Janet Finch-Saunders: Thank you for the statement. I would like to place on record my thanks to our local authority, Conwy County Borough Council for their partnership working and immense support given to our homeless here in Aberconwy. We have seen residential units placed in Llandudno and Colwyn Bay to house our very vulnerable homeless and rough sleepers, and they've carried it out in such a speedy manner...
Janet Finch-Saunders: You're doing that.
Janet Finch-Saunders: Thank you, Minister. I have to say, whilst you say this testing will take place within two weeks, you know the high figures that have been recorded here in north Wales, it's my opinion that if you were to suddenly test all homes, say within two or three days, we wouldn't just see our figures spike, we would see them skyrocket here. Now, the testing centre here in Llandudno was opened on 29...
Janet Finch-Saunders: Diolch, Dirprwy Lywydd. Thank you for your statement, Minister. You'll be aware that the tragic situation in Welsh care homes has triggered the older people's commissioner to refer the Welsh Government to the Equality and Human Rights Commission. She has highlighted delays to testing as a key concern. On 16 May, you announced the expansion of testing to everybody in care homes. However,...
Janet Finch-Saunders: Yesterday, an e-mail from the Welsh Government detailing the criteria for the extra £40 million for adult social care, announced on 14 April, advised that eligibility is limited to local authority commissioned care only. So, I therefore query why care homes with NHS or privately funded clients have been excluded. Now, because of this amended guidance, issued only by e-mail and not published,...
Janet Finch-Saunders: The £500 bonus for our social care workers is very welcome indeed, but will you, First Minister, extend the bonus to our selfless army of unpaid carers as the director of the Royal College of Nursing in Wales has requested, explain why our local authorities know nothing about how this money is going to be received and distributed, and also whether social care staff going forward will be...
Janet Finch-Saunders: That was actually very reassuring. My second question is more to do with health. I have a number of constituents approaching me in desperate need of dentistry, some in quite severe pain. The dentists are wanting to carry out the treatment, however they simply do not have the necessary PPE to do this. So, what guidance—how are you helping those in our dentistry profession to actually be able...
Janet Finch-Saunders: Right, okay. In a written statement on the £40 million financial assistance for adult social care, you stated there was the potential to make further allocations. Will you act on this so that more finance can be accessed by homes that are facing closure?
Janet Finch-Saunders: Thank you for your statement. However, you'll be aware that I've raised concerns since the middle of March regarding the number of deaths in our care homes here in Wales, and in particular in my own constituency of Aberconwy. I do recall the first death was recorded here in Aberconwy on 13 March. Now, of the 302 deaths in Welsh care homes, 109 are registered as having passed away, sadly, to...
Janet Finch-Saunders: First Minister, since you changed the criteria for the self-catering industry in terms of the grants applicable, I've been contacted by a lot of people—farmers, letting agencies—where they do have some self-catering units and this is their only income. Some had already received it, of course, prior to you making that new guidance, and so my question is: how can you square this now with...
Janet Finch-Saunders: [Inaudible.]—Llywydd. And, again, I would like to thank the Minister, Vaughan, for your statement and to acknowledge the considerable effort that you are trying to make to respond quickly to the ever-evolving COVID-19 crisis. Now, yesterday, you announced that Wales only had a few days of PPE stock available, and you'll recall that I wrote to you on 3 April, submitting a written Assembly...
Janet Finch-Saunders: Now, I do agree with their recommendation that the Welsh Government commit to providing a full and robust regulatory impact assessment for any relevant subordinate legislation made as a result of this Bill, but would add that we all consider very carefully whether pursuing the legislation is considered reasonable, especially given such uncertain times that we see ourselves in at the moment...
Janet Finch-Saunders: During such a time of global crisis and very serious circumstances affecting many of our people in Wales, I simply cannot welcome the Local Government and Elections (Wales) Bill today. To concentrate, during this period of emergency, on this Bill, when we've seen our local democracy stifled, scrutiny has been downplayed as a result of us all working together to adapt to social distances—....
Janet Finch-Saunders: Good afternoon, Minister. If I can just, on today's statement—the mention of the 85,000 slots for the shielded list, and it really is to endorse the comments by Lynne Neagle AM. This, of course, is based on advice from the CMO in Wales, where he did state that everyone would have received their letters by Monday, 6 April. Well, certainly in Aberconwy, I'm still being contacted very...
Janet Finch-Saunders: Will the First Minister make a statement on staff recruitment in the social care sector?
Janet Finch-Saunders: Thank you. And, again I'd like to put on record my thanks to everybody involved with the schools and teachers. As you quite rightly point out, it's a very anxious time for everyone. In the short time—. My questions were completely different but as things are changing by the minute and by the hour, already I've been asked—. Some teachers are expressing concerns regarding coursework...
Janet Finch-Saunders: 3. Will the Minister make a statement on the advice given to teachers about coronavirus? OAQ55254
Janet Finch-Saunders: Diolch, Dirprwy Lywydd, I'm trying to see which questions here have not already been asked; there are one or two. As you will be aware, with my remit—. And again thank you for showing leadership, and also to Vaughan Gething, and I hope he and his family come through this okay. The issue—with my portfolio hat on now—I've had lots of contact from people still very concerned about the...
Janet Finch-Saunders: Will the First Minister make a statement on the provision of intensive care in Wales?
Janet Finch-Saunders: Thank you, Llywydd. With an increase in the number of confirmed cases, from 273 on Sunday to 373 yesterday, which is now an increase of 15 cases in Wales, I think it's reasonable for us all to be concerned about the potential further spread of this virus. The National Assembly for Wales and, indeed, our constituency offices are very much public facing, so I certainly welcome the fact that...
