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675 contributions on record. Newest first, by sitting day. Page 6 of 19. Counted by Siambr

  1. on the clip

    2. Questions to the First Minister

    Welsh First Minister of Wales

    Mae pob corff cyhoeddus yn gyfrifol ei hun am gydymffurfio efo Deddf Rhyddid Gwybodaeth 2000 a rheoliad cyffredinol y Deyrnas Unedig ar ddiogelu data. Mae Llywodraeth Cymru yn cefnogi arfer da drwy ymgysylltu efo cyrff cyhoeddus, tra’n cydnabod ac yn adnabod bod cydymffurfio yn cael ei oruchwylio’n annibynnol, ac yn cael ei rymuso gan Swyddfa'r Comisiynydd Gwybodaeth.

    Official English translation

    Each public body is responsible for its own compliance with the Freedom of Information Act 2000 and the UK general data protection regulation. The Welsh Government supports good practice through engagement with public bodies, while recognising that compliance is independently overseen and enforced by the Information Commissioner’s Office.

    Watch in chamber Senedd TV Record

  2. on the clip

    2. Questions to the First Minister

    English First Minister of Wales

    As I explained in my initial answer, there is no role for Welsh Government to enforce when it comes to other public bodies in Wales. Every public body itself is responsible for its own compliance with the requirements of the Act, in this respect. It is something that my Government considers to be very important: we take very seriously our own responsibilities under the Act; we perform well according to our responsibilities under the Act. But it is, under that Act, the duty of every public body to make sure that they adhere to the requirements put on them by the Information Commissioner's Office.

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  3. on the clip

    2. Questions to the First Minister

    English First Minister of Wales

    Well, the actions are actions that can be taken by the Information Commissioner's Office—that is what is spelt out by the Act. I again emphasise that this is something that we consider to be very important in terms of public life in Wales, and that is why we do promote good practice, through engagement with public bodies across the board in Wales. But, ultimately, this is a question around an non-devolved issue that has to be addressed to the ICO itself.

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  4. on the clip

    2. Questions to the First Minister

    English First Minister of Wales

    We have delivered our first 100 days commitment to commission a review of the local government funding formula. Independent research by the Wales Centre for Public Policy, which has been commissioned, complements also an extensive programme of work already under way with local government to review the formula and ensure that it better reflects the real cost of delivering services in different parts of Wales.

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  5. on the clip

    2. Questions to the First Minister

    English First Minister of Wales

    I'm grateful for the question, from somebody who held a local government ministerial role and who, in fact, instigated work on looking at the formula. Because there is a sense that, somehow, there needs to be a refining of it, and that refinement needs to take place on a number of different levels. There are issues of deprivation that are predominantly urban in nature, there are issues of deprivation that are predominantly rural in nature, and there are issues of deprivation that are equally relevant to both. What I think is positive in taking this view, which the previous administration also supported, is that we work with local government. There is local government engagement and support for this work that is going on, because, surely, it's a principle that should be important to all of us, that knowing that when Welsh public money, through Welsh Government, is spent, it's spent in a way that is equitable wherever people are.

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  6. on the clip

    2. Questions to the First Minister

    English First Minister of Wales

    The Member reflects concerns that no doubt exist right across local government in Wales, and they are concerns that we mirror in Government too. Absolutely, nearly 20 years now of cuts—they used to call it 'austerity', but let's call it what it is—cuts by UK Government, successive Conservative and Labour Governments, have led to the situation where, yes indeed, we are asked to do more with less. What's important to me is that we as a Government work very, very closely with local government, which my Cabinet Minister for local government does day in, day out, recognising the pressures that do exist, taking into consideration always how the decisions and actions and ambitions of this Government do place responsibilities not just on the Welsh Government itself, but on our partners throughout Wales. It is very much a consideration that we bring in to the core of decisions around policy, around spending, because we recognise that, across public life in Wales, be it Welsh Government or local government, these years of cuts are taking their toll. It is by working together cleverly that we can try to work through that on behalf of the people that we represent.

