Mike Hedges: ...Minister for that answer? The cost of funding the increase in the employer teacher pension contributions follows the decision of Westminster to implement cost capping, and this will fall mainly on school budgets. Unless money comes from Westminster—and there may be money from Westminster—will the First Minister commit that any money that comes as a consequential of the additional money...
Mike Hedges: The Cabinet Secretaries covering areas such as transportation, education and the economy can provide funding to local government to spend in the areas of their responsibility. What financial support from other Cabinet members, out of their budgets, has the Cabinet Secretary asked for to support local government, which is in desperate need?
Mike Hedges: ...500m away from homes, there does not appear to be a rule on distance of incinerators from houses. I've an incinerator planned for the Llansamlet area of Swansea that is close to both houses and a school. Will the Welsh Government consider a distance from houses and schools for the building of incinerators and amend TAN 21 accordingly?
Mike Hedges: ...health boards and other key partners to ensure that the four Ts campaign is promoted. But it’s not just in hospitals, it’s not just amongst health professionals—other partners are needed in schools and colleges. School and college staff need to know what to look for. Can I just say how much I wish I had known what to look for that time, as I’m sure my colleagues do? I do not want a...
Mike Hedges: ...used as replacement capital for economic development support to private companies, and thus increase the discretionary capital expenditure available to the Welsh Government for things such as new schools, which everybody in this Chamber welcomes? Secondly, is there any indication that the borrowing limit will be increased? Will bonds be made available? Whilst they would not be mine and...
Mike Hedges: ...what happened this morning, obviously. But if it is intended to create 1 million Welsh speakers, the route most likely to be successful is to increase the number of children attending Welsh-medium schools. I know from personal experience, as do others in this Chamber, just how difficult it is to learn Welsh as an adult. This would mean approximately a third of children in Wales attending...
Mike Hedges: 4. Will the Cabinet Secretary provide an update on the proposed growth in Welsh-medium education? OAQ52574
Mike Hedges: ...too many people it's a choice between a credit union or a doorstep lender. The other problem with transaction capital is that it is not understood by the public that the money cannot be spent on schools and hospitals. You've got this money, why aren't you spending it on our key priorities—roads, schools and hospitals? Finally, an issue that does not directly affect the Welsh Government...
Mike Hedges: ...First puts the continuation of lunches and breakfasts in some of our poorest communities in jeopardy. Will the Welsh Government investigate the cost of continuing free breakfasts and free school meals for those eligible during the school summer holidays?
Mike Hedges: ...medium to large. As we know, too often, medium-sized enterprises sell up to companies outside the area and the economic benefits for our area are reduced. Working with the universities and further education colleges, we need to upskill our population. Finally, transport, which could be a debate in itself and would keep me going for well in excess of the five minutes I'm allowed. But,...
Mike Hedges: ...response? Will the Cabinet Secretary join me in congratulating Cwmrhydyceirw on achieving 'excellent' in both categories in its recent inspection? Is the Cabinet Secretary considering visiting the school to see some of its excellent practice in action—excellent practice that was identified by Estyn in their report?
Mike Hedges: 8. Will the Cabinet Secretary make a statement on schools in Wales graded excellent by Estyn? OAQ52210
Mike Hedges: ...Start in actually getting children from two to three? And what you said at the very beginning is something that I've written about and said for the last seven years: too many children are starting school and are a year or two years behind, and they've got to try and make it up in the next seven. But surely Flying Start must be seen as progress.
Mike Hedges: ...many people seem to believe that we can have the same quality of public services as Scandinavia but have a taxation system that is more like that of the USA. When you look at the cost of private education and private healthcare, it puts into perspective the value for money we get from our taxation system. It is not by random chance or serendipity that those countries with the highest tax...
Mike Hedges: ...I'd like to put on record my personal congratulations to Jane Hutt, the person who started off this 10-year programme. I just look at the benefits it has given to my constituency: the new secondary schools, the new primary schools, the improved transport infrastructure, the new homes. That's what we try to get elected for—to improve the lives of the constituents we represent. Capital...
Mike Hedges: ...delivered by local authorities in Wales is not determined by the size of the council'. The Western Mail figures are based on 28 indicators across a range of local government areas, including education, social care, housing, environment and transport, planning and regulatory services, leisure, culture and corporate health, with four points on offer for councils that performed in the top...
Mike Hedges: ...at hymn writing. Lewis Valentine was a famous hymn writer, whose most famous hymn was Gweddi dros Gymru, but was also an early member of Plaid Cymru and one of the three who in 1936 set a bombing school on fire. Thomas Price was a leading figure in the political and religious life of Victorian Wales, and a minister at Calfaria Baptist Chapel, Aberdare, whose first job was as a pageboy....
Mike Hedges: ...when you want to go to the ombudsman, you can't complain orally, you have to put it in writing. That is going to debar a number of people. They're going to be the people who are going to be less educated, less capable of going through the process, and I don't think anybody in this room would like that to happen. So, I think it really is important that those who are not happy in writing are...
Mike Hedges: ...? It's a movement away from the direction of travel over the last 45 years. Some people in here may remember when local authorities controlled the police, controlled water, controlled higher education, controlled further education, all of which have been taken off local government over the last 45 years. Quite often, a local government reorganisation seems like a good time to remove...
Mike Hedges: ...classification guidance and is determined by where control lies, rather than by ownership or whether or not the entity is publicly financed. Transactions capital cannot be used for building new schools, cannot be used for building new hospitals and, under the current ONS classification, cannot be given to housing associations for building houses. This is a self-imposed Treasury rule that...
