The next item, therefore, is the business statement and announcement, and I have been informed that the Cabinet Secretary for Energy, Planning and Rural Affairs will make the statement today on behalf of the leader of the house. Therefore, I call on Lesley Griffiths.

Diolch, Llywydd. Two statements by the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Services have been added to today's agenda on the recently published reports on Tawel Fan and the use of the vaginal synthetic mesh. Business for the next three weeks is shown on the business statement and announcement found among the meeting papers that are available to Members electronically.

Could I seek two statements, Cabinet Secretary, please, today, if possible? One is on the proposals to build a new road from junction 34 in the Vale of Glamorgan to Sycamore Cross. I do declare an interest in that, potentially, some of my land could be affected by it. There was a large public meeting that I was unable to attend on Thursday night, but I know that the Member for the Vale of Glamorgan was there. This has caused considerable concern in the locality of Pendoylan, and whilst the consultations have been welcomed, there is still much vagary around the dates and timelines of possible delivery, or not, as the case may be, and exactly who is driving these proposals? Is it the local authority, is it the Welsh Government, is it a combination of the two? A statement from the relevant Cabinet Secretary would benefit informing the community around the issues around this proposal.

Secondly, could we have a statement from the health Secretary around the news over the weekend from the Royal College of Physicians that there has been potentially a computer glitch that has affected 1,500 job offers to junior doctors and their placements in other parts of the United Kingdom and, indeed, I dare say, in Wales as well—how that might or might not have affected positions to be filled here in Wales? We're all aware of recruitment issues in the health service in whatever part of the United Kingdom, but to hear of this glitch from the royal college, which has potentially affected at least 1,500 job offers, is of concern. In particular, could we understand how that might or might not have affected health services here in Wales?

Thank you, Andrew R.T. Davies, for those questions. In relation to the first one, around the proposed road at junction 34, I understand the Cabinet Secretary for Economy and Transport has already written to the constituency Member, and so he will now update all Assembly Members in relation to that.

The second part of your question: the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Services is aware of, I think, this very unfortunate situation, and of course it does raise concerns. His officials are now in contact with the Wales Deanery to ensure that they will be very clear about any developments and to understand what impact it will have here in Wales. We need to ensure that the situation is, obviously, rectified as soon as possible.

Today, new leader of the house, for the time being, pro tem, the House of Lords is, of course, on its last realistic opportunity on Report Stage of amending the European Union (Withdrawal) Bill, and before them is a very important amendment in the name of a Labour lord, Lord Alli, supporting remaining in the European Economic Area as a negotiating objective of the UK Government. Now, that's precisely the aim, the stated aim, of the Welsh Government—leaving the EU but remaining in the single market and customs union—and is one of the negotiating objectives in the White Paper published by the Welsh Government. The fudge of a customs partnership—for once, I think Boris Johnson's probably got it right—is not going to suit anyone, and is a ridiculous way forward, and won't work. You're either in or you're out of a customs union. So, can we have a statement from the Welsh Government on what work it is doing now to support this vital amendment, which would in turn allow the House of Commons to make a decision, because it is the stated policy of the Welsh Government? In particular, has the Government instructed the two lords who are members of the Welsh Government to attend the House of Lords today and vote in line with Welsh Government policy? [Interruption.] My question is to the leader of the house, if I may.

Secondly, can we have a debate led by the Cabinet Secretary for Economy and Transport on cycle safety? I enjoyed a glorious cycle ride myself on Sunday, from Aberystwyth to Pontarfynach and around the back lanes of Ceredigion. Much of it was on a Sustrans route, so I was disappointed to read that our own First Minister doesn't feel safe to cycle in Cardiff. What does it say to how we prioritise cars over safe routes, and how we design our cities, if our own First Minister doesn't feel safe to cycle in his own capital city? Now, I've raised cycle safety before with the First Minister directly, and perhaps now we will all take it seriously, and take action so we see a genuine change in the way we travel and live our lives. We need to get past the welcome, yes, additional resources for safe routes to debate—and that's why I'm asking for a debate—what the alternative is for car journeys in our cities, and how we make our cities more accessible for all of us, including the First Minister when he wants to cycle. If he ever does want to cycle, when he's retired from his current role, up the Rheidol valley, I would be delighted to accompany him.

