Mohammad Asghar: Thank you very much for the reply, First Minister. Welsh Government figures show that exports from Wales to the European Union, for the year ending 2018, increased by 6.8 per cent, compared to the previous year. However, export to non-EU countries increased only by 0.3 per cent. Given the failure of Welsh Government to diversify its export destinations, what action will you take to take...
Mohammad Asghar: First Minister, IFF Research recently carried out a survey of universal credit claimants on behalf of the Department for Work and Pensions. They found evidence of positive employment outcomes for universal credit claimants with a near doubling of the proportion of claimants being in a paid role eight months into their claim. They also reported an increase in the number of hours worked and...
Mohammad Asghar: Leader of the house, may I ask for a statement from the Minister for housing on what more can be done to tackle homelessness in Wales, please? A constituent recently contacted me to bring his case to my attention. A letter, actually, has come to me written by a homeless person in Newport high street. He's only 24 years old. Instead of reading his letter, which is very emotional, I'd rather...
Mohammad Asghar: Cabinet Secretary, according to the Ofcom's 'Connected Nations' report for Wales, the area that has seen the greatest improvement is Newport, where superfast broadband coverage has now reached 96 per cent. However, rural coverage in Wales is only 66 per cent. What plans does the leader have to increase the coverage of superfast broadband in the hard-to-reach or notspot areas to raise...
Mohammad Asghar: What action is the Welsh Government taking to support the retail industry?
Mohammad Asghar: First Minister, a few weeks ago, during the business statement, I raised the case of a driver in Newport who defied his optician's advice to stay off the road due to his poor eyesight. He was subsequently the cause of a fatal road accident on the M4. At the moment, it is the responsibility of the driver to advise the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency that they are no longer able to drive....
Mohammad Asghar: Leader of the house, may I ask for a statement from the Cabinet Secretary for health on the availability of microprocessor knees on the NHS in Wales? Microprocessor knees, or MPKs, are designed for people who have an amputation above the knee and thus lack the knee joint and lower leg. I was contacted recently by a constituent who had his right leg amputated up to the hip after the lorry...
Mohammad Asghar: 4. What action is the Welsh Government taking to ensure that workers have the skills required by businesses to grow the Welsh economy? OAQ52759
Mohammad Asghar: What action is the Welsh Government taking to improve working conditions for teachers?
Mohammad Asghar: What plans does the Cabinet Secretary have to review the complaints procedure in the National Health Service?
Mohammad Asghar: Thank you very much for this precise answer, but the fact is that you will be aware that a recent Estyn report found that most providers of higher level apprenticeships do not manage them well and that many courses are outdated. They went on to say that, as a result, many providers did not reflect current practice and the needs of employers in Wales. Welsh Water sends its staff to college in...
Mohammad Asghar: Cabinet Secretary, half of all mental illnesses begin by the age of 14. To mark World Mental Health Day last week, the Prime Minister announced a series of measures on children and young people's mental health. These included recruiting new mental health support teams who will work with schools to ensure young people with mental health issues get the help they need. Given that more than 3,000...
Mohammad Asghar: If we are to relieve the pressure on our NHS, we must address the issue of support and resources for preventative services. One such service is out-of-hours care. The fact is that GP-led out-of-hours services are vital in relieving pressures on emergency services in Wales. The Wales Audit Office recently produced a report and a survey that found that nearly 700,000 people contact the...
Mohammad Asghar: 4. What measures will the Welsh Government introduce to improve lung cancer outcomes in the next 12 months? OAQ52808
Mohammad Asghar: Thank you very much for the reply, Minister. Lung cancer is the third most common cancer in Wales, but it is responsible for the majority of cancer-related deaths. Like all cancers, it can be effectively treated or survival can be improved if diagnosed early. However, only 16 per cent of patients in Wales are diagnosed at stage 1. NHS England recently rolled out a one-stop shop designed to...
Mohammad Asghar: Leader of the house, may I ask for a statement from the Cabinet Secretary for health on the inequality of services provided by local health boards in Wales's NHS, please? I have been contacted by a constituent who suffers from progressive coronary artery disease, CAD. This disease is slowly flooding up his arteries, increasing his risk of suffering a heart attack, stroke or blood clot. His...
Mohammad Asghar: Cabinet Secretary, I welcome the recent announcement that the Abergavenny railway station is to be provided with disabled access after a long campaign by local residents. Given that nearly a quarter of railway stations in Wales are not accessible for wheelchairs, can the Cabinet Secretary advise this Assembly on what discussions he has had about making all stations fully accessible for...
Mohammad Asghar: What action will the Welsh Government take to support small businesses in the next 12 months?
Mohammad Asghar: Official figures show that Welsh universities saw the biggest drop in the United Kingdom in the number of applicants from the European Union between 2017 and 2018. Applications from EU students fell by 10 per cent in Wales, compared to a 2 per cent increase in England and a 3 per cent increase in Northern Ireland. Given that Brexit will affect the whole of the United Kingdom, why is it that...
Mohammad Asghar: Acting leader of the house, may I ask for a statement from the Cabinet Secretary for Finance on Welsh Government support for the retail industry? The Welsh retail industry is under considerable pressure due to the growth in the number of customers shopping online and the increased burden of business rates. Welsh retailers already pay a quarter of all Welsh business rates and it is becoming...
