Nick Ramsay: As the Minister has said, John Griffiths has raised a very important question. I think one of the most shocking things, certainly looking back at this in the future—this pandemic—will be the way that it has disproportionately affected those across society and those suffering from pre-existing social and health inequalities. Minister, you've mentioned free school meals, you've mentioned...
Nick Ramsay: Diolch, Llywydd. During the pandemic the issue of value for money has become centre stage and making sure, Minister, that we get the best from every Welsh pound spent. Over the last couple of days, it's emerged that the Welsh Government is repaying €3.4 million of rural funding to the European Commission, following last year's Audit Wales report on the rural development programme. Now, I...
Nick Ramsay: I get the feeling I'm getting told to move on from that subject, so I appreciate it's within her line. If I can broaden that out into value for money across the whole budget itself, Minister, as I said in yesterday's budget debate, we often talk about building back better, and you've spoken about building back better and building back greener and the First Minister has. Now, that's a...
Nick Ramsay: Diolch, Gweinidog. I'm all for carbon budgeting and I think it's great that we're moving that way, but I do appreciate the complexity of trying to achieve that. But, as you've pointed out, we have to start somewhere. Looking across other aspects of the draft budget, and I appreciate it's still a draft budget, but housing, for instance. I can appreciate how carbon budgeting comes in with...
Nick Ramsay: Can I, firstly, concur with Bethan Sayed's call for better perinatal mental health support? I think that that's an area that has needed some work for a while, and I'm pleased to see that progressing. Two issues, if I may, Trefnydd. First of all, I attended a meeting, along with some other representatives, with Community Pharmacy Wales yesterday, at which the pace of the vaccine roll-out was...
Nick Ramsay: I know time is short, so I'll be brief. Can I just ask you, Deputy Minister, on the public transport enhancements that you've mentioned? It's good to hear about the proposed increase in the number of stations in Newport, but, of course, the increase in the number of stations only works when you've actually got a railway line. Two questions on the back of that: first of all, are there any...
Nick Ramsay: In terms of the ability to deal with the coronavirus in south-east Wales, I wonder if you could update us, Minister, on the Grange University Hospital and the role of that in providing treatment for those suffering from COVID-19.
Nick Ramsay: Will the Minister confirm how many people have received a first dose of the COVID-19 vaccination?
Nick Ramsay: Trefnydd, could we have an update on the support available for parents managing homeworking and home schooling during the pandemic? I'm sure that this has been raised with you as a Member of the Senedd, as it's been raised with me. As a parent myself, who often has a toddler with me in the room when I attend some Zoom meetings, I'm aware of the pressures that parents are under. Children,...
Nick Ramsay: The impact of stroke can be considerable, as Dr Dai Lloyd has just explained, not just for the patient, but also for their family, in ways that can be challenging and terrifying, particularly—as has just been said—at this time of the pandemic and lockdown. Many people will experience a range of consequences after having a stroke: the physical challenges of fatigue and paralysis in those...
Nick Ramsay: First Minister, as you've just said, the chair of the Welsh affairs—the committee, I should say—in Westminster has expressed concerns, and I think we all appreciate that there have been issues with the roll-out and the development of shared prosperity fund. However, according to the UK Government response to the Welsh Affairs Select Committee report, 'Wales and the Shared Prosperity...
Nick Ramsay: Afternoon, Minister. As the Senedd champion of the freshwater pearl mussel—I know other Members are champions of their own different species as well—I'm particularly interested in this question from Caroline Jones, and in the convention strategic plan for diversity, which ran from 2011 until last year. Species like the freshwater pearl mussel are particularly susceptible to water...
Nick Ramsay: Many colleagues in this debate have rightly focused on the impact of COVID-19 on individuals needing end-of-life care and their families who, in normal circumstances, would've been able to comfort and support them during this time. Over the last year, there have been some harrowing stories of patients nearing the end of life in hospital or in a care home, where that natural family love and...
Nick Ramsay: 7. Will the First Minister make a statement on support for the rural economy during the pandemic? OQ56294
Nick Ramsay: Thank you for that answer, First Minister. As you've just highlighted, the rural economy faces different and various challenges compared to urban areas, and that's always been the case pre the pandemic as well. The pandemic has exposed how vulnerable our rural way of life can be. Has any assessment been made of how many job losses there have been in rural communities compared to urban areas,...
Nick Ramsay: Many problems—I'm not sure they would be classed as technical or not, but—. [Laughter.] I wasn't exactly anticipating being called, actually, for this, Dirprwy Lywydd. But, in fact, it's been a very interesting statement, and can I thank the Minister for it? I don't disagree with many of the points that have been made hitherto, but if I could just ask a couple of questions on the back of...
Nick Ramsay: Minister, Alun Davies, the Minister emeritus, makes his arguments with his usual passion and vigour, and I appreciate that there has been, to date, anyway—. The Welsh Government has complained about a lack of detail on the shared prosperity fund. Nonetheless, it is, in principle, a mechanism that, eventually, will hopefully deliver for Wales. So, looking beyond the current situation to that...
Nick Ramsay: 7. What assessment has the Welsh Government made of the impact of the current lockdown on children who are not in school? OQ56253
Nick Ramsay: Thank you, Minister, for that frank and honest answer. As you've touched on in that answer, home schooling and associated issues have presented a number of challenges for families during the pandemic. Whilst many schools have seen an increase in the number of pupils attending hub provision, the overwhelming majority of children are still at home, and a large number are struggling,...
Nick Ramsay: Two issues, if I may, Trefnydd. Firstly, can I echo the sentiments of Huw Irranca-Davies in his issues earlier regarding Fairtrade Fortnight? Normally, I would be attending the local launch of Fairtrade Fortnight in my local constituency town of Abergavenny, but understandably, this year that's not possible due to the pandemic, so it has been substituted with online events. I think we should...
