Lee Waters: ..., where a hospital was built in the first place without public transport being thought of. Here, we have the disconnect between different services, where transport often isn't thought about by education or health providers until too late. And he talks about the specific—[Interruption.] Can I just answer the point first? He makes the specific point of a bus service not being available...
Alun Davies: ...to fully give evidence when it is required to do so. And the point I would make to Ministers—there's one Minister in the Chamber this afternoon—is that we took evidence subsequently from the education Minister, Jeremy Miles, and the evidence we received from Jeremy was first class, and one of the reasons for that was that he was in the room with us and he was able to provide a far...
Jeremy Miles: Well, I think that everyone agrees that our children should be at school receiving their education, but nobody takes these decisions to strike lightly. We have four unions, and two have had votes in favour of industrial action, but whatever the thresholds the unions have, we respect and we hear the messages that we are hearing from teachers in those ballots. I'm not going to discuss in the...
Elin Jones: Item 3 is next, the topical question. The question is to be asked by James Evans, and is to be answered by the Minister for education. James Evans.
Lesley Griffiths: ...farmers' deaths over the past few months. And it's not just about mental health and well-being, it's about safety on the farm as well. And I was very pleased to launch a specific leaflet aimed at schools at the Royal Welsh Agricultural Show, back in November. But in relation specifically to your question around mental health and well-being, improving mental health and well-being, right...
Rebecca Evans: ...the review of the unit rate. Obviously, it's not straightforward, and they will be looking at the impacts of those different models in terms of agreeing the rate. At the moment, the current free school meal unit rate across local authorities is being looked at alongside the evidence of the rising costs and the expectation that we're putting on local authorities in respect of sourcing local...
Rebecca Evans: ...2023-24 draft budget continues to focus on preventing harm to the most disadvantaged. Alongside the £165 million to protect our NHS, actions include protecting the £90 million funding for free school meals, investing a further £10 million in homelessness prevention and providing £2.2 million for our basic income pilot.
Rebecca Evans: ...to local government in excess of the funding that we received in consequential funding from measures that the UK Government had outlined in its autumn statement in the fields of social care and education. We were able to do that by undertaking a very painful exercise ourselves across Government in terms of identifying areas where we could reprioritise funding towards local government and...
Mick Antoniw: ...oral evidence, written evidence as well. Again, in terms of the issue of bilingualism and so on, I think you know that the position of Welsh Government is fully supportive of that. And within the educational process in terms of Welsh law, there was one point—I can't read my own handwriting that I made, so I hope if I've missed something I will cover it in the letter that I do send to...
Julie James: ...to the rest of the world that Wales, and indeed the UK, does not accept this practice and will not contribute to a global market involved in this. I do recognise that there are scientific and educational purposes for shark fins in Wales, and the Bill does allow Welsh Ministers to grant exemption certificates for this limited purpose. The second clause is also significant, as it enhances...
Jeremy Miles: ...comments in terms of specific decisions with regard to the case that the Member spoke about. I know that she campaigned, and Plaid Cymru local election candidates campaigned on the basis that the school shouldn't go ahead. Now, Plaid is in co-control of the council, and that was not the decision that the council made, and I understand that. In terms of the case in the High Court, as the...
Vaughan Gething: ...projects—we can point to the work we're doing with Thales, for example, but that isn't just founded in Blaenau—but what difference will it make more broadly. So, the work that my colleague the education Minister has seen there about 5G classrooms, and the ability it has to have a much wider, broader and deeper impact. On your point about productivity, you're right, of course. Some of...
Baroness Mair Eluned Morgan: ...the workforce, you'll be aware that more people work in the NHS today than have ever worked before. We are still recruiting and, tomorrow, I will be issuing a statement in terms of how Health Education and Improvement Wales will be training the future workforce, in terms of what they have planned in the next years. In terms of the minimum service levels, I think we've got to be absolutely...
Julie James: ...that extends the flood protection to properties, so that we can minimise that risk as much as is humanly possible. I will certainly speak to my colleague Jeremy Miles about doing something in the schools in particularly affected areas—I think that's a very good idea, to just discuss exactly how the children feel about it and what can be done. So, I'm certainly very happy to do that. We...
Sarah Murphy: ...were very much brought into the mainstream during the pandemic, when we relied on all things digital to connect with one another during lockdowns, or used digital appliances to work from home or school. That said, we continue to see its impact now during the cost-of-living crisis, because so much of the support and resources that people need to access are online, and people are being...
Mark Drakeford: ...steps that we can take to help, particularly in the area of child poverty. In the meantime, of course, there are a number of important things that are already in place. Free meals in our schools—that will be of great assistance to children wherever they live in Wales. And certainly within the Member's region, following the launch of the policy back in September of last year, there are...
Mike Hedges: Thank you, First Minister. I’m convinced of the benefits of Flying Start. It stops children starting formal schooling with a developmental age substantially below their actual age. We have seen in England the PM scrapping changes to the childcare system drawn up by his predecessor. In non-homogenous areas, lower super-output areas result in missed pockets of poverty. Does the Government...
Andrew RT Davies: ...to know is: do you have a plan to make it profitable and successful, which is what we on this side of the Chamber want to see, or will it require more money, which will be diverted from health, education and the other priorities that the Welsh electorate reasonably expect the Government to spend the money on? So, do you have a plan and can you outline it today to this Chamber—how you're...
Mark Drakeford: Tackling child poverty is a key priority for the Welsh Government. We fund a range of programmes which support better outcomes, such as financial help with the cost of the school day, our childcare offer and initiatives helping young people across Wales reach their potential including our Young Person’s Guarantee.
Russell George: ...services, which included plans to close bases in Welshpool and Caernarfon. Along with many others, I was surprised and disappointed by this announcement. Often, I hear of a bank closure or a school closure and I'm disappointed, but I'm not surprised. On this occasion, I was surprised; I was gobsmacked that there was even a proposal being considered.
