Angela Burns: Today is World Pharmacists Day, a time to recognise the contribution that pharmacists and their teams make to world heath. Co-ordinated by the international pharmaceutical federation, World Pharmacists Day brings to the fore the varied work pharmacists undertake in various countries. For example, in Africa, pharmacists provide health education seminars and manage clinics for chronic diseases...
Angela Burns: Of course, the e-referral system is a very positive step forward in terms of reducing waiting times in the Cynon valley and throughout the rest of Wales. However, another one of the problems we have is a crucial shortage of orthodontists. What's the Welsh Government doing to recruit more orthodontists?
Angela Burns: I'm pleased to receive this update from you, Minister, because, whether it's a deal or no deal, we need to get Brexit done. Now, the Welsh Conservatives support the result of the referendum. People in Wales voted overwhelmingly to leave, and it is incumbent on Welsh Government to make the requisite preparations. And, let's be frank, leaving without a deal is a direct result of Labour in...
Angela Burns: 2. What plans does the Welsh Government have to assist small business growth in Wales? OAQ54430
Angela Burns: Thank you for that. And I do understand your drive and ambition to help small businesses in Wales. But, of course, last week, the shadow Chancellor, for the shadow bench, stated at your conference that he'd introduce a 32-hour week within a decade if Labour come into power. Now, how does this equate with your desire to encourage small business growth, as employers will have limited capacity...
Angela Burns: I'm grateful to be able to speak on the committee's report. I'm delighted, actually, we did this one-day report, because it shone a light on a part of the NHS here in Wales that is so very vital to people's long-term health and yet sometimes is really overlooked. And I'm pleased that the Government has accepted all the recommendations, although I do have commentary on that. 'Everyone should...
Angela Burns: I'd like to thank Janet Finch-Saunders for bringing this very important debate forward, because we need to demonstrate that we value the staff in our care home sector. Too often, the care home sector is seen in a pejorative way, as not quite up there with nurses or the other medical professions, and yet they are absolutely vital to the continuation and the cohesion of our society, and in...
Angela Burns: Will you take an intervention?
Angela Burns: Just a point of clarification, because that's really positive. Does that include all care workers, including the ones in domiciliary settings as well as care homes? I just wanted to clarify.
Angela Burns: 6. Will the First Minister outline how the Welsh Government is supporting the pharmaceutical industry? OAQ54475
Angela Burns: Very positive news indeed, First Minister. And, as you will be aware, the pharmaceutical industry in the UK invests £4.3 billion per annum into research and development, more than any other sector of the economy, and the UK has the lowest prices for medicine in the whole of Europe as a consequence. How do you propose this support and investment is secured for the future, given the 'Medicines...
Angela Burns: 5. What action is the Welsh Government taking to encourage youth volunteering in Carmarthenshire? OAQ54480
Angela Burns: Thank you for that. And I just want to give you a quick apology, because actually when I say Carmarthenshire, in fact, this applies throughout the whole of Wales, my question. We need volunteers for the future. We know our volunteers are dedicated, but they're ageing and there is a real gap coming along stream. So, I just wondered how innovative we could be as a nation, and I wondered what...
Angela Burns: I'd like to thank you, Minister, for your statement today and also for the opportunity you afforded my staff members to receive a technical briefing on the report this morning. Of course, your statement is entitled 'Update on Cwm Taf Morgannwg University Health Board', and I appreciate that in the content you mainly focused on the progress report and the clinical review strategy, which indeed...
Angela Burns: The Summit to Sea project in mid Wales has been accused of reflecting the partners' focus on the environment and paying much less attention to the cultural, linguistic, social and economic aspects of sustainable development, which, of course, is fundamental to the development of the whole community. Minister, what can you do to ensure that, when projects like this are set up in the future,...
Angela Burns: You mentioned earlier the Celtic sea alliance collaboration that you went and signed, which is very welcome. My question, very simply is: this commitment, which will hopefully develop more sustainable energy projects within the Celtic sea—and I understand specifically floating windfarms—what provisions are there within this collaboration to ensure that local communities and local...
Angela Burns: Will the Minister outline the Welsh Government's plans to tackle illegal dog breeding sites in Wales?
Angela Burns: Thank you very much, acting Deputy Presiding Officer. Thank you very much for the statement today, Minister. There's much in it to agree with, although I will have to just say that I thought your end paragraph about Brexit was utterly ridiculous in this particular context. Yes, we will have challenges no matter what happens, in or out, but the situation we have today is a current situation...
Angela Burns: There are some very good points that you make in this, but I would like to make a couple of my own. The first is that at no point in this document do you actually follow a line that says that people have a personal responsibility. And I can say this as someone who's had more than her fair share of ill health over the last few years, and I am no sylph, regrettably, but I am fully aware that in...
Angela Burns: Diolch, Presiding Officer. Minister, you'll be very familiar with the core principles of NHS Wales, and I'm sure that, like me, you will have read the various mission statements and heard the aims being promoted by health boards. Ambitions such as putting people at the heart of everything we do, and caring for people, keeping people well, and my personal favourite and the new mantra that's...