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  7. on the clip

    2. Questions to the First Minister

    Welsh First Minister of Wales

    Mae'r Aelod yn hollol iawn. Mae'r gwendid sylfaenol yna yn y model yn gwneud penderfyniadau gwariant, p'un ai ar gyfer ardaloedd trefol neu wledig, yn anghymesur o annheg. Mae'n sicr yn wir y gall cymunedau gwledig wynebu costau a heriau ychwanegol wrth ddarparu gwasanaethau cyhoeddus. Mae'r adolygiad sydd yn digwydd rŵan yn ystyried teneurwydd poblogaeth ac elfen wledig cymdeithas ochr yn ochr ag amddifadedd a phwysau ehangach ar wasanaethau. Beth rydyn ni eisiau ei wneud ydy cadw strwythur mewn lle sydd yn adlewyrchu angen go iawn, a sicrhau bod Cymru gyfan yn gallu cael ymddiriedaeth yn yr hyn rydyn ni'n ei wneud o ran penderfyniadau gwariant mewn Llywodraeth.

    Official English translation

    The Member is entirely right. That fundamental weakness in the model makes expenditure decisions, whether for urban or rural areas, disproportionately unfair. It's certainly true that rural communities can face additional costs and challenges in providing public services. The review that's ongoing is considering population sparsity and the rural element of society alongside deprivation and broader pressures on services. What we want to do is to keep a structure in place that reflects real need, and ensure that the whole of Wales can have trust in what we're doing in terms of expenditure decisions within Government.

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  8. on the clip

    2. Questions to the First Minister

    English First Minister of Wales

    It's very important that local authorities are able to make their own decisions on local taxation. I know I have never met a local councillor or a leader of a council who wants to raise council tax in a way that impacts their constituents more than is absolutely necessary. We made a decision around the deal on the budget with the previous Government that absolutely reflected the need to minimise council tax increases, in making sure that we were able to negotiate an agreement that made sure that there was a minimum 4 per cent uplift in order to limit council tax increases. Those decisions are best left for local representatives. That's an important principle.

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  9. on the clip

    2. Questions to the First Minister

    English First Minister of Wales

    I am grateful to the Member for drawing attention to the response at RAF Valley to the accident last week. I immediately contacted, through my office, the station commander at Valley to wish him and his team at Valley well at what was a very anxious time, and of course to wish a full and rapid recovery to the two airmen who ejected from the aircraft. I believe in defending Wales. Wales has a role to play, of course, within the defence of the United Kingdom. We owe a huge debt of gratitude to those who serve in our armed forces. My attitude will always be to seek ways of working together internationally to strengthen the way that we can step up to the threats that we face, not least from Russia, with the aggression shown towards our European partners, Ukraine.

    Watch in chamber Senedd TV Record

  10. on the clip

    2. Questions to the First Minister

    English First Minister of Wales

    I shall share with the Member a copy of our programme for government again, which emphasises the way that my Government is dealing every day with the issues that we face on health, on education, on housing, on child poverty, on helping the Welsh family farm. That is the focus of this Government, whilst at the same time focusing on an ambition that we have for Wales. There's an obsession on the Reform benches with talking Wales down. My discussions with Andy Burnham have all been about talking Wales up and how we can seek co-operation to make sure that we grow the Welsh economy to bring real prosperity to all parts of Wales, something that Reform are clearly not interested in.

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  11. on the clip

    2. Questions to the First Minister

    English First Minister of Wales

    It's interesting that the Member chooses to talk about the constitution at every possible opportunity. It's as if she is somehow obsessed with this, while this Government is getting on with the job of governing Wales. Maybe she doesn't like the fact that we're able to deal with the issues that matter to the people of Wales, day in, day out. She talks about insulting the people of Wales. We can see under her leadership already this lurch to the right. The fact that she didn't condemn the appalling comments from the shadow Minister without portfolio—without principles, without any shame—says so much about her leadership of Reform in Wales.

    Watch in chamber Senedd TV Record

  12. on the clip

    2. Questions to the First Minister

    English First Minister of Wales

    I think it's useful to be having this conversation in public here to explain, once again, that our intention is to build significantly on what has already been delivered through Flying Start. The Labour leader has often criticised us for being too ambitious in our plans for the roll-out of childcare. We don't apologise for that ambition, but it does mean building on Flying Start, which has helped many families in poverty. There are more families in poverty not being helped by Flying Start than those who are being helped by Flying Start. We say let's help them all. And there's a real danger, I think, in the Labour leader here focusing too much on a name. We want to focus on helping families the length and breadth of Wales, and that is what this Government's plans are all about. And it's the same with ALN. We have plans in place that we have put on the table, and I again invite the Labour leader to work with us on that, because it's about building on issues that are important to families. My finance Minister has written today to all the party leaders here in the Senedd asking to come together, asking for co-operation. There is still a small window to get out through that door the £40 million on the table that Mark Drakeford suggests you should have taken. It's still an offer, and it's a genuine offer to work co-operatively with you to get that money spent.

