Paul Davies: Can I thank the First Minister for his comprehensive statement this afternoon? The new measures announced yesterday by the Welsh Government to follow the current Wales-wide lockdown period, of course, provide some clarity, and what we've heard from the First Minister this afternoon has provided further clarity, however there are still some outstanding issues and concerns that need further...
Paul Davies: 2. Will the Minister make a statement on the Welsh Government's immediate priorities for the health service in Pembrokeshire? OQ55779
Paul Davies: Thank you for that response, Minister. Of course, it's an immediate priority for people living in Pembrokeshire to continue having access to treatments and services as quickly as possible. The Royal College of Surgeons has echoed that call, saying that at the centre of all this are patients who really need their operations. Many are in serious pain, with their conditions deteriorating while...
Paul Davies: Will the Minister make a statement on the Welsh Government's efforts to protect people's mental health in Pembrokeshire during the COVID-19 pandemic?
Paul Davies: Diolch, Llywydd. First Minister, you will have seen the very worrying concerns from some health experts that as many as 2,000 people in Wales could die as a result of COVID-related delays. Professor Tom Crosby of the Wales Cancer Network has said that he fears an unprecedented tsunami of demand for cancer services is coming. What urgent action is the Welsh Government taking to address these...
Paul Davies: Of course, and I very much agree with the First Minister. Our priority has to be tackling this virus, but, of course, we need to make sure as well that routine surgery and routine services are able to continue, because figures today have shown that around 49,000 patients in September had been waiting for more than a year for an NHS treatment in Wales, and that's a tenfold increase for all...
Paul Davies: First Minister, of course, it is critical that the Welsh Government explores every opportunity to resume non-COVID care so that people can access vital treatments as soon as possible, and it's deeply worrying to hear the health Minister say it would be foolish to have a plan for backlogs before the pandemic is over. Now, it's also crucial that the Welsh Government considers how it also...
Paul Davies: Can I thank the Minister for his statement this afternoon? Now, today's statement refers to a number of interesting reports and actions that the Welsh Government is taking forward with partners, and as Members will be aware, there have been some developments in working with others to strengthen the Welsh Government's response to tackling COVID-19. For example, the priority regional...
Paul Davies: Diolch, Llywydd. First Minister, from the start of this week, people on low incomes in Wales will be able to claim £500 if they have to stay off work and self-isolate due to COVID-19. I'm pleased to see that those payments will now be backdated to 23 October. However, it remains the case that local authorities in Scotland and in England have been delivering the grants for some weeks and...
Paul Davies: Well, First Minister, it's absolutely crucial that those who need additional support throughout the pandemic have actually access to it, whether that's financial support for someone living on a low income that has to self-isolate, additional guidance and support for those who were previously on the shielding list or mental health support for those who simply don't feel like they're entitled...
Paul Davies: Well, I know that, First Minister, you want to distract from talking about your responsibilities as a Government in order to avoid highlighting your failures—
Paul Davies: —your failures when it comes to the health service, your failures when it comes to the education system—
Paul Davies: —and your failures when it comes to the economy. First Minister, figures today show that 23 deaths were registered in care homes—almost triple the amount registered last week, which is a significant cause for concern—and yet, figures still aren't available to confirm exactly how many care homes in Wales are directly affected by COVID-19, and how many residents in Wales, so that the...
Paul Davies: On behalf of the Welsh Conservatives, I'd also like to thank the Members of the elections planning group for their vital work on this very important matter. From the report, it is clear that there was consensus on a range of issues. Crucially, there is agreement that the elections should take place on 6 May next year. There's no reason why the elections can't take place on 6 May given that...
Paul Davies: 5. Will the Minister make a statement on the delivery of local public services in Pembrokeshire? OQ55858
Paul Davies: Thank you for that response, Minister. Figures from Pembrokeshire County Council have shown that, in the last year, from April 2019 to April 2020, a total of 72 per cent of all household waste was recycled, which is 10 per cent more than the previous year. To add to that, one of the council's employees, Amanda Absalom-Lowe of Haverfordwest, has been named by BBC Radio 4 as one of 30 inspiring...
Paul Davies: Will the Minister make a statement on the Welsh Government's support for floating wind projects in Wales?
Paul Davies: Diolch, Llywydd. First Minister, yesterday the health Minister confirmed that the Welsh Government is considering tighter COVID restrictions in the run-up to Christmas. Can you confirm what restrictions you are now considering, given that you have already introduced local authority based restrictions, hyperlocal lockdown restrictions, and now national restrictions?
Paul Davies: I take it from that answer, then, First Minister, that you are perhaps looking at the possibility of introducing some sort of tiered system here in Wales. Of course, the tiered approaches in Scotland and England do have a few differences and it's important that the Welsh Government therefore looks at the impact of both sets of tier based restrictions before confirming its approach for...
Paul Davies: Of course, it's not just individuals and families who are keen to know whether there will be any changes in restrictions in Wales. Businesses across Wales will also undoubtedly be anxious at the prospect of further restrictions. The run-up to Christmas is a busy time, of course, for businesses in all sectors, and in the wake of a very difficult year, it's understandable that many will be...
