Helen Mary Jones: I'd like to thank the Minister for his statement and for the additional information he's provided in response to Angela Burns. Like Angela Burns, I was struck by the very high quality of this report and, as the Minister and others have said, we're very grateful to the task and finish group for all the work that they've put in and, indeed, for the staff who work in very high-pressured...
Helen Mary Jones: Trefnydd, I'd like to ask the Minister for Health and Social Services—I'm pleased to see he's here today—to consider making perhaps a written statement about the situation with regard to the midwifery-led unit at Withybush General Hospital. You'll be aware, and he'll be aware, that there is concern that we're going to face a situation where, if women need services at night, they're going...
Helen Mary Jones: I'm grateful to the First Minister for his answer, but does he acknowledge that there's widespread concern about the capacity for certain sections of NHS management in Wales to deal effectively, particularly with the handling of complaints and concerns and with whistleblowing? And does the First Minister agree with me that, in addition to the legislation that he's mentioned, we now need a...
Helen Mary Jones: 7. Will the First Minister make a statement on the quality of NHS management? OAQ54188
Helen Mary Jones: I'm grateful to the Minister for taking an intervention. Has she heard anybody on these benches suggest that we would want the universities to operate as an arm of Government? I thought I made myself completely clear; we want their autonomy and their academic freedom, but they need to be open and accountable.
Helen Mary Jones: I'm very grateful to David Rees for taking the intervention. You've just talked about how much the sector has changed and how much bigger the institutions now are. You've pointed out that these issues with governance are not new. Would you agree with me that it's now time that something is done to address those problems since they're not new?
Helen Mary Jones: Will the Member take an intervention?
Helen Mary Jones: Completely acknowledging the scale of that public investment, does the Member agree with me that there are real challenges facing the governance in higher education?
Helen Mary Jones: The question before us this afternoon is what is to be done. We've brought this debate forward because the current Government's response seems to be, essentially, 'Nothing is to be done', and that was reflected in their amendment, which tells us that everything is fine. Universities are independent, Government tells us, so let them get on with it. The read-across from that is, potentially,...
Helen Mary Jones: Diolch yn fawr, Llywydd. I'm particularly pleased to take part in this debate today, though, like Bethan Sayed, I wish we weren’t having to bring it forward. Members will know that, until very recently, I was employed by one of our universities, and that was certainly a very good experience for me, as it is for many. I’d like to start with what I think we can all agree. We can all agree...
Helen Mary Jones: Would you agree with me, Jenny Rathbone, that there's also a role for companies that are big enough and public bodies to revert to the old practice of giving people public responsibility leave to be local authority members or to be magistrates? I know some organisations do still do it, but it's a practice that seems to have gone out of fashion, if you like. And while you can't expect a small,...
Helen Mary Jones: Will you take an intervention?
Helen Mary Jones: I'm not sure whether this would have been part of your committee's considerations, John, but would you agree with me that the political parties have got some responsibility in this regard to look at how our own practices function and whether we are choosing women for winnable seats, whether that's at local or national level? I'm certainly sure that we in Plaid Cymru have got a long way to go...
Helen Mary Jones: I'd like to ask the Trefnydd for three Government statements, please. I'd first like to ask her to make representations to the Minister for Education for a statement about the financial sustainability of the higher education sector in Wales. I ask this in the light of concerns that have come to light about the possible job losses at the Lampeter campus of University of Wales Trinity Saint...
Helen Mary Jones: I'm grateful to the Counsel General for his reply, and glad to hear the Government standing ready to respond. I wonder if he will be prepared to give consideration to making representations to suggest that those bodies should undertake a proactive review. I've seen figures, for example, suggesting that less than 19 per cent of eligible EU citizens in Powys were actually able to vote, because...
Helen Mary Jones: I thank the Counsel General for his reply. No doubt, he was as disappointed as I was in the response that was received, and I know that we're very grateful on the opposition benches for the fact that the Government shared that response with us. With regard to the litigation, if we do end up in a situation of appeal, which seems likely if the court finds in favour of the women, can I ask...
Helen Mary Jones: I'm grateful to the First Minister for his answer. In the context of the debate that we held around these matters last week in the Chamber, I'd like to invite the First Minister to put on record his very clear understanding that in healthcare and social care the provision of services through the medium of Welsh is not just about people accessing their language rights, it also leads to better...
Helen Mary Jones: 6. Will the First Minister make a statement on actively promoting the use of the Welsh language in the delivery of public services? OAQ54109
Helen Mary Jones: 1. What representations has the Counsel General made on behalf of the Welsh Government in relation to the litigation case against the Department for Work and Pensions for the alleged mishandling of raising the state pension age for women born in the 1950s? OAQ54098
Helen Mary Jones: 2. What representations has the Counsel General made on behalf of the Welsh Government in light of reports that EU citizens in Wales were denied the right to vote in the recent European parliamentary elections? OAQ54099