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  13. on the clip

    2. Questions to the First Minister

    English First Minister of Wales

    As the Member would expect, I do indeed receive briefings when it comes to matters that are of concern in terms of the resilience of Wales. I have spoken here on a number of occasions about the way I have approached the whole question of resilience. That means working with intelligence partners, who I have met in various fora. It means working with COBRA, where I have attended in person. It means working with the Ministry of Defence and all the relevant partners that we need to be working with to make sure that our defence and the values that are so important to us are protected from those international forces that seek to undermine us. I would hope that all of us can agree that these are matters on which there isn't a sheet of paper between us.

    Watch in chamber Senedd TV Record

  14. on the clip

    2. Questions to the First Minister

    English First Minister of Wales

    I welcome Darren Millar to join me in making the case for Wales's future the next time I have the opportunity to do so. Wales's constitutional future is a matter for the people of Wales. It isn't for the Kremlin to endorse, to oppose or to exploit. The leader of the Conservative group—along with the Secretary of State for Wales, I should say, because they are on the same page, it seems—may wish to reflect on the wisdom of quoting a Kremlin propagandist in order to pursue their unionist agenda here. I have visited Kyiv with the leader of the Conservative group here in the Senedd, because we believe in the right of self-determination for the people of Ukraine. It so happens that I also believe in the right of self-determination for the people of Wales.

    Watch in chamber Senedd TV Record

  15. on the clip

    2. Questions to the First Minister

    English First Minister of Wales

    I feel as if there's an attempt every week to draw a big rabbit out of a hat that the leader of Plaid Cymru believes in independence for Wales. That doesn't come as a surprise—the fact that the leader of Plaid Cymru, which has campaigned for the right of the people of Wales to decide their own future for 100 years, should give up a couple of hours on a Saturday afternoon to make that case. Because I happen to have a higher level of ambition and belief in my nation than the leader of the Conservatives, who is in cahoots with the leader of Labour and the leader of Reform. We have in Plaid Cymru a Government that persuaded the people of Wales that we need to step up a gear. But this term in Government isn't about putting forward a referendum on independence. It's not. But is it about making the case for what Wales could be? The people of Wales responded in saying, 'You know what? No, we're not quite with you yet; there's been a massive increase in support for independence, but we're not with you yet.' I get that completely. 'But we like your belief in Wales and we believe that if you believe in Wales that much, you will do everything with the tools that you have now to improve standards on health, to raise education standards, to create jobs in every part of Wales.' That is precisely what this Government has started doing from day one, and I invite him to pay closer attention to that bread-and-butter work that we are doing in this Government.

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  16. on the clip

    2. Questions to the First Minister

    English First Minister of Wales

    Grass-roots music venues are vital to Wales's music sector and to developing the next generation of Welsh talent. Through Creative Wales, we provide direct capital investment to help venues become more sustainable, and work closely with the Music Venue Trust. Eligible grass-roots music venues can now also benefit from the Welsh Government's recently announced support through the non-domestic rates system too.

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  17. on the clip

    2. Questions to the First Minister

    English First Minister of Wales

    It's good to hear that the Tivoli is still there. It's about a quarter of a century, I think, since I was there—a great venue. I welcome the Member's support to the campaign, and agree that it's vital that we look at all options to help the viability of our music venues, to encourage economic growth. We recognise the financial pressures, of course, facing venues and the live music sector; that's why we have introduced our new rates relief for this very important sector. I declare an interest as somebody who has played on many a stage myself and realises the value of these venues. But VAT policy, of course, is a reserved matter. We recognise the concerns raised by the sector around both the VAT registration threshold and the VAT applied to ticket sales and the impact that these absolutely can have on the sustainability of grass-roots venues, but those actions will need to be taken by the UK Government. We will continue, of course, to engage with the sector, including Music Venue Trust, and ensure that the issues facing grass-roots venues in Wales genuinely are understood and represented in our discussions, also, with the UK Government.

