Part of the debate – in the Senedd at 2:28 pm on 12 February 2019.
Trefnydd, I would like to request three statements today. First of all, I'd welcome a statement from the education Minister on the next steps that the Welsh Government will take to tackle bullying in schools. The 'Respecting others' consultation is due to close later this week, but after many years in the classroom, I am still concerned that we do all we can to deal with this issue. In particular, I'm concerned about our approach to tackling LGBT+ bullying, as we know, for example, a higher rate of Welsh LGBT+ young people experience bullying than anywhere else in the UK, according to recent statistics. As February is LGBT History Month, I hope that this is something that we can make real progress on.
Secondly, Rhondda Cynon Taf cabinet has approved a policy of setting fixed-penalty notices for up to £400 to tackle fly-tipping. To my constituents, like to people throughout Wales, fly-tipping is a real concern, so it would be good to see the council using these powers that have just been made available to them by Welsh Government. Could we have a statement setting out how Ministers are prioritising action against fly-tipping, in particular assessing the efficacy of changes in terms of fixed-penalty notices?
Finally, it was really positive to read the statement that over 150 employers have now signed up to the groundbreaking code of practice on ethical employment in supply chains. This is a welcome step, but could we have an update in the Siambr from the Minister for economy on other interventions the Welsh Government could take to promote good employment practices? I am thinking in particular here of the ways in which the economic contract can be used to encourage more businesses in Wales to sign up.