7. 3. Business Statement and Announcement

Part of the debate – in the Senedd at 4:16 pm on 1 November 2016.

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Photo of Bethan Sayed Bethan Sayed Plaid Cymru 4:16, 1 November 2016

I wondered if we could have some explanation from you as to how the Welsh Government issue statements, because you may have noticed—obviously you will have noticed—that the Cabinet Secretary for the economy announced that junction 41 in Port Talbot would remain open, which of course I welcome, but we only received a written statement after people like myself took to social media to complain about the fact that only Labour politicians were informed of this particular development. I would appreciate it, if the Welsh Government has something that is within the interests of all Assembly Members and all communities, that we are well informed so that, when people come to us, we are aware of those particular developments.

My second request is for a debate in Government time on the importance of industrial and former mining communities. I think we need to have such a debate because there are some Assembly Members within this Chamber who do not appreciate how important they are, and they might do well to have an element of that education before they make inappropriate comments about situations such as Orgreave, where people did not die, but they do warrant having an investigation. Many people did not die in the child abuse saga in Wales and across the UK, but that does not mean that it does not warrant an investigation, and one that will hold people to account. Thank you very much.