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  18. on the clip

    2. Questions to the First Minister

    English First Minister of Wales

    Decisions are taken when it comes to business rates and you try to consider where the impact can be felt most and where the biggest advantages can be, and we'll always look at various ways in which we can, moving forward, alter, amend, to make sure that the finite resources that we have at our disposal as a Welsh Government are used as carefully as possible. On the wider comments and issues raised, I agree that there are significant, broad-ranging questions that we need to address when it comes to the future of music and live music in Wales, and that's why focus is being given to a new strategy around Creative Wales now. Because we're determined to work quickly, as a new Government, to understand the issues that we need to address and put the right strategic measures in place to do what we can, again, as I say, with our finite resources, to help the music industry.

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  19. on the clip

    2. Questions to the First Minister

    English First Minister of Wales

    I recognise the work done by local authorities the length and breadth of Wales in supporting various music festivals. Cardiff has a particular role as our capital city, because of the plethora of music venues and so on, but we recognise the pressures that they're under. What we will do always is work with local authorities. As I say, our ability to have a direct impact through direct spending is limited, obviously, but we will look at every opportunity that we can to support the sector directly, or local government, in promoting this vital sector.

    Watch in chamber Senedd TV Record

  20. on the clip

    2. Questions to the First Minister

    English First Minister of Wales

    Venues are necessary; that's not one that I'm aware of in Haverfordwest, but I wish them well with that project. I would point very much to the work that we are doing, bringing forward legislation, which we hope to work with you on, on community ownership. There is a real opportunity to identify facilities within our communities that can become hubs for music and activity and supporting people socially. That is precisely what this Government intends to do through that particular piece of work.

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  21. on the clip

    2. Questions to the First Minister

    English First Minister of Wales

    I agree. As somebody who attended Urdd youth clubs—aelwydydd—in the past, I absolutely know the benefit that comes from having facilities that offer opportunities to play an instrument or maybe learn to play table tennis very, very badly—to create those structures for young people. It's something I believe in and, as a Government, working with local authorities and other partners, this is something we want to see developed. The direct intervention of Government on youth clubs perhaps isn't something that we can do, but, absolutely, where we can facilitate those measures to promote youth clubs, we will look for opportunities to do so.

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  22. on the clip

    2. Questions to the First Minister

    Welsh First Minister of Wales

    Mae Afan Ogwr Rhondda yn enghraifft bwysig, dwi'n meddwl, o sut cafodd adnoddau naturiol Cymru eu defnyddio yn y gorffennol i bweru'r chwyldro diwydiannol, ond lle doedd yna ddim wedyn ddigon o'r budd economaidd yn aros yn y cymunedau lleol hynny. Drwy ein strategaeth ynni genedlaethol a'n cynigion ar gyfer cwmni ynni cyhoeddus yn y dyfodol, mi ydym ni am ddenu buddsoddiad, cefnogi perchnogaeth leol, creu swyddi da a chadw mwy o'r gwerth yn ein cymunedau. Dyna'r wers o'r gorffennol.

    Official English translation

    Afan Ogwr Rhondda is an important example, I think, of where, historically, Wales’s natural resources were extracted to power the industrial revolution, with little lasting benefit to the community. Through our national energy strategy and our proposals for a future public energy company, we want to attract investment, support local ownership, create skilled jobs and keep more of the economic value in our communities. That's the lesson of the past.

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  23. on the clip

    2. Questions to the First Minister

    English First Minister of Wales

    I certainly am aware of the concerns regarding the level of funding available through the local innovation partnerships fund, and officials are already engaging with partners to try to understand the position and any implications for that particular region. We will continue to make the case strongly with the UK Government that Welsh regions should receive a fair share of innovation funding to support high-quality jobs, business growth and energy transition. We believe as a Government in empowering Wales and in empowering the regions of Wales. The real measure of success isn't simply how much energy we generate with various schemes, but rather how many skilled jobs we create, how many supply chain opportunities are created, and the long-term economic benefits that we create for communities like Afan Ogwr Rhondda. South-west Wales has exceptional strengths in floating offshore wind, industrial decarbonisation, clean energy innovation, and it is vital that investment now reflects and, indeed, releases that potential for future generations.

