Peredur Owen Griffiths: I'd like to thank those that are the main drivers of today’s debate: our stakeholders and the people that we spoke with. They are central to our work, and we're grateful for their continued engagement. Finally, I'd like to thank the clerking team and the research team who work very hard in the background to facilitate the committee's work and allow us to scrutinise effectively the...
Peredur Owen Griffiths: Thank you to all Members and committee Chairs for their input into the debate, and the Minister's response. It was clear that the cost-of-living crisis comes through as a major priority, with many Members referencing it. We heard from many contributors today, and I'm not going to rehearse the arguments and the comments we heard, but the broad areas were mental health, education, paid and...
Peredur Owen Griffiths: Thank you, Chair. I'd like to thank Members who have contributed to today’s debate. This has been a golden opportunity for the Senedd to influence the Welsh Government’s thinking before it publishes the draft budget later this year. I hope the Minister will take onboard the views raised today.
Peredur Owen Griffiths: Cadeirydd, our engagement work on the budget for 2023-24 was made up of three strands: the stakeholder event at Llanhilleth Miners Institute in Blaenau Gwent; as mentioned, a workshop with members of the Welsh Youth Parliament; and numerous focus groups with organisations and citizens across Wales. On behalf of the committee, I'd like to thank everyone that has contributed to the work....
Peredur Owen Griffiths: Thank you, Chair. It's my pleasure to be opening this debate today on the Welsh Government’s spending priorities for 2023-24. I have mentioned previously in this Chamber that engaging with people across Wales is a priority for me as Chair, specifically to listen to the views of stakeholders on what the Welsh Government budget should include. I am pleased to say that the committee has not...
Peredur Owen Griffiths: Finally, the committee notes with concern the plans by the UK Government to cut 91,000 in the civil service, and further notes that a Barnett share of those jobs would amount to approximately 6,000 jobs being lost here in Wales. The committee is concerned that such cuts could have a disproportionate impact on Wales. As a result, we want further information on the UK Government’s intentions...
Peredur Owen Griffiths: Thank you, Deputy Presiding Officer. I am pleased to speak in this debate today on behalf of the Finance Committee. The committee scrutinised the first supplementary budget on 30 June and I thank the Minister for her attendance.
Peredur Owen Griffiths: The committee’s report was laid before the Senedd yesterday and makes 12 recommendations. First of all, the committee is extremely concerned about the impact that inflationary pressures will have on the affordability of the Welsh Government’s budgetary proposals. Given that these exceptional pressures will persist and could worsen, we ask the Minister to provide an assessment of the...
Peredur Owen Griffiths: Thank you for that answer.
Peredur Owen Griffiths: One of the problems the sector is currently having is funding fair pay settlements that reflect rises in the cost of living. This is particularly the case with organisations that have contracts with multiple public sector providers that are adopting different approaches to contract uplifts. One organisation I am aware of has contracts across many local authorities, with roughly a third giving...
Peredur Owen Griffiths: 1. How is the Government promoting fair pay for workers in the third sector? OQ58319
Peredur Owen Griffiths: I think it’s, as we’re calling it here today, time to do something about it, so it’s good to—[Interruption.] Anyway. There will be many communities in Wales that have lost community assets over the last decade without the legislation. I can provide a recent example of somewhere that looks set to lose the only pub in a very small community. The people behind the campaign to save the...
Peredur Owen Griffiths: Yes, certainly.
Peredur Owen Griffiths: It's great to see so much support from across the Chamber. Community is, no doubt, important wherever you live in the world. I may be biased, but I think that community is extra special to people living in Wales. We are, by nature, an outgoing, kind and selfless people. Perhaps this is why we tend to seek common bonds through family, friends or place of birth, rather than profession, when we...
Peredur Owen Griffiths: Thank you very much for that response.
Peredur Owen Griffiths: The vast majority of my region is made up of working-class communities where the cost-of-living crisis is being felt most acutely. The announcement last week that interest rates on student loans would be capped at 7.3 per cent to prevent them rising to 12 per cent was a mercy, but a very small one at that. An interest rate of 7.3 per cent is still extortionate and off-putting. I fear this...
Peredur Owen Griffiths: Diolch, Minister. Many of the town centres within my region are struggling. A perfect storm of high business rates, the rise of online shopping and the cost-of-living crisis has made prospects look bleak for many traders. Despite investment of £900 million in Wales in the last eight years, one in seven shops on a high street remain empty, according to Audit Wales. They also say that: 'Powers...
Peredur Owen Griffiths: 8. What is the Government doing to regenerate town centres in South Wales East? OQ58220
Peredur Owen Griffiths: 9. How is the Government encouraging children in South Wales East to embark on further education? OQ58221
Peredur Owen Griffiths: Trefnydd, there are serious question marks about the future of peer mentoring services for people with drug, alcohol and mental health issues in Wales. Some in the sector believe that services could collapse over the summer as the new contract is yet to be put out to tender and may not be in place until October or November of this year. This means that peer mentoring services will not be able...
