Natasha Asghar: Thank you, First Minister. First Minister, I've stood here many a time, and I know you don't like answering individual cases, but I have been asked by a number of constituents about a matter that I'd like to raise with you today, here in the Chamber. Now, I've been contacted, like I said, by a family who are experiencing difficulty in obtaining COVID passports for foreign travel. Earlier this...
Natasha Asghar: 1. Will the First Minister make a statement on coronavirus requirements for international travellers from Wales? OQ57043
Natasha Asghar: Minister, one of the main aims of the UK spending review is levelling up across the UK to increase and spread opportunity. However, as we've heard in the previous question today, Wales continues to face significant skills shortages, hindering the Welsh economy and the ability of the workforce to adapt to ever-changing industries and technologies. Research from the Open University shows that...
Natasha Asghar: This month is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. The recent death of Girls Aloud star Sarah Harding from breast cancer at the tragically young age of 39 highlighted the vital importance of doing all that we can to fight this horrible disease. The pandemic has resulted in a big drop in the number of people being referred to see a specialist with suspected breast cancer. Screening services were...
Natasha Asghar: Thank you, Minister. Following on from Jenny Rathbone's comment about school inspections, I believe school inspections are vital to ensure that the delivery of high standards of education is available across Wales. However, figures obtained under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 show that 189 schools were last inspected between seven and 10 years ago, and a further 417 schools were...
Natasha Asghar: Thanks, Deputy Minister. I have a feeling you enjoyed that question. Surveys by the Federation of Small Businesses in Wales show that many firms are looking to adopt electric vehicles in the next five to 10 years, which is great news. However, at present, the cost of electric vehicles and the lack of charging infrastructure are key barriers to businesses wishing to decarbonise transport. This...
Natasha Asghar: 1. What action is the Welsh Government taking to encourage greener transport? OQ56949
Natasha Asghar: 8. What action will the Welsh Government take to ensure the delivery of high standards in education? OQ56951
Natasha Asghar: Minister, may I ask for a statement from the Minister for health on the availability of electroretinography services for eye patients here in Wales? Wales is the only country in the UK that does not have access to this service for eye patients, and I'm advised that the only centre in Wales, which was based in Cardiff, closed 18 months ago. I asked the Minister about this in a written...
Natasha Asghar: First Minister, I'm sure you'll agree that a thriving retail sector is vital to the economic development of all communities across Wales. It is concerning for me, however, that almost one in five shops in Wales are now empty according to the Welsh Retail Consortium. One of the main factors causing the decline of our high streets is the high level of business rates here in Wales. I heard your...
Natasha Asghar: 1. What measures will the Welsh Government introduce to support businesses in the current Senedd term? OQ56948
Natasha Asghar: Minister, I completely echo what you say, as well as my colleague from Newport West, in that we owe an incredible debt to veterans. Research from the Royal British Legion revealed that members of the armed forces community are exposed to events and challenges that make them more vulnerable to loneliness and isolation. They found that one in six members of the ex-service community reported...
Natasha Asghar: Minister, the COVID lockdown has seen a rise in the number of pets being stolen, with the result that pet abduction is to be made a criminal offence in England. Theft of a pet is currently treated as a loss of the owner's property under the Theft Act of 1968, but this does not adequately recognise the great emotional distress that this can cause to the owner, and also the pet. What action...
Natasha Asghar: Minister, manufacturing accounts for just 10 per cent of the UK's gross domestic product, which is amongst the lowest of all countries in the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. Increasing manufacturing can boost national earnings, and the value of free ports lies in its power to boost economic activity and create new job opportunities in areas of deprivation. A report by...
Natasha Asghar: 9. What measures will the Minister propose to strengthen the protection of animals in Wales during the current Senedd term? OQ56824
Natasha Asghar: Okay. Thank you very much. The signal that public transport is a priority is welcome, and genuinely welcome. However, the timescales involved in infrastructure strategy, including public transport improvements, are long and cannot address immediate problems. How will you take into account the time lag here, bearing in mind the need to ensure gaps in infrastructure needs are filled in the...
Natasha Asghar: Thank you, Minister, for not answering the question. I was actually asking about participation in the actual plan that's going ahead, not actually what you answered. But, anyway, next question: can I, please, ask the Minister for more detail about tackling the problems of air quality and congestion? How are issues of congestion and air quality going to be taken into account in the road...
Natasha Asghar: Thank you, Presiding Officer. Deputy Minister, in 2019, the Federation of Small Businesses Wales released a report called '"Are we there yet?" A Roadmap to Better Infrastructure for Wales'. It was based around a significant survey of work from the small and medium-sized enterprise sector looking at the role of infrastructure. The survey found that 86 per cent put investment in road...
Natasha Asghar: First Minister, thank you so much for mentioning women and young people in your previous answer, but I'd like to focus on older people. The older people's commissioner for Wales, in 2018, reported that an estimated 112,500 older people actually live in poverty here in Wales, with 50,000 people living in severe poverty. Last year, the charity Independent Age produced a report saying that...
Natasha Asghar: Wales has some of the worst air quality in the UK. I have mentioned on a few occasions since I've been here that Cardiff and Port Talbot both have higher PM10 levels than either Birmingham or Manchester, and that's just simply unacceptable. Congestion on Welsh roads is a major factor in this. Stop-start traffic not only emits more greenhouse gases than free-flowing traffic, it also causes...
