, Plenary
Questions to the First Minister
Good afternoon, First Minister. I know that many of us in this Siambr are very committed to the lives of looked-after children and care-experienced children, including yourself and your Cabinet, and therefore, many of us were delighted to see the commitment…
, Equality and Social Justice Committee
Draft budget 2024-25: Ministerial evidence session
Yes. Thank you very much.
, Equality and Social Justice Committee
Draft budget 2024-25: Ministerial evidence session
Thank you very much. The Wales Sanctuary Service is funded until 2025, and that's to be welcomed—that's very important—but their budget has remained flat over the past five years; it hasn't changed at all. Why is that? What's the reason that the budget for…
, Equality and Social Justice Committee
Draft budget 2024-25: Ministerial evidence session
Yes. Sorry.
, Equality and Social Justice Committee
Draft budget 2024-25: Ministerial evidence session
Thank you—
, Equality and Social Justice Committee
Draft budget 2024-25: Ministerial evidence session
Thank you very much. So, from your response, are you saying that the ticket will be available from April of this year? Can you confirm that or not?
, Equality and Social Justice Committee
Draft budget 2024-25: Ministerial evidence session
Thank you very much. I want to ask about the bus pass first of all—the one that's particularly available to refugees. As we understand it, this is to end in March 2024. What's the intention with this? Will it be continued, because it is very important that…
, Equality and Social Justice Committee
Draft budget 2024-25: Ministerial evidence session
Yes, I'm sorry, it was to follow up and to continue your line of questioning, if I may, Chair. Is it correct, Minister, that £3.6 million is underspent in this budget? And if that's the case, then where is that going and how will that be managed, going…
, Equality and Social Justice Committee
Draft budget 2024-25: Ministerial evidence session
A final, brief question from me on the basic income for care-experienced young people. Can I ask whether there is an intention, once the programme comes to an end, to carry out a cost-benefit analysis to, hopefully, demonstrate how it has assisted those young…
, Equality and Social Justice Committee
Draft budget 2024-25: Ministerial evidence session
Thank you very much. Chair, I do want to ask one question on basic income, but I think Sioned also had a question about—
, Equality and Social Justice Committee
Draft budget 2024-25: Ministerial evidence session
Thank you very much. Will you be measuring this? Will you be asking local authorities what's happening, whether people are taking up their benefits? Can you ensure that this is happening across Wales?
, Equality and Social Justice Committee
Draft budget 2024-25: Ministerial evidence session
Thank you very much. It's great to hear that you are thinking about opportunities to reach out to those poorest families. Could I ask how you will ensure that this happens across Wales—namely that it's not down to individual councils and local authorities to…
, Equality and Social Justice Committee
Draft budget 2024-25: Ministerial evidence session
Thank you very much, Chair. You've been talking about the charter, and we all welcome that, I'm sure, in order to ensure that everyone who has a right to benefits can claim those benefits that they need to have. But how will you ensure that the poorest…
, Plenary
Plaid Cymru Debate: Apprenticeships
Diolch yn fawr iawn, Llywydd. It sounds like we're all agreed on something—that is, that apprenticeships are like gold dust; we just need more. And in my view, we would benefit from them being really focused in on the climate emergency. We here in Wales are…
, Plenary
Questions to the Minister for Education and the Welsh Language
Within Mid and West Wales, the picture is bleak. As of November last year, current deficits—26 schools in Powys had financial problems, with a cumulative deficit of £3.5 million by March 2024, with the figure projected to be £7.9 million by March 2027. As I…
, Plenary
Questions to the Minister for Education and the Welsh Language
Thank you for that response, Minister.
, Plenary
Questions to the Minister for Education and the Welsh Language
7. What assessment has the Minister made of the financial pressures facing schools in the forthcoming year? OQ60516
, Plenary
Debate: Levelling-up
For years, EU funding filled critical gaps in our finances. Surely, everyone must agree on that. Unable to raise taxes or borrow substantially for major projects, we relied on their schemes as a vital investment lifeline. As part of the EU, Wales secured…
, Plenary
Business Statement and Announcement
I'd like to please ask for two statements, if I may, from you, as Trefnydd and the Minister for rural affairs, concerning some enquiries from farmers. The first one is with regard to the sustainable food scheme, which allows farmers to diversify. I was…
, Plenary
Plaid Cymru Debate: Child poverty and educational attainment
It's really important that we remember that not so long ago—about an hour ago, in fact—we were focusing on child poverty; it's a bit like groundhog day. But I do commend the focus of this debate on poverty and closing the attainment gap in education. Whilst…
, Plenary
Debate on the Equality and Social Justice Committee Report, 'Calling time on child poverty: how Wales can do better'
I just want to start by explaining a little bit about my personal motivation for coming into politics, which is based on my professional experience as a child protection social worker for about 20 years. I can say quite confidently that I guesstimate that 90…
, Plenary
Questions to the Minister for Health and Social Services
Good afternoon, Deputy Minister. I just wanted to continue the discussion on mental health in rural areas, particularly what we would call dual diagnosis—that's the co-occurence of a mental health diagnosis potentially with substance misuse or alcohol misuse…
, Plenary
Questions to the Minister for Economy
Good afternoon, Minister. I'm following through as well on the same sort of issue around FLOW, which I know both Samuel and Joyce are very committed to. And it is about skills. I think I've used this statistic before, but I think it's worth repeating: experts…
, Plenary
Debate on a Statement: The Draft Budget 2024-25
Let me begin by stating how I welcome the commitment the Welsh Government has made to the NHS and local government within this draft budget. I additionally welcome the decision to maintain the basic payment scheme for farmers, despite the loss of replacement…
, Plenary
Business Statement and Announcement
Good afternoon, Trefnydd. I wonder if I could have a statement from the Minister for Social Justice in relation to the Bwndel Babi programme. It was very disappointing to see that the draft budget has cut, it seems, £3.5 million from the Bwndel Babi…
