The next item is the business statement and announcement, and I call on the leader of the house.

As Members will be aware, I’ve made several changes to this week’s business. In light of recent tragic events in Manchester, I’ve postponed the oral statement, ‘Plant yn Gyntaf/Children First’, which will be rescheduled in due course. The oral statements on ‘Assessment for Learning—A Distinct Welsh approach’, and the Welsh Government prosecution code, will take place tomorrow afternoon, replacing the individual Member debate, which Business Committee has agreed to postpone. Business for the next three weeks is as shown on the business statement and announcement, found among the meeting papers available to Members electronically.

Can I thank the business Secretary for her statement and just say that, obviously, we will try and co-operate as much as possible in re-arranging the business as necessary, following recent events, and understand very much why the Government has sought to do so? It may be of assistance if I can share with her, and also the Chamber, that we have a debate in Plaid Cymru’s name, tomorrow, on live music, arising out of the campaigns about Womanby Street and Clwb Ifor Bach and so forth. I understand that that petition from that campaign has been very successful and that the Petitions Committee is minded to bring forward their own debate, as a new feature of this Parliament, where petitions from outside can trigger debate on the floor, and, in that light, Plaid Cymru would wish to withdraw tomorrow’s debate in order to facilitate the more wide-ranging, if you like, debate from the Petitions Committee itself, and to ensure that this campaign, which has been very successful and really energised people in Cardiff, can be seen to be reflected on the floor of the Assembly not as a party-political debate, but as one that’s shared by all Assembly Members to contribute to. So, that may loosen up a little bit of time tomorrow, which may assist the business manager in the work that she has to do.

Can I also just ask a little more around the Champions League and the effects of the awful events in Manchester? I very much appreciate what the First Minister said, and the commitment that has been made already, through questions around the Chamber, around the preparations for the Champions League. I know that that has been thorough and has been taken on board by the local authorities and those in charge here. We see some of the preparations already outside the Assembly, ready for the numbers of visitors that will be coming here. I hope that she’ll join me in sending out a really strong message that says that people are very welcome in Wales. We want to see everyone here, and they will have a very warm welcome when they come here, and we’re ready for those numbers, and our security service and our police and everyone is ready for that and prepared for it. There is, sadly, nothing new in the fact that we have had a tragic terrorist attack in Manchester. We’ve had similar attacks elsewhere in Europe, as well as in London, of course, and we had to prepare for that. But if it is appropriate for the Government to put forward a written statement updating Assembly Members around the preparations for the Champions League final then that would be very welcome.

Also timetabled, I notice, is the long-awaited statement on bovine TB from the Minister for Environment and Rural Affairs. It’s just to ask really whether the Government can say a little more, either by a written statement in advance of that—. Because the Climate Change, Energy and Rural Affairs Committee published its own report on bovine TB this morning, and it would, I think, help us, because there are a couple of weeks to go—I think it’s on 20 June we’re expecting a statement from the Cabinet Secretary. It would be useful to have a response from the Government to that report, either on the day or just before, so that we can have an informed debate and response to the Cabinet Secretary’s statement. If the Government can commit to that in future statements, that would be useful.

The final thing I’d like to raise is of a different nature, but it’s come to my attention from Llanelli—a constituent of mine contacted my office. The business manager will know that the Department for Work and Pensions is looking to close several offices throughout Wales. Presumably, any announcement on final decisions on such closures is now under purdah, and is not expected to be made before the general election. However, the reports that I’ve had from people working in the Llanelli office are that preparation is under way for ‘for sale’ signs to go up on that office. Clearly, staff have been alerted to this, and are concerned, and bring those concerns to me. I wanted to ask the Government whether they’d had any indication from Westminster about any final decisions around the office in Llanelli, or indeed the other offices that are affected in Wales, and whether it is a commitment, as far as she knows and she is aware, that no statement can be made until the general election, and whether she is in a position to make any statement on behalf of the Government in response to those concerns from my constituents.

Thank you very much, Simon Thomas, for informing us of the outcome of the Petitions Committee decision to propose a debate, and of course, helping that petition to such an extent that it now crosses the threshold. It will be a new development, as you say, for us to debate this, particularly focusing on live music and current local situations. Indeed, following the written statement made by the Cabinet Secretary for Environment and Rural Affairs last week on the planning issues, that means there will be one fewer opposition debate tomorrow afternoon.

In terms of UEFA and preparation, the Cabinet Secretary for Economy and Infrastructure will be making a written statement this week to update on security and transport issues in preparing for UEFA the weekend after next. You of course are aware that, as the First Minister said, he received a security briefing this morning linked to the COBRA discussions, and that indeed will have taken on board the important event that is forthcoming. Again, it’s very important that we make it very clear about the welcome to Wales, and the opportunities, and that we’re here to ensure that people are safe, secure and indeed welcome for that major event for Wales, which will place us again in the world’s eye in terms of our hospitality, our efficiency, our security and indeed our transport links. So, it’s very appropriate anyway for the Cabinet Secretary to make that statement, which he will do.

