2. Business Statement and Announcement

Part of the debate – in the Senedd at 2:57 pm on 1 March 2022.

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Photo of Sarah Murphy Sarah Murphy Labour 2:57, 1 March 2022

Minister, children in my constituently as young as 11 and 12 are having to walk 45 minutes to school and back from Cornelly to Cynffig Comprehensive School in Pyle. I have met over 20 parents who have told me that they would not normally allow their children to leave the village without their supervision, and so they are very worried about their safety as their children have to walk to school alone. Since having held two public meetings in Cornelly, I have been made aware of two incidents of bullying of year 7 pupils: one child had a bottle of Lucozade tipped over her head and another was chased by older children all the way back to their home. Children have been calling their parents crying from school because they're having to sit there in wet clothes all day, and some pupils have had to give up musical instruments as they can't carry them to and from school. Could I therefore request that the Deputy Minister for Climate Change provides a statement on the review of the learner travel Measure, and echo what the Children's Commissioner for Wales has also called for in this respect? And I would also ask that it is considered by Welsh Government that we revert to the two-mile rule for public access to school transport and consider prioritising younger children for bus passes in schools too.