Siân Gwenllian: 4. How will the Welsh Government ensure that current human rights are protected when the UK leaves the European Union? OAQ55008
Siân Gwenllian: Does the Welsh Government have any plans to ensure that every pupil in Wales learns the history and stories of Wales?
Siân Gwenllian: I thank the committee for this important report. I would like to take the opportunity this afternoon to question the Minister on some of the issues arising from her responses to the committee report—firstly, the thematic review that Estyn is going to be doing, looking at the arrangements for teaching Welsh history at schools. Have the terms of reference been agreed and what is the timetable...
Siân Gwenllian: There I was, listening to Stormzy on the recommendation of Rhun ap Iorwerth, when an artist more familiar to me came to the attention of the charts. I would like to congratulate my constituent Dafydd Iwan for topping the iTunes chart with his iconic anthem 'Yma o Hyd'. Dafydd's success is a happy marriage between the old rocker and the thriving young YesCymru movement. Dafydd shares the same...
Siân Gwenllian: We know that diagnosing cancer early can be the difference between a good outcome or a poor outcome when it comes to treatment of that cancer. Quite simply, diagnosing cancer early will often save a patient's life. The positive evidence coming forward as a result of the pilot schemes in Neath Port Talbot and in the Royal Glamorgan Hospital is to be welcomed. But the people of Gwynedd are...
Siân Gwenllian: 1. When will the Minister publish an evaluation of the Welsh Government's rapid diagnostic centres plan? OAQ54895
Siân Gwenllian: I agree, as do 70 per cent of parents and the Youth Parliament, that one lesson per year of first aid should be presented to our pupils. Now, I understand the problem that you have with the new curriculum, and the vision and concept underpinning it, but there are some things that are so important that you do need that assurance and clarity on them. I'm pleased to hear that guidance is to be...
Siân Gwenllian: Reducing the rise of child poverty in Wales, and, indeed, aiming for the complete eradication of child poverty, deserves the full attention of our country's Government—its full attention, its highest priority and urgent action. Unfortunately, that is not the situation. It was very disappointing to hear the Deputy Minister for Health and Social Services say at the Children, Young People and...
Siân Gwenllian: Well, I'm hugely disappointed by that response. We are talking about Betsi Cadwaladr health board in the case of the gentleman with dementia from Anglesey, as it happens. So, what you say is, simply, wrong. Another problem that you identified in the discussion on the health standards, before they were passed, was the lack of coverage for workforce planning in the medical workforce through...
Siân Gwenllian: 'So, I want to be clear, if a little 90-year-old lady from Gwynedd who speaks poor English goes to hospital and is about to have a complicated operation, she cannot legally ask for someone to explain to her in Welsh what is happening, and that what we are offering is that the health board makes plans so that they can set out to what extent they will be able to carry out clinical consultations...
Siân Gwenllian: And you also say:
Siân Gwenllian: 'I think this is quite a tough sell. Any ideas?'
Siân Gwenllian: Isn't the truth of the matter that your Government's policy can't guarantee Welsh language services—even basic Welsh language services—for vulnerable patients today, and that you are entirely right in your own analysis that they won't be available in five years' time either, unless we change those health standards? As you said yourself, a situation like this is a tough sell for Welsh speakers.
Siân Gwenllian: According to an e-mail that you sent to officials asking questions before passing the health standards—. It becomes apparent, in reading that e-mail, that you were entirely aware of the deficiencies of the health standards. And I quote—you ask this:
Siân Gwenllian: Thank you, Llywydd. During a question to the First Minister yesterday, I raised the case of an elderly Welsh-speaking man from Anglesey who's living with dementia. The fact that a health board that is supposed to be acting in accordance with the language standards is even considering providing care for this individual in England, where, of course, there would be no Welsh language service...
Siân Gwenllian: It is clear that a weak justice system does lead to inequality throughout, and inequality can be identified in Wales, according to the Thomas commission report, and it mentions the over-representation of people from minority ethnic communities within the justice system and the lack of services for women and health and mental health within the system. And the report does mention that the...
Siân Gwenllian: The fact that a health board operating under Welsh language standards could even consider moving a dementia patient who is Welsh speaking to England where care through the medium of Welsh would not be available, that is undoubted proof that Welsh language standards in health are entirely deficient. This is what happened over the Christmas period in the case of an elderly dementia patient from...
Siân Gwenllian: As part of the Programme for International Student Assessment report recently when the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development asked pupils about their feelings about life experience, it was discovered that 54 per cent of pupils in Wales occasionally or always feel down. The average internationally is 39 per cent. Sixty three per cent of pupils occasionally or always feel...
Siân Gwenllian: 5. Will the First Minister provide an update on the provision of Welsh-medium social care? OAQ54864
Siân Gwenllian: 3. What discussions has the Counsel General had with the Deputy Minister and Chief Whip regarding equality in the law, in light of the Thomas Commission's report? OAQ54863
