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Statement by the First Minister: Inter-governmental relations
Diolch yn fawr. The Welsh Government is determined to deliver on our priorities. We will do this by working with public sector partners, those in Wales and beyond, in particular the new UK Labour Government. As First Minister, I commit to bringing energy and…
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Questions to the First Minister
Thanks very much. What we know is that the very poorest pensioners will continue to be supported, but we also know that the pension credit is the gateway for unlocking that financial support. That's why, in Welsh Government, we've got a long-standing…
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Questions to the First Minister
Receiving pension credit is the key for many older people in Wales to unlock further entitlements. Age UK recently estimated that 56,100 people in Wales are eligible but they're not claiming pension credit. Through collaborative work with the UK Government…
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Questions to the First Minister
Thanks very much, Lesley, and it was great to visit Wrexham town centre with you recently to see what, already, has changed as a result of that investment in the town centre, because we have a long track record in Wales of that Transforming Towns funding…
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Questions to the First Minister
We're working closely with the UK Government on their spending review to ensure investment opportunities for growth and jobs in Wales, including in Wrexham, are prioritised.
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Questions to the First Minister
No, we're not going to pause the Bill. I think it's a really important Bill. And when you hear of the profiteering in a home in Liverpool last week, where, literally, councils were being asked to pay £20,000 a week to support people in care—that is not a…
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Questions to the First Minister
We have listened to the people of Wales, and they've been clear that better access to social care is a priority for them, and this has reinforced better access to social care as a continued priority for us as a Government. Progress has been made, as I…
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Questions to the First Minister
I think there's recognition that this wasn't a model that we expected to see, and I think there has been real frustration. But I think we are in a situation now where, following negotiations, Bridgend council have agreed to contribute £0.8 million to repair…
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Questions to the First Minister
Thanks very much, and I absolutely understand the frustration of your constituents. This was not a model of how we wanted this particular project to work. It's a mechanism of insulating external walls; 104 homes were affected. It was because of poor…
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Questions to the First Minister
Welsh Government awarded £2.65 million of grant funding to Bridgend County Borough Council for remedial works on affected homes. My officials are due to meet with them early next month to review progress made on the mobilisation works on the affected…
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Questions to the First Minister
Thanks very much, Rhianon. You're quite right, the fact that we were able to make that offer was because we now have a Labour Government in Westminster. That was a priority, and because they awarded it in England in full, complying with the recommendations of…
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Questions to the First Minister
Well, thanks very much. You’re quite right, the NHS in Wales is challenged. We all know that. The demand is unbelievable. I mean, the fact that there were more than 1.5 million referrals into hospitals in a year, more than half the population of Wales. It’s…
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Questions to the First Minister
Our priority for iechyd da, a healthier Wales, is to cut waiting times for NHS services. We've made clear to health boards what our expectations for reductions in waiting times are, and they're set out in the planned care recovery plan. And we're working with…
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Questions to the First Minister
Thanks very much, and this is precisely why we’ve got that moratorium. It’s exactly to make sure that there is an appropriate way to make sure that the manure doesn’t find its way into our rivers. It’s a real problem; it’s not a problem just for rivers, it…
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Questions to the First Minister
I’d be very happy to speak to my deputy about this matter. I think it is important that we make sure that we have a thorough understanding of that situation in relation to free-range status, so we’ll look into that.
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Questions to the First Minister
Diolch yn fawr. Well, we know that Natural Resources Wales are very keen to make sure that we review the regulation in terms of enforcement of spreading of organic materials on land in Wales, and I think it is important that we take a precautionary approach…
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Questions to the First Minister
The planning and environmental permitting systems operate within separate statutory frameworks. In accordance with environmental permitting regulations, units with more than 40,000 poultry places will have to obtain a permit to operate. Planning permission…
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Questions to the First Minister
I'm interested in focusing on the people's priorities. I'm interested in talking about health. I'm interested in talking about education. I'm interested in talking about the economy. You've mentioned Keir Starmer 21 times. You've mentioned waiting lists eight…
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Questions to the First Minister
He may be the Prime Minister, but this is a devolved Parliament, and the things that matter to the people in Wales—[Interruption.] Oh, it's another—
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Questions to the First Minister
My focus is on the things that matter to the people of Wales. Last week I set out what those priorities are after that listening exercise. You're right; we have to make choices, and the choices we have made are the choices that I think are in keeping with the…
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Questions to the First Minister
It turns out I've actually got more influence than I realised. I've been in power for 48 days, already the Prime Minister of Britain has made a specific visit to Wales, and over the weekend, I had the opportunity to speak with Keir Starmer, with Rachel…
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Questions to the First Minister
I thought I gave you a lesson in how devolution works last week; have I got to do this every week? I think it's important for us to recognise that there are areas that I'm responsible for, and it's been really good to work with Plaid on delivering things like…
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Questions to the First Minister
We've started the conversation, we will come up with the details in weeks to come. We are keen to wait to hear what the next budget will look like, which will give us a sense of how much will come as a result of closing that loophole to the non-dom people…
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Questions to the First Minister
First of all, if it was a serious offer, there was no follow-up to it. Nothing. Absolutely nothing. I think it’s really important also to recognise that you can only offer a second offer if you’ve got capacity, and in England at the time, there wasn’t the…
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Questions to the First Minister
I’ll tell you why: it’s because it wasn’t a serious offer. Steve Barclay had not contacted us for an entire year, he had a five-minute meeting, and the next day went on the airways to score a political point. That does not build trust between two Governments…
