4 March 2026 , Culture, Communications, Welsh Language, Sport, and International Relations Committee
General ministerial scrutiny: The Welsh Language
That raises another question, doesn't it, about your role as a Cabinet Secretary and the role of the Government. Because the Government has a number of different powers—the power to change the law of the land, to establish strategy. But another role, of…
4 March 2026 , Culture, Communications, Welsh Language, Sport, and International Relations Committee
General ministerial scrutiny: The Welsh Language
Okay. We had an interesting conversation earlier this morning about the economic situation of Welsh-speaking communities. But also the commission's report discusses planning policy and law when it comes to safeguarding Welsh-speaking communities. I'd like to…
4 March 2026 , Culture, Communications, Welsh Language, Sport, and International Relations Committee
General ministerial scrutiny: The Welsh Language
Thank you for that. I remember the conversation that we had in the Chamber about 'a three-pronged attack'—I think you put it that way—or a three-phase pathway. And I agree with you about the sensitivity of some of the issues and that, sometimes, you need to…
4 March 2026 , Culture, Communications, Welsh Language, Sport, and International Relations Committee
General ministerial scrutiny: The Welsh Language
Thank you. Can we turn to the Commission for Welsh-speaking Communities? Where are we with that at the moment?
4 March 2026 , Culture, Communications, Welsh Language, Sport, and International Relations Committee
Arfor: Ministerial evidence session
Following on from that question, I think the Welsh Government does promote the Welsh language and Wales as a bilingual country, but I'm not sure that it's fully holistic sometimes or joined up. I was in the embassy in Washington last year talking to Welsh…
4 March 2026 , Culture, Communications, Welsh Language, Sport, and International Relations Committee
Arfor: Ministerial evidence session
I'm grateful to you for that, and I agree with your conclusions on much of that. One of the things that strikes me about Arfor—. I'm a great fan of Pen Llŷn. I think it's one of the most gorgeous parts of our country and I like to spend time there. I went…
4 March 2026 , Culture, Communications, Welsh Language, Sport, and International Relations Committee
Arfor: Ministerial evidence session
Diolch. So, Cabinet Secretary, in terms of where we've been in terms of an economic tool or an economic programme, your colleague Cabinet Secretary is very bullish about its success, and some of the numbers are impressive, to be fair. So, how do you see it…
4 March 2026 , Culture, Communications, Welsh Language, Sport, and International Relations Committee
Arfor: Ministerial evidence session
Okay, may I just take you a little bit further on that? I remember having a poster on the wall in Pantycelyn when I was at college, 'Without work, without language', and I think we've been thinking about these issues not just for years, but for decades. So, I…
4 March 2026 , Culture, Communications, Welsh Language, Sport, and International Relations Committee
Arfor: Ministerial evidence session
May I ask you both separately, therefore, about the lessons in terms of language policy, and then wider lessons for economic development?
4 March 2026 , Culture, Communications, Welsh Language, Sport, and International Relations Committee
Arfor: Ministerial evidence session
Okay, I appreciate that. And a year after Arfor 2 came to an end, the funding came to an end, what are the lessons do you believe that we have learned?
4 March 2026 , Culture, Communications, Welsh Language, Sport, and International Relations Committee
Arfor: Ministerial evidence session
So, what were the lessons that you learnt when you were planning for Arfor 2, from your experience of running Arfor 1? I want Arfor to be a success; that's what I'm looking for. I see the figures that have been published, and that, of course, is reporting…
4 March 2026 , Culture, Communications, Welsh Language, Sport, and International Relations Committee
Arfor: Ministerial evidence session
I agree.
4 March 2026 , Culture, Communications, Welsh Language, Sport, and International Relations Committee
Arfor: Ministerial evidence session
Thank you very much. And I remember conversations with Rhodri Glyn about exactly these matters. But I like the concept behind Arfor, in the way that you've just described it. And I do believe that it is important, in terms of the psychology, if you will, of…
4 March 2026 , Plenary
Short Debate: How can Wales protect, enhance, and enshrine our world-leading cultural organisations for the enrichment of the people of Wales and beyond?
I think you should sing.
3 March 2026 , Plenary
Debate: The Police Settlement 2026-27
At one level, this is simply a technical debate on a rather technical matter. At another level, I think it's probably the least satisfactory debate that we have in this place, in our annual calendar. We're asked by the Government—and the Government, I accept…
3 March 2026 , Plenary
Questions to the First Minister
Well, I welcome the announcement made by the transport Minister and the First Minister, and I think it demonstrates the power of negotiation, and I congratulate Ken Skates on his work. Do you know who else welcomes it? The people of Abertillery—the people of…
2 March 2026 , Legislation, Justice and Constitution Committee
Evidence session with the Deputy First Minister and Cabinet Secretary for Climate Change and Rural Affairs, and the Counsel General and Minister for Delivery
It's on the record now. [Laughter.]
2 March 2026 , Legislation, Justice and Constitution Committee
Evidence session with the Deputy First Minister and Cabinet Secretary for Climate Change and Rural Affairs, and the Counsel General and Minister for Delivery
—and I think it plays into the conversation this session started having about overall inter-governmental relations.
2 March 2026 , Legislation, Justice and Constitution Committee
Evidence session with the Deputy First Minister and Cabinet Secretary for Climate Change and Rural Affairs, and the Counsel General and Minister for Delivery
Because I think that would be very useful—
2 March 2026 , Legislation, Justice and Constitution Committee
Evidence session with the Deputy First Minister and Cabinet Secretary for Climate Change and Rural Affairs, and the Counsel General and Minister for Delivery
Can we have some correspondence from the Deputy First Minister outlining how the Welsh Government is engaging with the UK Government on policing?
2 March 2026 , Legislation, Justice and Constitution Committee
Evidence session with the Deputy First Minister and Cabinet Secretary for Climate Change and Rural Affairs, and the Counsel General and Minister for Delivery
We've run out of time, in many ways, and it would be useful, actually, if we could continue to talk about the inter-governmental issues. I think the Counsel General seems to have escaped completely this afternoon, which I'm sure she will be really sorry about.
2 March 2026 , Legislation, Justice and Constitution Committee
Evidence session with the Deputy First Minister and Cabinet Secretary for Climate Change and Rural Affairs, and the Counsel General and Minister for Delivery
She was treated very poorly; she was treated badly.
2 March 2026 , Legislation, Justice and Constitution Committee
Evidence session with the Deputy First Minister and Cabinet Secretary for Climate Change and Rural Affairs, and the Counsel General and Minister for Delivery
If I may say, Deputy First Minister, I think you are extraordinarily—. I'm an optimist, but your optimism I find absolutely striking, because the paper published by the Home Secretary had one paragraph about Wales. The box was ticked. There was nothing there…
2 March 2026 , Legislation, Justice and Constitution Committee
Evidence session with the Deputy First Minister and Cabinet Secretary for Climate Change and Rural Affairs, and the Counsel General and Minister for Delivery
If you work on that basis, rather than the basis of a city in England, because what we need, and it goes back to the First Minister this morning, if Wales is to be treated fairly—we need to be treated equally, and at the moment that is not happening.
2 March 2026 , Legislation, Justice and Constitution Committee
Evidence session with the Deputy First Minister and Cabinet Secretary for Climate Change and Rural Affairs, and the Counsel General and Minister for Delivery
I think I'd prefer you to use the example of Scotland rather than Manchester.
