, Finance Committee
Financial implications of the Welsh Language and Education (Wales) Bill: Evidence session
I think you've answered my point, actually, Cabinet Secretary, because the overall figure—I can see exactly what you're saying. The range of things to accommodate—it's very difficult to separate those down. So, we can be confident that the total cost or the…
, Plenary
Debate: The First Supplementary Budget 2024-25
So, we know the supplementary budget shows us where this Welsh Government has allocated its funding that it has received in-year, and while we cannot go back in time and change their choices, we can challenge the priorities that were made and highlight the…
, Finance Committee
Public Services Ombudsman for Wales - Scrutiny of Annual Report and Accounts 2023-24, and Estimate 2025-26: Evidence session
I can't even remember that long ago, Mike. [Laughter.]
, Finance Committee
Public Services Ombudsman for Wales - Scrutiny of Annual Report and Accounts 2023-24, and Estimate 2025-26: Evidence session
Yes.
, Finance Committee
Public Services Ombudsman for Wales - Scrutiny of Annual Report and Accounts 2023-24, and Estimate 2025-26: Evidence session
It's just on the same theme, really. In your past life, as well, and mine, sometimes you have to invest to create efficiencies—invest to save, transformational change, which might need upfront investment, as long as there’s a good case where it demonstrates…
, Finance Committee
Public Services Ombudsman for Wales - Scrutiny of Annual Report and Accounts 2023-24, and Estimate 2025-26: Evidence session
Great, thank you. Thank you, Chair.
, Finance Committee
Public Services Ombudsman for Wales - Scrutiny of Annual Report and Accounts 2023-24, and Estimate 2025-26: Evidence session
Thank you for that. It's good to know that's being looked at quite hard. And my last question: the estimate notes that an independent researcher will undertake further research following the results of the staff survey. How will the costs of this research be…
, Finance Committee
Public Services Ombudsman for Wales - Scrutiny of Annual Report and Accounts 2023-24, and Estimate 2025-26: Evidence session
Thank you, Chris, that's helpful. Can I move on to a couple of questions around future pressures and how they'll be factored into the estimate? Your biennial staff survey has raised concerns about well-being and pressure on staff, with a reduction in the…
, Finance Committee
Public Services Ombudsman for Wales - Scrutiny of Annual Report and Accounts 2023-24, and Estimate 2025-26: Evidence session
And I'm conscious they do get out of date so fast, actually, and, like you say, some people might not find them very desirable. Anyway, I digress. You noted in the accounts that an agreement was reached in April 2024 to surrender the lease on the surplus…
, Finance Committee
Public Services Ombudsman for Wales - Scrutiny of Annual Report and Accounts 2023-24, and Estimate 2025-26: Evidence session
No, quite.
, Finance Committee
Public Services Ombudsman for Wales - Scrutiny of Annual Report and Accounts 2023-24, and Estimate 2025-26: Evidence session
I'm conscious that your computers would have to be very much—. You know, they've had a lot of data on them in the past and they need to be cleaned out. Isn't there a way that we can recycle those things, though, and give them to the most needy groups who need…
, Finance Committee
Public Services Ombudsman for Wales - Scrutiny of Annual Report and Accounts 2023-24, and Estimate 2025-26: Evidence session
Yes, we'll curtail a couple of questions, perhaps. So, just on finance again, your accounts show that you disposed of £137,000 worth of surplus assets in 2023-24, which included computers and furniture, et cetera. Why were these not being used by your office…
, Finance Committee
Public Services Ombudsman for Wales - Scrutiny of Annual Report and Accounts 2023-24, and Estimate 2025-26: Evidence session
Yes, I can see that.
, Finance Committee
Public Services Ombudsman for Wales - Scrutiny of Annual Report and Accounts 2023-24, and Estimate 2025-26: Evidence session
It’s interesting; I always like to know how things work. How do your caseworkers manage such a load? How do they prioritise time? Are you having to take people off new cases because there is a heavier workload on the aged cases, and then you create aged cases…
, Plenary
Welsh Conservatives Debate: Teaching of reading skills in schools
Diolch, Llywydd. There are not many more important debates to have than this one, about the future prospects of our children in Wales. It's such a vital topic, and getting this wrong has dire consequences and will cost future generations to come…
, Plenary
Topical Questions
Thank you, Cabinet Secretary, and we have already discussed the pressures that local authorities are facing this year. However, I think the WLGA statement yesterday that came out showed the gravity of the situation even more so, where the local government…
, Plenary
Topical Questions
2. What discussions is the Cabinet Secretary having with the Welsh Local Government Association and councils regarding a £540 million budget shortfall facing councils and their ability to deliver essential services, leading to many councils facing bankruptcy?…
, Plenary
Debate: The Children’s Commissioner for Wales Annual Report 2023-24
I'd like to start by thanking the children's commissioner for this incredibly important annual report, which makes for some very interesting and pertinent reading. I commend the commissioner on her wide engagement with families, children and the Welsh…
, Petitions Committee
Updates to previous petitions
Thank you. This petition closed in March of this year, and the Government did respond to the petitioner. The Minister for Education and Welsh Language's letter regarding this petition acknowledged that there is a lack of consistency in the application of the…
, Petitions Committee
Updates to previous petitions
Thank you. We thank the petitioner for this one as well. It closed in June 2023. We did seek views from the Government at that time, and they were shared with the petitioner. The petitioner calls for actions on ALN teaching in the teaching profession…
, Petitions Committee
Updates to previous petitions
Yes, I agree.
, Petitions Committee
Updates to previous petitions
Yes, thank you, Chair, and can I thank the petitioners for the work they've done on this? First of all, we received this back in July this year. We wanted to go out and—. Well, we wanted to consider a similar campaign that was being driven by St Joseph's…
, Petitions Committee
Updates to previous petitions
Exactly. I now know I don't have to go far—I can just plant it in my field. [Laughter.]
, Petitions Committee
Updates to previous petitions
I am a member of caravan clubs, and whatever. But, with that in mind, I think this is an excellent idea, and I was pleased to hear what Vaughan was saying, that there may be some legislation that paves the way for this for next summer. Because there are so…
, Petitions Committee
Updates to previous petitions
—because I am a caravanner.
