Caroline Jones: Diolch, Llywydd. I formally move the amendment tabled in my name. Trust in politics is at an all-time low and is being made worse by a trail of broken promises. People are losing faith in devolution, because devolution has failed to deliver the promised benefits. Policy failures and Government waste have accelerated the erosion of trust in our institution. As the Welsh Conservatives point...
Caroline Jones: Thank you, Minister. Unfortunately, in recent weeks we have discovered just how hard it is to keep coronavirus in check. Future outbreaks are sadly inevitable. What we have to do is ensure that those outbreaks do not disrupt a single day of education. Minister, we have seen entire year groups sent home as a result of infections, and while we do everything possible to prevent the infections...
Caroline Jones: 5. What steps is the Welsh Government taking to ensure there are no disruptions to children and young people's education during the next six months? OQ55604
Caroline Jones: Diolch, acting Presiding Officer. I formally move the amendment tabled in my name. The national development framework should provide us with the opportunity to tackle one of the biggest threats facing our nation—that of climate change. The effects of our changing climate have been felt quite dramatically in recent years. Whilst coronavirus may be dominating the 2020 headlines, the impact of...
Caroline Jones: I thank the Welsh Conservatives for bringing forward this debate on the impact COVID is having on further and higher education and I will be supporting them today. The coronavirus pandemic has affected everyone's lives, but perhaps none more so than our young people—young people who have had their education put on hold, their social development hampered, and who are facing one of the...
Caroline Jones: Minister, 2020 has highlighted how vulnerable our economy actually is—vulnerable to COVID and vulnerable to a changing climate. We are woefully unprepared to cope with such shocks to our systems. What discussions have you had with colleagues across all four nations about ensuring funding goes towards mitigating the risks of future pandemics and the challenges we face from climate change?
Caroline Jones: I have supported the Welsh Government's legislation throughout this pandemic, because these measures were necessary to avoid thousands of unnecessary deaths, so of course they have my backing. I will continue to support all necessary measures and will therefore be voting for all of the legislation before us today. However, I do have issues with the way the legislation is being handled. We are...
Caroline Jones: Diolch, Dirprwy Lywydd. Apologies for my overeagerness to come in last time—to you and to Carwyn. Thank you for your statement, Minister. What assessment has been made of the effectiveness of local lockdowns in driving down infection rates? Do you have any data on adherence rates to measures to tackle COVID-19 and how many people have been fined for breaking the rules? What support is being...
Caroline Jones: Diolch, Dirprwy Lywydd. Thank you for your—
Caroline Jones: Sorry.
Caroline Jones: Diolch, Dirprwy Lywydd. I formally move the amendment tabled in my name. I'd like to thank the Welsh Conservatives for bringing forward this very important debate, which I will be supporting, along with the Plaid Cymru amendments that I feel seek to strengthen the debate. I've been calling for the wearing of face coverings to be mandatory on public transport particularly from the early days...
Caroline Jones: Thank you, Minister. The sad truth is that COVID-19 continues to spread, and far too many people are failing to take this disease seriously, leading to unfortunately inevitable local flare-ups of infections. The only way that we can combat this in a fair and balanced way is to impose hyperlocal restrictions. Local government, already stretched thin before this pandemic, are now expected to...
Caroline Jones: 6. How does the Welsh Government plan to ensure local authorities are equipped to enforce local lockdowns? OQ55513
Caroline Jones: What plans does the Welsh Government have to expand COVID-19 testing capacity in Wales?
Caroline Jones: Thank you for your statement, First Minister. I've been contacted by a constituent who's extremely concerned that her son's carers are not being routinely tested. Her son is extremely vulnerable and she's taken every precaution to ensure that he is shielded from the virus, but they need the support of his carers. She's worried that one of them could unwittingly pass on COVID. First Minister,...
Caroline Jones: Diolch, Dirprwy Lywydd. I formally move the amendment tabled in my name, and thank the Welsh Conservatives for bringing forward this important debate. Wales is one of the few places on earth where the wearing of face masks is not mandated. Just yesterday, the royal society published two reports highlighting the importance of wearing face coverings in public. Face masks can and do stop the...
Caroline Jones: Minister, this is yet another devastating blow for my region and it is deeply disappointing. But regarding Ineos's position, the Grenadier had a very short shelf life and as we move to phase out fossil-fuelled engines, and combined with the uncertain economic climate, their future was uncertain. But, nevertheless, it is regrettable for my constituents and region. First Minister, it is clear...
Caroline Jones: Thank you, Minister. Of course, the biggest threat this winter comes from dealing with a bad cold and flu season alongside a COVID outbreak. Minister, will you commit to expanding the availability of the flu vaccine and making it available earlier? Pandemic restrictions will make delivering the flu vaccine much harder than in previous years, so we need to begin roll-out preparation now....
Caroline Jones: Diolch, Llywydd. Minister, thanks to the hard work and dedication of our health and care staff, as well as the enormous sacrifices by the Welsh public, we are over the worst of the coronavirus outbreak for now. As the chief medical officer rightly points out, we could be facing a renewed threat from COVID-19 come the autumn. What plans does the Welsh Government have in place to ensure that...
Caroline Jones: Thank you, First Minister. We now know that the SARS-CoV-2 virus can be spread not just by coughs and sneezes, but be carried in microdroplets and that it can be spread by asymptomatic carriers. Microdroplets are generated by breathing and talking. We also know that face coverings can help to catch microdroplets and prevent the spread of coronavirus. So, why, then, is Wales one of the only...
