Paul Davies: 4. Will the Minister make a statement on the Welsh Government's public sector procurement policy? OQ57351
Paul Davies: First Minister, you’ll be aware of the coastal road to St David's through Newgale, which has been affected greatly by coastal erosion and storm damage in recent years. Indeed, it’s been suggested by some studies that, by 2036, the road in Newgale will be underwater due to the rapidly changing impact brought about by climate change. I appreciate that the Welsh Government has confirmed a...
Paul Davies: Diolch, Dirprwy Lywydd. I'm pleased to move the motion tabled in the name of my colleague Darren Millar. This Saturday is Small Business Saturday, and I hope Members across the Chamber will take the opportunity to support and promote small businesses in their constituencies and regions. The campaign, of course, is in its ninth year in the UK, having grown significantly each year with a record...
Paul Davies: Minister, the mechanisms of the co-operation agreement that have been published this morning make for some very interesting reading. And given the huge impact that this coalition will have on the people of Wales, it's very disappointing that the Welsh Government has chosen not to come forward with an oral statement to this Chamber outlining these mechanisms, so that Members can have the...
Paul Davies: Well, I'm very pleased to hear, Minister, that you're having ongoing discussions with the business community, and I hope that will continue over the next few weeks in the run-up to Christmas. Now, in the same ministerial scrutiny session with the Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee, you also said that the pandemic recovery in business terms has certainly not been complete yet, but...
Paul Davies: Well, Minister, the point I'm making is that it's crucial that, as more information comes out about this virus, the Welsh Government communicates clearly with Welsh businesses and sets out its intentions, and therefore I look forward to hearing more from you in the coming few weeks. Now, over the past few weeks, the Welsh Government has published several economic statements and allocated...
Paul Davies: Diolch, Llywydd. Minister, the new variant of COVID-19 has caused understandable worry, particularly given that we don't know yet how virulent the variant is, and therefore we can't accurately ascertain the threat of the virus to Wales. Nevertheless, the news of a new variant will cause some real worry for Welsh businesses, and so it's crucial that there is an ongoing dialogue with the Welsh...
Paul Davies: 1. Will the First Minister make a statement on the mechanisms of the Co-operation Agreement between the Welsh Government and Plaid Cymru? TQ584
Paul Davies: First Minister, it's quite clear that you need to prioritise tackling these backlogs, and if the Welsh Government wanted to prioritise this issue we'd have seen some commitment to addressing the problems in the NHS in your coalition agreement with Plaid Cymru. Instead, you chose to prioritise more constitutional reform, more politicians, and even the creation of a broadcasting authority,...
Paul Davies: First Minister, the reality is that action needs to be taken, and taken very quickly. As we move into winter, there will be further pressures on our NHS services, and with the news that there is a new COVID variant in the UK, it's crucial now that the Welsh Government has a plan to ensure that waiting times are addressed and preventable deaths aren't taking place. The latest statistics show...
Paul Davies: Diolch, Llywydd. First Minister, the latest NHS figures show that Wales's health services are struggling, with A&E waiting times and ambulance response times recently recorded at their worst ever levels. The vice-president of the Royal College of Emergency Medicine Wales, Dr Suresh Pillai, has said that 709 patients in Wales in 2020-21 alone have died as a direct result of crowding and long...
Paul Davies: Diolch, Dirprwy Lywydd, and thank you for your statement, Minister. I’m pleased to hear that there has been some progress in rolling out the young person’s guarantee, and that more and more young people across Wales are now able to access opportunities, whether that is in work, training or even setting up their own business. When the Welsh Government was setting up the young person’s...
Paul Davies: Well, First Minister, the reason that routine testing of NHS staff is so important, and, of course, regular testing in the community, is because people have lost loved ones to COVID-19. In Wales, one in four COVID deaths are from hospital-acquired infections, and so comments like that of the deputy chief medical officer have been understandably met with anger by those who have lost loved...
Paul Davies: First Minister, you know as well as I do that there's simply no scientific evidence to show that COVID passes are effective. The chief medical officer himself has said that the actual direct impact of COVID passes is probably quite small, so there is no scientific evidence to suggest that COVID passes are actually working. Now, another way of helping to prevent the spread of COVID-19 is...
Paul Davies: Diolch, Llywydd. First Minister, later this week you will give the Welsh Government's latest review of COVID-19 in Wales. Of course, during this current review period, the Welsh Government has pushed ahead with further measures in the form of COVID passes to many entertainment settings, and concerns have rightly been raised about the legal and ethical impacts of COVID passes. And the fact...
Paul Davies: Minister, I'm grateful for that response. One of the aims of the electric vehicle charging strategy for Wales is to promote good-quality sustainable design that includes green infrastructure. That strategy confirms that the Welsh Government is identifying locations where renewable generation, coupled with energy storage, can assist in providing power for the charging network to the benefit of...
Paul Davies: 3. What is the Welsh Government doing to develop green infrastructure across Pembrokeshire? OQ57134
Paul Davies: Diolch, Dirprwy Lywydd, and I'm pleased that the Minister has brought forward a statement on how the Welsh Government is supporting the foundational economy today. Of course, the foundational economy is so vitally important to how we live; as has been said, it covers everything from the social care that's available in our communities to the food we eat, and so it's really encouraging to see...
Paul Davies: Of course, it's not just ambulance waiting times that need to be urgently prioritised, there's also a need to tackle referral-to-treatment times too. According to the latest figures, the number of patients waiting more than 36 weeks has grown from just under 26,000 in February last year to just under 244,000 by August this year. Indeed, the longest waits included around 56,000 people who need...
Paul Davies: Yes, First Minister, the reality was that David Evans waited for more than half a day for an ambulance, and that is simply not acceptable. I'm sure you'll be aware of the comments of Darren Panniers, the head of ambulance services in south-east Wales, who has said that 'Prolonged hospital handover delays, high call volume and staff absence have significantly hampered' the ambulance service's...
