2. Business Statement and Announcement

Part of the debate – in the Senedd at 2:30 pm on 25 September 2018.

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Photo of Llyr Gruffydd Llyr Gruffydd Plaid Cymru 2:30, 25 September 2018

(Translated)

Thank you, Deputy Presiding Officer. Tomorrow is World School Milk Day, and I very much hope that Assembly Members will enjoy the pint of milk that I will deliver to your doorstep, in your offices, tomorrow morning, in order to highlight and to remind you of the healthy properties of milk for our children, and the importance of the dairy sector for the rural economy. This programme, of course, is partially subsidised by the school milk subsidy programme of the European Union, and the Cabinet Secretary for Education, earlier this year, said that she was in negotiation with DEFRA in terms of ensuring continuity, after we leave the European Union—if we do leave—for that programme. I would ask whether we can have a statement from the Cabinet Secretary giving us an update on those negotiations, because clearly, as I said, it's important from the point of view of our children's health, and it's important from the point of view of the contribution it makes to the dairy industry, too. So I would ask for a statement on that.

May I also ask—? Clearly, we saw the publication of a very significant report at the end of last week by the education Secretary of work conducted by Professor Mick Waters, Professor Melanie Jones and Sir Alasdair Macdonald, who conducted an independent review of pay and conditions of school teachers. I want to put on record my thanks to them for their work. As one who provided evidence to them as part of that process, I was very pleased that many elements of the Plaid Cymru manifesto appeared in the recommendations that they made. But I do think that this report is very significant indeed, one that I'm sure will be very far reaching in terms of the changes that will emerge as a result of it in the sector, and for teachers' pay and conditions. I do regret that we had a written statement on this and that we didn't have an opportunity to discuss what's being recommended in the Chamber. Now, I assume that the Cabinet Secretary will want a period to consider what's being proposed, but may I ask that we do have an opportunity to discuss this issue soon? Because I do think that it is an exciting report, it's an interesting report, it's a challenging report in many ways, and it's important that we all here have the opportunity to air those views in full. And I would have appreciated an opportunity to have an oral statement, rather than just a written statement.