Nick Ramsay: Thank you, First Minister. I'm pleased to hear that progress is being made, even at this early stage, on the rolling out of the vaccine. I understand that health boards have been asking some former nurses to return to work to help with the roll-out of the vaccine. I wonder if you could confirm that that is the situation, and also, is there any capacity within other organisations across Wales...
Nick Ramsay: 3. What assessment has the Welsh Government undertaken of the capacity available to deliver the COVID-19 vaccination? OQ56032
Nick Ramsay: I don't think any issue has caused as much controversy as this in a very long time, this alcohol ban in public houses and restaurants. I've been inundated with e-mails and phone calls about this over the last few days, and I know that many Members of the Senedd have been in a similar position. Can I start by making it clear that I fully appreciate the seriousness of the situation that Wales...
Nick Ramsay: Thank you for that answer, Counsel General. As 1 January and Brexit looms ever closer, it's clearly important that the UK develops as many trade deals as possible and that Wales is involved with those. As you'll be aware, the UK Government recently struck a trade deal with Japan, which includes important geographical protections that will hopefully benefit a range of Welsh businesses. I...
Nick Ramsay: 8. Has the Counsel General discussed post-Brexit arrangements for supporting the export of Welsh produce with ministerial colleagues? OQ55993
Nick Ramsay: Diolch. I won't take it personally, and I'm sure the Minister will appreciate me being succinct. Thank you, Minister, for your statement, and also to thank Lord Burns for this valuable piece of work. There is no doubt at all that we do need a solution to the congestion along the M4 corridor around Newport, and, as you said, we have done for some time. Can I say, Minister, that I think that...
Nick Ramsay: Though not a member of the committee, I wanted to say a few words, as I think the issues raised in the report are of interest to all of us. Business here in this Chamber is, of course, at the moment, COVID-centric, understandably so, and combating the pandemic may be the immediate concern. But, beyond the pandemic, over the longer term, tackling climate change remains a key challenge,...
Nick Ramsay: Diolch, Gweinidog. I'm pleased you mentioned that strategy and the need to keep policies updated with the ongoing pandemic. The lockdowns have clearly had an increasing impact on people's mental health, including young people. According to a recent report published by the Samaritans in England in October, people who self-harm face unreasonable barriers to accessing mental health services, and...
Nick Ramsay: 1. Will the Minister outline the Welsh Government's strategy to support the mental health and well-being of young people in south Wales? OQ55956
Nick Ramsay: The pandemic has highlighted many things about our NHS—the resilience of our staff, their commitment to patients in the many additional hours that they have worked, and the flexibility that so many staff have demonstrated to help put in place the response to the pandemic. The pandemic has also highlighted some weaknesses of a system that has been creaking for some time. In her contribution,...
Nick Ramsay: Thank you, Minister. I know that officials have been working hard, as we found out on Monday, to try and sort this out. I think that this is a technical issue, but, for the good of the Welsh Government's accounting reputation and, indeed, for the good of other devolved administrations' reputations, if there is indeed an issue with their accounts as well, we do need to have an undertaking on...
Nick Ramsay: Diolch, Gweinidog. As you say, and I agree, there's no question at all that the Welsh Government were right to commit that funding to support businesses across Wales during the pandemic. But I'm sure you'd agree that it is important that money that is spent by Government is accounted for properly. I also appreciate, as you said, this is a technical issue, and a very technical issue for those...
Nick Ramsay: Diolch, Llywydd. Minister, as we know, the Auditor General for Wales has qualified his opinion on the Welsh Government accounts for the first time ever, because £739 million of expenditure was omitted relating to the Welsh Government's coronavirus response. This was something that was discussed with officials in the Public Accounts Committee on Monday. Had the cost of the business support...
Nick Ramsay: First Minister, I was pleased to hear you just say that you're looking at ways to—I think this was the expression you used—'unlock sports' during this time of the pandemic. As we know, during lockdowns and firebreaks, physical activity and sport are all important. So, in response to Mike Hedges's initial question, and if I could follow up in two ways, first of all, what are you doing to...
Nick Ramsay: Thank you, Minister. I think we all support the aims that you've just set out, as do our housing associations, of course. They want to help to deliver on the decarbonisation agenda, but obviously this is going to involve funding, and hopefully that can be done without the cost of rent rises being passed on to the tenants. To avoid some of the most vulnerable tenants having to pay for this...
Nick Ramsay: I think that's a great question from Joyce Watson and I think the idea of a national forest is a really good one that is long overdue, and it's good to be developing carbon sinks like a forest. Can I ask you about a slightly different angle of biodiversity and that relating to water quality and our waterways? As the Senedd champion for the freshwater pearl mussel, I'm always eager to support...
Nick Ramsay: 7. Will the Minister outline the Welsh Government's strategy for delivering the decarbonisation agenda in the social housing sector? OQ55865
Nick Ramsay: Thank you, Gweinidog, for your statement. The second supplementary budget allocates over £1.5 billion and sets out £1 billion of unallocated funding, as we saw on the Finance Committee. We do, of course, welcome—I know you've recognised—additional funding from the UK Government. Given your comments in Plenary on 6 October, that there did remain uncertainty over that level of funding, I...
Nick Ramsay: Thank you, Minister, for your statement this afternoon and for welcoming the Finance Committee's report regarding the mutual investment model. I did listen to your opening comments, but I think even you would have to admit that what you called 'Westminster-imposed austerity' has certainly come to an end—well, certainly recently this year, when you look at the massive amounts of additional...
Nick Ramsay: Trefnydd, I wonder if we could have an update from the health Minister on critical care provision, specifically in south-east Wales. Today saw the well-publicised and long-awaited opening of the new Grange University Hospital in Cwmbran. Hopefully, this will transform critical and specialist care in south-east Wales. It's true to say it's a fantastic new building, new facility, but there are...
