John Griffiths: Diolch, Llywydd. The steel industry continues to be a real strength for Wales and is, of course, a strategic industry, so important to manufacturing and construction, for example. I would like the Minister's reassurance, which I'm sure will be forthcoming, that it will be a continuing priority for Welsh Government to support the steel industry in Wales, and to make sure that we have the...
John Griffiths: I would be grateful for clarification on the regulations, Minister, possibly in writing in due course. Issues have been raised with me by Newport Harriers with regard to youth athletics and whether youth development league meetings are permissible within the regulations, and also whether parents are able to spectate at those meetings. It is an outdoor stadium that Newport Harriers use, and...
John Griffiths: First Minister, our city and town centres are very important for economic activity and jobs, and very important in other ways, as places for people to meet up, in terms of that sense of local pride and, indeed, sense of well-being. In Newport, as with other places across the UK, we face many challenges from changes in retail shopping habits to online. Recently, Debenhams has closed. But...
John Griffiths: 2. What are the Welsh Government's immediate economic priorities for this Senedd term? OQ56527
John Griffiths: Diolch, Llywydd. I would like to congratulate the First Minister on his reappointment and his ministerial appointments, and also welcome the sense of urgency that he stressed in terms of governing Wales and implementing the programme for government. I think it is very consistent with what the First Minister has said about building back fairer and greener, through and beyond the pandemic, that...
John Griffiths: Minister, a major issue is men's mental health and their tendency not to talk about their feelings and problems, as we've discussed many times. So, it is important to reach men with the right messages through a variety of means and organisations, and of course to have good role models. Given the profile and reach of professional football, I do think there's a strong role for our clubs in...
John Griffiths: Minister, health inequalities in the UK and Wales are very, very concerning. Men in the most deprived communities live, on average, 10 years less than those in the least deprived, and, for women, the difference is almost eight years. And in terms of healthy years of life, the difference is almost 19 years, and that applies to both genders. So, with that sort of background, that's why the...
John Griffiths: 3. What further steps will the Welsh Government take to tackle health inequalities in Wales? OQ56499
John Griffiths: 4. What are the Welsh Government’s policies to build partnerships for good mental health in Wales? OQ56497
John Griffiths: I very much welcome the action plan, Minister, and I very much take the point that you've made, and that so many of the stakeholders have made, consistently over a period of time, that there's been a lot of identification of problems, but not nearly enough action to deal with them, and I think that's why an action plan is so welcome. As you say, the pandemic has put the issues, the...
John Griffiths: We've heard already, Minister, how Burns offers a blueprint for the sort of integrated transport system that we need to move to, and I'm very keen on that blueprint. I'm very keen on the new rail stations that are proposed in Newport East, such as the walkway station at Magor, which I know you're familiar with and is very innovative, and also at Somerton and Llanwern. We can have a bus...
John Griffiths: I hadn't actually submitted my name for this item, Llywydd.
John Griffiths: What action is the Welsh Government taking to ensure that sport and physical activity play a full role in helping Wales through and beyond the pandemic?
John Griffiths: What further steps will the Welsh Government take to increase the number of green areas in cities and towns across Wales?
John Griffiths: Diolch yn fawr, First Minister. The steel industry remains a very important part of Newport's economy, with Tata Steel at Llanwern, for example, and also, of course, Liberty Steel at Uskmouth. We know, First Minister, that if the UK as a whole is going to have the sort of industrial future it deserves, steel must play an important part in that as a strategic sector. And we also know that...
John Griffiths: 3. What further steps will the Welsh Government take to fully realise the economic potential of Newport? OQ56414
John Griffiths: Organisations like Kaleidoscope, working as part of the Gwent drug and alcohol project, are concerned at the difficulties in ensuring good vaccination take-up amongst service users. Their front-line workers have very strong relationships of trust with those service users. They're in regular contact with them and understand the difficulties of chaotic lifestyles. Minister, would you agree that...
John Griffiths: 5. What work is being done by the Welsh Government during the pandemic in partnership with local health boards, councils and charities to support those living with substance misuse? OQ56328
John Griffiths: Minister, we know that the pandemic has accelerated pre-existing trends that make it very difficult for our town and city centres to thrive. There are far too many empty shops, including large empty shops such as the Debenhams store in Newport at the moment, and we know that we need to continue our efforts to diversify, repurpose and reinvigorate those city-centre buildings. You will know,...
John Griffiths: Minister, the vaccine roll-out is proceeding very effectively and efficiently, which we're all very grateful for, but, obviously, we need a very good take-up of the vaccine if we are going to have Wales as protected as we would like it to be. It is good, generally, but there are some gaps, and you've referred already to black and ethnic minorities, for example. I know there's emerging...
