Rebecca Evans: Thank you to Mike Hedges for raising those issues. I do know that the Minister for Environment, Energy and Rural Affairs has questions tomorrow, and there are a number of opportunities there to raise questions in relation to animal welfare, so that might be a chance to have a very quick update on the approach to Lucy's law. In regard to regional economic development and a regional approach to...
Rebecca Evans: Thank you for raising both of those issues. I do believe the health Minister has provided a written statement that sets out some of the actions that the NHS organisations will be taking over the course of the winter in order to free up some of that capacity in order to respond to the challenges of the COVID pandemic—for example, not continuing with so many elective surgeries, and so on....
Rebecca Evans: [Inaudible.]—the UK Government and the EU to come to that agreement amongst themselves. The Welsh Government has been very clear all along about the kind of Brexit that we would have liked to have seen—one that would have provided the best opportunity possible to protect people's jobs and their livelihoods. Unfortunately, the UK Government has taken a very different road and has provided...
Rebecca Evans: It is indeed the season of goodwill and, as Jenny Rathbone says, the people of Wales are an incredible group of people in terms of the generosity that they demonstrate to their neighbours and to strangers, and we've seen so much of that through the coronavirus pandemic. The Charity Commission is currently running a really important campaign that is providing people with advice as to how they...
Rebecca Evans: I am grateful to Mark Isherwood for raising what is a really, really important issue. Any suggestion of looked-after children being exploited is clearly something that we must take very seriously, and the issue of county lines is one that is of huge concern and is a real challenge, both for social services locally and for the police. I know that Mark Isherwood will be taking this issue up...
Rebecca Evans: Diolch, Llywydd. I have several changes to this week's business. Immediately after this business statement, I will seek a suspension of Standing Orders in order for us to debate the Health Protection (Coronavirus Restrictions) (No. 4) (Wales) (Amendment) Regulations 2020, the Public Health (Protection from Eviction) (Wales) (Coronavirus) Regulations 2020 and the Health Protection (Coronavirus...
Rebecca Evans: Thank you to Suzy Davies for raising that issue. I will make a point of speaking to the education Minister to seek some clarity on those specific questions relating to some of the practicalities around the arrangements for students as they leave to go home for Christmas, but also in terms of the arrangements for returning to campus. So, I'll be sure to do that.
Rebecca Evans: I'm really pleased to see the formulation of the new cross-party group on intergenerational unity. I think there's plenty of ground to be gained in that area, and I think all of us can think of some great examples of things that are happening locally in order to address loneliness and isolation at both ends and to foster that better understanding between the generations. But perhaps these...
Rebecca Evans: Thank you. It is disappointing to see whole-year groups being sent home to self-isolate when you look at other schools that seem to be managing the situation much better. I know that the Member has raised this issue with me, alongside a couple of other questions specific to education recently, and I have asked the education Minister to provide a letter with a response. I'll ensure that she...
Rebecca Evans: The Welsh Government has been working on the curriculum and assessment Bill, which the issue the Member describes is part of, for a long time, and we've undertaken extensive consultation on this particular matter. I will invite Caroline Jones to write to the education Minister with those examples that have been shared with her, because the education Minister has always been absolutely...
Rebecca Evans: Thank you to Huw Irranca-Davies for raising this particular issue. I also agree that community pharmacies have really gone above and beyond in many cases in terms of supporting their communities. I can tell Huw Irranca-Davies that negotiations between the Welsh Government and Community Pharmacy Wales officials have been ongoing since CPW submitted a claim back in April for additional expenses...
Rebecca Evans: I thank Leanne Wood for raising all of those important issues this afternoon. On the last issue, which relates to the prioritisation of various groups for vaccination, she'll be aware that the Welsh Government takes its advice from the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation, as do all four Government of the UK. And that's really important, because the prioritisation that it advises...
Rebecca Evans: Well, Llywydd, I hope that the Member does recognise the very difficult balance that we do have to strike in terms of keeping residents in care homes safe from COVID, but then also recognising that they have important well-being and mental health needs as well. And we are trying to strike that really difficult balance. The statement that was announced by the Minister with responsibility for...
Rebecca Evans: Diolch, Llywydd. I have several changes to this week's business. Firstly, later this afternoon, the Government will move a motion to suspend Standing Orders in order to enable the Senedd to debate the new coronavirus restrictions. In order to accommodate this, I have reduced the timings of the statement on the Valleys taskforce and the debate on the equality and human rights annual review....
Rebecca Evans: Well, of course, the First Minister answered several of those questions during First Minister's questions this afternoon, in relation to those questions posed by the leader of the Conservative Party here in Wales. Also this afternoon, the First Minister will be taking questions for at least 45 minutes from Members across the Chamber, so that will be the perfect opportunity, I think, to raise...
Rebecca Evans: Thank you to Andrew R.T. Davies for raising both of those important issues, and I'm as concerned as he is to learn of the particular case that he's described this afternoon. I will ask the health Minister to write to you with some more information on the latest engagement with the Welsh Ambulance Services NHS Trust in terms of response times and so forth, so that you have the very latest...
Rebecca Evans: Well, on Jenny Rathbone's second request, I'm really pleased to be able to respond positively and confirm that there will be a statement next week in the Senedd, on 8 December, by the Minister on the Burns recommendations and the next steps pertaining to that. So, I think that that will be a very welcome statement on a very important issue of concern to all of us. And then, on the matter of...
Rebecca Evans: Thank you to Llyr for raising both of those really important issues. I will convey that request to the Minister with regard to an oral statement pertaining to the White Paper. I'm afraid I don't have a date on the papers in front of me, so I'll ensure that I do have that conversation to establish the intentions there and to convey your particular request. On the spending review, I was able to...
Rebecca Evans: Thank you to Suzy Davies for raising all of those issues. Certainly, we would hope that employers would do the right thing by their employees who are parents of children who are sent home from school, but I'll certainly discuss with the Minister for economy and transport how best we can provide advice to those employers. And again, on the matter of supermarkets, I'm very disappointed to...
Rebecca Evans: Thank you to Hefin David for raising this important issue on behalf of his constituents. And I know that he's had the opportunity to make some very strong and direct representations to the Minister for Housing and Local Government personally as well, so that they could hear directly from him about the concerns of his constituents. As Hefin says, there'll be a six-week period, and the Minister...
