, Plenary
Debate: Final report of the Independent Commission on the Constitutional Future of Wales
Thank you very much, acting Dirprwy Lywydd. A quarter of a century ago to this month, some of us in this Chamber were part of the electoral campaign for the first National Assembly for Wales. Election of the first Assembly noted a new period for Wales. For…
, Plenary
Questions to the First Minister
Diolch yn fawr. [Applause.]
, Plenary
Questions to the First Minister
Llywydd, I thank Mabon ap Gwynfor. We come to the end with a very important question for people across the world, and for also the people of Wales with family members in Gaza and who are concerned every day about the events going on there. Of course, we want…
, Plenary
Questions to the First Minister
I thank Mabon ap Gwynfor. Llywydd, where the Welsh Government helps to provide emergency relief, we do so through the work of the Disasters Emergency Committee. Should the committee launch an appeal for assistance for Gaza, I would expect a future Welsh…
, Plenary
Questions to the First Minister
Well, can I thank Sarah Murphy for that question, Llywydd? I thank her for drawing attention to the actions we took as a Government to remove the defence of reasonable chastisement. When I look back over the time I've spent in this Chamber, I think it's one…
, Plenary
Questions to the First Minister
I thank Sarah Murphy, Llywydd. Amongst the many ways in which the Welsh Government supports children and young people in Bridgend is through participation in the democratic process. Sixteen and 17-year-olds, thanks to this Senedd, are able to vote in…
, Plenary
Questions to the First Minister
Well, Llywydd, in the spirit of the afternoon, I remember that the first event that I attended as a Senedd Member following my election was to share a platform with Janet Finch-Saunders. We must have been the last two people out of the lift, because we were…
, Plenary
Questions to the First Minister
Dirprwy Lywydd, I did think of referring this question to Liz Truss—[Laughter.]—but, not having had a reply, I'll say that my advice to my successor is to be bold, to use his time as First Minister, as I know he will, to do those ambitious, energetic and…
, Plenary
Questions to the First Minister
Well, Dirprwy Lywydd, I was disappointed that the current Secretary of State for Wales didn't sign that letter. He'd agreed to sign it jointly, in a meeting we'd had only a few days before the letter was issued, and I think his predecessor would have done…
, Plenary
Questions to the First Minister
Well, I thank Joel James for what he said, Dirprwy Lywydd, but actually I think coal tip remediation is an opportunity as far as biodiversity is concerned, in much the same way as James Evans asked me about opportunities that come from metal mine restoration…
, Plenary
Questions to the First Minister
Well, Dirprwy Lywydd, I thank Buffy Williams very much for that supplementary question. Anyone brought up in the Labour movement and anyone brought up in the Rhondda will be shaped by the history of coal mining in Wales. Dirprwy Lywydd, I vividly remember I…
, Plenary
Questions to the First Minister
Llywydd, to date, the Welsh Government has provided to Rhondda Cynon Taf over £16 million through coal tip safety grant schemes, including over £10 million of funding for the remediation of the Tylorstown tip. We remain committed to ensuring our coal…
, Plenary
Questions to the First Minister
Well, I thank Mike Hedges very much for that. Personally, I agree quite strongly with his first point that, sometimes in this area, you can think you are doing something that benefits the venue itself only to find out that all you've actually done is put…
, Plenary
Questions to the First Minister
Well, I thank Sam Kurtz for that important question. I think I need to be clear that it was a live performance of Calendar Girls, featuring some very brave artists, I felt. [Laughter.] Anyway, it was not my only visit to the hall, and I hope to be there…
, Plenary
Questions to the First Minister
I thank the Member for that, Dirprwy Lywydd. Creative Wales works with the commercial music sector providing support for grass-roots venues, rehearsal spaces, recording studios and others. This has included sponsoring events at Welsh venues and direct funding…
, Plenary
Questions to the First Minister
Well, Dirprwy Lywydd, I sometimes worry for Mr Giffard. [Laughter.] I think he deserved some better guidance from his colleagues than this question would suggest is available to him. Llywydd, I am hugely proud of the fact that, here in Wales, we are at the…
, Plenary
Questions to the First Minister
Speed limits are set by councils for local roads and Welsh Government for trunk roads. A default 20 mph speed limit on roads in built-up areas agreed by this Senedd has seen drivers complying and speeds reducing. This will save lives.
, Plenary
Questions to the First Minister
Let me simply say this: I was elected to the Senedd on the same day as the Member for Cardiff South and Penarth, and we've always represented parts of this great city. We were placed on the health committee together in those very early days. We have worked…
, Plenary
Questions to the First Minister
Just to be clear, for the record, that a contact from a Labour First Minister of Wales to the leader of the UK Labour Party will always be influential and will always be consequential. What you don't want to do is to devalue the currency of those calls by…
, Plenary
Questions to the First Minister
I've spoken on many platforms within my own party, Llywydd, and it's been a repeated mantra of mine to people who devote their leisure hours to working for the Labour Party that we have to earn every vote that comes our way. We never take a single vote for…
, Plenary
Questions to the First Minister
Thank you very much to the leader of the opposition for that question. I feel a lot for my successor in the burden of advice that people would like to come his way. Let me say, in opening, that I absolutely have never doubted the commitment that the leader of…
, Plenary
Questions to the First Minister
I think I can give a very genuine assurance that, if something similar were to happen in the future, we would be better prepared. I think the globe would be better prepared, because some of those things that were so challenging during the earliest months of…
, Plenary
Questions to the First Minister
I thank the leader of the opposition for those important questions. I look forward to exchanges on other matters with him later in the afternoon. The news from Port Talbot is very serious and very difficult for those people who are already facing such a…
, Plenary
Questions to the First Minister
Can I thank Carolyn Thomas for that? She's absolutely right to point to the fact that there are colleagues in every part of this Chamber who themselves take part in international work through their membership of inter-parliamentary bodies or some other forums…
, Plenary
Questions to the First Minister
I thank Delyth Jewell for that question. I should preface my answer, Dirprwy Lywydd, by saying that we have always enjoyed, on the ground and in practical terms, excellent relationships with the foreign office and its facilities in other parts of the world…
