Thank you, Llywydd. There has been a lot of attention recently on the legacy of industrial contamination in Wales and its devastating impact on local communities and the environment. But this week's shocking news demonstrates that it's not just an issue from our past that we're dealing with, but something from our present too. Can the Cabinet Minister confirm that you're working closely with the Cabinet Minister for health and with Public Health Wales on providing assurance to residents across my constituency of Caerdydd Penarth impacted by this leak?
Sorry. And does the Welsh Government reaffirm its stance on the polluter-pays principle, ensuring that those responsible bear the cost of addressing its remediation?
Diolch, Lywydd. Over the last few months, as Wales experienced its hottest summer on record, it became hard to deny that extreme climate conditions are, sadly, becoming our new normal. As a result, many of us will be looking to make more sustainable choices in the hopes of helping to minimise the devastating effects of climate change.
One change I would encourage everyone to make is to prioritise using public transport over cars wherever possible. Taking a train instead of a car for medium-length distances can reduce journey emissions by 80 per cent. It seems like an obvious choice. However, access to public transport itself can be limited by climate change. We have all seen snowfall, heat or high winds bring transport services to a standstill.
How will the Minister ensure that, while we continue to build a more resilient transport infrastructure, all forms of public transport in Wales are effectively connected so that, even in adverse conditions, there's always an option available to those who wish to use it?
4. Pa drafodaethau y mae'r Gweinidog Cabinet wedi'u cael gyda Gweinidog y Cabinet dros Gyllid ynglŷn â chyflawni blaenoriaeth y Llywodraeth o weithio i wella lefelau caffael lleol? OQ64638
Official English translation
4. What discussions has the Cabinet Minister had with the Cabinet Minister for Finance about delivering the Government's priority of working to improve levels of local procurement? OQ64638
Thank you. I understand the importance of small businesses across the region being offered the opportunity to grow. Such growth in small businesses is critical to Wales for expanding employment opportunities and in terms of improving their productivity. I see local procurement as one such area of opportunity we should be encouraging and supporting. Therefore, how is your department tracking data to ensure that small and medium-sized businesses are successfully winning local contracts?
Congestion in Cardiff is a real problem, and thank you, Cai, for raising this matter and giving me a minute to speak on it. It does not only affect motorists, but also public transport users and cyclists. Bus services are particularly susceptible to the effects of traffic congestion. Any delays can increase operating costs and lead to higher fares.
Congestion is a space-efficiency problem. We need to encourage the use of public transport, walking and cycling, but we need to make them the most convenient option first. Some people wish they could use public transport, but it is not available to them. I was speaking to one of our cleaning staff in the Senedd, this same building. They start work at 6 a.m. in the morning. The availability of public transport across Cardiff at that time of the morning is nearly non-existent, yet they are expected to arrive on time and have to use a car to fulfil their work obligations. A car is the only safe way for them to travel, especially as we head into darker mornings and worse weather over the winter period. I can also relate this scenario to shift workers, such as in our hospitals. Similarly, we know that more people will choose to walk and cycle short distances within the city if they feel safe from traffic.
These are issues I know are a concern to people within my constituency and across Cardiff, but I strongly suspect that there are issues across Wales that are impacted by a range of service issues. Congestion is an issue, but we should take a holistic look across Wales and make sure we understand the problems to overcome, but also where we have opportunities to exploit. Thank you.
7. Sut mae'r Gweinidog Cabinet yn gweithio ar draws adrannau Llywodraeth Cymru i weithredu'r saith nod llesiant a nodir yn fframwaith llesiant cenedlaethau'r dyfodol? OQ64385
Official English translation
7. How is the Cabinet Minister working across Welsh Government departments to implement the seven well-being goals set out in the well-being of future generations framework? OQ64385
Thank you. Active travel as a preventative health measure is to be encouraged within communities. This also plays across a number of well-being goals, such as a healthier Wales, a Wales of cohesive communities and a globally responsible Wales. Will such activity be included in the proposals to improve measurable outcomes of our well-being goals to help assess the impacts of such measures?
Diolch, Ddirprwy Lywydd. I welcome this statement today. In Cardiff, the consequences of decades of underinvestment in rail infrastructure are all too evident. That is why I welcome the progress made since the devolution of the core Valleys lines, which has enabled significant improvements to be delivered across the network.
