Angela Burns: Minister, as you'll be aware, over recent years, south Pembrokeshire and Tenby in particular have become synonymous in the triathlon community with hosting the Ironman Wales event—one of the toughest sporting challenges in the Ironman calendar. Every September, thousands of people descend on the area to compete in the competition, which offers qualification slots for the world championship...
Angela Burns: Wow, where to start? We talk about the word 'safety', which has been used a couple of times, but let's be clear, the beds in Hywel Dda—the operations have been cancelled because the orthopaedic ward at Prince Philip Hospital has been closed to orthopaedic, to elective surgery, and they're putting medical cases in there. That takes care of an enormous number of the problems with the elective...
Angela Burns: I'd like to focus my contribution today on the challenges that face seaside and market towns, of which I have many in my constituency, and explore what options there are to help with the regeneration of such communities throughout the whole of Wales. I will be addressing your issue in a moment, Mark Reckless, if you are prepared to bear with me. Minister, as we know, across Wales, we are...
Angela Burns: I know. Finally, let me briefly touch on the importance of marketing our towns and communities better. I've already mentioned the Iron Man event that takes place in Tenby. We should be looking much more at destination marketing; that is something that really sits well with market towns and seaside towns. In short, we have a lot of towns with unique and varied histories. They tend to be in...
Angela Burns: I just wanted to clarify one thing. I do understand that not all coastal towns are in need of that kind of support. But, like we do in much of the rest of Wales, you can actually have a fund and say what the eligibility criteria are. And you make the point about the Valleys towns, but a very clear report: 'Their location on the periphery of the country places them on the periphery of the...
Angela Burns: Good afternoon, Minister. I do welcome the statement. It's good to see the 14 projects that have been funded, and I'll be very interested to see how the other £11 million is finally deployed. I'd just like to pick up on a couple of points. Regarding the final funding round, could you clarify whether you'll be targeting applications from any specific health board area, or will you be looking...
Angela Burns: As you will be well aware, at times, consensus is difficult to reach in this place. However, the NHS (Indemnities) (Wales) Bill is a piece of legislation that has earned cross-party approval, and I'm grateful to have the opportunity to speak on behalf of the Welsh Conservatives during the final stage of this Bill. I'd like to extend my thanks to the Minister for the work that he and his...
Angela Burns: Minister, I wonder if you could tell or confirm to us what formal arrangements you have in place for monitoring and evaluating the value for money of the twenty-first century schools programme deliveries, whether it's Carmarthenshire or throughout Wales.
Angela Burns: You mentioned the transformation fund, Minister, and the delayed discharges into community settings. One of the barriers is still around the whole area of funding, particularly if a person requires funding from both the health service and from the social services because of the mixed care package that they require. Quite often, there are—a kind way, perhaps, to describe it—marginal turf...
Angela Burns: 6. Minister, will you outline what plans the Welsh Government has to improve cancer diagnosis? OAQ54907
Angela Burns: Thank you for that and, of course, I heard the response you gave to the Member for Arfon when she raised a very similar question earlier on, but I just want to talk about gaps in the diagnostic workforce. And if I was to take an example, such as histopathologists, since the new junior doctor contract was introduced in England in 2016, a significant difference between the pay given to trainees...
Angela Burns: 1. Will the First Minister provide an update on the Welsh Government's priorities for improving the health service over the coming year? OAQ54972
Angela Burns: Well, First Minister, as you know, recent weeks have brought to the fore the current pressures that are facing the Welsh NHS—'winter pressures', as we like to term them, though the reality is that they are there for most of the year. Now, in the words of Dr Phil Banfield, the British Medical Association Cymru Wales consultant committee chair, he said 'It is clear from the latest...
Angela Burns: I'm very grateful, Minister, for the briefings that have been provided on this report, although I think that we must remember—and, once again, I wish to extend my deepest, deepest sympathies to all of those affected—the distress at the failings the maternity services in Cwm Taf have brought to many, many parents and at a time when it should have been one of the most joyful times of their...
Angela Burns: 1. Will the First Minister outline the Welsh Government's plans to reduce the number of people smoking in Wales? OAQ55018
Angela Burns: Thank you for that answer, First Minister. And, undoubtedly, Wales has led the UK in banning smoking in public places, which is very welcome. However, 13 years on, latest figures still show that we're failing to address smoking in young people and expectant mothers. Across Wales, 9 per cent of 15 to 16-year-olds smoke, and 30 per cent of teenage mums smoke. Thirty per cent of mums aged...
Angela Burns: Thank you very much indeed, Minister. To be honest, you've answered most of the questions I was going to ask. I met the Secretary of State last week and he was very clear that there was big joint working going on and that it was going very well. My only question would be: does Wales have any emergency treatment centre planning in place, in case we get to a situation where this does develop...
Angela Burns: Will you take an intervention?
Angela Burns: Just before you decide to try to elucidate us on what you think I might say, I'd be delighted—. When we speak about amendment 3, I will be telling you exactly why we have removed that and substituted it with two others, and I hope that that will answer your concerns.
Angela Burns: Diolch, Llywydd. I'd like to formally move the amendments tabled in the name of my colleague Darren Millar. I'd like to thank Helen Mary Jones for being able to agree and disagree with her so well in the health portfolio over the last few years—I shall miss you. And welcome back, Rhun. It is groundhog day, but good to see you. And, of course, it is groundhog day in many other ways, and I do...
