, Plenary
Motion of condolence and tributes to Her Majesty The Queen
As the French President reminded us last week, we talk about 'our Queen' or 'your Queen', as he was saying, but in France it's simply 'vive la reine', because she is the Queen of the whole world. She is the most recognised person in the world, despite social…
, Plenary
Motion of condolence and tributes to Her Majesty The Queen
Jane Dodds and Siân Gwenllian have already mentioned the important role that the Queen had as a female leader. It is difficult for us to understand that, in 1952, public life was completely dominated by men. It wasn't until 1958 that women could be appointed…
, Committee for the Scrutiny of the First Minister
Ministerial scrutiny session—Topical matters
I just wanted to go back to the business of the flexibility of the nursing contract, because it does drive people into becoming agency workers, because they simply can't get that partnership approach to enabling the system to understand their particular…
, Committee for the Scrutiny of the First Minister
Economic strategy for coastal and rural communities
Thank you.
, Committee for the Scrutiny of the First Minister
Economic strategy for coastal and rural communities
Both those schemes are very welcome, it's just we haven't been doing them fast enough, because we are facing the abyss at the moment, unfortunately. But the key is, really, how we multiply good practice, because some of those LEADER schemes, which you'll be…
, Committee for the Scrutiny of the First Minister
Economic strategy for coastal and rural communities
Okay. That sounds a really useful way of approaching it. Just looking lastly at the Welsh Government's foundational economy ambitions, how are we supporting Welsh farmers to add value to their produce so that they can sell more of it, both into the public…
, Committee for the Scrutiny of the First Minister
Economic strategy for coastal and rural communities
What is the Welsh Government doing to broker new relationships? I was at a farm recently—she knows about dairy farming, she doesn't know about horticulture farming, so how do we get that sort of partnership arrangement, where we've got environmental…
, Committee for the Scrutiny of the First Minister
Economic strategy for coastal and rural communities
That seems to be prudent in the context of the current conditions when there's so much upheaval in any case for farmers in Wales as well as for consumers, because of our disruptive relationship with our European partners, both for selling food to other parts…
, Committee for the Scrutiny of the First Minister
Economic strategy for coastal and rural communities
Thank you, yes. You've already touched on the forthcoming agriculture Bill. How is the Welsh Government taking into account the cost-of-living crisis and the impact of the war in Ukraine on the food system in its development of the Bill?
, Committee for the Scrutiny of the First Minister
Economic strategy for coastal and rural communities
Okay.
, Committee for the Scrutiny of the First Minister
Economic strategy for coastal and rural communities
Or walnuts, or—.
, Committee for the Scrutiny of the First Minister
Economic strategy for coastal and rural communities
But not part of the national forest, then.
, Committee for the Scrutiny of the First Minister
Economic strategy for coastal and rural communities
So, obviously, planning to plant trees for future construction needs is really important. What about planning orchards for future food needs, given that the situation with the European Union is difficult, fluid and could break down completely? And, clearly…
, Climate Change, Environment, and Infrastructure Committee
Bus and rail transport in Wales - evidence session 4
Thank you.
, Climate Change, Environment, and Infrastructure Committee
Bus and rail transport in Wales - evidence session 4
The McAllister report several years ago highlighted that some local authorities were miles better and more cost-effective in their road maintenance programmes than others. What is the WLGA doing to ensure that the best is raising the game of all local…
, Climate Change, Environment, and Infrastructure Committee
Bus and rail transport in Wales - evidence session 4
The Deputy Minister has made it pretty clear that the outcome of the roads review is likely to see funding released, but this is not going to be business as usual. 'Llwybr Newydd' means that we're going to have to focus on the way we use the road space, as…
, Climate Change, Environment, and Infrastructure Committee
Bus and rail transport in Wales - evidence session 4
Last night, the Senedd voted in a default 20 mph for all urban areas, residential areas. So, how are you going to factor that into your repairs and renovation of the roads to ensure that we've got the street infrastructure that we need by September next year?
, Climate Change, Environment, and Infrastructure Committee
Bus and rail transport in Wales - evidence session 4
So, what are the alternatives, then? What about joint ventures with private companies, for example—things like the Fflecsi scheme that you've got in rural areas in north Wales? Is that a way forward, if you don't actually have the expertise? What we need is…
, Climate Change, Environment, and Infrastructure Committee
Bus and rail transport in Wales - evidence session 4
Yes, but Cardiff and Newport have managed to achieve that. Why have other local authorities not stepped up to the plate there?
, Climate Change, Environment, and Infrastructure Committee
Bus and rail transport in Wales - evidence session 4
Cardiff and Newport have both been successful investing in electric buses. Why have other local authorities not applied for Department for Transport funding?
, Climate Change, Environment, and Infrastructure Committee
Bus and rail transport in Wales - evidence session 4
Okay, but given the imperative to reduce carbon emissions, what plans do local authorities have to force people to think much more clearly about increasing their use of active travel and public transport?
, Climate Change, Environment, and Infrastructure Committee
Bus and rail transport in Wales - evidence session 4
Okay. There clearly is an opportunity in the rise and rise in fuel costs to get people to rethink the economics of it, but, at the moment, is it the case that taking a journey by car is still cheaper than going on public transport, in the main? And what…
, Climate Change, Environment, and Infrastructure Committee
Bus and rail transport in Wales - evidence session 4
So, you discount the idea of local government differentiating between the different types of cars as a way of getting people to think about that?
, Climate Change, Environment, and Infrastructure Committee
Bus and rail transport in Wales - evidence session 4
Tim Peppin, you were talking about image. So, what can local authorities do to counter the multimillion-pound vehicle industry that will continue to behave like this if we don't do something about it?
, Climate Change, Environment, and Infrastructure Committee
Bus and rail transport in Wales - evidence session 4
Okay. So, just going back to the image problem. Lord Deben, who's the chair of the Climate Change Committee, has advised us that all the benefits that have been achieved in better fuel efficiency in vehicles have been eliminated by this enthusiasm for sports…
