3. Business Statement and Announcement

Part of the debate – in the Senedd at 3:06 pm on 15 October 2019.

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Photo of Mike Hedges Mike Hedges Labour 3:06, 15 October 2019

Can I add Swansea East as one of those places where people are getting referred to private practices to get their ears syringed—and Port Talbot? It's an all-Wales problem and, perhaps, one that needs addressing fairly rapidly.

I've got two requests for statements. The first one is: teachers in Swansea and Neath Port Talbot did not get their pay award at the end of September. I have chased this around lots of different places, including the councils, ERW and the Minister for Education. I am told that this is because the Welsh Government have not released the money for the award and not confirmed that the award, which has been made in England, is going to be paid in Wales. I don't know whether that's right or not, but that's what I've been told, so there is obviously confusion out there. So, can I request an urgent Government statement providing an update on the paying of this year's—2019-20—teachers' pay award?

The second statement I'm requesting is a statement to be made on the health delivery plans, such as the diabetes delivery plan and the cancer delivery plan. Again, I am told that the current plans finish in 2020 and there are concerns that they're going to end. I have no belief for a moment that they're going to end and that we'll have no continuation of the plan, but there's nervousness amongst some of the people involved that could be put to bed, as it were, if the Welsh Government can start making statements on those that are coming to an end in 2020.