On your third question, yes, the report from the committee has been published in terms of their inquiry into bovine TB, and the recommendations they make and the evidence they took. Indeed, the Cabinet Secretary for Environment and Rural Affairs will be making a statement in the very near future in terms of the way forward, and it’s important that it will follow, of course, that committee report.

On your fourth question, I think the Cabinet Secretary for Communities and Children—well, I don’t think he’s aware of being informed by the DWP through his officials that decisions have been made. But I think it’s very important that this is on record today. Clearly, we have official links with DWP and I’m sure our Welsh Government officials will want to clarify the point. I’m sure union engagement, as well, in terms of the impact on staff and their fears and concerns, particularly at this pre-election period—that should be addressed.

Leader of the house, I am recently dealing with a number of cases whereby people who’ve previously held blue badges for many years have had their application for renewal refused. When I’ve raised this with the local authority I’ve been told it’s because my constituents no longer meet the criteria for eligibility, although in all cases the constituents affected do have a range of serious medical conditions. I understand the Welsh Government is currently reviewing the guidance and application system to see what can be done about people who fall short of the scoring grid. Could we have a statement from the Welsh Government updating us on this review, please?

I’m glad Vikki Howells has drawn this to our attention, because I think this is an issue that’s probably affecting other constituents of other Assembly Members. Under the Chronically Sick and Disabled Persons Act 1970, the local authority is responsible for issuing blue badges to applicants in their areas, including deciding whether the applicant meets the eligibility criteria. Welsh Government has developed a non-statutory toolkit to assist local authorities in their duties, and in a case where an applicant is close but has marginally failed to meet the criteria, the local authority may choose to refer the case to the independent advisory service, funded by the Welsh Government, for further assessment.

An independent medical assessment will be carried out by an occupational therapist who will look at the applicant’s mobility and provide advice to the local authority for them to consider. Welsh Government officials have been working closely with local authorities and the independent advisory service to review their guidance toolkit. It’s going to be republished in the summer. Changes include widening the margin at which applicants can be referred for further assessment and providing further guidance on the kind of evidence to be provided to make it easier for applicants to demonstrate how they meet the criteria.

So, the Cabinet Secretary will issue a statement as this guidance is republished, to make sure that Members are aware and understand, and that they can therefore monitor closely and respond to constituents’ concerns.

I wanted to ask for a statement, either from the Minister for education or the Minister with responsibility for Welsh language—I’m not sure which is responsible—on the fact that I received a message over social media, along with a number of other Assembly Members, on the fact that Warwick university’s history department didn’t recognise the Welsh language A-level as a qualification to enable students to study at that university. It says:

‘Graddau AAA Safon Uwch mewn 3 phwnc, gan gynnwys Hanes. Nid yw’r cynnig yn cynnwys Cymraeg, Astudiaethau Cyffredinol '.

I do believe that that has caused some anger for people in my area and people across the whole of Wales, and I would like to hear whether any study has been carried out by Government to see what universities are doing in that regard, or whether this is isolated to the history department in Warwick. Because I don’t think it’s acceptable for universities to treat a Welsh language A-level as being secondary to other courses. I would welcome any correspondence or communication on that issue.

The second question is—and I do declare an interest in this, because my sister is now taking her A-levels at the moment—I’ve received some correspondence from a number of young people who say that, although the exams happen over a lengthy period of time up until the end of July, many people have three examinations on a single day, and they are all two-hour long examinations. There may be time in the timetable to ensure that they shouldn’t have to sit three exams in one day, because that places a huge amount of stress on young people. We know that young people take their studies very seriously and many of the young people who’ve approached me feel under even greater pressure as a result of this. I would like a statement, again, from the education Minister—not that I’m picking on her—in order to ensure that, in future, if there are clashes—. Even if there are two exams in one day, that’s fine, but having three exams on a single day is too much for your people to be able to prepare for, when there is scope within the timetable to ensure that that shouldn’t happen.

Diolch yn fawr, Bethan Jenkins. I know the Cabinet Secretary has heard the concerns that have been raised about Warwick university and the alleged lack of recognition of Welsh as an A-level. I know that she’s going to immediately take that back and inquire and we will make sure that the response is clearly published and given not only to the Member but possibly on social media and placed in the library as well.

On your second point, in terms of the pressures on young people in having those A-level exams in one day, that again is an operational issue, which I’m sure is affecting a lot of young people and schools and parents, relating to those examining bodies and timetabling. But the point has been made and heard.

I thank the leader of the house.