Baroness Mair Eluned Morgan: Certainly, at times you need the stick in addition to the carrot, I quite agree. But meanwhile, while we’re awaiting the new standards, for example on health—and I will be looking at those over the ensuing weeks—what is important, I believe, is that we keep the pressure on these private companies. I’ve already asked the officials in the department to ensure that I know of any cases...
Baroness Mair Eluned Morgan: I do think that there is very much that we can do to improve the teaching of Welsh as a second language to pupils in Wales, but I would like to look at the evidence to see what works. I am a new Minister and I have the right to look at the way in which the new strategy is going to appear. I’m not going to commit to something that will mean that I have to stick to a plan until 2021 until...
Baroness Mair Eluned Morgan: May I thank Siân Gwenllian very much for that? It’s quite right that I have committed to sticking to that target of achieving a million Welsh speakers. Education is crucial. That is the foundation, and that is the only way that we are going to attain it. At present, I am looking at a new strategy for Welsh-medium education for our schools. Of course, you will be aware that Aled is...
Baroness Mair Eluned Morgan: carrots rather than sticks. I would also like to use carrots. I am very clear that, if you’re talking about language, you’ve got to persuade people. You can’t make people use a language.
Baroness Mair Eluned Morgan: I think we have to be persuasive, rather than insisting that people do things. We do need more details in terms of the number of complainants and what was the efficiency of the commissioner’s office. I want to see benchmarking happening. And that’s something that jumped out at me, namely that only four in five children actually learn Welsh. We must look into the reasons behind that. So,...
Baroness Mair Eluned Morgan: Well, we need to listen to everyone in Wales. I think that’s important. There are professionals, there are others, and we need to listen to everyone, and we must reach the million. We have to listen to those people who will be learning Welsh. I want to listen to those people who don’t currently speak Welsh. I want to hear their opinions. Now, maybe they have responded, perhaps they...
Baroness Mair Eluned Morgan: Thank you very much. May I start by paying tribute to Alun? I'm very pleased that he is back in his seat, because I do want to highlight just how much work he has done on this issue. His commitment to the Welsh language has been absolute, and he has been driving these ideas forward and aiming towards that target of a million Welsh speakers. I know that I can rely on Alun to help me in driving...
Baroness Mair Eluned Morgan: Thank you very much, Deputy Presiding Officer. May I start by saying what a pleasure it is to lead this debate on the Welsh Language Commissioner’s annual report? This is the first opportunity for me to speak publicly in the Chamber as Minister, and I have to say how much of a privilege it is to be responsible for Welsh language policy in the Welsh Government. What’s at the heart of...
Baroness Mair Eluned Morgan: Well, I think it is worth just underlining the massive amount of money that comes into Wales additionally over the block grant as a result of welfare benefits. I think that we would be going down a very, very dangerous avenue if we opened up that can of worms.
Baroness Mair Eluned Morgan: I’d like to start my intervention with a quote from a constituent of mine in Carmarthen: Being a single mother scares me. I had a letter today giving me information as to how much universal credit I’ll be entitled to, and I’m going to be £210 a month worse off. I work 16 hours a week and I’m just about making ends meet now. I dread to think what situation I’m going to be in when I...
Baroness Mair Eluned Morgan: Diolch yn fawr. Can I thank Jenny Rathbone and everybody else who sponsored this debate, because I think it’s really important that we start to look to the future? When we are developing a new economic strategy, this has got to be a fundamental part of it, and I’m really pleased that Julie James is the person replying to this as she has a real understanding of this technology and the need...
Baroness Mair Eluned Morgan: I think it’s really important for us on the external affairs committee of this Assembly to be realistic in terms of the extent to which we are likely to be able to influence the Brexit debate. With this in mind, I think it does make sense for us to focus on areas where we can shed light on what Brexit will mean for Wales where the UK Government is unlikely to focus. I represent the...
Baroness Mair Eluned Morgan: So, would the Counsel General agree with me that, if they were to try and undermine that need to consult with us and to indeed get our consent to this Bill on parts that were relevant to the devolution settlement, this could indeed provoke some kind of constitutional crisis for the Welsh Assembly?
Baroness Mair Eluned Morgan: That’s excellent news; we’ve all been looking forward to that because the UK Government’s austerity measures have meant that, at local authority level, we’ve seen a 65 per cent reduction in the money in economic development departments, a 45 per cent reduction in planning departments. Because of that massive reduction at local authority level, I just wonder if the Cabinet Secretary...
Baroness Mair Eluned Morgan: 3. Will the Cabinet Secretary provide an update on the Welsh Government’s plans to drive forward the Welsh economy? (OAQ51162)
Baroness Mair Eluned Morgan: 2. What is the Counsel General’s assessment of the constitutional implications of the Sewel Convention on the European Union (Withdrawal) Bill? (OAQ51159)
Baroness Mair Eluned Morgan: I was wondering whether you would be willing to consider that. Thank you.
Baroness Mair Eluned Morgan: Thank you, Deputy Presiding Officer. I want to focus on the issue of bus travel in rural areas. One thing that angers me more than anything as I travel around mid and west Wales is seeing public buses, travelling around, costing thousands upon thousands to the public purse, and time and time again I see virtually no passengers on board. The issue of ensuring that older people, particularly,...
Baroness Mair Eluned Morgan: Thank you, Cabinet Secretary. You’ll be aware that choosing the right subjects to study will make a huge difference to the enjoyment of children in school, but also we need to be encouraging people to study subjects that will lead to good and rewarding jobs. Girls in particular are massively under-represented in studying STEM subjects that lead to engineering qualifications. This morning,...
Baroness Mair Eluned Morgan: 4. Will the Cabinet Secretary make a statement on pupil welfare in education? (OAQ51106) [W]
