Gareth Davies: ...the oracy skills of younger pupils, as well as their slow rates of improvement since. And let's not forget that we on this side of the Chamber in the Welsh Conservatives called for mask mandates in schools to end sooner, and instead, this Labour Government allowed them to stay in place longer than needed, thus stifling class participation and social development. When it comes to the new...
Gareth Davies: ...future of Wales, the Government is certainly not looking to the future by slashing funding for what is actually needed in the future, and that's our young people and our children. A huge cut to the education budget shows that—and it is a huge cut—the Government thinks they are more important than the children of Wales. We already know how the Welsh Government will respond to any...
Gareth Davies: ...friends and do normal things with them, such as go out eating, shopping and playing, just to name a few examples. Equally, it also allows young people to continue their independence into further education and employment. It’s important to note also that the Welsh Conservatives respect and admire the parents of these young people, who are the first habilitation trainers and do fantastic...
Gareth Davies: ...care, and go some way to improving the recruitment and retention problems we currently face in Wales. Now, last week, with the Health and Social Care Committee, I visited the nursing and midwifery school at the University of South Wales in Pontypridd, and they have state-of-the-art simulation wards that give students the opportunity to practise in a mock environment, to build their skills...
Gareth Davies: ...career. I firmly believe that not enough is being done to encourage young people that care is a vocation for life, and not just a job that follows on from A-level or BTEC qualifications at school. Therefore, this budget shows that one problem has been addressed, but the roots of the issue start at schools, and I call on the Welsh Government to ensure that care is not just seen as a job....
Gareth Davies: I call for a statement on sports participation for school-aged children in Wales, and particularly north Wales. One of the three north Wales-based junior parkruns is called Prestatyn Prom, and it's suffering from a low take-up of participants and is at risk of closing. Junior parkruns, which are run by volunteers, are free, fun and friendly weekly 2 km events for children aged 4 to 14, to...
Gareth Davies: ...name of my colleague Darren Millar. I'd like to start my contribution today by putting again on the record my extended thoughts and condolences to Logan Mwangi's father Ben, his family, friends, school and social network in Bridgend. There's nothing we can say or do that can take away the pain and sadness they must be feeling at this difficult time and in the future, and nothing can...
Gareth Davies: ...scrutiny now, the Welsh Government simply deflects and says they have moved on. But the people of Wales, the grieving loved ones of the COVID victims, the children who missed out on their valuable education, and those who had employment and financial worries have not moved on. The Welsh Government's refusal to hold an inquiry shows that scrutiny is not its priority, but an expansion of its...
Gareth Davies: ...areas, so the skill set of nurses is very wide. Let's not forget as well that they have to indeed make a lot of sacrifices in order to qualify as nurses. Let's not forget that it's three years of education in university, £9,000 a year tuition fees, so you're looking at about £27,000-worth of debt before they've even started their careers. And their list of duties is non-exhaustive. They...
Gareth Davies: ...cylchoedd meithrin, or Welsh-language preschools, in Denbighshire, north Wales, and across the country, who play a vital role in introducing preschool-age children to the Welsh language and provide educational and activity-based programmes to encourage the benefits of Welsh-medium education at an entry level and offer skills for life. Will the Minister join me in congratulating local and...
Gareth Davies: Will the Minister provide an update on the impact of home-schooling reforms on people in Denbighshire?
Gareth Davies: Thank you, Llywydd. It's not yours, it's not mine, or anyone's business other than the parents. They should be deciding what sort of education their child receives and whether they want to engage with sex education, and not you, Minister. How on earth do you expect children as young as five to even understand or begin to comprehend this sort of information? Parents the length and breadth of...
Gareth Davies: Thank you for that answer, First Minister. As you may be aware, over the summer, Christ the Word Catholic School in Rhyl received a damning Estyn report following an inspection, which has resulted in special measures being imposed on the school. Now, the school is still very much in its infancy having only been opened in 2020 following a merger between the former Ysgol Mair and Blessed...
Gareth Davies: 1. What is the Welsh Government’s plan to achieve educational excellence in Denbighshire? OQ58379
Gareth Davies: ...services here in Wales are fit to protect our children at risk. And I wish to send my heartfelt condolences to Logan's dad and the rest of his family and friends, and teachers in Tondu Primary School in Bridgend, who have all been affected by this horrific tragedy. Logan was removed from the child protection register a month before his death. His routine visit, just prior to this...
Gareth Davies: ...my constituents get face-to-face meetings with their GP? No, it won't, nor will it do anything to improve transport links, grow the economy, tackle the global cost-of-living crisis or improve educational achievement. Our nation is facing real problems and needs us to focus on delivering solutions, on delivering real improvements to the lives of our constituents, not debating the make-up of...
Gareth Davies: ...UK, we are going to severely restrict the growth of those funds and diminish the pensions of some of our lowest paid workers—our social care staff, our NHS staff, the cooks and cleaners in our schools and day care centres, and the tens of thousands of other council employees and hospital staff who provide a valuable service to each and every one of us here. We are blessed. We can...
Gareth Davies: ...but are absolutely useless when it comes to creating doctors, nurses and healthcare professionals. Things have improved somewhat—I do give credit where it's due—and, with the creation of Health Education and Improvement Wales, we now at least have a workforce plan, but I fear its too little too late. Just last week the Royal College of Nursing released their report on nursing staff...
Gareth Davies: ..., which is all great progress, and the need, indeed, for 24-hour crisis centres for children and young people—. Then we heard from Rhun ap Iorwerth who, again, mentioned the COVID-19 pandemic and school pupils missing out on school work and contact with peer groups, which is all too important with young people growing up. A main point he raised was the serious mental health issues,...
Gareth Davies: ...subject grants to Cardiff and Swansea. Minister, what discussions have you had with the college about the role they play in delivering Welsh-medium medical training at the north Wales medical school to make it a truly national service? Thank you.
