16 July 2024 , Plenary
& 8. The general principles of The Senedd Cymru (Electoral Candidate Lists) Bill and the financial resolution in respect of The Senedd Cymru (Electoral Candidate Lists) Bill
It is very difficult to argue that the voluntary system to deliver gender balance has worked to date. If I remember rightly, there were no women in the Conservative group in 1999. I, like the Chair of the Reform Bill Committee, was disappointed that the…
16 July 2024 , Plenary
Statement by the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care: The Welsh Language and Education (Wales) Bill
In 1949, your own primary school was established, around two miles or so away from the Senedd. And 19 children came together at that school, but, unfortunately, one of the children, John Ellerman, was refused admission as his parents didn’t speak Welsh; 75…
10 July 2024 , Plenary
Plaid Cymru Debate: Devolved powers and funding
The Counsel General has again reiterated the Welsh Government’s commitment to the devolution of justice, while his London-based colleague calls it 'fiddling around'. As Adam Price said, they're rowing back very quickly. There is a wealth of evidence to show…
10 July 2024 , Plenary
Plaid Cymru Debate: Devolved powers and funding
Inter-governmental relations have not been very good during the last few years. I'm sure that the Conservatives here would be ready enough to admit that. Since Brexit, Westminster has worked hard to undermine devolution. There was no consideration of the…
9 July 2024 , Plenary
Statement by the First Minister: The Legislative Programme
I'm sure many of your constituents, Prif Weinidog, will be very pleased to hear that a building safety Bill is to be introduced, but given that seven years have passed since Grenfell and many people are still unable to move on with their lives, when does he…
9 July 2024 , Plenary
Business Statement and Announcement
Could I have two statements, please, Trefnydd, with the first with regard to the proposed closure of Maindy Centre velodrome, the final sporting venue of the 1958 empire games in Cardiff, and a training ground for cyclists such as Geraint Thomas. Maindy park…
8 July 2024 , Petitions Committee
Updates to previous petitions
We can borrow his caravan for the Eisteddfod.
8 July 2024 , Petitions Committee
Updates to previous petitions
Diolch, Cadeirydd. I think this is the second time we've discussed this petition. On the last occasion, we wrote to the Minister with some of the questions raised by the petitioner, and also to await the publication of the consultation on permitted…
8 July 2024 , Petitions Committee
New Petitions
Diolch yn fawr, Gadeirydd. We've received a response from the Cabinet Secretary—a response, I think, we could have maybe written ourselves or certainly have guessed what would be said. He mentions budgetary pressures on organisations and that the decision and…
8 July 2024 , Petitions Committee
New Petitions
Diolch, Gadeirydd. As you note, the petitioners here are trade unions associated with the education sector. A lot has changed since the petition was submitted and closed. We had an oral statement from the Cabinet Secretary for Education on 4 June, which had…
3 July 2024 , Plenary
Member Debate under Standing Order 11.21(iv): Dentistry training
In the absence of basic and fundamental data, I'll provide you with a personal story from my casework. A constituent got in touch this year with concerns, very similar to ones already raised in this debate, and this is a key reason why I'm talking this…
3 July 2024 , Plenary
Member Debate under Standing Order 11.21(iv): Dentistry training
I thank Siân Gwenllian for bringing forward this debate. It is clear from the contributions that have been made already that this is a problem throughout Wales. This afternoon, Cabinet Secretary, I would like to raise one obvious deficiency and also mention…
3 July 2024 , Plenary
90-second Statements
Eirlys Parri, or Eirlys Eckley, was a daughter of Morfa Nefyn, and the magic of the ocean stayed with her throughout the years. 'Cerrig Gleision' was the beautiful name of her home in Cardiff. Eirlys was very prominent in the early days of Welsh television…
2 July 2024 , Plenary
Group 7: Welsh elections information platform (Amendments 17, 18, 31, 1, 32, 33, 34)
Imagine, if you may, that you are a disabled voter in Wales. Let's say you have to use a wheelchair. You go to the polling station to cast your vote, as is your human right, and then you find you can't get up the steps. There's no ramp set up or the lift…
2 July 2024 , Plenary
Questions to the First Minister
Diolch, Prif Weinidog. I'm sure we've all seen here today the contribution at first-hand that people born outside the UK make to social and healthcare here in Wales. As Mike Hedges indicated, over the past few years, I saw a decrease of workers in care homes…
26 June 2024 , Plenary
Plaid Cymru Debate: Wales and the next UK Government
The needs of the people of Wales should be considered by all Whitehall departments whilst making policy decisions. It shouldn’t be an afterthought and it shouldn’t be for one individual to try and remind them. Currently, we are seeing time and time again the…
26 June 2024 , Plenary
Plaid Cymru Debate: Wales and the next UK Government
More recently, courts were closed and prisons were built with no consideration at all given to the real needs of the people of Wales. Welsh women were sent to prisons hundreds of miles away from their homes. And now we are seeing the role’s total failure to…
26 June 2024 , Plenary
Plaid Cymru Debate: Wales and the next UK Government
For too long at Whitehall, Wales has been an afterthought at best. At worst, we have seen utter contempt towards the needs of the people of Wales. George Thomas masterminded that £0.25 million was stolen from the families of Aberfan victims in order to save…
26 June 2024 , Plenary
Plaid Cymru Debate: Wales and the next UK Government
Keir Starmer’s manifesto, and the comments made by members of his shadow Cabinet, strongly suggest that the Welsh Government will again have to dredge the channel for that clear red water. I was initially a little unsure of the call made in the motion to…
26 June 2024 , Plenary
Debate on Petition P-06-1437, 'Increase, don’t cut, funding for the National Library, Amgueddfa Cymru and the Royal Commission'
Amgueddfa Cymru is facing a 10.5 per cent cut, with Cadw and the Royal Commission’s budget falling by 22 per cent. The Wales Heritage Group has said that it would be 'impossible to see an operational future for the RCAHMW following such a severe cut.' The…
26 June 2024 , Plenary
Debate on Petition P-06-1437, 'Increase, don’t cut, funding for the National Library, Amgueddfa Cymru and the Royal Commission'
In January of this year, I had the opportunity to visit Philadelphia. Whilst there, I went to visit Delta in Pennsylvania. There they respected the Welsh heritage: the quarry workers' cottages, a Welsh chapel and cemetery full of gravestones engraved with…
26 June 2024 , Plenary
90-second Statements
In his short story, 'Adrodd Cyfrolau', or 'Speaking Volumes', Jon Gower describes the pleasures of wandering the narrow streets of Pontcanna, the part of Cardiff most redolent of Greenwich Village in New York, and then stumbling across Caban bookshop. The…
25 June 2024 , Plenary
Questions to the Counsel General
Thank you, Counsel General. I'm pleased to hear your aspiration, and I was pleased to read recently, in the annual report for 2023 on the future of Welsh law, that 96 per cent of legislation and Bills in Wales are available in both languages. However, as you…
25 June 2024 , Plenary
Questions to the Counsel General
7. Will the Counsel General provide an update on progress made in ensuring Welsh statutory instruments are available in Welsh and English? OQ61305
24 June 2024 , Petitions Committee
Updates to previous petitions
Diolch yn fawr, Cadeirydd. We're all aware that the sustainable farming scheme has had much publicity over the last few months, and that last month the new Cabinet Secretary announced that the introduction of the scheme will be delayed for a year. The Cabinet…
