, Plenary
Statement by the First Minister: Legislation
I recognise the platform that the Member has to lay out a number of political viewpoints, on much of which legislation is not needed. I could refer to legislation that he did propose that I just disagree on—to bring back the damage caused by Margaret Thatcher…
, Plenary
Statement by the First Minister: Legislation
I did see a copy of the manifesto and decided it wasn't for me, as did most of Wales, to be fair. [Laughter.]
, Plenary
Statement by the First Minister: Legislation
Thank you very much for those comments. On the timing of this statement, I would make it clear, Llywydd, that we are following in both spirit and in practice the precise protocols that have always been followed and were followed by the previous Government…
, Plenary
Statement by the First Minister: Legislation
I'll respond on a few of those points. I am still waiting for any sign of ambition from Reform for Wales, but I'll address a couple of issues. On rural-proofing, I think the Member confuses what this is. Yes, there's an element of that legislation that is…
, Plenary
Statement by the First Minister: Legislation
Thank you very much, Llywydd, for the opportunity to respond.
, Plenary
Statement by the First Minister: Legislation
To conclude, safeguarding Welsh democracy is a core principle of this Government, and in support of that, the Counsel General has today issued a written statement outlining the approach that we will take when considering UK legislation that affects devolved…
, Plenary
Statement by the First Minister: Legislation
Finally, on the first phase of the legislative programme, I turn to the economy. Whilst far too many major economic levers still reside in Westminster, we will not stop making the case for their transfer. But, as an immediate step, a tax maintenance Bill will…
, Plenary
Statement by the First Minister: Legislation
Control over water runs far deeper in Wales's collective memory than being seen merely as a matter of policy or regulation. Therefore, acting on a long-held principle at the heart of this Government that Welsh resources should be in Welsh hands, we're already…
, Plenary
Statement by the First Minister: Legislation
Today I'll talk about our first phase of legislation. This recognises the dual importance of bringing early momentum to this legislature's work whilst allowing space to build agreement and develop genuinely impactful legislation across a full four-year term…
, Plenary
Statement by the First Minister: Legislation
Thank you, Llywydd. When I addressed this Chamber back in May, I spoke of my intention to lead a new Government that does things differently, and that is true of legislation as well. Today I want to set out a series of proposals for new laws across a range of…
, Plenary
Questions to the First Minister
The Member is right, and I expect every Member here to want to make sure that the health board serving their constituency is funded according to its need. I should say that the resource allocation formula does take into account the excess costs of rurality…
, Plenary
Questions to the First Minister
Welsh Government uses a resource allocation formula to distribute the majority of NHS funding according to the relative health needs of the population served by each health board. The formula is commonly referred to as the local health board resource…
, Plenary
Questions to the First Minister
Thank you, and congratulations to Terry and the team at Premier Forest Products. It does take good employers to show the way as well, so my gratitude is genuine to the team there in Newport. It takes a whole host of things to come together, doesn't it? It can…
, Plenary
Questions to the First Minister
Supporting young people who are not in education, employment or training is a priority for this Government. We're investing in support that helps young people develop skills, build confidence and move into education, training, employment or self-employment…
, Plenary
Questions to the First Minister
I thank the Member for drawing attention to the genuine pressure that exists, which is caused by childcare costs. Even though my children are getting older now, I remember clearly the heavy costs involved in providing childcare, and we as a Government are…
, Plenary
Questions to the First Minister
Well, as I said earlier, the Government is accelerating the roll-out of 12.5 hours of funded childcare for all two-year-olds across Wales. The additional funding in the supplementary budget should enable local authorities to make progress on this first phase…
, Plenary
Questions to the First Minister
Well, I'll commit to considering most things, because we're always on the lookout for good ideas. I know that the barriers to the HGV sector, with drivers, come from multiple sources. Difficulty in getting test capacity, for example, is one issue that is…
, Plenary
Questions to the First Minister
Small and medium-sized businesses are at the heart of Carmarthenshire's economy. We're supporting them through Business Wales, the Development Bank of Wales, SMART Innovation support, town-centre regeneration programmes, supply-chain opportunities linked to…
, Plenary
Questions to the First Minister
As with other healthcare systems, including in other parts of the UK, the health service here faces significant financial challenges. I think that is clear to everyone. We need more work certainly, and actions, to put it on a sustainable footing. Working on…
, Plenary
Questions to the First Minister
As part of our first 100 days plan, we are reviewing the current arrangements for evaluating the financial performance of the health service. Strengthening that approach, alongside establishing a longer term shift towards prevention, will be integral to…
, Plenary
Questions to the First Minister
I certainly agree with the Member on the importance of the sector. I say that as a former active member of the cross-party group in the last Senedd, and the previous one, on end-of-life care. On the particular issue of Ysbyty Cwm Cynon, I believe the health…
, Plenary
Questions to the First Minister
We're committed to strengthening palliative and end-of-life care and to developing a sustainable hospice funding model. As a new Government, we're building on important foundations already established across Wales, including the quality statement, national…
, Plenary
Questions to the First Minister
The Member is quite right to point out those challenging areas. It's not just a matter of thinking of them in isolation, it's the way that they touch on each other. It is about taking that cross-Government approach. It is the way that my Ministers are…
, Plenary
Questions to the First Minister
Because we know that the pressure is great. And it's in the spirit of understanding that pressure that engagement has happened in recent weeks. And, as I laid out in a letter to the leader of the Labour group yesterday, I appreciated the determination shown…
, Plenary
Questions to the First Minister
Sustainability is the important thing here, isn't it? Over recent weeks, there have been many references to how we reach a point where there is sustainability. This is not a short-term solution; we need a real partnership approach, don't we, to try to…
