3. Statement by the First Minister: The Legislative Programme

Part of the debate – in the Senedd at 3:30 pm on 16 July 2019.

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Photo of Paul Davies Paul Davies Conservative 3:30, 16 July 2019

And with the proposed changes to the community health councils, it is typical of this Government that, when something isn't going right, when people start taking it to task on its failings, it either scraps the target or abolishes the organisation that dares to speak up for individuals. And I put it to the First Minister: we need to boost accountability in our health service, not sweep failings under the carpet.

Now, it was extremely disappointing to me and the thousands of people in Wales who have autism or look after their loved ones with autism that this Welsh Government voted down the autism Bill, which would have brought much support to those families at a time when they need it the most. And I urge the Government to look again at introducing legislation in this area.

Turning to the new Bills announced today, it is good to see the First Minister taking best practice from the UK Government's Bus Services Act 2017 in his proposed public transport Bill by franchising bus services in Wales. However, what will the Welsh Government do to support, for example, provision of bus services for young people, and how will it support small and medium-sized bus operators through this specific legislation? Additionally, how will community-led bus services, which also fill gaps in provision, fit into the proposals for local authorities to franchise or run bus services directly?

Now, the harsh reality of the Government's mismanagement of the Welsh NHS is that patients and hard-working staff pay the price. It is unacceptable that nearly one in two patients find it difficult to make a convenient appointment with their GP, coming from a Government who campaigned to make GP services much more accessible. Given the farce in April, when GPs were left in limbo after the health Minister unilaterally cut the global sum of GP indemnity by more than £11 million to deliver the state-backed indemnity scheme, how will his Government seek to reverse such mistakes through this specific legislative proposal? Have both the British Medical Association and the Royal College of General Practitioners been consulted before this Bill was announced today?

Of course, no legislative programme would be complete without mentioning reform of local government, once again having the potential to leave councils, staff, and those who rely on local services in limbo again. The Minister for Housing and Local Government announced last month that recommendations from the independent working group on local government would be included within the Bill, specifically voluntary mergers of local authorities. How will this Assembly be assured that any proposal by local authorities would not be subject to the whim of the local government Minister, as actually happened back in 2015?

Given the continued protests today in our capital, it is disappointing that his Government is not bringing forward any Bill relating to the climate change emergency. However, this isn't surprising, as it seems his Minister declared it in the press first before updating him during any other business in Cabinet. This is a serious issue that needs serious consideration, and clearly we must spend time discussing this matter and then take clear action to work towards a zero-carbon Wales. Some people would suggest that this Government is paying lip service to their concerns on the environment, because if his Government was serious, then surely he would bring forward specific legislation as soon as possible.

Now, my disappointment continues that this Government has decided not to bring forward definitive proposals to ban single-use plastics in Wales. Can the First Minister therefore give us an update, or even confirm if it will be in this Assembly, for when he will be bringing in a ban, and whether he'll be looking to create a drink deposit-return scheme as part of that in the future?

Therefore, in closing, Llywydd, I look forward to scrutinising the Welsh Government's legislative proposals for the remainder of this Assembly. We as an opposition will work openly and constructively with the Welsh Government where we believe it's doing the right thing, and I hope that the Government will use its resources in the best possible way in order to produce legislation that will make a difference and will improve the lives of people here in Wales. I do hope the First Minister takes time to reflect over the summer on what policies Wales needs to make us an innovative nation, a nation that is ready to take advantage of the opportunities ahead and that, after 20 years of Welsh Labour, will finally start delivering for the people of Wales.