Vikki Howells: 5. Will the First Minister provide an update on discussions with the UK Government regarding the future of levelling-up funding? OQ59122
Vikki Howells: I'd like to start by offering my thanks to the committee, its clerking team and the witnesses for what I think is a very robust piece of work. For my contribution, I'll be focusing on a couple of the key recommendations. Firstly, recommendation 1 around promoting the importance of school attendance. We all know that it's important that children and young people attend school, and it's key...
Vikki Howells: Thank you, Trefnydd. Ensuring people can access mental health services in a timely manner is important for our NHS, vital for people in need, and can even save lives. That's why I'm really pleased at the roll out of the '111 press 2' telephone service to access urgent mental health support. With the intention that this will be introduced to all health board areas in Wales by the end of March,...
Vikki Howells: 3. How is the Welsh Government working to improve access to mental health services in Cynon Valley? OQ59104
Vikki Howells: Thank you, Minister, for your statement. I've got a real interest in NHS informatics and how they can be used to drive service improvements. So, I note your comments around digital systems and Velindre Cancer Centre moving on to the Welsh patient administration system, and I was interested to read your written statement yesterday on the cancer informatics programme. So, I've got a few...
Vikki Howells: Thank you for that answer, Minister. I recently visited Gwynn's Opticians in Aberdare to find out more about independent prescribers and the new optometry contract. I was really impressed to hear about the 70 or so independent prescribers and the work that they can already do in terms of treating and diagnosing conditions like glaucoma and macular degeneration, thanks to a fully funded...
Vikki Howells: Diolch, Llywydd.
Vikki Howells: 10. How is the Welsh Government working to improve optometry services in Wales? OQ59030
Vikki Howells: What assessment has the Welsh Government made of the impact on Wales of the UK Government's announcement regarding the latest round of levelling-up funding?
Vikki Howells: This week is Cervical Cancer Prevention Week, and the charity Jo's Cervical Cancer Trust have launched their biggest campaign yet, the campaign to end cervical cancer. Around 160 cases are diagnosed annually, and it's the most common form of cancer for women under 35. But, here in Wales, we have the tools to make cervical cancer a thing of the past: a wide-ranging HPV vaccination programme,...
Vikki Howells: Minister, Cynon Valley boasts 19 winter welcome centres, offering local people a safe, accessible and warm environment during the day, and I'm sure that you would like to join with me in thanking all who are providing this invaluable resource this winter. The provision of advice and support for those who attend is a key objective of the centres. So, I'd like to ask what work is being done by...
Vikki Howells: Diolch, Dirprwy Lywydd. Thank you, Minister, for your statement. I agree with your comments about the purpose of evaluation, improvement and accountability within the education process. They're all important procedures so that schools can improve their offer to and their outcomes for learners. I want to focus on your comments around national monitoring and sampling. As a former secondary...
Vikki Howells: Trefnydd, this week is Cervical Cancer Prevention Week. Around 160 cases of cervical cancer are diagnosed annually. It's the most common type of cancer for women under 35. I've been working with Jo's Cervical Cancer Trust to increase take-up of the HPV vaccine and cervical screening, as we know that regular screening reduces risk by up to 70 per cent. Could we have an update from the health...
Vikki Howells: First Minister, turning to bus services, which are, of course, the most heavily utilised part of our public transport system, and, obviously, in light of the fact that the Welsh Government is developing its proposals for legislative change and a new model for running bus services, talking signs are one solution whereby people affected by sight loss can access travel information at bus stops....
Vikki Howells: Thank you to the Chair, the committee members and the clerking team of the climate change committee for producing such a comprehensive report. I'm glad to see the joint approach used of considering bus and rail services together. In the last Senedd, I sat on the Economy, Infrastructure and Skills Committee, and I enjoyed taking part in our separate investigations then into bus and rail, but a...
Vikki Howells: Thank you, Minister. As a Member of the Economy, Trade and Rural Affairs Committee, I visited the Agriculture Research Centre at Gelli Aur last year to find out more about their farm-nutrient partnership. What conclusions have the Welsh Government drawn from this project in terms of the ways in which slurry treatment can be used to support the agricultural sector, but also to protect the...
Vikki Howells: Thank you, Minister. Even before the recent increase in the fuel price cap, we know that nearly half of all households are at risk of fuel poverty, and I'm sure that colleagues, like me, will have experienced an increase in constituents contacting them in desperate need of advice and support. Welsh Government interventions have made a real difference in supporting communities such as Cynon...
Vikki Howells: 1. How is the Welsh Government prioritising interventions to eliminate fuel poverty within its draft budget for 2023-24? OQ58945
Vikki Howells: 9. What are the Welsh Government's priorities for creating a vibrant agricultural industry sector? OQ58946
Vikki Howells: Minister, it was a pleasure to join you fairly recently at the brand new Hirwaun primary school in my constituency, built under the twenty-first century schools programme, with £10.2 million of funding from Welsh Government and RCT council. I think it was probably one of the last schools to be built under that iteration of the plan that we're discussing now. The benefits of that project's...
