Caroline Jones: Diolch, Llywydd. I formally move the amendment tabled in the name of my colleague Neil Hamilton. Following our report in committee, I have been written to by many organisations, along with constituents, all opposing the minimum unit pricing. Therefore, I cannot share the premise that introducing minimum unit pricing is the correct way to address alcohol-related harm. Making alcohol more...
Caroline Jones: 4. Will the Cabinet Secretary make a statement on drug and alcohol rehabilitation services in Wales? OAQ51899
Caroline Jones: Will the Cabinet Secretary provide an update on how the Welsh Government is meeting the health needs of armed forces personnel and veterans?
Caroline Jones: Diolch, Llywydd. Cabinet Secretary, according to Cancer Research UK's position paper on the diagnostic workforce in Wales, shortages in the diagnostic workforce are, in part, responsible for Wales failing to achieve waiting time targets for cancer patients since 2008. Do you agree with this analysis, Cabinet Secretary, and do you have any plans to address shortages in the diagnostic...
Caroline Jones: Thank you for that answer, Cabinet Secretary. Staying with the Cancer Research UK report, they highlight the patchy information available on the diagnostic workforce, which is making it difficult for local health boards to make well-informed decisions about workforce planning. We know that there is a 13 per cent vacancy rate in diagnostic radiotherapy and have now information about...
Caroline Jones: Thank you, Cabinet Secretary. One of the recommendations of the Cancer Research UK report is to explore the use of artificial intelligence for diagnostic tests. In January, the Reform group published a report on AI in the NHS, which highlights the potential for AI to narrow gaps in health provision. Whilst the Reform report focuses on NHS England, there are lessons for us here in...
Caroline Jones: Thank you, Cabinet Secretary. Drug abuse is a massive issue in our prisons—the primary reason why prisoners offend in the first place and a reason why many reoffend. Despite efforts by prison staff, who work extremely hard to provide mandatory drug testing and help prisoners come off drugs, this work is sometimes undone because, upon release, prisoners are often abandoned at the prison...
Caroline Jones: First Minister, a large number of out-patient appointments are for diagnostic tests, where we see massive waiting lists. In December, we saw over 20,000 patients waiting more than eight weeks, and over 1,000 patients waiting for more than 24 weeks. I hope you will agree with me that this is unacceptable and will get worse due to increased demand in the coming years. First Minister, how does...
Caroline Jones: Minister, the invasion of non-indigenous plant species, particularly Japanese knotweed, has been a real problem for my region. Residents in South Wales West have seen their properties devastated by knotweed, and I welcome the work being done by Swansea University and Natural Resources Wales to eliminate this invasive species. Last summer we saw the rise of another threat, giant hogweed, which...
Caroline Jones: Diolch, Dirprwy Lywydd. [Interruption.]
Caroline Jones: Diolch, Dirprwy Lywydd. Cabinet Secretary, it is past time we lifted the pay cap for NHS staff who work under tremendous pressures, particularly relating to staff shortages. The deal in England covers staff on the Agenda for Change contract, which excludes doctors. So, whilst I welcome the previously announced increase in pay for our GPs, what consideration have you given to increasing the...
Caroline Jones: Thank you for your statement, Cabinet Secretary. I welcome the review undertaken by Public Health Wales on sexual health services in Wales. The report rightly praises the sexual health workforce in Wales. The take-up of services has doubled in the last five years. This increase, undoubtedly, will require adjustments and reform to existing services to best meet demand. The key issue is getting...
Caroline Jones: 6. What assessment has the Welsh Government made of the impact of council tax increases on the residents of South Wales West? OAQ51993
Caroline Jones: Thank you, Cabinet Secretary. Bridgend residents have had a 4.5 per cent increase, Neath 3.7 per cent and Swansea a staggering 4.9 per cent increase. At the same time as my constituents are forced to pay these inflation-busting rises, wages are only rising by half these amounts. Cabinet Secretary, how can these increases be justified when services are being cut? How can we justify asking my...
Caroline Jones: I thank the Member for her question. The Assembly Commission is committed to minimising waste, including reducing single-use plastic waste on the estate. We are proud to have achieved our commitment to reduce the amount of waste sent to landfill to zero by 2018. In January we committed to alternatives to single-use plastics, where possible, within six months. We have already made progress...
Caroline Jones: I thank the Member yet again, and I'd like to update you on a couple of things. We are rid now of disposable coffee cups, and now stock aluminium drinks containers. The water filters around the estate cuts down on bottled water—plastic bottles. Meals hot and cold are now in compostable containers. There is extensive recycling signage across the estate for materials. Plastic straws were also...
Caroline Jones: Well, obviously, Simon, we still have some stock that we have to use. It wouldn't be practical to just throw stock away, so we are reducing our stock at the moment, and we are always looking at alternative suppliers who produce exactly what we want to decrease our carbon footprint here, and to decrease the amount of plastics that we use. So, I will update you on that question, and I can...
Caroline Jones: Thank you, Simon. The Commission is pleased to take this opportunity to announce that we have recently achieved certification to the international standard for environmental management, ISO 14001. As part of this environmental system, we have a long-term carbon reduction target of a 30 per cent reduction in our energy footprint by 2021. This builds on a previous target that we had for a 40...
Caroline Jones: Diolch, Simon, and you raise an extremely valid point there about contacting other areas, such as the council, to explain that we are attempting to reduce our carbon footprint, and that we'd like to look at the different ways through active travel, and so on, of coming to and from the Senedd, and we wish to encourage alternative ways for Members, Members' families and any visitors to the...
Caroline Jones: Hold on a second. Thank you for your question. The Assembly Commission fully complies with the regulations for the management and control of asbestos, and holds an asbestos register for all buildings within its estate. Detailed asbestos surveys and inspections were undertaken in 2002 and 2014, and the asbestos register confirms that no asbestos materials are present within the estate. The...
