Lesley Griffiths: Thank you, Deputy Presiding Officer, and thank you, Janet Finch-Saunders, for bringing forward this debate. I'm very happy to have the opportunity to respond on behalf of the Welsh Government. We are doing far more to tackle flooding in our communities than ever before. The previous 18 months, I think, have really laid bare the stark reality that faces us in Wales, and that is that the...
Lesley Griffiths: Thank you, Deputy Presiding Officer, and I very much welcome the opportunity to discuss this important issue and thank Members for their contributions, and the Government will be supporting the original motion. We all want to see fishing and aquaculture industries in Wales that are sustainable and environmentally conscious, as well as economically viable and thriving. I do want to draw your...
Lesley Griffiths: Thank you. Well, this issue actually falls within the portfolio of the Minister for Climate Change, not mine, and I know she has been considering the report from NRW. The Minister has oral questions tomorrow, so it might be most appropriate if you raise it with her then.
Lesley Griffiths: Thank you. Well, you'll be aware the Minister for Health and Social Services did issue a written statement to show her commitment to following the recommendations from the independent NHS pay review body in relation to the 3 per cent pay rise. I think it's very important that we never miss an opportunity to say how much we value the work and appreciate everything our NHS Wales staff have...
Lesley Griffiths: Possibly a short debate; I've always found if you've got a specific issue like that, it's quite a useful way forward. I mean, it's clearly a complicated issue that you've just set out, so I think there are obviously some contested land ownership issues. I think it's very important in the first place to try and get a better understanding of those issues, so that will inform the options...
Lesley Griffiths: I don't have any information to hand around the road that the Member refers to. I'm very pleased that the slip road has opened, and I will certainly ask—I assume it's the Deputy Minister for Climate Change who answered you—him to revisit your written questions to see if there is any further information that can be given and reassurance to your constituents.
Lesley Griffiths: We know that excessive waits for an ambulance response are not acceptable, and you will have heard the First Minister answer questions during First Minister's questions around our ambulance waiting times. The Welsh ambulance service, like all our NHS services, not just in Wales but right across the UK, is working very hard to respond to the ongoing and significant challenges that the global...
Lesley Griffiths: Thank you. It was certainly very concerning that, as you say, there were 43,000 false-negative COVID tests. I should say the UK Health Security Agency have confirmed that people from Wales who did have tests analysed at that private laboratory in England were all contacted between 15 and 17 October. This is an ongoing piece of work. We are working with the UK HSA to look at the reviews....
Lesley Griffiths: Thank you. I would certainly encourage Members to undertake the visit that you just referred to. I will ask the Minister what work is ongoing in relation to our ports and maritime strategy and ask for an update.
Lesley Griffiths: Well, I'm sure that the Member appreciates that this is a very complex area and this work is ongoing and the Minister will update Members before Christmas.
Lesley Griffiths: Thank you. In relation to your request regarding the environment Bill—and, as you say, we've had a number of LCMs that have been debated in this Chamber—the Minister is considering what steps we need to take. You'll be aware of our programme for government commitments focusing on improving our inland waters particularly, and we're working very closely with water companies around...
Lesley Griffiths: Thank you very much. Delyth Jewell raises a very important point, and we were all incredibly disappointed that further funding wasn't announced in the UK Government's comprehensive spending review last week, as you said yourself. The coal tips predate devolution in 1999, and I'm very surprised—and I've certainly had dealings with the UK Government in the previous term of Government around...
Lesley Griffiths: Well, obviously, the Welsh Government continually monitor and look at all of the mitigating circumstances we've brought in to prevent the further spread of COVID-19. We do, obviously, have a debate this afternoon also.
Lesley Griffiths: Diolch, Llywydd. There are no changes to this week's business. Draft business for the next three weeks is set out on the business statement and announcement, which can be found amongst the meeting papers available to Members electronically.
Lesley Griffiths: We've provided a great deal of support for the hospitality sector, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic. There will be a vote next week on the next stage of the regulations.
Lesley Griffiths: Thank you. This is certainly something that's raised on an annual basis. I've been very pleased to see that some supermarkets are not selling fireworks this year—I think because of the concerns that you've raised in your question. I think, unfortunately, we will see a reduction in the number of planned firework events, so it's interesting to see that some of the retail outlets have taken...
Lesley Griffiths: Thank you. In relation to your first request, on COVID passes, you raise a very specific point and, I have to say, I have contacted that helpline myself and not come across any problems. So, I don't think it's appropriate for a statement, because I think that's something that needs looking at straight away, so I will certainly make sure that the Minister's officials look at that today. In...
Lesley Griffiths: Thank you. I am aware of quite a few sectors' concerns around skills shortages in specific areas, and I think it is really important that certainly our further education institutions ensure that they are able to put modules into different courses at different times, and very rapidly. So, for instance, I remember when I was a skills Minister that it was really important that we had...
Lesley Griffiths: Thank you for those two requests. In relation to local procurement, Welsh public sector procurement expenditure accounts for £6.7 billion, of which around 52 per cent is spent directly with businesses based in Wales. And while we've seen an increase in the past eight, nine years or so—a significant increase—I think we can do better, and certainly across Government we are looking at what...
Lesley Griffiths: Thank you. It would actually be for the Minister for Climate Change, if such a statement came forward. There is a piece of work being undertaken, as you know, by the Deputy Minister for Climate Change around tree planting, and this is clearly an issue that's been raised as part of that review. I think it's very difficult to tell people who they can sell their farmland to, and certainly the...
