, Children, Young People, and Education Committee
Welsh Government Draft Budget 2024-25 - evidence session 1
Thank you. And for my final question, I apologise, Deputy Minister, because you did a great job of separating out Flying Start from the childcare offer earlier, but I'm afraid I'm going to lump them together for my final question, to ask: for both of those of…
, Children, Young People, and Education Committee
Welsh Government Draft Budget 2024-25 - evidence session 1
Thank you. My final set of questions are on child poverty, which we've certainly been hearing a lot about in the Chamber this week. We know that children are more likely to be living in poverty than any other age group, and that 28 per cent of children in…
, Children, Young People, and Education Committee
Welsh Government Draft Budget 2024-25 - evidence session 1
Thank you for that clarification—
, Children, Young People, and Education Committee
Welsh Government Draft Budget 2024-25 - evidence session 1
Thank you. And in terms of ambition, moving forward, would you be perhaps making a case for it to be used to widen the scope of the childcare offered to age nine months, as is currently the case in England, or perhaps to make the case for expanding…
, Children, Young People, and Education Committee
Welsh Government Draft Budget 2024-25 - evidence session 1
Thank you. Moving on, then, to childcare consequentials, next year there'll be an £11.2 million reduction in allocations for childcare due to a lack of take-up, and there is £140 million childcare Barnett consequential for 2024-25 that we understand is not…
, Children, Young People, and Education Committee
Welsh Government Draft Budget 2024-25 - evidence session 1
Thank you. And just to make sure we're crystal clear as a committee, you're saying, then, that this is all part of the work to further rationalise grants, as referred to in your paper. There's no suggestion that these funding streams are ending.
, Children, Young People, and Education Committee
Welsh Government Draft Budget 2024-25 - evidence session 1
Thank you, Deputy Minister. That's quite reassuring, particularly in respect of Flying Start, which is such an important programme. Secondly, what did the £3.173 million transferred from budget expenditure line 311, on support for childcare and play, and BEL…
, Children, Young People, and Education Committee
Welsh Government Draft Budget 2024-25 - evidence session 1
Thank you, Chair, and good morning to all three Ministers. My questions will be to the Deputy Minister for Social Services. Firstly, on the subject of the children and communities grant and Flying Start, we know now that, next year, the overall children and…
, Plenary
Debate on the Equality and Social Justice Committee Report, 'Calling time on child poverty: how Wales can do better'
My thanks to the committee for producing this thought-provoking piece of work. It's so vital that we don't take our eye off the ball in the campaign to eliminate child poverty, and it's really important that we take stock of where we are, monitor progress and…
, Plenary
Questions to the Minister for Economy
Minister, in the run-up to Christmas, Aberdare business improvement district put on an exciting programme of events to encourage people into the town centre. Key to this were interventions to promote the fantastic small businesses that we have in the town…
, Plenary
Statement by the Deputy Minister for Social Partnership: South Wales Fire and Rescue Service review of culture and values
Thank you, Deputy Minister, for your statement here today. I am glad to hear that you are taking the findings of this independent review so seriously. The report made for absolutely shocking reading, and it is clear, as you say, that a long process of reform…
, Plenary
Questions to the First Minister
Thank you, First Minister. I must say that I found Fenella Morris KC's culture review into the South Wales Fire and Rescue Service to be a very sobering read indeed. Despite the serious deficiencies evidenced, we must remember that the review's findings do…
, Plenary
Questions to the First Minister
8. Will the First Minister set out the Welsh Government’s response to the Independent Culture Review into the South Wales Fire and Rescue Service? OQ60485
, Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee
General Ministerial Scrutiny: Minister for Economy
Thank you, Minister. Thank you, Chair.
, Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee
General Ministerial Scrutiny: Minister for Economy
Thank you. And a final question from me: you talked there about the importance of creating the floor space within the Valleys and units of the right size as well, would that be the main thing that you've learnt from the Tech Valleys programme, or would there…
, Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee
General Ministerial Scrutiny: Minister for Economy
Thank you. I'd like to move on to the Tech Valleys programme now. Your paper highlights that the Tech Valleys programme has helped to create sufficient floor space for 600 potential jobs in Blaenau Gwent and the wider Valleys communities. Can I ask when you…
, Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee
General Ministerial Scrutiny: Minister for Economy
Thank you. And in terms of those freeports and investment zones, we know also—it was announced in the autumn statement—that there is a £150 million investment opportunity for those, and you seemed to suggest in your previous answer you haven't had discussions…
, Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee
General Ministerial Scrutiny: Minister for Economy
Thank you. And in terms of the time frame, would you like to see the time frame for the Welsh zones increase from five years to 10 years, as has been announced in England?
, Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee
General Ministerial Scrutiny: Minister for Economy
Thank you, Chair. Good morning, Minister. Firstly, I've got a question for you around the two new investment zones that will be coming to Wales. They were announced by the UK Government last month. So, what are the next steps in taking these forward, and when…
, Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee
General Ministerial Scrutiny: Minister for Rural Affairs and North Wales, and Trefnydd
It does, yes. Thank you very much, Minister, for that clarification and that update. Thank you, Chair.
, Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee
General Ministerial Scrutiny: Minister for Rural Affairs and North Wales, and Trefnydd
Thank you, Minister. I know it's an issue that is of concern up and down Wales, so thank you for that update. My final question is on 'Our Animal Welfare Plan for Wales 2021-2026'. Dr Irvine told the committee that work has started to evaluate that plan in…
, Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee
General Ministerial Scrutiny: Minister for Rural Affairs and North Wales, and Trefnydd
Thank you for that update, Minister. And if I can move on to responsible dog ownership next, and I know that you recently held a multi-agency summit on that. Could you give us some reflections on that summit and the next steps, please?
, Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee
General Ministerial Scrutiny: Minister for Rural Affairs and North Wales, and Trefnydd
Diolch, Cadeirydd. Good morning, Minister. You won't be surprised to know that my questions to you this morning are on animal welfare. And firstly, with regard to the Animal Welfare (Kept Animals) Bill that was unfortunately withdrawn from the UK Parliament…
, Plenary
90-second Statements
Later this month we will be celebrating the hundred and twentieth anniversary of the birth of Jethro Gough. Born in Woodland Street, Mountain Ash, Jethro studied at the Welsh National School of Medicine. He was a first-rate student, achieving distinctions in…
, Plenary
Questions to the Minister for Rural Affairs and North Wales, and Trefnydd
Thank you, Minister. I'd like to start by offering a few words of thanks to all those Members who came along to the well-attended event that I sponsored for the League Against Cruel Sports the other week. The drop-in highlighted the awful suffering inflicted…