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  24. on the clip

    2. Questions to the First Minister

    English First Minister of Wales

    I commend the work done by various community energy groups who want to make sure that we are able to increase generation, with genuine local benefits the length and breadth of Wales. I also do welcome the conversion of the Member, as somebody who sits in a party that is often linked with climate change denial, in that his Facebook page now does call for a greener Wales. I welcome his conversion to climate activism.

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  25. on the clip

    2. Questions to the First Minister

    English First Minister of Wales

    We want more construction material kept in use rather than valuable resources being lost. Wales prioritises recycled and secondary aggregates through planning policy, pushing up the amount of local authority rubble and aggregates that is recycled, and working with the industry too. We are also reviewing how planning and public procurement can create consistent demand for quality-assured recycled materials while protecting safety, performance and of course value for money.

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  26. on the clip

    2. Questions to the First Minister

    English First Minister of Wales

    I can't comment on that particular example that was given, of course, but I reiterate that, as a matter of principle, this is something that we should all seek to do. Recycling and upcycling, if you like, aggregates is something that is important to us. The Member recognises that we are looking at ways through procurement and planning to make a difference. It has been suggested that perhaps you set targets for the use of such aggregates, and I understand those sentiments too. In an area like this, there's a risk that, in setting numerical targets, you run up against practical issues, not least those associated with safety, which has to be paramount, and other practical barriers. As I say, this is something that we want to make gains on, and we will look at using those tools at our disposal to make sure—working with industry, as he recognises—that we're able to do that.

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  27. on the clip

    2. Questions to the First Minister

    English First Minister of Wales

    There is a measurement, and 'Minerals Technical Advice Note (Wales) 1: Aggregates' remains the detailed national minerals guidance. It specifies that 'Primary aggregates development should not be permitted where...the need could be met at lower environmental cost by the use of secondary or recycled material.' So, the policy says that we should be moving in this direction. That was put in place in 2004 with a broad objective to increase secondary and recycled sources to at least 25 per cent of supply within five years. We're still hovering around the 25 per cent to 30 per cent mark; I think it's around 28 per cent now. We think that should be higher, and using those—. Again, the Member recognises that we do have tools at our disposal, that we are using them around planning. We need to see how we can make those more effective, because those targets of 22 years ago have been met, but actually we need to find ways of going further.

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  28. on the clip

    2. Questions to the First Minister

    English First Minister of Wales

    The Member knows my view that the current devolution settlement is unfair and unsustainable. During my initial discussions with the Prime Minister in July, I pressed the case for further devolution as a means of improving outcomes for the people of Wales. I'll be doing so again at the National Economic Council next month. I also emphasise that any further devolution must respect the Senedd, not bypass it. And the Cabinet Minister for Finance is also engaging with the UK Treasury in seeking a review of the fiscal framework, Barnett reform and a fair deal from the UK Government's budget, which is in all our interests.

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  29. on the clip

    2. Questions to the First Minister

    English First Minister of Wales

    I agree very much, obviously, that devolution to Wales as a nation is not the same as devolution within England, and our starting point is that Wales should have the powers and resources needed to deliver for the people of Wales, and absolutely that includes parity with Scotland as a minimum, where doing so would improve outcomes for citizens and strengthen democratic accountability. Plaid Cymru is a party that has always supported and promoted the notion of empowering the communities of Wales. That's our call now, but we have to have an empowered Senedd, an empowered Welsh Government, in order to deliver what is right for communities the length and breadth of Wales. We've made that case consistently to UK Government, pressing for progress in areas including justice and policing, rail infrastructure, the Crown Estate and fiscal powers, and we will continue to engage constructively with UK Government, because this is about acting in the best interests of the people of Wales. It is about health, it is about education, it is about job creation and it is about fighting poverty. We are here, being able to fight for the people of Wales, because a decision was made to devolve. We are here, able to create laws for the people of Wales, because a decision was then made to enhance that devolution. I still think it's an ongoing process, looking for ways that we can better support the people that we are here to represent.

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  30. on the clip

    2. Questions to the First Minister

    English First Minister of Wales

    Tackling child poverty and securing the best future for every child in Wales is at the heart of our programme for government. We are creating a new strategy to tackle child poverty. We're setting clear targets and milestones to drive ambitious, deliverable change. We're also introducing a new ambitious childcare offer to support families with the cost of living and are developing the Cynnal child payment pilot as part of a suite of measures.

