Andrew RT Davies: Thank you, Minister, for that answer. In the 13 years that I've been an Assembly Member, I cannot think that I've had such heartbreaking stories brought to my regional office, and meetings with residents on this particular issue, where no fault at all is attributed to the residents, and a clear line of fault lies with the original builders of the sites and the implementation of the building...
Andrew RT Davies: First Minister, obviously, in many debates in the House of Commons, it's been identified that not one single power will be removed from the Assembly because of this Bill—or shall I say the Welsh Parliament. You said in an earlier response to another question that powers would be being removed. Could you list the powers that you believe this Bill will remove?
Andrew RT Davies: Thank you, Presiding Officer. Organiser, could I seek two statements, or certainly a letter in the first instance, explaining why—from the health Minister—dentists aren't classed as key workers, and if there could be possible Government reconsideration of this? I find it remarkable that dentists aren't categorised as key workers, but there might be a perfectly logical reason why that it...
Andrew RT Davies: The Welsh Conservatives will be supporting both sets of regulations this afternoon. Agenda item No. 7 seems a sensible course of action, if you're giving this authority to local authorities to shut places down but also offer people who come under these regulations the ability to appeal to a magistrates' court, as I understand it, and also if the rules and regulations need to lapse after seven...
Andrew RT Davies: If I could seek a point of clarity from the Minister when she responds to this debate. On the Welsh Conservative benches, we have a free vote on this issue. As someone who's lost two individuals to lung cancer—two very dear individuals to lung cancer—I cannot see a coherent argument when it comes to smoking, but I accept a certain percentage of people in society do choose to smoke, and if...
Andrew RT Davies: 4. Will the Minister make a statement on the Welsh Government's proposed residential development at Cosmeston Farm in Penarth? OQ55747
Andrew RT Davies: Thank you, Minister, for that answer. This is a substantial development on the outskirts of Penarth. It's 60 acres of land owned by the Welsh Government and, obviously, this is a Welsh Government application to the local authority, which is the Vale of Glamorgan Council. And I declare an interest as a member of that authority. Do you think it is appropriate that such a major scheme should be...
Andrew RT Davies: Thank you, Minister, for that response to the opening question. Obviously, with the national lockdown that's coming in as of Friday evening, years 9 and above have been ordered to stay at home for one week of the school calendar. Can you point me to the scientific evidence that says that this is a sensible course of action for years 9 and above, or is it, as you said in your response to Suzy...
Andrew RT Davies: 2. Will the Commission make a statement on the Welsh Government's use of facilities in the Tŷ Hywel building? OQ55748
Andrew RT Davies: Thank you for that answer, Commissioner. Obviously, the Welsh Government, since 29 September, have chosen to participate in Plenary and Assembly proceedings via the Zoom method, rather than being in person in the Plenary or committee meetings. I'd be grateful to understand from the Commissioner: have any Government Ministers attended the facilities in Tŷ Hywel, because obviously people have...
Andrew RT Davies: Well, that's not an answer.
Andrew RT Davies: Thank you very much, Presiding Officer. And can I thank everyone who's participated in this debate moved by Alun today? I was very pleased to be a co-signatory to the motion. I'll bring a bit of levity, if I may, to my opening remarks. When Alun rang me up about this debate that he was looking to put forward and seek my support as one of the Conservative Members, I was in a middle of a beef...
Andrew RT Davies: I welcome the opportunity to contribute in the debate this afternoon, as someone who was on the first Petitions Committee back in the 2007 to 2011 Assembly, when we adopted this principle of people being able to bring petitions to the Assembly, not just to be deposited in a sack behind the Speaker or the Presiding Officer's chair, such as happens in Westminster, but for a committee of the...
Andrew RT Davies: Thank you, First Minister, for the answers so far. I'd like to direct my question to you around the Royal College of Physicians' request last week for the Government to consider the rules around discharge. We know the pressure that NHS staff face when, obviously, they can't discharge patients and accept new patients into the hospitals. Some of the regulations that the Welsh Government brought...
Andrew RT Davies: Thank you, First Minister, for your statement. Three quick points out of the statement, if I may. You talked about hospitals being able to undertake normal NHS work. It's important that we understand what the waiting times are and what the performance targets are. Will you commit to restarting the publication of these target times, so that we can assess the waiting times and the target times...
Andrew RT Davies: Thank you, Presiding Officer. Thank you, Minister, for your remarks. I do think the last statement that you made was slightly distasteful to say the least, by calling to support your country, as if by voting against these regulations you were some form of traitor. I do think that's a particularly distasteful way to end your opening remarks. There are different views to be dealt with. We have...
Andrew RT Davies: Thank you, Presiding Officer. According to Macmillan, Minister, nearly 3,000 people in Wales could be living with cancer undiagnosed as a result of the pandemic. What is your plan to tackle this vicious storm heading towards the NHS in Wales?
Andrew RT Davies: Since the start of the pandemic, Minister, in Wales, female deaths from dementia and Alzheimer's disease in the home have gone up by 92 per cent against the five-year average. Male deaths from heart disease at home in Wales have gone up by 22 per cent above the five-year average. Excess deaths at home were mostly due to deaths not involving COVID-19. What is your plan to tackle these excess...
Andrew RT Davies: In 2019, Minister, the Welsh NHS carried out 35,700 orthopaedic operations. Data up until the end of August show that there have only just been over 8,000 operations in Wales. At the same time last year, there were 24,000 operations performed by the NHS in Wales. What's your plan to tackle this public health bomb that will come and break the NHS?
Andrew RT Davies: Thank you, Deputy Presiding Officer. Minister, congratulations on your appointment to Cabinet in this very important role. We have some five/six months now before the next parliamentary elections for the Welsh Parliament. I appreciate it's a very tight time frame, but in your initial assessment of what you can achieve in those five to six months, what goals have you set yourself, so that when...
