John Griffiths: 4. What is the First Minister's current assessment of COVID-19 incidence in Wales? OQ56000
John Griffiths: First Minister, it is a very worrying situation, and among the factors involved that make it very worrying is the increasing emergence of long COVID, which I believe the health service unfortunately may be dealing with for some years to come. Months after contracting the virus, sufferers are left with a range of symptoms, including breathlessness, brain fog, pain and fatigue. It is...
John Griffiths: I very much welcome your statement today, Minister, and the work of the commission for this integrated, accessible and sustainable transport system for Newport and around. It's been long awaited and we must now make it a reality. The delivery unit is vital to this, Minister, and it's good to hear that it will be meeting this month. I wonder if you can tell us whether that delivery unit will...
John Griffiths: 4. What steps has the Welsh Government taken to develop its relationship with the European Union and member states post Brexit? OQ55999
John Griffiths: UK membership of the European Union bestowed great benefits on Wales, including enabling our country to play a significant role on the European stage in the Council of Ministers, European Parliament, Committee of the Regions and associated groupings. Outside the EU, I believe we should ensure the closest possible relationship with the European Union, and that should include the regions, with...
John Griffiths: Food is important in so many ways: to health and well-being, quality of life, our economy and environment, to tackling inequalities, and, yes, in our schools. So, it was good to hear the First Minister, in his questions yesterday, making clear his Government's commitment to addressing issues of school meals and quality and ensuring provision. And he was quite clear, wasn't he, that in doing...
John Griffiths: 1. What further financial provision will the Welsh Government make within its annual budget to address the impact of COVID-19 on pre-existing inequalities in Wales? OQ56099
John Griffiths: Thank you, Minister. I think it's clear that the pandemic has particularly affected those who were already struggling in many ways—so, people with more disadvantaged backgrounds have suffered more, in health terms, economically and socially. In that context, I very much welcome that £23 million to extend the free school meals during holidays entitlement through to Easter of next year. I...
John Griffiths: It's certainly the case, isn't it, during the pandemic, that many people have come to have a fresh appreciation and understanding of the value of physical activity and sport? Yes, for physical health, but, as people have said, also for mental health, for just quality of life and enjoyment, and I've had very many e-mails from constituents particularly concerned about their children. Their...
John Griffiths: What further steps will the Welsh Government take to address the impact of COVID -19 on inequalities in education in Wales?
John Griffiths: 4. What is the First Minister’s current assessment of COVID-19 in the Aneurin Bevan University Health Board area? OQ56155
John Griffiths: First Minister, the vaccination programme is crucial in saving lives, in reducing pressure on our national health service, with all the benefits that brings for COVID-19 and non-COVID-19 health services, and in allowing restrictions to be eased for a return of economic activity, our schools and more normal living. Understandably, expectations of the roll-out are very high, and my constituents...
John Griffiths: There are many good actions suggested by Lord Burns that will be actioned by Welsh Government with partners, Deputy Minister. You will know that, for example, the new railway station at Magor has very good community support and buy-in and has been put forward for quite some time. So, I think that is very, very promising, and the new stations at Llanwern and Somerton similarly. I also welcome...
John Griffiths: As Chair of the Equality, Local Government and Communities Committee, I very much welcome the Minister's statement today, along with the publication of the White Paper last week. The committee has taken a very close interest in all matters relating to fire safety since those horrific and tragic events at Grenfell in 2017, and in particular we've been pushing for necessary legislative change...
John Griffiths: Certainly, Dirprwy Lywydd. Okay, so the committee, then, very much looks forward to looking at the White Paper in more detail over the coming weeks, and we strongly welcome its publication. Diolch yn fawr.
John Griffiths: What is the Welsh Government’s latest analysis of the delivery of cancer treatment in Wales during the pandemic?
John Griffiths: Minister, constituents have raised with me issues regarding prisoners in Welsh prisons with regard to the vaccination programme. So, some prisoners who are in the top-four priority groups, and the immediate priority groups currently being vaccinated, have not received any information as to when they are likely to receive their vaccinations, and, understandably, they are wondering whether they...
John Griffiths: What is the First Minister’s assessment of the progress of the COVID-19 vaccination programme in Wales?
John Griffiths: Diolch, Dirprwy Lywydd. I am pleased to move this motion and recommend to the Senedd that Nick Bennett is appointed as the acting Public Services Ombudsman for Wales for an eight-month term. The Public Services Ombudsman for Wales is an important public role. The appointment to the post is significant. In the normal course of these matters, the Equality, Local Government and Communities...
John Griffiths: Minister, we know that our ethnic minority communities are particularly susceptible to the ill-health effects of the virus, and Welsh Government and its working group have done some very good work in terms of illustrating and understanding and responding to that. There is some concern now that some in our ethnic minority communities might be more reluctant to have the vaccine than the general...