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  31. on the clip

    2. Questions to the First Minister

    English First Minister of Wales

    Yes, I note those two words, and I echo them: moral imperative. That's what we're here to do. I think that's reflected in the pace with which we've tried to move on these issues in the first 100 days of this Government, making sure that we've prioritised rolling out quickly the expansion of free school meals and getting money into the system, so that we actually see the delivery of greater childcare, helping thousands of families. We have to show, in all our actions, that this is at the core of everything that we do; we believe we're doing so. We want to be held to account for that, and we're doing this for communities like the Member's.

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  32. on the clip

    2. Questions to the First Minister

    English First Minister of Wales

    I'm pleased that this question has been asked today. Last week, I, alongside a number of Senedd Members, met veterans who were on the Sir Galahad and their families, and families of soldiers who lost their lives on that most awful day in Welsh history. We remember all those who lost their lives, those who were injured and those who still mourn. I absolutely recognise the strength of feeling even now, and the frustration at not being able to access related records, and I, along with the Deputy First Minister, have written to the Secretary of State for Defence to make the case for their urgent release.

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  33. on the clip

    2. Questions to the First Minister

    English First Minister of Wales

    Llywydd, I did say that I was pleased that the Member opted to raise this issue of the Sir Galahad here in the Senedd today. I—and I imagine probably a number of others—regret that the Member has opted to use that as a platform to make a series of party political points. I am very proud of the work done by elected colleagues of mine, alongside elected colleagues from other parties, to protect and seek to deepen our commitment under the armed forces covenant, which is important to us, as it is to Members across political party lines here. I, again, refer to the stand that was made jointly by Members across political parties in support of the Sir Galahad families last week. We will support you.

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  34. on the clip

    2. Questions to the First Minister

    English First Minister of Wales

    The current devolution settlement is outdated, constrains our economic potential and hinders our ability to deliver the best public services to people in Wales. Our immediate constitutional priorities are the devolution of policing and justice, the Crown Estate and rail infrastructure, alongside fair funding and greater fiscal flexibility. As a matter of principle, there is certainly no reason why powers that have been devolved to Scotland shouldn't also be devolved to Wales.

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  35. on the clip

    2. Questions to the First Minister

    English First Minister of Wales

    I congratulate the Member for being drawn out of the lot to ask a question to the First Minister again. I don't know why she chooses not to ask a question about health, to not ask a question about education, to not ask a question about strengthening the Welsh economy, supporting the family farm, bringing children out of poverty. I think those are the really important issues that are important to the people of Wales, and I believe that empowering Wales to have more tools at our disposal to deal with education, health, job creation and farming is a good thing. The Member is here because we have devolution. She is able to make the case for her constituents because we have devolution. And, as I said earlier, she is able to put forward legislation because we have enhanced devolution.  There is a reality here that we are seeing an obsession with wanting to stop Wales being empowered. The Member has to reflect upon what that says about her. Because I will always want Wales to have the best possible crack at the whip, and that means making sure that we have the tools to do the job for the people of Wales. I'll use the word again: there's an obsession with making damn sure that Wales doesn't get any more ability to get to grips with those issues that really matter to the people of Wales.

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  36. on the clip

    2. Questions to the First Minister

    English First Minister of Wales

    Our ambition is for everyone in Wales to have access to good-quality affordable housing in the right area for them. The UK Government decides how many people seeking asylum are accommodated in Wales. We work with local authorities and third sector partners to provide fair support and help services plan effectively. The Welsh Government's approach promotes safer communities, focusing on integration, access to support and, all importantly, community cohesion.

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  37. on the clip

    2. Questions to the First Minister

    English First Minister of Wales

    I don't hesitate in saying that of course I recognise where there are genuine concerns in communities. My colleagues and I have spoken widely about the need for the Home Office to have dispersal processes in place that reflect the needs and pressures of communities, and the needs of people who are within the asylum system. But those are matters for the Home Office. I will deal with these issues always in a way that tries to calm the discussion, tries to deal with facts, recognising genuine concerns. But, ultimately, our powers aren't around how many people come to Wales. Ours are about recognising what our values are as a nation. When people do come here, we want to make sure that they are able—for everybody in society in Wales—to integrate properly.

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Sources

The Record of Proceedings for each sitting day, quoted verbatim.