Caroline Jones: Diolch, Llywydd. Cabinet Secretary, two weeks ago, the former head of the NHS counter fraud service warned that not enough was being done to tackle fraud in our NHS, and that as much as £200 million a year, or 3 per cent of the budget, is being lost because of fraud. The scale is appalling when you consider that, each year, we lose the equivalent of two and a half times the total new...
Caroline Jones: 3. Will the Cabinet Secretary outline how the Welsh Government's social care policy supports disabled people? OAQ52233
Caroline Jones: Thank you for your statement, Minister. The Regulation and Inspection of Social Care (Wales) Act 2016 and the wider Social Services and Well-Being (Wales) Act 2014 are amongst the greatest achievements of this institution. The RISC Act should ensure that the appalling abuse exposed by Operation Jasmine can never happen again. We are ensuring that all those who work in the care sector have the...
Caroline Jones: Yes, they will be, but if it was devolved.
Caroline Jones: Thank you. The role of the police and crime commissioner was meant to bring local accountability to the police service, however the majority of the Welsh public appear to be disengaged at the polling booths, and the figures are barely in double figures when people vote for police and crime commissioners. There are elections in less than two years, so what can be done to increase participation...
Caroline Jones: Thank you for your answer, First Minister. Since their creation, the police and crime commissioners' budget has skyrocketed. The Labour PCC for south Wales indeed has a budget of £1.3 million and 28 staff, plus a deputy commissioner. So, this has meant an increase of 40 per cent in the budget and double the amount of staff, yet, in the last three years, there has been a 33 per cent increase...
Caroline Jones: Thank you.
Caroline Jones: Diolch, Llywydd. First Minister, last week, the Police and Crime Commissioner for North Wales was appointed to the national criminal justice board and has vowed to fight to have policing devolved to Wales, saying that the time was right and that the policy was supported by all police and crime commissioners in Wales. Do you support this stance taken by your two police and crime...
Caroline Jones: I’d like to thank every Member involved in bringing about this debate today. As highlighted by the motion, bowel cancer is one of Wales’s biggest killers. It's the fourth most common cancer in the UK, with one in 14 men and one in every 19 women developing the cancer in their lifetime. Almost 16,000 people die from bowel cancer in the UK every year, and many of those deaths could be...
Caroline Jones: Cabinet Secretary, as you know, I've raised this issue with you several times in the past and I'm delighted that you've introduced this scheme in Wales. It helps address one of the big concerns of many of our hard-working GPs. Cabinet Secretary, you said in your written statement that the Welsh scheme will be aligned as far as possible to the English scheme so as not to affect cross-border...
Caroline Jones: What action is the Welsh Government taking to ensure that the Welsh budget provides value for money?
Caroline Jones: Thank you for your statement, leader of the house. Just over a week ago, I was proud to stand shoulder to shoulder with members of the LGBT community at Swansea Spring Pride. The group accompanying me had a wonderful day also. I'm proud to support people being who they want to be without fear of reprisals. Thursday is International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia and Biphobia, and will be...
Caroline Jones: First Minister, Port Talbot is not only one of the poorest parts of my region but also one of the poorest parts of the UK. The Social Mobility Commission also ranks Port Talbot as the worst area in Wales for social mobility. This is despite significant Welsh Government investment. The Port Talbot waterway has created fewer than 100 jobs, and we also live with an element of uncertainty...
Caroline Jones: Cabinet Secretary, I make no apology for repeating a lot of the things that have already been said, but as these 800 people are within my region, it's important to emphasise that my thoughts are with these people who've lost their jobs and wanting to know exactly what we are trying to do and what we are going to do to find alternative employment for these people. Swansea has become something...
Caroline Jones: Thank you, Minister. As you are no doubt aware, Port Talbot, in my region, is the most polluted town or city in the whole of the UK, with levels much higher than the next most polluted cities—nearly twice that of London. Unfortunately, one of the major sources of pollution is also the area's biggest employer. Minister, what can your Government do to ensure that the heavy industry we rely on...
Caroline Jones: 2. Will the Minister provide an update on the actions the Welsh Government is taking to improve air quality in South Wales West? OAQ52125
Caroline Jones: What action is the Welsh Government taking to ensure fair pay and conditions for the local government workforce?
Caroline Jones: Thank you for this and your earlier statement, Cabinet Secretary. Complications relating to vaginal mesh implants have left thousands of women, worldwide, living in constant, debilitating, chronic pain, and it is therefore welcome that the Welsh Government undertook a review of the use of such implants. I would like to thank Professor Emery and his team for their report. Whilst survivor...
Caroline Jones: Thank you for your statement, Cabinet Secretary, as well as your earlier written statement. Although I was not a Member of this Assembly when the Ockenden report was published, I remember the shock and outrage I felt when I learnt of what these poor people endured on the Tawel Fan ward. Listening, even last week, on the radio to families reliving their experiences and how they feel when they...
Caroline Jones: First Minister, the best support we can give to care leavers is ensuring that they have the knowledge and skills needed to prepare them for an independent adult life, the skills most of us are taught by our parents. What is the Welsh Government doing to ensure that corporate parents equip those in care with the skills needed in later life and will you learn from the Roots Foundation in my...
