, Plenary
Questions to the First Minister
Diolch, First Minister. Brecon and Radnorshire is a proud military community, and I recently mentioned in the Chamber the important role the military plays, both socially and economically, in my constituency. I regularly speak with veterans who tell me there…
, Plenary
Questions to the First Minister
10. Will the First Minister provide an update on the discussions between the Welsh Government and the UK Government on the appointment on a veterans commissioner for Wales? OQ57360
, Plenary
Questions to the First Minister
Thank you. Diolch, Llywydd.
, Plenary
Questions to the First Minister
Am I unmuted? I think so.
, Children, Young People, and Education Committee
Children's Commissioner for Wales pre-appointment hearing
Thanks, Chair. I will ask my last question really quickly, and if I could get a succinct answer, if you don't mind, because I'm running into Sioned Williams's time now, and she won't thank me for it, I don't expect. This role does require you to be…
, Children, Young People, and Education Committee
Children's Commissioner for Wales pre-appointment hearing
You've talked about some bigger ticket items that affect young people, but there are some lower level items that I believe do affect young people on a day-to-day basis around more young people becoming sexually engaged at a younger age, which is a big issue…
, Children, Young People, and Education Committee
Children's Commissioner for Wales pre-appointment hearing
Okay. Thank you. I have got two more questions, Chair. I know you're going to be pushing me for time, but I'm going to ask them regardless, I'm sorry.
, Children, Young People, and Education Committee
Children's Commissioner for Wales pre-appointment hearing
Thank you, Chair. I've got four questions, if that's all right. The first question is—. You know, I go around doing a lot of school visits and talk with a lot of young people, and if I ask them, 'Who is the children's commissioner?', you get a blank face…
, Children, Young People, and Education Committee
Scrutiny of Estyn Annual Report 2020-21
Yes, Chair, thank you. Speaking from personal experience, Claire— and thank you for that—I actually didn't know that that training was available. So, Chair, maybe we could do a bit of work in perhaps writing to local authorities to make sure that governors…
, Children, Young People, and Education Committee
Scrutiny of Estyn Annual Report 2020-21
Yes. Mine's just around standards again and the role of governors, and I just want—. Governors come from wide range of diverse backgrounds, and I was just wondering, from Estyn's perspective, do you think governors have the tools and are taught enough—given…
, Children, Young People, and Education Committee
Scrutiny of Estyn Annual Report 2020-21
I've got a general question, Chair. I can ask at the end or I can bring it in now; it's up to you.
, Children, Young People, and Education Committee
Scrutiny of Estyn Annual Report 2020-21
Lovely, thank you. And my final two questions here, but the final one you might have to write to us on this: Estyn do have a role with helping with school standards, so have you now reverted from the pastoral visits that were undertaken due to the pandemic…
, Children, Young People, and Education Committee
Scrutiny of Estyn Annual Report 2020-21
Okay. Lovely. I just want to touch on standards now, if that's okay. So, the role of local authorities and regional consortia in driving improvements differs across Wales. How concerned are Estyn by the situation in the south-west and mid Wales region with…
, Children, Young People, and Education Committee
Scrutiny of Estyn Annual Report 2020-21
That's good. Just picking up on that, we’ve all seen the impact of the pandemic on the readiness and ability of schools to implement those major educational reforms, like the new additional learning needs system and the new Curriculum for Wales are huge…
, Children, Young People, and Education Committee
Scrutiny of Estyn Annual Report 2020-21
Lovely. Thank you, Chair. Claire, what do you think the prospects are for the education system to re-energise the school standards agenda? We've got school leaders and councils, and I want them to focus on improvement, rather than just maintaining provision…
, Children, Young People, and Education Committee
Scrutiny of Estyn Annual Report 2020-21
Diolch, Cadeirydd. It was remiss of me earlier not to say that I will declare an interest as a local councillor and governor. But, because we are not discussing individual local authorities or schools, I think that I am fine to continue. You say in your…
, Children, Young People, and Education Committee
Tertiary Education and Research (Wales) Bill - evidence session 10
I may have got a slightly different view, Chair, but I don't want to create a row, so I'll leave it there, thank you.
, Children, Young People, and Education Committee
Tertiary Education and Research (Wales) Bill - evidence session 10
Just one for Neil, really. I might have heard him wrong, but I just want to ask a question. You'd like all HE to return to local authority control. I may have heard that wrong, but if you could clarify. As a local councillor previously, I just want to know…
, Children, Young People, and Education Committee
Tertiary Education and Research (Wales) Bill - evidence session 9
Lovely. That's all I've got. Thank you, Chair.
, Children, Young People, and Education Committee
Tertiary Education and Research (Wales) Bill - evidence session 9
Yes.
, Children, Young People, and Education Committee
Tertiary Education and Research (Wales) Bill - evidence session 9
Lovely. Thank you. I did have a question on a new collaborative model, but I think you've talked about collaboration quite a lot, with Jackie, so I'll skip over that one if I may, Chair. But, HEFCW told us they have concerns regarding validated and…
, Children, Young People, and Education Committee
Tertiary Education and Research (Wales) Bill - evidence session 9
Diolch, Cadeirydd, and thank you all for coming this afternoon. So, I want to talk about futureproofing and risk. It seems you could both end up with duties in relation to degree apprenticeships, and that Estyn could inspect degree apprenticeships. Can you…
, Children, Young People, and Education Committee
Tertiary Education and Research (Wales) Bill - evidence session 8
Yes, one last question from me, Chair, on funding. The reduction of core grant funding for research and innovation has been a concern for the higher education sector for some time, so what do you think this Bill will mean for the core grant funding for…
, Children, Young People, and Education Committee
Tertiary Education and Research (Wales) Bill - evidence session 8
Yes. If I just come back really quickly on that, just following on a little bit: do you think it'll make the commission a bit risk averse, going forward, that they'll only fund the low-level, the low-risk activities, and actually the high-risk activities…
, Children, Young People, and Education Committee
Tertiary Education and Research (Wales) Bill - evidence session 8
That's fine, thank you. I want to move on to funding now, if that's okay. So, section 104 of the Bill says that the commission must set out and report on the extent to which the research and innovation activities it funds are achieving successful results. Do…
