My Lords, does my noble friend the Minister agree that the millions of pounds of investment announced by Cardiff-based company Bad Wolf at the summit in Newport will create thousands of creative industry jobs and support local business and talent development? The projects will include investment in trainee placements and work shadowing opportunities, which is a great example of social...
My Lords, the UK Government have given the Welsh Government the largest financial settlement in the history of devolution, nearly £5 billion extra to spend on public services in the next three years—not supported in the Senedd by Plaid Cymru. Does the Minister agree that it was most positive to hear the Deputy First Minister telling the Senedd last Tuesday that Ministers had “secured an...
My Lords, the Welsh Government promote creative arts and education through the creative learning through the arts programme. Its aim is to integrate arts and creativity into the core of the education system, ensuring that all learners have access to creative experiences, regardless of their background. Does my noble friend agree that this is something that the UK Government could explore for...
My Lords, I can hardly follow my noble friend Lady O’Grady in being the TUC’s first woman general secretary, but I was the first woman leader of Newport City Council after decades and the first woman leader of the Welsh Local Government Association—and am still the only one. I was also a public service employee for 35 years, when I taught in schools in London and south Wales, so I know...
My Lords, yesterday the First Minister made an important speech in Cardiff noting the changed and positive relationship with the UK Government since last July. But just as the wonderful programme “Gavin and Stacey” often showed, what is right for Billericay will not always be right for Barry. Does my noble friend agree that this can be seen as a positive example of devolution and...
I declare that I am a vice-president of the LGA. My 35 years as a teacher, working in such diverse areas as south London and south Wales, give me a little insight into this subject. Despite the differences in the demographics of London and Wales, there is a golden thread that runs through that experience. Teachers arrive at school every day to do the best for the pupils in their care, and...
Diolch i chi am yr araith ragorol honno—an excellent speech and a sign of things to come. Congratulations to all my noble friends. What a wonderful bunch we have now. I am so glad to be part of this group. And I am delighted to be able to add my own observations on the immense dedication of the noble Lord, Lord Jones, to public life in Wales—and he is now able to make contributions to...
To ask His Majesty’s Government, following the United Kingdom’s withdrawal from the Erasmus programme, what steps they are taking to ensure that youth work and adult education organisations can access international exchange opportunities.
To ask His Majesty's Government, in the light of the publication of the UK's Modern Industrial Strategy on 23 June, whether they plan to prioritise green industries and advanced manufacturing in Wales.
To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to strengthen mutual trust and respect between the Office for Students and those it regulates.
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the potential for growth in South Wales and Western England over the next five years; and whether the English Devolution White Paper will include measures to maintain collaboration to support the cross-border economy in that area.
To ask His Majesty's Government when the full operational model of the National Parking Platform will be available to local authorities.
To ask His Majesty's Government what estimate they have made of the savings for local authorities who join the National Parking Platform.
To ask His Majesty's Government what recent assessment they have made of the effectiveness of Jobcentre Plus in helping people get back into work.
To ask His Majesty's Government how many schools that had previously been graded outstanding have, not having been inspected for five years or more, been downgraded since full Ofsted inspections resumed in September 2021.
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the number of applications each year for the past five years for re-sits and re-marks for (1) BTECs, (2) T Levels, (3) GCSEs, and (4) A Levels.