For too long, disabled people in my constituency have faced unacceptable barriers when using our rail network. The lack of lifts and step-free access has forced passengers to take lengthy detours, while alternative routes remain inaccessible for many wheelchair users. I am pleased that work has finally begun on an accessible footbridge at Cathays station. However, campaigners have been calling for these improvements since the 1990s. Surely, this is proof that, when Wales has greater control of its rail network, we can better address the needs of our communities.
For years, Plaid Cymru has argued that rail infrastructure and its corresponding funding is fully devolved to Wales, and permit projects like HS2 to be reclassified as an England-only project. If that were to happen, Wales could receive billions of pounds in consequential funding—money that could transform rail connectivity and accessibility across our country. Given that Welsh taxpayers are helping to fund a project that does not enter Wales, and given ongoing concerns that the economic benefit will be felt elsewhere, what pressure is the Deputy Minister putting on the UK Government to secure the fair funding settlement that Wales deserves?
4. Sut mae'r Gweinidog Cabinet yn gweithio gyda'r Gweinidog Cabinet dros Iechyd a Gofal i gefnogi elusennau a sefydliadau trydydd sector ym meysydd chwaraeon, diwylliant a'r celfyddydau i hyrwyddo'r agenda iechyd ataliol? OQ64225
Official English translation
4. How is the Cabinet Minister working with the Cabinet Minister for Health and Care to support charities and third sector organisations in the fields of sport, culture, and the arts in advancing the preventative health agenda? OQ64225
Thank you. I am very conscious of the diversity within my community and that addressing the needs might need multiple avenues of support and help. I am also aware that charities have played a crucial role in the services they deliver in support of preventative health. I am keen to engage with my community and the charities involved to help identify what is currently working or not working. Would the Minister welcome the feedback and evidence I gather in support of the review she is undertaking?
I thank the Member for bringing to the debate the sharp inequalities we face within our constituencies. As mentioned, the issue of inequalities in life expectancy is complex, but one significant contributor is often overlooked. Social isolation and loneliness remain mostly absent from how we measure and respond to health inequalities, despite its significant contribution to premature mortality and shorter life expectancy. There is strong evidence of an association between loneliness and reduced life expectancy. In the last national survey for Wales, where data on loneliness was collected, more than 12 per cent of people in Cardiff reported feeling lonely.
If we are serious about tackling health inequalities, we must consider not only the individuals, but the health of our communities as a whole. Strong communities provide connection, support and a sense of belonging, all of which play an important role in improving well-being and reducing health inequalities. Diolch.
Thank you. Rents in Wales are rising well ahead of wages, with private rents increasing by 8.7 per cent across the country, and even higher in Cardiff, leaving many households vulnerable to debt and poverty. At the same time, UK Government policies, such as the Warm Homes programme, include the mandatory move towards energy performance certificate C requirements for all private rented homes by 2030. This will inevitably add further cost pressures on landlords, costs that tenants are already worried will simply be passed on through higher rents. This is compounded by the reduction in the cost cap available to landlords to carry out necessary upgrades, raising serious questions about how deliverable these standards are in practice within the Welsh private rented sector. Given this, will the Welsh Government work with the UK Government to urgently seek clarity on how landlords are realistically expected to fund and deliver these improvements without further driving up rents for tenants in Wales?
Thank you. Poverty in Wales has remained largely unchanged for a decade, emphasising the need to improve children's life chances through stronger early years support. Accessible, high-quality childcare can boost development while also enabling parents on low incomes to work. We know that poverty is highest among minority ethnic groups, disabled people, carers, renters and those facing labour-market barriers, particularly migrant families in insecure, low-paid work. I therefore welcome a Plaid Cymru Government focused on supporting families into work and helping children to thrive. Could the Cabinet Minister provide an update on the timeline for establishing the taskforce of the scheme's first phase?
5. Pa gamau y bydd Llywodraeth Cymru yn eu cymryd i godi safonau addysg i bawb, er mwyn sicrhau bod pob plentyn yn cael mynediad at addysg o ansawdd uchel ym mhob ysgol? OQ64081
Official English translation
5. What steps will the Welsh Government take to raise education standards for all to ensure that every child has access to high-quality learning in every school? OQ64081
Thank you. In recent weeks, I've spoken with many parents across my constituency in Cardiff who are worried about falling standards in literacy and numeracy, and the increasing challenges teachers face in supporting pupils with additional learning needs. Many parents simply want reassurance that their child will receive the funding, support and opportunities they deserve, and that goes for children attending Welsh-medium and English-medium schools. How will the First Minister turn his mission of improving standards and supporting every school community into action, to give all children in Wales the best possible start in life?