Thank you, Simon Thomas. In relation to your first point, it has always been the Welsh Government's position that we should remain in the single market. We believe that's absolutely right for the economy of Wales, and I'm sure the Cabinet Secretary will update us at the appropriate time.

I'm not quite sure that's what the First Minister said. I only read the article very briefly, but I thought the reference was more to his age than to the fact that he didn't feel safe, but I'm sure he'll be very pleased to take you up on your offer.

Obviously, the Cabinet Secretary for Economy and Transport has made £60 million available to local authorities. It's now for local authorities to make sure that they have the cycle paths that are required by their local population.

Can I just ask two questions, Cabinet Secretary? Last week, I attended the real living wage leadership group and I met the directors of the Living Wage Foundation and Cynnal Cymru, which undertakes the accreditation of real living wage employers in Wales. It's reported that there are now 143 accredited real living wage employers in Wales, drawn from the public, private and third sector, as part of 4,000 real living wage accreditations UK-wide. Can you update on whether the real living wage will be acknowledged as part of the economic action plan and the gender review?

And, secondly, can I add to the question, following Andrew R.T. Davies, regarding the proposals affecting the people living in the Pendoylan area? I did attend a PACT meeting last week regarding the Welsh transport appraisal guidance road proposals to link the M4 to the A48.FootnoteLink Ten years ago there was a consultation over similar proposals and the Welsh Government decided not to proceed, but undertook to invest in improvements to Five Mile Lane, which are taking place, and improved frequency of bus and rail services on the Vale line to half-hourly. Can the Cabinet Secretary give a statement as to why those half-hourly rail services have not been implemented? I believe those would be the best way to improve access to Cardiff Airport and the St Athan enterprise zone in the Vale of Glamorgan.

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Thank you, Jane Hutt, for those two questions. In relation to the real living wage being acknowledged as part of the economic action plan and the gender review, you'll be aware that when the economic action plan was launched in December 2017, that really set out Welsh Government's vision for inclusive growth to boost our wealth and well-being and the narrowing of inequalities that we have across Wales. So, absolutely at the heart of that plan is a commitment to developing a new and very dynamic relationship between Government and businesses, based on the principle of public investment with a social purpose. I think, in particular, the focus on fair work as a key element of our new economic contract really will provide an opportunity to promote and raise awareness of the business benefits of the real living wage. And what we want to see is that increasingly adopted across Wales.

In relation to your second point, around the meeting you attended and whether the half-hourly rail services—why they haven't been implemented. As you know, we will take over the full responsibility for the Wales and borders rail service later this year and that will then enable us to introduce our own improved contract, service and systems for rail users across Wales and the borders. Obviously, specific services will be for the new operator and development partner, but our minimum requirement for the bidders tendering for the contract is that services will at least be equivalent to those currently provided. Obviously, the procurement process is still ongoing, so it's not appropriate for me to comment further on the outcome. 

Cabinet Secretary, may I ask for a statement on respite services for people affected by dementia in Wales? The older people's commissioner has produced a report claiming that traditional respite care that does not meet people's needs is detrimental to their health and well-being. The report further claims that traditional respite services often lacked flexibility and did not always deliver positive outcomes. Cabinet Secretary, could we have a statement from your colleague, another Cabinet Secretary, the Cabinet Secretary for health, providing us with a full response to the concern raised in the older people's commissioner's report, please?

Thank you. Once the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Services has had time to consider the report from the older people's commissioner, I'm sure he will then update Members, as he sees fit.

Thank you, Cabinet Secretary. I've got two issues. The first one: it was clearly a desperately disappointing day last Thursday as we learnt of the news that nearly 800 jobs are to go at the Virgin Media call centre in Llansamlet in Swansea. The loss of hundreds of jobs is clearly going to have an impact locally. It means a huge uncertain and distressing time for staff and their families. Now, I realise that written statements have been produced, but I would hope that the Welsh Government will now provide as much support as possible to those affected. But the announcement also raises questions about the level of communication between the Welsh Government and major companies such as this, because last year we had a similar announcement with a Tesco call centre moving over 1,000 jobs from Cardiff, with the Welsh Government again seemingly being made aware only when the announcement was made public. Now, given that the call centre sector is a key employer in Swansea, as in other parts of Wales, I would expect the Welsh Government to be fully aware of any difficulties faced by employers or of any planned changes before such public announcements are made. The Virgin Media announcement therefore raises questions about the type of relationship that the Welsh Government has with business and the mechanisms that you have in place to gather intelligence and to formally discuss and resolve any business pressures or planned changes. So, with all of that in mind, I'd be grateful if the Cabinet Secretary would bring forward a statement that we can debate here on the Virgin Media call-centre decision.

