Helen Mary Jones: I'm pleased to rise today to support this motion and was very glad to see it tabled by Jane Hutt in the first instance and supported by so many colleagues. Like, I'm sure, many in this Chamber, I feel very angry that so many of our fellow citizens work so very, very hard and are still poor. I object to people's taxes being used to subsidise bad employers who ought to be able to pay wages...
Helen Mary Jones: Will you take an intervention?
Helen Mary Jones: Thank you very much, Cabinet Secretary. I'm wondering if, in those guidelines, you can include looking at how segregated the workforces are in companies, because we know that that is the basis—. While we carry on paying the men who fix our cars more than women who look after our children, we're still going to be stuck in this place. So, in the revised guidelines, could you perhaps take...
Helen Mary Jones: Can I also welcome you, Trefnydd, to your new role? I would like to ask you to liaise with the Minister for Education to consider bringing forward a statement about the grave situation that's ongoing in Swansea University at present. In doing so, I need to declare an interest as a very recent employee of the university. Members will have noted from the previous coverage, of course, and...
Helen Mary Jones: Can I just take the opportunity formally to congratulate you on retaining your post? I look forward to working with you. I meant to do that in committee this morning and apologise for neglecting to do so. To return, obviously, to the issue of planned healthcare in Montgomeryshire, you'll be aware, of course, of the important role that GP surgeries can play in this regard and some of the...
Helen Mary Jones: Thank you very much again, Llywydd.
Helen Mary Jones: Minister, we were discussing in committee this morning the ongoing concerns on some of the issues around Brexit and the healthcare system, and you'll be aware that on 17 November the issue of The British Medical Journal starkly stated that patients will die if we can't maintain the medicine supply chain. Can you update us on the contingency plans that your department is putting into place to...
Helen Mary Jones: I'm grateful to you for that, Minister, and I think the whole Chamber will look forward to that update. As I've said, it's a situation that we're all hoping will be avoided, but does seem to be becoming more of a real threat. I'd like to give you a specific example to illustrate the dangers that we face, which I'm sure you're very well aware of. The radioactive isotope technetium is used in...
Helen Mary Jones: Thank you, Minister, and perhaps you can give us some further information following the stakeholder meeting about the precise arrangements if we do face the issue of having to fly medicines in. You mentioned in your response the additional cost to the NHS. As part of the potential 'no deal' Brexit preparations—. I must say that I have some frustrations with Members there; I'm sure that you...
Helen Mary Jones: 3. What recent discussions has the First Minister had with the Minister for Education about Welsh Government support for higher education in Wales? OAQ53202
Helen Mary Jones: I thank the First Minister for his answer. You'll be aware that I have on a number of occasions raised concerns about the current situation with regard to governance at Swansea University. Now, obviously, as the education Minister has rightly said, our universities are independent bodies, but it is also true that they are in receipt of very substantial public funds in Wales, and that they are...
Helen Mary Jones: I'd just like to begin my brief comments by saying how pleased I think Steffan would be to see us just all getting on with things after a very emotional start this afternoon.
Helen Mary Jones: I'd like to request consideration for two statements, please, Trefnydd. One is with regard to the ongoing problems with Powys County Council's children's services. Now, I'm very grateful for the written statement that we have all received from the Deputy Minister for Health and Social Services and, though she's not here, I'd like to put on record my congratulations to her in her new post and...
Helen Mary Jones: 5. What discussions has the Counsel General had with the UK Government regarding maintaining the transferability of professional qualifications for staff working in the health service, particularly nurses, if Brexit does proceed? OAQ53196
Helen Mary Jones: I thank the Counsel general for his answer, which is, at some level, reassuring. We have, of course, previously in this Chamber discussed the difficulties that health and care services may face if we are unable to recruit staff from the EU. It's been particularly drawn to my attention that this will be a huge problem for the care sector, for the qualified nurses working, not in hospital...
Helen Mary Jones: Just very briefly, Minister. I think you're misrepresenting the position of the children's commissioner. What she has said is that it is a matter of debate, and I have her response here in front of me. It is a matter of debate as to whether legislation is required. I fully acknowledge that you're accurate in your representation of the other bodies you mentioned, but I think you should revise...
Helen Mary Jones: I have to say, as a member of the health committee, I went into this process feeling I had some awareness of the issues, but I was far from convinced that legislation was the answer, and, through the process of receiving evidence, I have changed my mind. I've been thoroughly disheartened and actually sometimes quite distressed by the evidence we received from people with autism and their...
Helen Mary Jones: Happy to.
Helen Mary Jones: I'm grateful for your intervention, Dai—and as do I, of course. Now, on the other side of this debate we have the people with autism and their families, and the organisations that represent them. Through this process, I personally heard no voices from this group opposing legislation, though I fully accept that that can't possibly cover the views, and I have heard, and listened very...
Helen Mary Jones: Thank you very much to Darren Millar for taking an intervention. I am grateful. Would you accept that 'no deal' would be a scenario that you would also want to avoid, and in that context, if it isn't possible to avoid a 'no deal' Brexit, and there's a need for further discussions at Westminster amongst the senior parliamentarians that Mrs May has referred to, that perhaps we will need to...
