, Plenary
Questions to the First Minister
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…
, Plenary
Questions to the First Minister
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…
, Plenary
Questions to the First Minister
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…
, Plenary
Questions to the First Minister
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…
, Plenary
Questions to the First Minister
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…
, Plenary
Questions to the First Minister
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…
, Plenary
Questions to the First Minister
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…
, Plenary
Questions to the First Minister
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…
, Plenary
Questions to the First Minister
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…
, Plenary
Questions to the First Minister
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…
, Plenary
Questions to the First Minister
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…
, Plenary
Questions to the First Minister
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…
, Plenary
Questions to the First Minister
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…
, Plenary
Questions to the First Minister
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…
, Plenary
Questions to the First Minister
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…
, Plenary
Questions to the First Minister
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…
, Plenary
Questions to the First Minister
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…
, Plenary
Questions to the First Minister
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…
, Plenary
Questions to the First Minister
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…
, Plenary
Statement by the First Minister: 'New Ambition for Wales: Programme for Government 2026-2030'
It's an important question, and an opportunity to explain what the thinking is behind this. We have, for the first time ever, a Minister responsible for preventative health. That in itself is an important step forward, because what we have now is a champion…
, Plenary
Statement by the First Minister: 'New Ambition for Wales: Programme for Government 2026-2030'
Diolch yn fawr. I remind the Member that she voted against a supplementary budget that was proposing to roll out matters like childcare that were really important to her. On child poverty targets, this has been a major issue in that we had 27 years of…
, Plenary
Statement by the First Minister: 'New Ambition for Wales: Programme for Government 2026-2030'
I've heard a lot of this plan-for-a-plan business. Government works out solutions to the problems we face as a nation. That's what Government does. We have a manifesto that sets out things we have decided, and it's clear what we need to do because the…
, Plenary
Statement by the First Minister: 'New Ambition for Wales: Programme for Government 2026-2030'
I'm grateful for the question and the sentiment, and I couldn't agree more. It was very humbling, back in May, to see different communities in their geographical location, in their diversity, turning to Plaid Cymru and putting their trust in us, and we have…
, Plenary
Statement by the First Minister: 'New Ambition for Wales: Programme for Government 2026-2030'
To be open here, I was listening to the Trefnydd giving what the Member called a 'contemptuous' answer. What the Trefnydd said earlier was that she believed there was poverty in all parts of Wales that needed addressing. And I absolutely get—I absolutely…
, Plenary
Statement by the First Minister: 'New Ambition for Wales: Programme for Government 2026-2030'
Well, nothing's changed. I believe in Wales being able to pursue its future as a normal country. I believe in independence for Wales. I think everybody knows that. Our manifesto stated clearly that we believe that the shape of our constitutional future should…
