Russell George: I thank the Minister for her statement this afternoon, and I very much support that message, encouraging people to take up their flu vaccination and booster as well. I was very pleased to sponsor an event in the Senedd last week, encouraging people to take their flu jab; I know, myself and many other Members had their flu jab at that event last week. Minister, you mentioned in your statement...
Russell George: Minister, there's huge concern in mid Wales with the proposals from the Welsh NHS's emergency medical retrieval and transfer service and the Wales Air Ambulance to move the base from Welshpool, which also includes the removal of a road vehicle. The service is greatly valued, it's absolutely necessary, and it's difficult to see how the removal of this service and base will lead to a better...
Russell George: First Minister, the Health and Social Care Committee is beginning an inquiry into dentistry later this week. As you know, there are huge issues with people being able to access dental treatment, but one of the major issues is the impact that the cost-of-living challenges will have on patients. A concern raised is that patients who are receiving private treatment will now join, or attempt to...
Russell George: Thank you for your answer, Minister. My question is very much about the powers that are within your responsibility. Minister, you will recognise, of course, that my own constituency of Montgomeryshire is a predominantly rural area. Your Flying Start programme has been in operation for many years to support households in areas of deprivation. Unfortunately, it can't be accessed in many parts...
Russell George: 3. What steps is the Welsh Government taking to reduce child poverty in Montgomeryshire? OQ58470
Russell George: Thank you, Deputy Presiding Officer. I move the motion in the name of my colleague, Darren Millar. In this motion today, we, as Welsh Conservatives, are urging the Welsh Government to ensure that its cancer action plan is published urgently, alongside focusing its cancer workforce plan on gynaecological health, with clear and measurable aims that can be achieved within the next five to 10...
Russell George: Thank you, Minister, for taking the intervention. In terms of workforce planning, we've heard that the vacancy rate is just under 3,000, but that figure comes from the Royal College of Nursing, and opposition parties here have done their own research to get to that figure. But in Scotland, England and Northern Ireland the Government publishes those figures, and I wonder if you would be minded...
Russell George: Thank you for your answer, Minister. There have been various concerns raised around the 10 per cent tree-planting element of the scheme. The one specific area that I wanted to raise with you is that there are concerns that parts of farms will now be classed as woodland, which could mean that farmers will now be subject to inheritance tax. Now, as I've understood it, the sustainable farming...
Russell George: 5. How will the sustainable farming scheme benefit farmers in mid Wales? OQ58465
Russell George: Diolch, Deputy Presiding Officer. I'm grateful for the opportunity to raise the fantastic work being done by Andy Airey, Mike Palmer and Tim Owen—better known as the 3 Dads Walking. The three fathers who each tragically lost their daughters due to taking their own lives are currently taking on their second challenge, which is a 500-mile trek to highlight suicide prevention and to raise...
Russell George: Thank you, Minister, for your statement and update today. That's appreciated. I was pleased to see this agenda item added today. I was, though, expecting a statement today detailing your health and social care winter plan, but that's not it today. What I would ask today, Minister, is when are we going to get that plan, given the fact that, last year, the plan was significantly late. In fact,...
Russell George: Thank you, First Minister, for your answer. You will appreciate that Powys has no district general hospital, and large parts of Powys are extremely difficult to get to by road. A proposal to move the air ambulance base and crew from Welshpool has been met understandably with huge concern and opposition in my constituency. The people of mid Wales were left surprised and disappointed over the...
Russell George: 5. What discussions has the Welsh Government had with the Wales Air Ambulance Charity regarding the reconfiguration of base locations in Wales? OQ58386
Russell George: I'd like to express my own gratitude and admiration for the late Queen. I suspect we'll all remember here the first time that we met or saw the Queen for the very first time. It was 11 July 1986, as a 12-year-old, when it was my first time to see the Queen in person, when she undertook a tour of Montgomeryshire, visiting Machynlleth, Llanidloes, Newtown, Montgomery, Berriew and Welshpool. My...
Russell George: Will you take an intervention?
Russell George: Will the Member for Brecon and Radnorshire accept that Brecon and Radnor don't hold the monopoly on shows, of course, and that, in Montgomeryshire, there are also great shows that are taking place as well? There's the large Llanfyllin show, there's the Montgomery show with its fantastic town crier, Sue Blower, and Trefeglwys show and the Llanfair Caereinion show, which meets at the last of...
Russell George: And, last of all, the Dolfor show, in which I will be taking part in a food competition this year. When I attend the shows, I won't be just in the beer tents; I will be out meeting my constituents.
Russell George: Thank you, Deputy Presiding Officer. Can I thank Rhun ap Iorwerth and Mark Isherwood for their contributions? I can't disagree with anything that they added to the debate this afternoon. I thank the Minister for her update—much I can, of course, welcome and support. There are, of course, some elements that I was disappointed about—I'll focus on those areas. We did ask in our motion for...
Russell George: Diolch, Deputy Presiding Officer. I'm pleased to lead this first debate of two this afternoon. Our first debate this afternoon is on hepatitis C. I thought it would be useful just to set out some background, perhaps, for Members who might be less informed on this issue. The hepatitis C virus is a blood-borne virus affecting the liver, and if untreated, four fifths of those infected develop...
Russell George: Well, no, the fact is that in Wales we have 68,000 people waiting for over two years, and in England it's 12,700. That's what the figures say. Now, I do appreciate—
