Russell George: ...they relocate from England into Wales, and there are some difficulties in regard to delayed assessments, which, of course, are required in order for them to receive the support they need for their education. Clearly, that is detrimental to the child when that occurs. So, can I ask what the Welsh Government is doing to help and support local authorities to provide a smooth transition for...
Russell George: ...services, which included plans to close bases in Welshpool and Caernarfon. Along with many others, I was surprised and disappointed by this announcement. Often, I hear of a bank closure or a school closure and I'm disappointed, but I'm not surprised. On this occasion, I was surprised; I was gobsmacked that there was even a proposal being considered.
Russell George: Will the Minister make a statement on the provision of education in Montgomeryshire?
Russell George: ...to expand and clarify, is that the Welsh Government—yourself—claim there are various recruitment strategies, including international recruitment as well, and you talk about record investment in education and training programmes. So, surely, if that is the case, those two don’t really sit with each other. I wonder if you can, perhaps, give some further context to your comments during...
Russell George: Minister, I just want to raise an issue with you that I wanted to just check if you're aware of. A constituent of mine—a Welsh student—applied to an educational provider in England on a professional barrister training course, only to be told by the provider that they weren't willing to access the funding through Student Finance Wales. Now, this isn't an issue of concern—. This isn't a...
Russell George: ...rates in Wales. And shockingly, despite these grave concerns, the last 10-year NHS workforce plan fails to include a specific workforce plan for cancer specialists. In fact, the joint Health Education and Improvement Wales and Social Care Wales strategy from October 2020 fails to mention cancer at all. And while there are laudable aims, of course—I accept that—in the Welsh...
Russell George: Minister, this is an issue I know I've raised with you previously as well, in terms of the extra support that students need to be supported due to missing education over the course of the pandemic. But I would ask you to what extent the mechanisms that you've developed to offer that additional support will remain in place after the pandemic, for perhaps other means where students need...
Russell George: ...you could look to implementing this, as it would be good, perhaps, to include this as a key performance indicator for sexual health clinics. You mentioned, Minister, that you want to introduce HIV education into the school curriculum, which I very much welcome, but I would like, perhaps, a little bit more clarity on that. To which age groups will this be introduced? I think it's important...
Russell George: ...men, and they say that this, especially in young women, particularly in younger groups of women, is mainly because their anxiety builds up about their conditions not being identified correctly. Education and training was another issue raised. What the coalition highlighted to us there was the priority need for improved training for healthcare professionals. Again, they suggested areas of...
Russell George: ...a little bit easier to handle, but what public messages are you planning to put forward for the coming months in that regard, if you do indeed think that this is a concern? I notice the focus on education settings, and I very much welcome that you've removed them from the infection and control framework, alongside the Minister for education's announcements last week to lift those final...
Russell George: ...still need to address the fact that pharmacy workforces are hugely under pressure. Wales-wide figures on pharmacy workforce gaps are not routinely published. However, prior to the pandemic Health Education and Improvement Wales found that the total community pharmacy vacancies reported for all job roles were 354 full-time equivalent staff, or 652 staff by head count, giving a mean vacancy...
Russell George: Thank you, Minister, for your answer. I recently met with A-level students at Llanidloes High School in my own constituency following one particular student contacting me. I met up with a number of students. They outlined their concerns to me. I followed up with mentioning much of what you've just said now, Minister—I talked about the support package you announced before Christmas. But one...
Russell George: 2. How is the Welsh Government supporting A-level students this year given the impact of the pandemic on their education? OQ57864
Russell George: ...that the Welsh Government was absolutely committed to this project. However, it has been sat on the desk of Welsh Government for some months now. I appreciate this cuts across various Ministers—education, local authority, finance—so, can I ask you to liaise with your colleagues and Ministers across Government in order to get the green light for this project as soon as possible, because...
Russell George: ...has implications for both health and social care and for children's rights and safeguarding, so we are pleased, therefore, to be able to co-ordinate our evidence with the Children, Young People and Education Committee in order to reduce duplication, and we're also grateful to stakeholders who were able to share their views with us within a very tight time frame as well. Whilst the vast...
Russell George: ...College of Radiologists. Shockingly, despite these grave concerns, the latest 10-year NHS workforce plan fails to include a specific workforce plan for cancer specialists. In fact, the joint Health Education and Improvement Wales and social care strategy from October 2020 fails to mention cancer at all. Instead, the strategy has broad aims, including—I'm quoting here—to 'have a...
Russell George: Thank you for your answer, Minister. Of course, in rural areas of Wales such as Powys, whilst the twenty-first century schools funding has been used for new school builds, many older school buildings are being retained due to their geography or for rurality reasons. I heard the responses, Minister, to the earlier questions today, but can I ask you how you envisage twenty-first century schools...
Russell George: 5. Will the Minister provide an update on how schools in Powys are benefiting from the 21st century schools programme? OQ57319
Russell George: ...within the NHS and to support the vaccination programme. I wonder if you could provide us with what actions the Government is taking to reactivate the NHS COVID volunteers operation also. Keeping education open, of course, is a priority for myself and for my colleagues on this side of the Chamber. I think it is for you as well, Minister. I agreed with the education Minister yesterday...
Russell George: ...time. Also, any useful information, as well, would be appreciated with regard to how that's going to be rolled out for 12 to 15-year-olds. Will this take place in mass vaccination centres or within schools? There are various challenges around all of those issues, but I think people will want to know how that is going to work. It certainly is a challenge to get that programme completed by...