And my second issue is on the costs of medical indemnity for GPs. That's the cost of medical insurance that we—all GPs, all doctors—have to have. Before you can practise as a doctor, you have to have insurance to cover any possible costs of litigation, which runs into several thousands of pounds, and for GPs this is paid personally. Full-time GPs pay as much as £6,000 to £8,000 a year, and even as part-time GPs, that cost can be £3,500 or more. And that is paid personally by GPs. Hospital doctors have those costs paid for them. The situation as regards GPs increasingly going part-time, or doing locum work later in their careers, is that they are now weighing up the costs of still paying that medical indemnity insurance with the costs going up, with wanting to do one or two days' work, and finding that doing one or two days' work does not pay for the costs of the medical indemnity. So, I'd be grateful if that situation could be looked at in some detail by the Cabinet Secretary, because we are losing a valuable and experienced sector of the GP workforce through inaction on this point. Diolch yn fawr.

Diolch, Dai Lloyd, for those two questions. In relation to Virgin Media, obviously we're extremely disappointed by their plans to close their customer engagement centre in Swansea, and Welsh Government was not informed of this prior to the announcement. Obviously, we can only act if we're told, but the Cabinet Secretary for Economy and Transport has set up a task and finish group, on the same model as the one that he set up in relation to Tesco, which you mentioned earlier. And, also, alongside that, the Welsh Contact Centre Forum will work, where it can, with Virgin Media and the affected employees to help them secure, obviously, employment again. One of the reasons that we provide financial support to that forum is to enable them to do that. Employment opportunities are being created at other regulated customer service centres across south Wales, so I know the Cabinet Secretary is confident, as with Tesco, that alternative employment can be found.

The Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Services will have heard your request for a statement around medical indemnity fees for general practitioners, which I think is a very pertinent point.

Can we have a debate on the announcement that the First Minister mentioned in his questions today, that the Department for Work and Pensions plans to close five offices across south Wales and centralise those jobs in one new build, in Treforest? The plans will affect jobs in Newport, Cwmbran, Caerphilly and Merthyr, as well as 714 staff working at the Gabalfa office, in my constituency of Cardiff North—1,700 jobs altogether. Does she agree that this will take public sector jobs away from many needy communities, and will impact unfairly on staff, in increasing travel time and costs, and it will particularly affect those with caring responsibilities? And, above all, it is not supporting the Valleys taskforce, as Fiona Jones from the DWP says in her letter to Assembly Members, because these are not new jobs, and they are being moved from many needy communities. So, could we have a debate on this very important issue?

Thank you, Julie Morgan. And you will have heard the First Minister's concern around this decision. Obviously, it's a non-devolved matter; it's been taken by the UK Government. We understand that approximately 1,400 DWP staff will be affected by the relocation proposals, which were announced by the DWP last week. As the First Minister said, these are not new jobs. We know that staff are currently based in benefit offices in Merthyr, Caerphilly, Cwmbran, Newport and Gabalfa, Cardiff, in your own constituency, and the prospect is of moving to a new building in Treforest in 2021. We do understand the DWP are working to ensure that there are no job losses for staff resulting from the relocation, and that staff will be offered alternative roles, if relocation is not an option. But, clearly, as a Government, we are very concerned about this decision by the UK Government.

May I ask for an early statement on SchoolBeat and its funding? It's a matter that I and others have raised regularly over the past few months. There is some uncertainty. The service doesn't know whether it will be able to persist until the Government makes a decision on its funding. It's an important service, with police forces going into schools to work with pupils and staff on developing resources and providing classes on online security, the misuse of substances and so on and so forth. But we're now in a situation in north Wales where there are vacant posts within the programme where it isn't possible to recruit staff because of the uncertainty emerging from your Government's decision. So, can I ask you for an early statement on this because this is a service that is appreciated by pupils, by staff, by teachers, and it's the Government's duty to provide that clarity?

I am very well aware of the service and I will ask the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Services, whose remit it comes under, to write to the Member around that issue.FootnoteLink

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