Part of the debate – in the Senedd at 3:19 pm on 13 September 2016.
Leader of the house, can I call for two statements, please—one from the Cabinet Secretary for Education in relation to recognition of the Welsh baccalaureate qualification by universities across the UK? I’ve had a number of constituent cases this year where certain universities, and even departments within universities, are rejecting the baccalaureate as a qualification that is acceptable to them for learners to enrol upon their chosen courses. This is a concern that needs to be addressed, and I know that we’ve got a new baccalaureate that will be emerging in terms of those pupils who are currently taking it at the moment, but it’s really important that the Welsh baccalaureate is a qualification that universities have confidence in, and that pupils and learners can have confidence in as well. So, I would appreciate a statement on that.
Can I also ask for a statement from the Cabinet Secretary for Environment and Rural Affairs on waste collection in Wales? The leader of the house will be aware that in Conwy they are rolling out four-weekly general refuse collections with effect from this month, which is going to lead to absolute chaos in my constituency, which, of course, is a very important honeypot from the tourism point of view in terms of the income for the economy there. Many people are concerned about the provisions for pet waste, saying that they are inadequate. Many people are concerned also about the vulnerability of older people who might use clinical or incontinence products and will be identified by the new waste receptacles that are being introduced across the county to 10,000 households. Can I ask and urge the Cabinet Secretary to intervene in the situation and give some direction to Conwy as a local authority, so that they can adopt a more sensible approach to the pilot and ensure that there is adequate provision, from a public health point of view, for the workforce who will be collecting this waste and for people with pets, and particularly for older, vulnerable adults, to ensure that they are protected and that there is no adverse consequence for local residents and businesses as a result of these changes?