Alun Davies: I'm grateful to you, Deputy Presiding Officer. I'm grateful to the Welsh Conservatives as well for bringing this debate to the Senedd at the beginning of this new term, and I'm grateful for the kind words we've just heard. In terms of where we are, the speech just made by Andrew R.T. Davies is absolutely correct: it is good and we do welcome and we are grateful for the work that Government...
Alun Davies: I'm grateful to you for that response, Minister. I think on this side of the Chamber we certainly don't think that Wales gets anything like its fair share of resources and funding from the current United Kingdom Government. But in terms of how we spend our resources, one of the lessons I think we will learn over the coming weeks, months and years, looking back over the pandemic, is the way...
Alun Davies: 4. Will the Minister make a statement on the budget allocated to delivering strategic and economic development planning in south-east Wales? OQ56829
Alun Davies: Will the Minister make a statement on the assessment criteria for selecting sites for large-scale energy generation projects?
Alun Davies: I'd like to start by saying a word of thanks to the Government for undertaking this debate in the absence of the Finance Committee during this period. I think that it is an important thing that the Senedd does have an opportunity to discuss the budget before the Government establishes it, so we have an opportunity to say, as the representatives of the people of Wales, what our priorities are...
Alun Davies: —work with the Football Association of Wales, and others, to ensure that we normalise the use of the Welsh language where we socialise, where we live and where we work?
Alun Davies: I’d like to welcome the new Minister to post and I’d also like to thank him for the opportunity to have this debate an early stage in this new Senedd. I welcome the tone that the Minister has adopted in his initial remarks. There are a few things that I would like to say as part of my contribution this afternoon. The first is on the importance of Welsh-speaking communities, communities...
Alun Davies: Before coming to a question, with your permission, Llywydd, I would like to say a few words about Elystan Morgan. We lost Elystan during last week, and, of course, he was a giant of the Labour Party and the Labour movement, but also of Welsh politics. One thing was consistent throughout Elystan's life was his belief in our democracy and the right for Wales to govern itself. I well remember...
Alun Davies: Thank you for that.
Alun Davies: We've heard already this afternoon of the tremendous pain and suffering of people across the whole country who are waiting for services, following the pandemic or as the pandemic dominates the national health service. Is it not time now, Minister, that we consider suspending the use of NHS resources for private work to ensure that all of the resources of the national health service are...
Alun Davies: 4. Will the Minister make a statement on the use of private treatment within the NHS? OQ56718
Alun Davies: Obviously being controlled by the Government. [Laughter.] Could we have a statement on the Government's out-of-hospital cardiac arrest strategy, please? I notice that this morning the Government has made more money available to support the location of defibrillators, but that is, of course, one element of the overall strategy, and I would like to hear how the progress is being made, because...
Alun Davies: The technology doesn't seem to be working this afternoon, Presiding Officer, in terms of muting and unmuting Members. Can I—
Alun Davies: Thank you very much for that, Minister, although that is not the experience of many of the people I represent in Blaenau Gwent. Many people are finding it increasingly difficult to access primary care at present. Now, we all recognise the issues created by the pandemic, but it cannot be acceptable that people are simply unable to access the medical care and support they need. Quite simply,...
Alun Davies: 5. Will the First Minister make a statement on patient access to face-to-face consultations with clinicians? OQ56755
Alun Davies: I'm grateful to the Presiding Officer for that. I was profoundly shocked to read section 2 of the policy, where it states very clearly that the Senedd Commission may without notice check and make and keep copies of all information, which includes, but is not limited to, telephone calls and any electronic communications, stored information, data sent, received created or contained within the...
Alun Davies: I'm grateful to you, Counsel General, for that response. The question of course was framed before we had that happy news from the court. I'd be grateful if you could confirm that you will provide this Parliament with regular updates on—[Inaudible.]—progresses. My question to you—[Inaudible.]—is this: we've debated and discussed the internal market Act on a number of different...
Alun Davies: 3. Will the Counsel General make a statement on the Welsh Government's legal assessment of the United Kingdom Internal Market Act 2021? OQ56679
Alun Davies: 5. Will the Commission make a statement on its ICT policy for the sixth Senedd? OQ56681
Alun Davies: Yes, on a point of order, I was profoundly disappointed that Business Committee took the opportunity to block this candidature this morning and not to explore the potential to job share a committee Chair. It appears to me, and it appeared, I think, to others, that this was a very straightforward proposal and one which could have been accommodated within our existing Standing Orders. It...
