13 December 2023 , Climate Change, Environment, and Infrastructure Committee
Transport scrutiny with the Minister for Climate Change
But it's what, I think, ordinary people will be asking.
13 December 2023 , Climate Change, Environment, and Infrastructure Committee
Transport scrutiny with the Minister for Climate Change
Yes, which I read about in your paper. Okay. I want to move on to rail infrastructure. We've talked a lot about the availability of rolling stock, but I note, in your written evidence, you tell us the new fleet of trains on the Valleys lines are currently…
13 December 2023 , Climate Change, Environment, and Infrastructure Committee
Transport scrutiny with the Minister for Climate Change
Right, I just want to—. I mean, I suppose finally on this, this does leave a very uncomfortable problem around the cancellation of the M4 around Newport, because I understand the pain you're having to go through, but it means that it's really difficult to get…
13 December 2023 , Climate Change, Environment, and Infrastructure Committee
Transport scrutiny with the Minister for Climate Change
So, realistically, with a willing Government, when might we see those relief lines actually being used more intensively?
13 December 2023 , Climate Change, Environment, and Infrastructure Committee
Transport scrutiny with the Minister for Climate Change
What can you do with between £2 million and £3 million?
13 December 2023 , Climate Change, Environment, and Infrastructure Committee
Transport scrutiny with the Minister for Climate Change
Okay.
13 December 2023 , Climate Change, Environment, and Infrastructure Committee
Transport scrutiny with the Minister for Climate Change
How much?
13 December 2023 , Climate Change, Environment, and Infrastructure Committee
Transport scrutiny with the Minister for Climate Change
I mean, the UK's found some money. Hallelujah.
13 December 2023 , Climate Change, Environment, and Infrastructure Committee
Transport scrutiny with the Minister for Climate Change
So, we actually have found some money to better use the relief lines.
13 December 2023 , Climate Change, Environment, and Infrastructure Committee
Transport scrutiny with the Minister for Climate Change
That's fine. Because, how are we going to get these funded, given that the Treasury is not playing ball?
13 December 2023 , Climate Change, Environment, and Infrastructure Committee
Transport scrutiny with the Minister for Climate Change
Okay. So, where does that leave the challenge of developing north and south Wales metro systems?
13 December 2023 , Climate Change, Environment, and Infrastructure Committee
Transport scrutiny with the Minister for Climate Change
Yes, I understand that. Nevertheless, in terms of the shortfall in funding for Network Rail, they're willing partners, but they actually don't have sufficient funding to do more than patch the most urgent.
13 December 2023 , Climate Change, Environment, and Infrastructure Committee
Transport scrutiny with the Minister for Climate Change
I think we're going to come onto that a bit later.
13 December 2023 , Climate Change, Environment, and Infrastructure Committee
Transport scrutiny with the Minister for Climate Change
But it's symptomatic, is it not, that decisions made in London completely tear up our plans?
13 December 2023 , Climate Change, Environment, and Infrastructure Committee
Transport scrutiny with the Minister for Climate Change
Okay.
13 December 2023 , Climate Change, Environment, and Infrastructure Committee
Transport scrutiny with the Minister for Climate Change
Okay. So, that's the core Valleys lines, where you do control both the infrastructure and the running of the service. Obviously, the metro is much wider than that, and I just wondered how you think we're going to make any improvements, given that the next…
13 December 2023 , Climate Change, Environment, and Infrastructure Committee
Transport scrutiny with the Minister for Climate Change
I'm very pleased to hear that. So, moving on. In the spring we were told about the core Valleys lines having a £306 million shortfall, and the Deputy Minister initially told us that you were hoping to manage the increased cost through your usual financial…
12 December 2023 , Plenary
Statement by the Minister for Health and Social Services: Escalation and Intervention Arrangements for Maternity and Neonatal Services in Swansea Bay University Health Board
My question is, looking at the terms of reference for this independent review, I can see that there is a consultant obstetrician. I can see that there's a neonatal person. There is no community midwifery lead. There's no breastfeeding lead on this independent…
12 December 2023 , Plenary
Statement by the Minister for Health and Social Services: Escalation and Intervention Arrangements for Maternity and Neonatal Services in Swansea Bay University Health Board
If men gave birth, we wouldn't be in this situation, because I know there are particular issues at Swansea bay health board, but there are some considerable challenges in all maternity services throughout the UK. We had a meeting of the nursing and midwifery…
12 December 2023 , Plenary
Statement by the Minister for Climate Change: Climate Change
We need to reduce our reliance on goods imported from abroad, but there's a massive deficit on food vegetable production. I know that agriculture is not in your portfolio, but nevertheless there's very little in your response to the Climate Change Committee's…
12 December 2023 , Plenary
Statement by the Minister for Climate Change: Climate Change
We need to start by keeping all fossil fuels in the ground. That’s not just coal; it’s oil, it’s gas. That’s obviously No. 1, but unfortunately COP seems to have been taken over by a lot of these fossil fuel interests, which is why we’re making such slow…
8 December 2023 , Committee for the Scrutiny of the First Minister
Ministerial scrutiny session - the co-operation agreement
Thank you. Just moving on then to childcare, which I know that the Government has ambitious targets for, but there's been an underspend there that has been quite significant, and I wondered how much of that is to do with the workforce and capacity challenges…
8 December 2023 , Committee for the Scrutiny of the First Minister
Ministerial scrutiny session - the co-operation agreement
So, is this something that you expect to be pursued in both the community food strategy and the focus of officials, really, in Welsh Government, who are looking at food matters?
8 December 2023 , Committee for the Scrutiny of the First Minister
Ministerial scrutiny session - the co-operation agreement
Okay. Because obviously a lot has changed in 10 years. The ubiquitous ham sandwich contains 15 ingredients that you wouldn't find in a normal kitchen, and that is something that children who are a bit picky about what's being served in the hot meal offer will…
8 December 2023 , Committee for the Scrutiny of the First Minister
Ministerial scrutiny session - the co-operation agreement
Thank you. I want to look at sustainable school meals as part of sustainable public services. I've noticed that Carmarthenshire public services board did a study of Welsh suppliers for school meals and found that only 6 per cent of 261 products or ingredients…
