John Griffiths: First Minister, it's clear that a growing number of people—our young people and, indeed, the older generation concerned for their grandchildren—do not think that the current scale and pace of action to combat climate change is sufficient. I think we've seen, with Extinction Rebellion and the number of people protesting, the number of arrests and, indeed, Greta Thunberg, as an amazing...
John Griffiths: 8. What further steps will the Welsh Government take to ensure that the education system provides the skills required to support the Welsh economy? OAQ53761
John Griffiths: Thank you, Minister. I wonder if you're familiar with a recent proposal for a national technology institute, which came from Newport economic network. It's really about looking at how we provide this sort of applied education for world-class technical, digital and entrepreneurial skills, really in responding to the fourth industrial revolution. It does have a good deal of work behind it,...
John Griffiths: I very much welcome the setting up of the task and finish group, First Minister, I think, in recognition of a very strong level of cross-party support for this policy and a very strong campaign run across the UK by 20's Plenty, and we've had some important events in Wales to further that campaign. Would you agree with me that, in addition to the benefits that you've mentioned, it's very...
John Griffiths: I'd like to welcome what I think is a very detailed and comprehensive report by the commission, Minister, and obviously it addresses issues that affect very many people right across Wales. In fact, I met with the commission as part of their evidence gathering as Chair of the Equalities, Local Government and Communities Committee, and I was very pleased with the commitment that I think they...
John Griffiths: I represent Newport East, which is a multicultural area, and I was brought up in Pill in Newport, in Newport West, which is very multicultural, more so now than it was when I was growing up there. But I must say, Dirprwy Lywydd, I always found it a very positive experience in terms of the richness of culture, music, dance, clothing, cuisine. It was a very enriching experience in terms of all...
John Griffiths: I will.
John Griffiths: I would very much agree with that. I think there’s a lot in our education system today that is about empathy and empathising, isn’t there? And a lot about diversity, understanding diversity, and respecting it. And I’m sure Kirsty Williams is very committed to making sure the new curriculum builds on that. I was very interested in what the Deputy Minister said about community cohesion...
John Griffiths: 7. Will the Minister set out the Welsh Government's policy for transport in inner-urban areas in Wales? OAQ53822
John Griffiths: I thank the Minister for that. Minister, yesterday at First Minister's questions, the First Minister referred to the setting up of a task and finish group to take forward a possible default 20 mph speed limit in urban areas in Wales, which I believe would deliver many benefits. Could you provide a little more detail of that new arrangement, Minister, in terms of the membership and the...
John Griffiths: 5. What strategy will the Welsh Government follow to build on the success of hosting major events in Wales? OAQ53874
John Griffiths: First Minister, the Newport marathon on the first Sunday of this month was an outstanding success, building on the achievements of the previous year. There were some 6,000 runners in the marathon, the 10k and the family fun run, a carnival atmosphere in Newport, the women's marathon was won by a Newport woman, which was very pleasing for all the locals, and it really did encourage local...
John Griffiths: I think many have made the point, Minister, that there is a lack of consistency across Wales, and you yourself have made that point. So, there is a need for more training, more capacity, more support for our local authorities. Substantial funding is available, although hopefully it will increase further, but to think of that funding and then hear you describe some of the use of that money,...
John Griffiths: Minister, these are worrying times for the steel industry right across Wales, and, obviously, your concern is for all Tata plants right across the country, as you've stated. For me, obviously, Llanwern and the Orb works are particularly concerning because they provide many high-quality, well-paid jobs locally, and other jobs in the supply chain and so on depend upon them. The Orb works is up...
John Griffiths: May I thank the Minister for her statement today and welcome that, and also the work of the building safety expert group? Obviously, the committee I Chair, the Equality, Local Government and Communities Committee, has taken a very strong interest in these matters, which are very urgent and serious matters, as we've already discussed today. It is really a matter of safety, and, obviously, that...
John Griffiths: Since 2017, as a committee, we've been calling for a change to the fire safety regulations, and in particular a revision of the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005. This new legislation to set standards for people undertaking fire risk assessments that we've discussed would place a requirement for those assessments to be undertaken annually and clarify that fire doors that act as front...
John Griffiths: Diolch, Dirprwy Lywydd. I'd like to take the opportunity today to discuss the third-biggest cause of deaths in Wales today, lung disease. Respiratory illness affects one in five lives in Wales, a higher rate than the UK average. Mortality rates haven’t improved greatly in the last 10 years, and, sadly, we have the fourth-highest figures in Europe.
John Griffiths: The latest British Lung Foundation research has found that the cost to the UK is around £11 billion each year, a significant proportion of which relates to Wales. Fatalities account for 15 per cent of all deaths in Wales, and within this, COPD as the highest number. Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease is a group of conditions, including bronchitis and emphysema. The make it difficult to...
John Griffiths: Unfortunately, not everyone is able to benefit from pulmonary rehab, with just one in 10 people accessing services. Waiting times across Wales vary from 77 weeks to fewer than eight weeks, with as little as three programmes per year on offer to patients in some areas. Funding should and could be rebalanced away from expensive inhaler treatments towards more cost-effective interventions. The...
John Griffiths: To continue to improve this level of support and care, we need a long-term approach to funding the national exercise referral scheme to provide certainty to users and local authorities. It is a key part of ensuring that patients are able to improve their confidence with exercise and managing their breathlessness. We need to see greater investment in initiatives to reduce the risk of patients...
