Carolyn Thomas: Thank you. We've talked about—. Over the last 10 years, we've had cuts in public service funding, which has impacted on the money that's been available to social care through the councils. We've talked about not being able to move people on—[Interruption.] No, the UK Tory Government have cut public service funding under 10 years of austerity, which has impacted—
Carolyn Thomas: —which is what has impacted on not only social care services, but services that are able to be provided through local authorities, preventative services, all sorts of things and help to people. Do you not agree with that, Sam Rowlands?
Carolyn Thomas: This is music to my ears, this announcement. [Laughter.] I'd also like to pay tribute to Rhianon Passmore, who has been instrumental in championing this. I learned music through a recorder at school, and then stuck notes on my grandmother's piano so that I could learn on her piano as well. And people learned through the colliery brass bands, didn't they, at one time. My son learned through...
Carolyn Thomas: Okay. So, I encouraged my son to learn when it was free. We would not have had access otherwise to that music service, and he would never have had the chance to learn because we couldn't have afforded it. So, will it really be free for people to try? And also, he learnt the trombone because it was the only instrument left for him to try, but he stuck with it and managed to do it to grade 8....
Carolyn Thomas: Okay, fine. I will write to the Minister with the other one. [Laughter.]
Carolyn Thomas: Minister, very often with these announcements, you can't put them into reality until you actually visit a facility, I think, and I visited Marleyfield House in Buckley last year. The capacity has doubled and been designed with reablement in mind, so patients can leave hospital, build up strength before moving on to their own home. It's fantastic. Each room has balconies overlooking Hope...
Carolyn Thomas: Minister, I welcome that flood risk is a priority for Government. It's frightening and devastating, and I welcome this package of funding as well for it. Many of our old drainage systems cannot take the amount of monsoon-type rainfall we're experiencing more frequently, and roadside gullies and drainage systems need emptying more frequently. Plus, the responsibility of ditches, culverts and...
Carolyn Thomas: 3. How is the Welsh Government working with local authorities to tackle the climate and nature emergency? OQ58051
Carolyn Thomas: Thank you for the answer, Minister. The Welsh local government elections have shown that there is a clear mandate across Wales for progressive policies to tackle the big issues our society faces, and perhaps the biggest threat is posed by climate change. Minister, how do you plan to ensure that the climate and nature emergency is high on the Cabinet agenda of the new Welsh authorities, as...
Carolyn Thomas: 5. How is the Welsh Government addressing shortages in the teaching profession? OQ58052
Carolyn Thomas: Thank you for that answer, Minister. I've been in contact with those working in schools who are concerned about meeting expectations for accountability in terms of Estyn, and delivering the curriculum in Wales while struggling with capacity issues. I know that there's a real concern about the shortages of staff able to teach through the medium of Welsh, especially science teachers, as was...
Carolyn Thomas: Thank you. I wasn't going to speak on this, but I will now, so hopefully what I say is okay. I often get asked do I think that the health board is too big. And my commonsense thought about it, gut reaction, would be, 'Yes, it is.' It's a huge region—[Interruption.] Common sense. But I like to ask people, so I asked health professionals, I asked people in social services, what did they...
Carolyn Thomas: Sorry. Sorry, I did say I wasn't going to—. So, I know that the Royal Alexandra Hospital were hoping to have investment in that, to help take the pressure off minor injuries—[Interruption.] Minor injuries. But I know there is an issue because of a reduction in capital funding from the UK Government by 11 per cent—[Interruption.] No, I'm talking, I'm asking a question.
Carolyn Thomas: Yes. Thank you.
Carolyn Thomas: So, I'm asking the Minister if that lack of capital funding, from UK Government to Welsh Government, does have an implication on us being able to build extra services to take the pressure off certain hospitals. Thank you.
Carolyn Thomas: 6. What assessment has the Welsh Government made of the impact of the rising cost of living on people in north Wales? OQ58086
Carolyn Thomas: Thank you, First Minister. Households in north Wales are facing an unprecedented cost-of-living crisis through no fault of their own. Day-to-day costs are going up as inflation rises. With inflation at its highest level since March 1982, when it was 9.1 per cent, the solutions offered by Conservative MPs have been insulting. We've been told to get better jobs, we've seen a Tory MP say that...
Carolyn Thomas: 6. What steps has the Welsh Government taken to support animal rehoming centres to cope with increased pressure following the COVID-19 pandemic? OQ58106
Carolyn Thomas: Okay. Thank you for that answer, Minister. I've spoken to many rehoming centres struggling with capacity, impacted by a lack of space for seized dogs due to the time it takes between seizing them and a section 20 case being heard to sign them over. Rescue centres are having to keep seized dogs for well over a year in some cases, unable to rehome them while the case is ongoing. Not only does...
Carolyn Thomas: I would like to thank Jack for bringing this important debate to the Senedd and for the excellent campaign he has been doing alongside Friends of the Earth Cymru to get this issue talked about. In this Chamber I have spoken before about Thatcherite policies for which Wales and the UK continue to pay the price, whether that be the housing crisis or disastrous bus deregulation—pensions are...
