, Climate Change, Environment, and Infrastructure Committee
Restoration of opencast mining sites - evidence session 1
Mr Banton, one of the things that I think members of the public are concerned about in the Ffos-y-fran context, but sometimes more generally, is whether public authorities, such as the Coal Authority, are able to act quickly enough and effectively enough when…
, Climate Change, Environment, and Infrastructure Committee
Restoration of opencast mining sites - evidence session 1
Thank you very much. I think I saw in a separate note that the technical working group had met on five occasions at the point that the note was prepared and, at three of those, the operator had been in attendance. So, that looks as though it is at least…
, Climate Change, Environment, and Infrastructure Committee
Restoration of opencast mining sites - evidence session 1
In the correspondence, and in the Coal Authority's actions around Ffos-y-fran, I think there were a couple of suggestions that the authority made around a joint technical working group and an incident response team. I wonder if you could just help the…
, Climate Change, Environment, and Infrastructure Committee
Restoration of opencast mining sites - evidence session 1
Thank you. So, as you told us earlier, the primary responsibilities in this area, including the legal obligations, lie with the local authority, and the purpose of the letter was to alert the Welsh Government to the Coal Authority's concerns as to how…
, Climate Change, Environment, and Infrastructure Committee
Restoration of opencast mining sites - evidence session 1
So, it wouldn't be an unfair summary to say that we're not so much short of knowledge as just short of money to do anything about the knowledge that we have. Turning to Ffos-y-fran—and thank you for the things you've said already—the Coal Authority wrote a…
, Climate Change, Environment, and Infrastructure Committee
Restoration of opencast mining sites - evidence session 1
So, an effort could be devoted to a better and more up-to-date assessment of the problem, but we couldn't be confident that a better assessment would lead to any different action, given the state of resources available to local authorities in discharging…
, Climate Change, Environment, and Infrastructure Committee
Restoration of opencast mining sites - evidence session 1
Thank you. I wanted to follow up a point that the Chair put to you about a new independent assessment of the state of opencast mines that have come to an end and how well they've been remediated, and. You said you thought that would be a useful exercise. Is…
, Climate Change, Environment, and Infrastructure Committee
Restoration of opencast mining sites - evidence session 1
A previous Secretary of State indicated that the UK Government was to review the remit of the Coal Authority in the light of the climate emergency. To your knowledge, has that review ever taken place?
, Climate Change, Environment, and Infrastructure Committee
Restoration of opencast mining sites - evidence session 1
The Welsh Government's policy is to minimise the extraction of fossil fuel resources in the future. Does that cause a difficulty for the Coal Authority in operating effectively in Wales—that you have a legislative obligation to do one thing, which is in…
, Climate Change, Environment, and Infrastructure Committee
Restoration of opencast mining sites - evidence session 1
Sure. The UK Government's remit for the Coal Authority is to maximise the extraction of available coal resources, isn't it?
, Climate Change, Environment, and Infrastructure Committee
Restoration of opencast mining sites - evidence session 1
Bore da. I'll just begin by thanking the Coal Authority for the very important work that's continuing to be carried out in the wider field of coal tip safety here in Wales. My questions are primarily to follow up some of the things you've already told us…
, Plenary
Nomination of the First Minister under Standing Order 8
Vaughan Gething.
, Plenary
Nomination of the First Minister under Standing Order 8
I nominate Vaughan Gething.
, Plenary
Statement by the First Minister: Resignation Statement
Thank you very much to you all. [Applause.]
, Plenary
Statement by the First Minister: Resignation Statement
I sat in the back there, as Andrew R.T. has said; I sat next door to Gwyn Price, a wonderful colleague. I was thinking of Gwyn only last week during Cheltenham Festival week, because Gwyn's dedicated interest in who had won the 3.45 at Market Rasen kept us…
, Plenary
Statement by the First Minister: Resignation Statement
Dirprwy Lywydd, diolch yn fawr. Well, what can I say, really? Just 'thank you' to everybody for the generosity of what you've said, and for the touching nature of it. Thank you for reminding us of some other friends. I was hugely privileged to have that…
, Plenary
Statement by the First Minister: Resignation Statement
For me, personally, the last 12 months have been the hardest and the saddest of my life, and people will not see beyond the Chamber those small acts of kindness that happen every day, from people in every part of this Chamber, that help someone to get through…
, Plenary
Statement by the First Minister: Resignation Statement
Dirprwy Lywydd, the advice to any performer is always to leave them wanting more. [Laughter.] After this afternoon, everybody here will be looking forward to hearing quite a bit less from me, I'm sure of that. It was just before Christmas in 2018, though, I…
, Plenary
Statement by the First Minister: Resignation Statement
Dirprwy Lywydd, thank you very much. Later this evening, I will submit my resignation as First Minister of Wales to the King. As I make this final statement to the Senedd, I will have been speaking almost continuously this afternoon since this session started…
, Plenary
Debate: Final report of the Independent Commission on the Constitutional Future of Wales
Well, if the Member were to come forward with a proposition to exclude any councillor in Wales who was elected on a plurality below a certain percentage, we would be able to listen to it, but, of course, he won't, because he makes a simply mistaken argument…
, Plenary
Debate: Final report of the Independent Commission on the Constitutional Future of Wales
It's been a very interesting debate to listen to. I thank everybody who's taken part in it. We heard only one contribution from the Conservative benches. You won't be surprised that I was disappointed at it. I was sorry that Mark Isherwood and his colleagues…
, Plenary
Debate: Final report of the Independent Commission on the Constitutional Future of Wales
Well, thank you very much, Dirprwy Lywydd. Thank you to everyone who has contributed to the debate.
, Plenary
Debate: Final report of the Independent Commission on the Constitutional Future of Wales
I want to close my final debate in this Senedd as First Minister by thanking the co-chairs, Laura McAllister and Rowan Williams, and all the members of the commission, for this comprehensive and authoritative report. This is a vital contribution to our…
, Plenary
Debate: Final report of the Independent Commission on the Constitutional Future of Wales
Laura McAllister, one of the commission’s co-chairs, has argued that the separation of constitutional reform from public policy delivery is a deliberate one, and it’s certainly one that disguises the significance of the constitutional foundation of the public…
, Plenary
Debate: Final report of the Independent Commission on the Constitutional Future of Wales
Our devolution journey has progressed markedly over the course of those 25 years. This is now a law-making, tax-raising Parliament, as successive Welsh Acts have expanded the devolution settlement. What was once an Assembly is now a Senedd. We are currently…
