David Lloyd: Plainly, the COVID pandemic has clearly had a very significant impact on waiting times, for both out-patient appointments and planned treatments. The number of patients waiting more than 36 weeks for treatment within Swansea bay health board stood at 22,453 at the end of August this year, compared to 3,263 at the same time last year. Now, we know that the health board has made some use of...
David Lloyd: 1. Will the Minister make a statement on waiting times for out-patient appointments and treatments within the Swansea Bay University Health Board area? OQ55772
David Lloyd: Thank you very much. In this debate, I'm going to focus on Welsh-medium education and experience as the former chair of the governing body of Ysgol Gynradd Gymraeg y Login Fach in Waunarlwydd, Swansea, with 250 pupils and 92 per cent of them coming from non-Welsh-speaking homes. It's likely that the lack of action taken and lack of any meaningful response to Professor Sioned Davies's 'Un...
David Lloyd: The aim of this motion for a Welsh hearts Bill is to improve outcomes for people who suffer out-of-hospital cardiac arrests, and I very much support that motion. The emphasis on the out-of-hospital is important: if somebody is to fall to the ground unconscious in the middle of the street or in a shop or when they're out jogging and you're the only one who's there, would you know what to do?...
David Lloyd: Thank you for that, Minister. Now, data held for the latest full financial year of 2018-19 show that Wales-based suppliers won only 55 per cent of total local authority and NHS contracts in Wales. In other words, 45 per cent of contract spend was lost outside of Wales. We know that Scotland retains around 70 per of its contracts within its borders. We also know that supporting local companies...
David Lloyd: 6. What assessment has the Minister made of the level of local procurement by public bodies in South Wales West? OQ55752
David Lloyd: What assessment has the Minister made of co-operation between local authorities in providing Welsh-medium early years education, particularly in communities close to county boundaries?
David Lloyd: Thank you very much, Llywydd. It's always worth waiting for my contribution. Clearly we're at a crucial time, as many have already said. Can I start at the outset here by congratulating some excellent speeches that I've heard in this debate so far? Of course, to be fair, Vaughan Gething gave us a wonderful opening, and Adam Price, Helen Mary Jones, Rhun, Delyth and Alun Davies all made...
David Lloyd: Can I thank the First Minister very much for that answer? And, in addition, an Alzheimer's Society Cymru investigation released earlier this month—the First Minister will be aware—showed that family carers across Wales are feeling burnt out, and Carers Wales have said something similar this week. The regional survey found that 95 per cent of family carers surveyed said that extra caring...
David Lloyd: 7. What assessment has the First Minister made of the current support available to carers in Wales? OQ55766
David Lloyd: I'm very pleased to be able to take part in this debate and indeed support all parts of the motion. Can I start by commending Jenny Rathbone in setting the scene and explaining the issue in the full detail that this complex matter merits? As has been mentioned, endometriosis is a condition where the lining of the endometrium—the lining of the womb—parts of it start to grow outside of the...
David Lloyd: Thank you, Minister. Last week we marked Clean Air Day, where we received updated data, highlighting that south Wales, pre lockdown, had the UK's second-worst levels of air pollution—toxic nitrogen dioxide levels were 1.6 times greater than EU legal limits. Now, during this year's lockdown, we saw air pollution in Wales dramatically improve, and the Welsh Government also introduced a clean...
David Lloyd: 5. What assessment has the Minister made of air pollution levels in Wales? OQ55688
David Lloyd: May I thank the Chair for her excellent address at the beginning of this debate, and the clerks and researchers for their very hard work over many months? This committee was formed following a decision of this Senedd. I regret, therefore, that not all parties participated in the activities of the committee, although it was a Senedd decision. The decisions of this Senedd should be respected....
David Lloyd: The—[Inaudible.]—will have a potentially catastrophic impact on the NHS—[Inaudible.]
David Lloyd: I apologise, Llywydd. I'm naturally softly spoken, plainly. [Laughter.] The British Medical Association have this week warned that a 'no deal' Brexit will have a potentially catastrophic impact on the NHS, with clear concerns around supply of pharmaceuticals, medical devices and protective equipment. We know that the Welsh Government have built up a Brexit warehouse of medical supplies and...
David Lloyd: Of course, the Bill increases the likelihood of a 'no deal' Brexit. Business leaders are this week again warning of the risks of a 'no deal' on already fragile businesses currently suffering the impacts of the pandemic. So, what assessments, therefore, have you undertaken in terms of the multiple threats facing businesses in Wales in the event of a 'no deal'? And do you not agree that that...
David Lloyd: Diolch yn fawr, Llywydd. Minister, the Welsh Government has rightly criticised the internal market Bill as an enormous power grab, which you say you will oppose every step of the way. You will be aware that Plaid Cymru MPs laid an amendment to the Bill at Westminster, which would have protected the devolution settlement by preventing the Bill from coming into force unless the devolved...
David Lloyd: Diolch, Dirprwy Lywydd. I'm conscious of the time. Can I thank everybody who has contributed, first of all, to this debate? Excellent contributions all around, making a variety of points that come from our analysis in what was our first report as a health committee into COVID-19, fulfilling our scrutiny role as a committee and as committee members. There are other reports to follow. Now, it's...
David Lloyd: Given that Wales has traditionally been reliant on supplies from China and other Asian countries, it is vital that we support manufacturers in Wales to develop our own homegrown supply. We therefore recommended that the Welsh Government review its own systems to ensure that the mechanisms are in place to enable manufacturers in Wales to respond quickly in supplying appropriate PPE in the...
