3. 2. Business Statement and Announcement

Part of the debate – in the Senedd at 2:37 pm on 5 July 2016.

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Photo of John Griffiths John Griffiths Labour 2:37, 5 July 2016

I’d like to request two Government statements, please, Secretary. Firstly, in the light of the Office for National Statistics report on avoidable mortality in England and Wales last week, whether we might have a statement on public health and the preventative health agenda, which is one important aspect of dealing with avoidable mortality, and perhaps setting us firmly on a more proactive health agenda, rather than reactive. I wonder whether we might have a Government statement that sets out the current Government’s thinking on that preventative health and public health agenda.

Secondly, I wonder whether we might have a statement on community-focused schools. I think it’s very important that we take forward policy effectively and consistently across Wales, because I think, at the current time, there are some very good examples of community-focused schools, but it is quite patchy. I’m very interested in, and I think Members here generally would be very interested in, the mechanisms and actions that can achieve consistently community-focused schools, right across Wales. Because I think it’s well recognised that achieving a partnership between home and school, and community and school, is the most effective way forward if we are to improve educational standards. We spend a lot of money on our school buildings, and to see them—some of them—lying idle at evenings, weekends, and holidays is not a good use of public resource. Also, in terms of widening access to sport, physical activity and cultural activities, it’s very advantageous if we can have that community-focused school approach in that regard as well. And, finally, I think it’s extremely important that we ensure that not just the twenty-first century schools programme—important though that is—but also, in terms of our existing school stock, we have a community-focused approach. Without that, we wouldn’t have the consistency of approach that I believe we need, across Wales.