the Betsi Cadwaladr board in north Wales. Last term, I referenced correspondence from Professor David Healy, who is a widely respected consultant psychiatrist in north Wales. At that time, he raised issues around staff morale,...
Janet Finch-Saunders: 4. Will the First Minister make a statement on the provision of mental health services in north Wales? OAQ51690
Janet Finch-Saunders: Since coming into power in 1999, this Welsh Labour Government have brought forward a trilogy of three major economic strategies, and here we see another. Twenty years ago, weekly wages in Wales and Scotland were on par. Today, residents in Scotland earn £49 per week more. Twenty years ago, Wales was at the very bottom of the GVA league table for the United Kingdom's home nations. Today, it...
Janet Finch-Saunders: 7. Will the Cabinet Secretary make a statement on the Welsh Government's policy on business rates in Wales?
Janet Finch-Saunders: Thank you, Cabinet Secretary. I was actually very pleased to see included within your budget £1.3 million for local authorities to use to provide targeted relief to support our local businesses. However, the similar scheme in 2014-15 that should have provided similar support to our businesses actually did support some businesses at a total cost of £2.765 million, yet this represents just a...
Janet Finch-Saunders: Thank you. You are doing really well so far. Keep it up. More than one of your predecessors pledged—
Janet Finch-Saunders: More than one of your predecessors pledged to introduce webcasting of council meetings and, in doing so, provided £40,000 to each local authority. I have received representations from residents in Conwy, across north Wales and beyond, from as far as the Vale of Glamorgan and Rhondda Cynon Taf, who are concerned that they are unable to access the democratic decision-making processes as...
Janet Finch-Saunders: Thank you, Cabinet Secretary, for a respectful and considerate response. Another issue I've had to raise, sadly, is about the secrecy that takes place within some local authorities in terms of the democratic proceedings and how the press and public are restricted from those. Now, I'm really proud to be an Assembly Member and part of this institution, when transparency and allowing the public...
Janet Finch-Saunders: Cabinet Secretary, this year we celebrate the one-hundredth anniversary of the suffragette movement's success in obtaining true equality for women by means of securing the vote. We also celebrate—well, we should be able to celebrate—48 years of the Equal Pay Act 1970, yet here in Wales it is paid lip service only. We still see disgraceful equal pay gaps present within Welsh public...
Janet Finch-Saunders: Will the Cabinet Secretary make a statement on the latest situation in Beaumaris Town Council following the resignation of half of its members?
Janet Finch-Saunders: Will the Cabinet Secretary make a statement on how the Public Services Ombudsman (Wales) Bill may improve openness and transparency in complaints handling by public bodies in Wales? Transferred for written answer by the Cabinet Secretary for Finance.
Janet Finch-Saunders: The Welsh Conservatives, of course, were delighted recently to welcome the announcement that Welsh local government revenue funding will receive an extra £31.5 million in 2018-19, and £61.7 million in 2019-20 as part of the Conservative UK Government's announcement of an additional £1.2 billion to Wales over the next four years. Wales is also benefiting, of course, from changes to the...
Janet Finch-Saunders: Back to my lovely constituency of Aberconwy, and thank you for making reference to junctions 15 and 16 on the A55 and the removal of the roundabouts. Those works have been long promised by this Welsh Government, so it's understandable that now, with Carillion having gone into liquidation, many of my constituents are asking me what's going to happen where those works are concerned. Cabinet...
Janet Finch-Saunders: Clearly we need to take urgent steps to improve the quality of life in society for our older people. It is essential that we see greater focus from the Welsh Government on developing innovative policy solutions, including real integration of health and social care. It is a bit daunting when you stand here, when we know that we've had the Social Services and Well-being (Wales) Act 2014 and...
Janet Finch-Saunders: Diolch, Deputy Presiding Officer. I've given a minute to Angela Burns AM, Suzy Davies AM and David Rowlands AM, but he's not here. Right. Growing older or maturing in years is something that should be enjoyed; it is also something to be celebrated. In today's society with the use of sci-fi technology, the progress of modern medicine, a more affluent society, it cannot be beyond the...
