Paul Davies: The Centre For Towns report also highlights that the impact of COVID-19 on Welsh communities has been exacerbated by existing structural inequalities that have not been tackled by the Welsh Government. The report shows that Valleys communities and seaside towns in Wales, such as Rhyl, Ebbw Vale and Maesteg, are amongst the most vulnerable to an economic downturn caused by COVID-19. Of course,...
Paul Davies: Diolch, Llywydd. First Minister, yesterday's news that Airbus is set to cut 1,700 jobs across the UK, as it struggles with the effects of the coronavirus crisis, is a devastating blow to workers in Broughton and, indeed, in north-east Wales, and the Welsh Government rightly responded to say that it would use all of the levers at its disposal to support workers throughout this difficult time....
Paul Davies: I very much agree with you: it's vital that Governments and parties are working together, where they can, to support workers at this time, and I'll do whatever I can to constructively work with you, and colleagues in Westminster, to ensure that everything that can be done will be done to support those affected by this news. Now, sadly, it's not the only announcement regarding job losses in...
Paul Davies: Well, First Minister, as you know, my party have also brought forward proposals to establish a COVID recovery fund for those areas most affected economically, and I hope you'll constructively look at our proposals, which could make a real difference to people affected by the closures and the job losses at Airbus, and indeed Laura Ashley. Now, in response to the latest Office for National...
Paul Davies: Minister, Mind Cymru has recently published a report into how the coronavirus pandemic has impacted our mental health, which shows that many people do not feel entitled to seek help and have difficulty accessing it when they do. Now, the report showed that one in three adults and more than one in four young people didn't access support during lockdown because they didn't think that they...
Paul Davies: What assessment has the Minister made of the impact of the Welsh Government's public procurement policy?
Paul Davies: Diolch, Llywydd. First Minister, key to tackling the spread and indeed the eradication of this awful virus is Wales's testing programme and its ability to reach as many people as possible in order to better inform people before they make decisions about socially interacting. We know that lab capacity in Wales is just over 15,000, which, as you know, is still a long way off the potential...
Paul Davies: First Minister, last week, you made it clear that Welsh Ministers have the powers through regulations to take local action to reduce some of the freedoms in order to deal with local outbreaks. It's absolutely crucial that freedoms are not curtailed any further, so, if at any point the Welsh Government decides to take the decision to introduce localised lockdowns in the future, then it must be...
Paul Davies: First Minister, as new cases continue to fall across Wales, the Welsh Government and local health boards must start looking at other NHS treatment and services, and, as you know, nearly 500,000 were waiting for treatment before the COVID-19 pandemic hit. Now, the Royal College of Surgeons have warned that delays to surgery will already have resulted in an increased need for complex surgery,...
Paul Davies: 7. Will the Minister make a statement on the delivery of health services in the Hywel Dda University Health Board area? OQ55405
Paul Davies: Minister, a strong accident and emergency service is integral to the effective delivery of health services in hospitals across the Hywel Dda University Health Board area. Now, as you'll be aware, there is a strong campaign to retain A&E services at Withybush General Hospital. Given the recent news that Cwm Taf health board has decided to retain A&E services at the Royal Glamorgan Hospital,...
Paul Davies: Clearly, the Welsh public transport landscape has changed dramatically this year in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, and, before I go on to make my comments, I'd like to take the opportunity to thank those workers across Wales who have continued working and kept essential travel routes open to key workers across the country. Public transport prior to and certainly during the lockdown has...
Paul Davies: Will the Minister make a statement on the Welsh Government's priorities for learners in Pembrokeshire for the next 12 months?
Paul Davies: Diolch, Llywydd. First Minister, from 6 July, households in Wales have been permitted to join together to form an extended support bubble to enable families to reunite, meaning that people can form one extended household and meet indoors. That move was welcomed by many across Wales who, after months of being unable to see their loved ones, were finally able to spend some time with their...
Paul Davies: First Minister, thanks to the people of Wales, significant progress has been made in limiting the spread of the virus in communities across Wales, which, of course, has allowed freedoms to have been relaxed in other areas. For example, a further set of coronavirus restrictions that have also been lifted in Wales, as you've just said, is in relation to self-contained accommodation, such as...
Paul Davies: First Minister, the gradual reopening of the hospitality sector in Wales provides further opportunities for people to socially interact with members from outside their households. I recently met with local hospitality businesses to discuss the ongoing impact of COVID-19 and the Welsh Government's regulations, and the message was clear: this year, most hospitality businesses are simply...
Paul Davies: Can I thank the First Minister for his statement this afternoon? This, of course, is the final legislative statement for this Parliament, and so it's a good opportunity to look at the Welsh Government's progress on its legislative programme and also consider the Government's priorities for the remainder of this Parliament. Now, I appreciate that the COVID-19 pandemic has stretched and...
Paul Davies: Diolch, Llywydd. First Minister, whilst rates of COVID-19 remain relatively low across Wales, as you refer in your statement, the number of patients infected with coronavirus while in hospital in north Wales has unfortunately risen. As you said, Wrexham Maelor Hospital has recently seen a spike in cases and has the highest recorded number of cases per 100,000 population in Wales. First...
Paul Davies: First Minister, as you referred in your statement, in recent weeks we've seen the gradual reopening of businesses and facilities, which means that people are interacting more and more, whether it's at work or in the community. However, many people have been in touch with me, confused about being allowed to eat at a restaurant indoors with people from outside their household or extended...
Paul Davies: In favour.
