Carolyn Thomas: I'm not taking them—I'm just carrying on. I've got a lot to say here, okay.
Carolyn Thomas: Other authorities have cut officers and services rather than raise council tax, meaning they now have a shortage of officers to deliver core services, such as planning or social healthcare, and technical highway officers to apply for Welsh Government grant funding for active travel. More pressure is put on councils now due to the way replacement EU funding bids have to be made by local...
Carolyn Thomas: No, I'll carry on. We heard this morning in committee that service providers fear we could be about to enter another period of dire austerity. As a council, we organised and restructured, making nearly £100 million-worth of savings over those 10 years. We went from six depots to one, rationalising staff by nearly 40 per cent, year after year salami slicing departments by 30 per cent. When we...
Carolyn Thomas: The impression this debate gives is that local government somehow has extra cash lying around, whereas the reality is that, after a decade of Conservative austerity, followed by huge inflationary pressures caused by the Liz Truss Government, local authorities are in dire straits. The future is also bleak under Rishi Sunak as there was nothing for public services in the spring budget. As the...
Carolyn Thomas: Thank you for that answer, Counsel General. As you will be aware, resolving the nature crisis and protecting biodiversity are issues that are high on my agenda, and, under the UK Government's EU retained law Bill, we are set to see habitat regulations that provide protections for nature against threats of building developments and other projects being torn up by the Tories. So, what advice...
Carolyn Thomas: 7. What assessment has the Counsel General made of the legal protections that the people of Wales may lose as a result of the UK Government’s Retained EU Law (Revocation and Reform) Bill? OQ59338
Carolyn Thomas: Thank you for clarifying for Conservative Members that it was the Welsh Labour Government who worked hard to ensure we received parity of seed funding with England of £26 million—not the £8 million previously offered—as well as protection for workers' rights and environmental protections. I say this because these made-in-Wales conditions are the reason I also finally agreed to support...
Carolyn Thomas: Thank you for that answer, First Minister. Local authorities are dependent on the dedicated staff who manage and provide front-line services, day in, day out. But they are not immune to the cost-of-living crisis we all face. The Resolution Foundation has said that wage stagnation over the last 15 years means that an average household in the UK is now £11,000 worse off thanks to successive...
Carolyn Thomas: 6. What assessment has the Welsh Government made of the impact the UK Government's budget will have on the ability of Welsh local authorities to deliver public services? OQ59337
Carolyn Thomas: Okay. It's just regarding Flint hospital. I believe that it's going to be a state-of-the-art, fit-for-purpose modern care home, which will not only have long and short-term placements but will also be able to rehabilitate people after a stay in hospital to regain their confidence and independence in their own homes. So, it's a modern facility. Some of the old hospitals, like Flint previously,...
Carolyn Thomas: I'd also like to thank committee staff and all the organisations that took part in giving evidence for the report. One of the key messages here is that, with inflation reaching its highest level in more than 40 years, many people are cutting back on extra spending. For some, this includes spending on sport and cultural activities. In 2019-20, 23 per cent of all people and 31 per cent of...
Carolyn Thomas: I was devastated to have a phone call at 9 o'clock as well from residents in Anglesey. I've been talking, obviously, with you, Minister, and I've also been talking with Unite the Union, who've been having talks as well with the workforce. I need to declare also that I am a member of Unite the Union. I should have declared that earlier as well when I had questions to the Minister for Social...
Carolyn Thomas: Thank you. Important legislation, ranging from workers' rights to environmental protections, could all be about to go up in smoke in the bonfire of Brexit, if the retained EU law Bill continues to proceed in the current form. I'm grateful to you, Counsel General, for highlighting the serious implications of this Bill and the implications that it will have for us here in Wales and this Senedd,...
Carolyn Thomas: Okay. Thank you. Deputy Minister, I have been increasingly concerned about the misinformation being given by Royal Mail to MSs, MPs and the public. I've made it my mission to make sure that the truth is out there. I was pleased to talk to Darren Jones MP, who's the chair of the Westminster select committee, and was able to have that conversation with him prior to interviewing the chief...
Carolyn Thomas: 2. Will the Minister provide an update on the Welsh Government's discussions regarding the pay and conditions of Royal Mail workers in Wales? OQ59003
Carolyn Thomas: 1. What advice has the Counsel General provided to the Welsh Government regarding the impact of the Retained EU Law (Revocation and Reform) Bill on devolved competencies? OQ59008
Carolyn Thomas: Thank you very much. I recently visited the fantastic state-of-the-art facility at Wrexham Glyndŵr—its multi-million pound facility. I believe there's an open day a week on Friday there where they're offering courses on allied health and nursing courses, which is fantastic. I already know a couple of people that have had a change of career to do nursing and paramedics, including my niece,...
Carolyn Thomas: Yes, okay.
Carolyn Thomas: Actually, most of the nurses realised that colleagues across the border in England as well were on picket lines and they knew that it was an issue right across the UK. And that's what they're fighting for—for colleagues right across the UK. Sorry, I've forgotten where I was after taking the intervention. There is more advancing technology, more medicines available to help people, and this...
Carolyn Thomas: There is a health crisis right across the UK, not just in Wales, and all evidence shows this has worsened over the last 12 years since the start of austerity and cuts to public services, and will get worse under this UK Tory Government and their cost-of-living crisis. We can't look at the NHS in isolation. Adequate housing, food, education and fair work all contribute to good physical and...
