Mark Drakeford: Well, Llywydd, I agree, of course, with what my colleague, the Counsel General, said: that there is a great deal of constitutional repair that needs to be made to the United Kingdom and that the next Labour Government will have a real responsibility to make sure that that happens. I had an opportunity only yesterday evening to discuss the forthcoming Gordon Brown review with the leader of the...
Mark Drakeford: I should point out at the start, Llywydd, that the median waiting time for somebody in an A&E department in Wales is two hours and 50 minutes, so the standard wait before you are seen and treated is actually two hours and 50 minutes. I know that it doesn't suit people always to have the facts, and, of course, people do wait longer than that, but the standard waiting time—the median waiting...
Mark Drakeford: Well, I certainly expect those improvements to be made, and I'd certainly expect to see them at the accident and emergency department at the Heath hospital—a new unit with significant investment from the Welsh Government within the last five years or so. So, this is not an old building, unfit for modern conditions; this was a building provided to be fit for the current sorts of services...
Mark Drakeford: First of all, Llywydd, to associate myself exactly with what the leader of the opposition said in his opening remarks. He will know that I was able to be in Qatar this time last week. I was able to go and see the Welsh team train and to meet them in their preparations. They are the most fantastic group of people; we are really lucky to have them represent us on that world stage. Their...
Mark Drakeford: Well, Llywydd, I welcome any help that is made available for pensioners and for other people who rely upon the state for their income. And I hope that those payments arrive as quickly as possible with people, because we know that, of all the groups in our society, pensioners are amongst the most anxious not to do things that land them with bills that they cannot pay. I said in answer to Jayne...
Mark Drakeford: I thank Jayne Bryant for that. She's absolutely right to point out that millions and millions of pounds available to families across Wales go unclaimed every year. The Welsh Government, through our new cost-of-living sub-committee, has been promoting the notion that every contact should count in making sure that people are advised, encouraged and helped to claim the help that is available to...
Mark Drakeford: Llywydd, people across Wales, including Newport West, are experiencing the biggest fall in living standards since records began. The economy has entered the early stages of recession as a result of the UK Government’s 12-year period of economic mismanagement. That will add rising unemployment to the challenges already faced by Newport West residents.
Mark Drakeford: Llywydd, I thank Huw Irranca-Davies for that question. I think the promotion of community pharmacy has been something that has been agreed across the Chamber here, over the whole of the devolution period. We've always believed that it was a resource that could be made more of, and, over the years, we have seen community pharmacists in Wales absolutely expand the range of services that they...
Mark Drakeford: I thank Mike Hedges for that question, Llywydd. He draws attention to one of the fundamental facts of primary care, which is that GPs are independent contractors. They have a contract with the board, and they are not directly managed by the Welsh Government or the local health service. However, the good news for constituents of Mike Hedges is that, because of the successful conclusion of the...
Mark Drakeford: I have seen evidence over the recent months, Llywydd, about the situation in Holyhead, and I know that the health board is working with local people on the island to try and accelerate the recruitment of new people, and to make what's going on and what's available in Holyhead a part of the service that's available across the whole island. There are some problems, we know, in terms of staff...
Mark Drakeford: Well, Llywydd, on the latter point, there are 200 places available in Wales for GP trainees. We don't always get to 200, but we consistently attract more than the 160, which is the baseline figure for GP training. The long-term answer, however, is to move away from the single focus on GPs themselves. GPs are leaders of a wider clinical team that works alongside them. And the history over the...
Mark Drakeford: Llywydd, the general medical standards, agreed with GPs in Wales, are improving access and ensuring consistency across the nation. Achievement has increased year on year, with 89 per cent of all practices now achieving all the standards. Agreement for next year’s contract will see further improvements in access to the whole of the primary care team.
Mark Drakeford: 'Llwybr Newydd', our transport strategy, puts active travel and public transport at the forefront of everything we do. Alongside our support for the rail industry, we propose a new model for bus services in Wales, which will allow local authorities to design the bus networks their communities need.
Mark Drakeford: During my visit to Qatar, I met with leaders of the Qatari Businessmen Association. I spoke with them about Wales's expertise in cyber, fintech and advanced manufacturing. I also discussed opportunities in the renewable energy sector, in particular offshore wind, tidal and solar power technology.
Mark Drakeford: Rent Smart Wales processes all completed licence applications within the eight-week statutory timescale, with an average of five and a half weeks for a landlord licence and just over five weeks for an agent licence.
Mark Drakeford: Longest waiting times at the health board have fallen, but much ground remains to be recovered, as services respond to the backlogs created by the COVID pandemic. The NHS Delivery Unit assists the board to reduce waiting times and to plan elective care effectively.
Mark Drakeford: Our strategy, 'Welcome to Wales: Priorities for the Visitor Economy 2020-25', sets out our vision and ambition for tourism. Visit Wales promotes destinations equally across Wales, and South Wales West is integral to that activity.
Mark Drakeford: We are clear that e-cigarettes should not be used by children and young people, and are looking at what we can do to prevent their use by this group as part of our new tobacco strategy. We are also looking at messaging around young people and e-cigarettes as part of the JustB programme aimed at secondary school pupils in areas with the highest smoking prevalence rates.
Mark Drakeford: The autumn statement was a response to the very challenging economic conditions facing Wales and the UK. Those conditions have been made worse by the failure of successive UK Governments to invest adequately in infrastructure and public services and by the catastrophic September mini-budget.
Mark Drakeford: That's a very important question near the end of today's questions, because it goes to the heart of the dilemma that the Welsh Government will face after Thursday's autumn statement. If the Chancellor decides to solve his dilemmas by taking an axe to our capital budgets, then inevitably that will have an impact on our ability to invest the £1.8 billion that Dr Hussain mentioned. It's a...
