Suzy Davies: .... And I tell you all without hesitation that this Senedd responds better to the needs of Wales when it reflects its population. All parties, especially mine, need to get their act together on equal representation, and I've no hesitation either in saying that even though it really has been often a joy and always a privilege working with you all, it has been working with a greater number of...
Suzy Davies: ...and colleges for interpreting provision as well. NHS Scotland, the health boards of Scotland, have done a lot of work to help implement the Act, although they still complain of a lack of deaf BSL representation and they're trying to deal with that. So, it's quite right that there continue to be some challenges; a piece of legislation doesn't solve everything. The rural councils in Scotland...
Suzy Davies: ...and insisting upon enforcement. So, I think the picture is a bit mixed there, but nevertheless we are in a situation where the figures have been poor. First Minister, have you had any direct representation from workers at the DVLA, or indeed the other two businesses I've heard from? And have you considered any changes to the guidance as a result of those representations? I'm sure they'd be...
Suzy Davies: ...which is due to the imprisonment in early March of the less well-respected councillor, David Owen. The provisions of the Coronavirus Act 2020 came into force, disapplying sections 39 and 63 of the Representation of the People Act 1983 for the period 15 March to 24 April 2020. So, progress on those two by-elections was paused. Those provisions ordinarily require a returning officer to order...
Suzy Davies: ...to be allowed to be registered. So perhaps you could clear that up. Secondly, as I think David Rowlands mentioned, we have still got businesses that are outside the ERF at the moment. I've had representations made by people who have actually been very successful, but can't actually access anything without giving personal guarantees, which they're reluctant to do because they're not sure...
Suzy Davies: ..., and they're now on their way to Yad Vashem. We don't have the competence for all of this, but if standing together does mean action rather than words, I wonder if you would be prepared to make representations to the UK Government—I'm sorry the Dubs amendment has come up in this context; I don't think that was appropriate—but also think about what we can do here with the powers that...
Suzy Davies: ...key issues raised by WEN members across Wales. Those issues raised concerns about the lack of black and minority ethnic women in this Chamber, for example; the suggestion of targets for 50:50 representation in politics; the setting up of a door to democracy or access to elected office fund to ensure that we get more disabled, LGBT and BME women into politics at all levels; and, of course,...
Suzy Davies: ...BAME community, and Welsh Government was not able to say recently how many BAME people work in the public sector in total in Wales, let alone how many BAME women. Your Government intends to improve representation within Welsh Government by 0.4 per cent by next year. I'm not sure how many actual people that is, but can you tell me how you'll be doing that in a way that not only improves...
Suzy Davies: ...and why the difficult task of local government funding reform, when that might begin, because it's just too easy to try and shut down the debate, as we heard in earlier questions and some of the representations today, by pointing the finger at the UK Government. If that's all you're going to say in replying to this debate, Minister, we may as well all go home now, because constituents are...
Suzy Davies: In Swansea, where the council is a major player in the Swansea bay city region, the leader has also pointed to teachers’ pay, saying he's only had £606,000 of the £7 million he needs via Welsh Government. And, as he too announced that no services can be protected, he snapped that, and I quote: 'Sometimes it feels that we don’t have a Cabinet Secretary for Local Government. He should...
Suzy Davies: ...in some quarters, which I hope you might be able to quell today. Obviously, I'm not arguing against the order, but perhaps you can tell us whether the Welsh Government has received a range of representations on this issue from business in particular, obviously, as this is your portfolio. And will you seek reassurances that any unintended negative consequences will have been considered?
Suzy Davies: ...industry in Wales, despite comments from Welsh Government to that effect. I'm raising it in an attempt to break through the lack of transparency surrounding how some decisions were made and whether representations made by Welsh Government about the positive outcomes we should expect from Pinewood in particular are proving justified. So, first of all, last month, Welsh Government's decision...
Suzy Davies: ...seems to be a bit nearer than we were last time we spoke, but there is some disquiet still that private enterprise isn’t adequately represented in the shadow board, and I’m wondering how your representations to the board on this important point have moved matters on.
Suzy Davies: Thank you for that answer. It sounds like work is still ongoing. I have to say, you told me shortly before recess, in a question on representations made to me on behalf of Faith in Families in Swansea West, that Swansea’s local Communities First delivery board had, and I quote, ‘detailed transition plans to make sure that locally supported projects didn’t lose out.’ I’ve now been...
Suzy Davies: ...and for me, this has got Swansea bay city deal written all over it. What recent discussions have you had with the local government leaders about pinning down the governance structure, with balanced representation from the private sector—you mentioned the ports earlier—so that we can see some accelerated activity on the deal?
Suzy Davies: ...as parliamentarians isn’t something to which we can devote as much time as we might need to. It limits our ability to prove to the people of Wales that we, the Assembly, have the ability to make representation an active tool. Representing constituents isn’t just about name checks here in the Chamber or using some particular issue as a political baseball. Yet, in the small media country...
Suzy Davies: I was going to intervene on Huw Irranca-Davies, so I’m glad I’ve had the opportunity to speak, actually. I agree that it is time for us to be reviewing the purpose of our designated landscapes and reviewing the strength of the protections that are embodied in those at the moment. I mean, it’s not so long ago that we were standing here talking about the national parks and the opacity of...
Suzy Davies: ...in the city deal bid, and I’m wondering are you and the Cabinet Secretary for local government willing to work with partners to ensure that there’s an appropriate balance of small business representation on the project’s next iteration of the board, so that those 95 per cent of our businesses can be adequately represented as well. Thank you.
Suzy Davies: First of all, can I say that it’s not often I get very angry in this Chamber with the representations made by members of all parties, but I was angered by what Dawn Bowden said? This party has never, never criticised the paramedics and the service they provide. We have been critical of the times that weren’t met under the previous iteration of this policy, and justifiably so. As you say,...
Suzy Davies: ...Welsh Conservatives here in the Assembly also welcome the improvements in the draft charter and agreement. I won’t rehearse them all again. I think the re-focus on the rights of nations to fair representation, in both senses of the word, present an interesting test for the Assembly. In supporting all the Plaid amendments, I’m going to concentrate on the last of them. The Welsh...
