John Griffiths: This week marks UK Student Volunteering Week. Entering its twenty-first year, it aims to celebrate the impact of student volunteers and encourage students to engage in civic life. Today, as chair of the all-party group on further education, I'd like to share a story brought to my attention by ColegauCymru—the story of one former Grŵp Llandrillo Menai learner. Nineteen-year-old Tirion...
John Griffiths: Diolch yn fawr, Llywydd. I'm speaking today in my capacity as Chair of the Equality, Local Government and Communities Committee, and we published our report on the draft budget last week. When I spoke last year in the draft budget debate, or rather when I last spoke on this draft budget for this financial year, I focused on the importance of the budget allocations to the housing support grant...
John Griffiths: Minister, I was at a meeting last night in Community House in the Maindee area of Newport East, which has a number of ethnic minority communities regularly involved in its activities. There was a presentation on the vaccination programme, around the reluctance of some black and ethnic minority communities to take part. One of the major issues was that the presentation that we had from public...
John Griffiths: First Minister, there's a great deal of concern in Wales about the effect on children and young people of the pandemic and the restrictions, which I know you very much share. I very much agree with you in terms of the priority of getting our children back to school as quickly as possible, possibly starting with foundation phase children. Would you also agree that we need to get our young...
John Griffiths: Diolch yn fawr, Deputy Presiding Officer. I too would like to thank the staff of the committee and all the witnesses who gave us evidence. It was quite a substantial piece of work, and it's produced, I think, an important and substantial report. I'd like to refer to recommendation 6 as well, and the need for a music strategy, which as the recommendation states, would be very beneficial...
John Griffiths: Minister, it is good to see so many Members of the Senedd serving as species champions and working with wildlife groups. I'm the species champion for the water vole, which I'm pleased to say is thriving on the Gwent levels, and the Gwent levels themselves help us achieve biodiversity. As you know, Minister, I'm chairing a Gwent levels working group to look at how we enhance and better protect...
John Griffiths: Minister, would you agree with me that it's been very frustrating over the years of Conservative Governments at Westminster to see the progressive policies of Welsh Government undermined by the measures taken at Westminster, and that the more we can pull down powers to Wales, including taxation powers, the better position the Welsh Government will be in to respond to what the Welsh people...
John Griffiths: Minister, we know that our ethnic minority communities are particularly susceptible to the ill-health effects of the virus, and Welsh Government and its working group have done some very good work in terms of illustrating and understanding and responding to that. There is some concern now that some in our ethnic minority communities might be more reluctant to have the vaccine than the general...
John Griffiths: Diolch, Dirprwy Lywydd. I am pleased to move this motion and recommend to the Senedd that Nick Bennett is appointed as the acting Public Services Ombudsman for Wales for an eight-month term. The Public Services Ombudsman for Wales is an important public role. The appointment to the post is significant. In the normal course of these matters, the Equality, Local Government and Communities...
John Griffiths: Minister, constituents have raised with me issues regarding prisoners in Welsh prisons with regard to the vaccination programme. So, some prisoners who are in the top-four priority groups, and the immediate priority groups currently being vaccinated, have not received any information as to when they are likely to receive their vaccinations, and, understandably, they are wondering whether they...
John Griffiths: What is the First Minister’s assessment of the progress of the COVID-19 vaccination programme in Wales?
John Griffiths: What is the Welsh Government’s latest analysis of the delivery of cancer treatment in Wales during the pandemic?
John Griffiths: Certainly, Dirprwy Lywydd. Okay, so the committee, then, very much looks forward to looking at the White Paper in more detail over the coming weeks, and we strongly welcome its publication. Diolch yn fawr.
John Griffiths: As Chair of the Equality, Local Government and Communities Committee, I very much welcome the Minister's statement today, along with the publication of the White Paper last week. The committee has taken a very close interest in all matters relating to fire safety since those horrific and tragic events at Grenfell in 2017, and in particular we've been pushing for necessary legislative change...
John Griffiths: There are many good actions suggested by Lord Burns that will be actioned by Welsh Government with partners, Deputy Minister. You will know that, for example, the new railway station at Magor has very good community support and buy-in and has been put forward for quite some time. So, I think that is very, very promising, and the new stations at Llanwern and Somerton similarly. I also welcome...
John Griffiths: First Minister, the vaccination programme is crucial in saving lives, in reducing pressure on our national health service, with all the benefits that brings for COVID-19 and non-COVID-19 health services, and in allowing restrictions to be eased for a return of economic activity, our schools and more normal living. Understandably, expectations of the roll-out are very high, and my constituents...
John Griffiths: 4. What is the First Minister’s current assessment of COVID-19 in the Aneurin Bevan University Health Board area? OQ56155
John Griffiths: It's certainly the case, isn't it, during the pandemic, that many people have come to have a fresh appreciation and understanding of the value of physical activity and sport? Yes, for physical health, but, as people have said, also for mental health, for just quality of life and enjoyment, and I've had very many e-mails from constituents particularly concerned about their children. Their...
John Griffiths: Thank you, Minister. I think it's clear that the pandemic has particularly affected those who were already struggling in many ways—so, people with more disadvantaged backgrounds have suffered more, in health terms, economically and socially. In that context, I very much welcome that £23 million to extend the free school meals during holidays entitlement through to Easter of next year. I...
John Griffiths: 1. What further financial provision will the Welsh Government make within its annual budget to address the impact of COVID-19 on pre-existing inequalities in Wales? OQ56099
