Welsh Labour

Speeches and questions

Speeches and questions in Plenary and in committees, newest first. The Llywydd's and deputies' chairing of Plenary is left out.

5,848 speeches and questions

26 February 2024Equality and Social Justice Committee
Governance of fire and rescue services: evidence session with the Deputy Minister for Social Partnership and Chief Fire Adviser
Okay. I understand the south Wales fire and rescue service and WAST jointly manage community responder services. Could you just explain what that involves? That was a reference in the Williams report.
26 February 2024Equality and Social Justice Committee
Governance of fire and rescue services: evidence session with the Deputy Minister for Social Partnership and Chief Fire Adviser
Mr Stephens.
26 February 2024Equality and Social Justice Committee
Governance of fire and rescue services: evidence session with the Deputy Minister for Social Partnership and Chief Fire Adviser
I would agree with Mr Stephens. Minister, you've already said, in response to Ken Skates, that it's not appropriate for a role for the police and crime commissioners in the future of the fire and rescue services, not until and unless policing were to be…
26 February 2024Equality and Social Justice Committee
Governance of fire and rescue services: evidence session with the Deputy Minister for Social Partnership and Chief Fire Adviser
Okay. Sioned.
26 February 2024Equality and Social Justice Committee
Governance of fire and rescue services: evidence session with the Deputy Minister for Social Partnership and Chief Fire Adviser
Okay. And would you accept that, after five years of your involvement and at least 10 years of concerns being raised about the governance structures in fire and rescue services, no change is not an option?
26 February 2024Equality and Social Justice Committee
Governance of fire and rescue services: evidence session with the Deputy Minister for Social Partnership and Chief Fire Adviser
Okay. I just want to come back to the fire and rescue services. You've spent considerable time, over the last five years, trying to take people with you on improving the governance arrangements in fire and rescue services. In the meantime, the culture review…
26 February 2024Equality and Social Justice Committee
Governance of fire and rescue services: evidence session with the Deputy Minister for Social Partnership and Chief Fire Adviser
Thank you. Altaf Hussain.
26 February 2024Equality and Social Justice Committee
Governance of fire and rescue services: evidence session with the Deputy Minister for Social Partnership and Chief Fire Adviser
Okay. Jane, did you have any other further—?
26 February 2024Equality and Social Justice Committee
Governance of fire and rescue services: evidence session with the Deputy Minister for Social Partnership and Chief Fire Adviser
Okay. Thank you.
26 February 2024Equality and Social Justice Committee
Governance of fire and rescue services: evidence session with the Deputy Minister for Social Partnership and Chief Fire Adviser
Sorry, could you just clarify: who is this person, and appointed by who?
26 February 2024Equality and Social Justice Committee
Governance of fire and rescue services: evidence session with the Deputy Minister for Social Partnership and Chief Fire Adviser
Okay. Well, maybe that's something that needs looking at, because, clearly, there has been stuff going on that hasn't been flagged up in the way that it should have been. Jane Dodds.
26 February 2024Equality and Social Justice Committee
Governance of fire and rescue services: evidence session with the Deputy Minister for Social Partnership and Chief Fire Adviser
So, are you saying that you weren't aware of them before that process existed?
26 February 2024Equality and Social Justice Committee
Governance of fire and rescue services: evidence session with the Deputy Minister for Social Partnership and Chief Fire Adviser
Okay.
26 February 2024Equality and Social Justice Committee
Governance of fire and rescue services: evidence session with the Deputy Minister for Social Partnership and Chief Fire Adviser
Thank you. I just wanted to pick up on your remark that there's a need for a blended form of governance, because, at the end of the day, whatever governance structure there is in place, people who serve on it have got to be corporately responsible for the…
26 February 2024Equality and Social Justice Committee
Governance of fire and rescue services: evidence session with the Deputy Minister for Social Partnership and Chief Fire Adviser
Can I now ask Ken Skates to come in, please?
26 February 2024Equality and Social Justice Committee
Governance of fire and rescue services: evidence session with the Deputy Minister for Social Partnership and Chief Fire Adviser
Thank you. Over to Sioned Williams.
26 February 2024Equality and Social Justice Committee
Governance of fire and rescue services: evidence session with the Deputy Minister for Social Partnership and Chief Fire Adviser
Thank you. Can I now move on to ask Sarah Murphy to raise some questions?
26 February 2024Equality and Social Justice Committee
Governance of fire and rescue services: evidence session with the Deputy Minister for Social Partnership and Chief Fire Adviser
But you must have been in contact with the fire and rescue services as part of your day-to-day role, surely.
26 February 2024Equality and Social Justice Committee
Governance of fire and rescue services: evidence session with the Deputy Minister for Social Partnership and Chief Fire Adviser
—at that point.
26 February 2024Equality and Social Justice Committee
Governance of fire and rescue services: evidence session with the Deputy Minister for Social Partnership and Chief Fire Adviser
Okay, but you weren't aware of any issues—
26 February 2024Equality and Social Justice Committee
Governance of fire and rescue services: evidence session with the Deputy Minister for Social Partnership and Chief Fire Adviser
Okay. Liz Lalley, just before I pass the questioning on to other Members, what was your role in advising the Minister on potential issues arising from the failure to have reformed the governance structure when Hannah Blythyn came into post?
26 February 2024Equality and Social Justice Committee
Governance of fire and rescue services: evidence session with the Deputy Minister for Social Partnership and Chief Fire Adviser
Okay. So, you weren’t aware of any of these problems prior to the end of 2022?
26 February 2024Equality and Social Justice Committee
Governance of fire and rescue services: evidence session with the Deputy Minister for Social Partnership and Chief Fire Adviser
Well, I’d very much like to hear from Mr Stephens, because, clearly, the Minister has told us that she wasn’t aware of these causes for concern prior to the ITV report. Obviously, it’s your role to advise the Minister on this, and as somebody who is a…
26 February 2024Equality and Social Justice Committee
Governance of fire and rescue services: evidence session with the Deputy Minister for Social Partnership and Chief Fire Adviser
Yes.
26 February 2024Equality and Social Justice Committee
Governance of fire and rescue services: evidence session with the Deputy Minister for Social Partnership and Chief Fire Adviser
But all these partnership arrangements and conversations that have happened over the last five years simply haven't produced the radical reform that is needed, given that it is not down to local councillors to be second-guessing what is the best operational…