Nick Ramsay: First Minister, I wonder if I could ask you about what can be learned from the Scottish example. EU funds have in the past been used to invest in infrastructure, as we know, and as Dave Rees has just alluded to. Do you share my view that our National Infrastructure Commission for Wales could not only learn some valuable lessons from the experiences in Scotland, where their commission is...
Nick Ramsay: Wyndham Davies, Arthur Jenkins, Richard Jones, David Lumley, Edward Meredith, Albert Metcalfe, Thomas Shelton and William Davies—the names of the fallen from the second world war that were read out at the remembrance service that I attended in Raglan this morning. And in towns and villages across the country, countless more names were being read out at the same time—names of servicemen...
Nick Ramsay: I'm grateful to contribute briefly to this today. I'm not a member of the committee, but I, like many Senedd Members, received many queries over that two-week firebreak, certainly during the first week of it, regarding the ban on supermarkets selling non-essential goods, so I speak from that point of view. I can certainly say, in response to Huw Irranca-Davies, that over that period I...
Nick Ramsay: Thank you for that answer, Counsel General. For a number of years, the Scottish Government have had a trade board, which was one of the commitments in their trade and investment strategy, with the aim of identifying and supporting exports to new markets, bringing together a range of expertise to advise the Scottish Government. It's clear that the Scottish Government has made great strides in...
Nick Ramsay: 6. Will the Counsel General outline the remit of the trade policy advisory group announced in his written statement of 3 November 2020? OQ55839
Nick Ramsay: Minister, I've been in contact with ColegauCymru, who are very concerned about the support that further education learners and the sector are getting. Higher education has been given another £10 million for mental health services and while some of that is for students who've had to lock down in their student housing, there is some, I believe, for suicide awareness and dealing with mental...
Nick Ramsay: Thank you, health Minister. A number of newspapers reported recently that it might be just a matter of weeks before NHS staff might start receiving a vaccine. The development of a vaccine is clearly key to dealing with the pandemic over the medium and the longer term, as you've made clear before. There's clearly going to be enormous demand for this vaccine once it's available. Has the Welsh...
Nick Ramsay: 3. What discussions is the Minister having with officials, including those in Public Health Wales, about progress towards a vaccine for COVID-19? OQ55789
Nick Ramsay: Diolch, Llywydd. Trefnydd, the Welsh Government has announced that up to 15 people will be able to take part in indoor organised events, including sport, from next Monday. I've received a number of e-mails from parents who are concerned that this may prohibit their children from accessing gymnastics clubs, as the clubs won't be able to operate with such a low number and could end up going out...
Nick Ramsay: Diolch, Prif Weinidog, for that answer. First Minister, the opening of the new Grange University Hospital in Cwmbran is imminent; I believe it's this month. It's going to be a great new facility. I know many Assembly Members—Senedd Members we are now—have had a chance to look around that facility during its construction period. But it's also vitally important that it's well staffed,...
Nick Ramsay: Thank you. I agree with you on that last point, Minister; it's certainly not a satisfactory situation. Ian Price, the director of the Confederation of British Industry has said that it appears that some people may well be falling through the cracks between the job retention scheme and the job support scheme, whilst Ben Cottam of Federation of Small Businesses Wales has said that 'the amount...
Nick Ramsay: I'll do what I can, Minister, in that regard. The impending firebreak is clearly going to have a significant financial impact on businesses and employers across Wales. You've spoken about the need for co-operation with the UK Government. It now appears that Welsh Government officials knew that a firebreak was coming on Wednesday of last week, yet the Welsh Government only wrote to the...
Nick Ramsay: Diolch, Llywydd. Good afternoon, Minister. Minister, these are worrying times for Welsh businesses and for workers across Wales with the ongoing pandemic. What assessment of the financial costs associated with the impending firebreak have you made, and have you considered the cost of any future potential lockdowns as well—rolling lockdowns?
Nick Ramsay: Can I also ask, Trefnydd, for further clarification from the Welsh Government on the firebreak lockdown? And perhaps the debate later on this afternoon is an opportunity for the Minister to respond. I've been contacted by the owners of Raglan Garden Centre, who are very concerned about the closure of garden centres over the next few weeks. I know that my colleague the Member for South Wales...
Nick Ramsay: The Finance Committee's inquiry into whether we should have a legislative budget process may not have been the talk of pubs and clubs across Wales, but it's an issue that we as a committee considered to be of considerable interest to the future smooth running of this place. I think particular credit should be given to Alun Davies, who's been banging the drum for this since long before the...
Nick Ramsay: Minister, I recently spoke with Monmouthshire County Council leader Peter Fox, who told me that the pandemic has understandably had a massive impact on local government resources and they are worried about the medium-term sustainability of statutory services, let alone non-statutory services. Monmouthshire County Council has seen a huge fall-off in funding this year, including business rates,...
Nick Ramsay: Diolch, Llywydd. I've got Janet Finch-Saunders behind me, so that's all the self-promotion I need for this question. [Laughter.] Minister, we talk a lot about building back better and building back greener in this Chamber. It strikes me that expanding horticulture is one way that we can do this. Of course, Welsh horticulture is massively supported by seasonal agricultural workers coming to...
Nick Ramsay: Can I firstly concur with Leanne Wood's earlier comments supporting Baby Loss Awareness Week? My own son will turn two next month—I can't quite believe it—but I can't imagine the heartbreak that parents and families go through when things don't go according to plan, both during pregnancy and afterwards. I think those families do need support, and I for one will certainly be supporting the...
Nick Ramsay: Thanks for that answer, Minister. You'll be aware, I'm sure, of continuing concerns and anxiety surrounding Transport for Wales arrangements for students travelling from Torfaen and Monmouthshire to and from Hereford; it's an issue I raised with the Trefnydd yesterday, and she did say she'd raise it with you. Despite each child having paid for their season ticket in advance, students are...
Nick Ramsay: 5. Will the Minister provide an update on discussions with Transport for Wales regarding social distancing on public transport? OQ55645
