FMQs Extra : Pembrokeshire, Heathrow & Orgreave

First Minister's Questions....without the First Minister.
(Pic : Wales Online)

As promised, I'm going to return to yesterday's plenary session and cover the four urgent questions asked following FMQs.

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FMQs : Autism, Teachers & Fireworks

Same stuff; different week. You know the drill.

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Senedd Watch - October 2016

• UK Prime Minister, Theresa May, announced a “Great Repeal Bill” would be introduced to repeal the European Communities Act 1973 and end the jurisdiction of the European Court of Justice. She also confirmed Article 50 of the Lisbon Treaty will be triggered by the end of March 2017, starting a two-year EU withdrawal process.
  

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What type of Brexit suits Wales?

Soft Brexit vs Hard Brexit - the same process but different end results.
(Pic : buzzfeed.com)

I said I wouldn't return to Brexit until something concrete happens. Now that we have a timetable for the activation of Article 50 , a recent ministerial meeting involving the devolved administrations and hints at what sort of Brexit the UK Government will pursue, it's worth coming back to it again.

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Welsh Budget 2017-18

(Pic : BBC Wales)

The Welsh Government's spending plans for the next financial year were tabled in the Senedd on Tuesday by Local Government & Finance Secretary, Mark Drakeford (Lab, Cardiff West).

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FMQs : Trains, Cash & Arts

AMs donned windbreakers and proverbially hung around platforms as the future of rail services dominated proceedings this week. It's also a week that marks the 50^th anniversary of the Aberfan disaster on Friday – with commemorations due at the Senedd tomorrow. It's budget week too and I hope to have something on that for tomorrow (Thursday at the latest).

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Senedd rallies to get Wales moving

Only a third of Welsh schoolchildren get their recommended hour of physical activity a day.
Pic : Road Safety GB)

The latest backbench members debate was on the subject of physical activity, in particular walking and cycling.

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FMQs : Curious Tales, Cwmbran Hospital & Ireland

There was a varied FMQs today, with questions ranging from the M4, average earnings, the planning system and also a polite warning from the Llywydd.

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Assembly Committee Slams Wales Bill

(Pic : BBC Wales)

Last Thursday, the National Assembly's Constitutional and Legislative Affairs Committee published its report into the latest draft of the Wales Bill, which is now in the unelected House of Lords (pdf).

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Plaid's Infrastructure Commission

(Pic : Plaid Cymru)

(Owen : It's funny how things turn out. I'm sure that counts as three correct predictions in a row. As for the recent controversial episode of Question Time this sums up what happens in pretty much every episode and why I don't watch political programmes. "Don't feed the trolls.")

On Monday, the Shadow Ministers for the Economy & Infrastructure – Adam Price AM (Plaid, Carms. E & Dinefwr) and Dai Lloyd AM (Plaid, South Wales West) respectively – launched a policy paper outlining their proposal to create a National Infrastructure Commission (pdf).

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Local Government Reform : Mergers Ditched

In case you were wondering, it's in reference to this.

Yesterday, Finance & Local Government Secretary, Mark Drakeford (Lab, Cardiff West), unveiled the Welsh Government's latest proposals for local government reform.

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FMQs : Breakfast, Food & Cadw Merger

Another Tuesday, another FMQs and, as usual, there was plenty up for discussion.

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Senedd Watch - September 2016

• Education Secretary, Kirsty Williams (Lib Dem, Brecon & Radnor), announced government funding for Techniquest – a science education charity with sites in Cardiff and Wrexham – would end from 2021. Around a third of its £3.3million annual income is from government grants.

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AMs press for "decisive action" on Bovine TB

(Pic : The Guardian)

The issue of precisely how to deal with Bovine tuberculosis is one of the longest-running sagas in post-devolution Wales, and something that has become a serious threat to the livelihoods of dairy and beef farmers, even if they're compensated for the loss of livestock.

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The Big Brexit To Do List

Before Brexit can happen, we need to know what needs to be done beforehand.

I'm getting as fed up with the endless hot air surrounding Brexit as much as you probably are. This will be my final post on Brexit for the foreseeable future. I'm also considering ignoring any future statements/questions on this in the Senedd as nothing's actually happened yet and nobody seems to be in a rush to make anything happen either.

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FMQs : Refugees, Vetoes & Bloody Brexit

The weekly theatre of Carwyn Jones' questioning by AMs rolls into town yet again.

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Boundary Commission Carves-Up Wales

Would you like a slice of De Clwyd a Gogledd Sir Faldwyn?
(Pic : iceandtime.net)

Earlier this week, the Boundary Commission for Wales unveiled their draft proposals for a reorganisation of the 40 Westminister constituencies in Wales.

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Law to replace stamp duty introduced

(Pic : policyexpert.co.uk)

The first piece of legislation of the Fifth Assembly was introduced on Tuesday (13^th September) by Finance & Local Government Secretary, Mark Drakeford (Lab, Cardiff West) – the snappily-titled Land Transaction Tax & Anti-avoidance of Devolved Taxes Bill.

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