Darren Millar: The issue of a referendum comes at the end of the discussions and deliberations, does it not? And we are at that point where recommendations have been made by the committee, and it's at that point, when you look at the significant changes that have been recommended, that you have to accept that the public of Wales have not had their say. Now, we acknowledge that there is a majority in this...
Darren Millar: Thank you, Deputy Presiding Officer, and thank you to the Chair of the committee for his kind words about my participation in it. I do move the amendments, which have been tabled in my name, and it will come as no surprise whatsoever to anybody in this Chamber that we will be voting against the motion before us today, because we cannot countenance, on the Welsh Conservative benches,...
Darren Millar: I move.
Darren Millar: I'm sorry, I didn't actually hear any clarity in your answer as to whether you believe that the Senedd has the competence to be able to introduce gender quotas at present. It's a very simple question. I know that you keep referring to the debate that is going to be taking place in two hours later on. I suspect you don't have an answer in your response to that debate either on this issue. If...
Darren Millar: Given that your First Minister wrote the executive summary, effectively, along with the leader of Plaid Cymru, I'd have thought that you'd have done a bit of work already, frankly, to consider whether the Senedd had the competence to implement these recommendations. Because, as a former member of that committee, I can tell you that, in our deliberations, the legal advice was absolutely clear:...
Darren Millar: Minister, now that the Special Purpose Committee on Senedd Reform has published its report, what consideration have you given as to whether the Senedd has the powers to deliver on the committee's recommendations?
Darren Millar: Thank you, Deputy Llywydd. Can I just express my concern about a remark that the Minister made suggesting that this statement has been planned for a number of weeks? I'm a member of the Business Committee. The Business Committee look at the forward work programme each time we meet. We were not notified of any changes until today in respect of this statement; it was not agreed until today....
Darren Millar: —that we need. We need that action now, sooner rather than later.
Darren Millar: Thank you, Minister, for your statement, although I have to say that I'm disappointed by the lack of courtesy that you've extended to Members of the Senedd who have a direct interest in the hospital to which your statement has referred. As you will know, I've taken a great interest in the services at Glan Clwyd Hospital for many years, and yet, you didn't even give me the courtesy of a...
Darren Millar: Thank you for that response. Of course, the conclusions of the Senedd committee tie in very well with the conclusions of the discussions between you and the leader of Plaid Cymru. And, of course, if those conclusions and recommendations are implemented, it will be the most significant shake-up to elections to the Senedd since it was founded back in 1999, scrapping the current system whereby...
Darren Millar: 1. Will the First Minister make a statement on the Welsh Government’s position on Senedd reform? OQ58152
Darren Millar: Thank you. I'm very grateful for you taking an intervention—
Darren Millar: I'm very grateful for you taking the intervention. I think you're quite right, actually, to raise the fact that it is regrettable, in my view, that Members of the Senedd are not part of the decision-making process in the way that MPs are when it comes to this new funding stream. But do you also accept that it's a matter of regret that with the Welsh Government's approach, I had no say in what...
Darren Millar: Thank you, Minister. I know how committed you are to this cause and you've been very passionate about it for many years. It's not just about the 80 per cent target, though, is it? It's about making sure that people get access to the talking therapies, in particular, that they're currently having to wait very long times for, even after they've been assessed as requiring them within the target...
Darren Millar: I think it is important that there's further dialogue between the EU and the UK, and I think it's also very important that the UK Government engages with devolved Governments where there are impacts on people, particularly here in Wales, obviously. No-one wants to see unilateral action. The UK Government has made it clear that it didn't want to be in a position where it had to introduce...
Darren Millar: You have been smirking during this question. Do you accept that the decision—
Darren Millar: The question is on the issue. Do you accept that the person who is sat next to you, your predecessor, took the wrong decision when he decided to remove this health board from special measures in advance of the last Senedd election? That was the wrong decision, Minister, and you need to sort it out.
Darren Millar: I'm happy to have that conversation.
Darren Millar: I'm going to ask a question, and if you please allow me to ask it, I will. But the fundamental problem that staff tell me that there is in that hospital is that there are not enough in-patient beds, there are not enough members of staff. What are you going to do to make sure that the balance of in-patient beds is right for that local population in Conwy and Denbighshire that rely on that...
Darren Millar: And this is just two months after another report on the vascular services. You know, there are just two services in Wales that have been described as services requiring significant improvement by HIW. Both of them are in the Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board—nowhere else, just the Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board. This health board needs to improve, Minister. I don't know,...
