Andrew RT Davies: You and I can debate the merits of the free-school-dinners policy that the Government have brought forward, but what is important is to understand how local authorities and schools in particular have been supported in rolling out this policy. The Vale of Glamorgan Council, which is the area that I come from, clearly has had to fund some of the capital expenditure themselves to the tune of...
Andrew RT Davies: ...just left. I appreciate this isn't the Government's fault; I always try my best to blame the Government for most things, but in fairness, this isn't the Government's fault. It is a societal issue. Education is one of the planks that we can use. Can you confirm whether local authorities have come through with ideas, with suggestions to your good self as Minister, to enable them to take...
Andrew RT Davies: ...this war is ongoing and people's displacement is longer than any of us would like to see, going to be with us for many years to come, if not decades to come. And when people are thinking about schooling and putting their roots down in communities, they do need that ability to call a place home, because that is going to be critical about bringing balance back into people's lives. So, my...
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...
Andrew RT Davies: ...across the whole of Wales. They were important partners in delivering some of the Welsh Government's decisions and support measures that were put in place in social care, for example, and in education. The health service is structured quite differently in Wales, because of decisions that the Welsh Government have taken, to how it is structured in England. Those are unique positions that...
Andrew RT Davies: ...recognise that as a problem, and calling for considered planning control permissions is something that's to be welcomed, so long as the infrastructure's put in place, such as doctors' surgeries, schools and transport infrastructures. So, it's not about going over beautiful places; it's about having a sensible planning policy that meets the demand.
Andrew RT Davies: ...in Wales, we don't have that. That is one tangible implication of what the Government could have done for one particular sector to get money into bank accounts. I welcome the initiative around school meals, although I'm not convinced on the universal nature of the school meal concept. The First Minister and I have debated this, but when resources are tight, is it sensible that 40, 45 per...
Andrew RT Davies: Thank you for taking the intervention, Minister. Last week, I intervened about the provisions regarding higher education institutions and the provisions that could force amalgamations of those institutions with the provisions that are contained in the Bill. Could you give an assurance that only in exceptional circumstances that those provisions would be enacted by the Minister, and that it is...
Andrew RT Davies: Some years ago, the then Minister for education wanted to amalgamate Newport university, the University of Glamorgan and the university of Cardiff Metropolitan here in Cardiff. Under the powers that you're putting through in this Bill, would the Minister be able to drive through such change? Today, we enjoy Cardiff Metropolitan as one of the most successful post-1992 universities because, at...
Andrew RT Davies: .... In this particular case, 238 responses came in to that consultation. Over 70 per cent of those responses were supporting the current status quo and not to change the current dynamic of the two schools. So, what weight, as Minister, would you place on the consultation exercise and in particular any authority, but in this case the Vale of Glamorgan Council, paying due regard to the...
Andrew RT Davies: 6. Will the Minister make a statement on the merger of Evenlode Primary School and Bute Cottage Nursery School in Penarth? OQ57893
Andrew RT Davies: .... But, as we heard from the Member for Cardiff Central who said that there was a lack of coherence in the Government planning—. I can see the Minister whispering to her colleague the Minister for education. You might like to take note of what the Member for Cardiff Central said about the lack of coherence around the plans that you have put in place as the Minister for rural affairs for...
Andrew RT Davies: We all want to see a resolution to this dispute, Minister, and I do understand, obviously, that higher education is an autonomous body and they are responsible for the negotiations in this particular aspect. Students have had a lot of disruption to their education over the last couple of years with COVID and now industrial action. We're in a critical window for most students, who have to have...
Andrew RT Davies: ...for Ogmore and also the Minister's comments this afternoon? Could I also question the Minister on the reports today on the BBC Wales Live programme about homophobic insults and attacks within the education system? Sadly, they're identifying an increase in that via the Estyn reports that are coming from the inspections that have been undertaken. We can talk all we want about action plans,...
Andrew RT Davies: ...was here, I'm sure he'd be joining me in that, because I know that he's kept a very keen eye on the progress, or not as the case may be, to date with the introduction of a clean air Act. On free school lunches, which is a central policy of the agreement that you've reached with Plaid Cymru, I'd be grateful and I'm sure many others would be grateful to understand the budgetary...
Andrew RT Davies: ...when that is said, because the other contributor to this debate in the previous Assembly was Suzy Davies, who led many a debate in here about the need to have, in the curriculum in particular, education around defibrillators and the use of defibrillators in the community, because there's no point in having them if you can't use them and deploy them, and I think we all agree with that point...
Andrew RT Davies: ...headlines on WalesOnline and the BBC website, the Welsh Government were accusing the UK Government of aggressively ignoring the Welsh Parliament, when today I look at the order paper and there's no education statement here, despite, obviously, the press conference that was held yesterday by the education Minister, and there has been no statement from the health Minister about tackling...
Andrew RT Davies: ...those waiting times, because the programme for government does not touch on the specific plans about dealing with the near 600,000 people that are on a waiting list here in Wales. When it comes to education, the programme for government talks about 1,800 tutors being put into the education system here in Wales. Can you give us an indication again of when those tutors are likely to be...
Andrew RT Davies: ..., you will not indicate your use of income tax powers. You have indicated more clearly in your second answer the use of a social care levy, surcharge—call it what you will—and ruled out an education levy surcharge, which I’m grateful for you doing that. But one thing your programme for government does talk about is a tourism tax and actually consulting on the legislative proposals...
Andrew RT Davies: ...programme for government does touch on income tax rates and whether the Government will use them or not. Also, what's talked about are particular levies or surcharges for social care or, indeed, education, which was highlighted on the weekend by an academic here in Cardiff. You have to pay for services someway, either through taxation or through levies or surcharges. So, what is your...
