The next item is the business statement and announcement, and I call on the Trefnydd to make the statement. Rebecca Evans.

There's one change to this week's business: tomorrow's vote on the debate under Standing Order 25.15 on the Government of Wales Act 2006 (Amendment) Order 2019 will take place immediately after the debate, rather than at voting time. Draft business for the next three sitting weeks is set out on the business statement and announcement, which can be found amongst the meeting papers available to Members electronically.

Can I call for two statements, one from you in your capacity, Trefnydd, as the Minister for finance, in relation to support for the armed forces community? The Army Families Federation has raised concerns about what appears to be a trend of some local authorities not giving the appropriate discount for armed forces families in terms of their council tax. You will be aware that this is something that the Welsh Government has promoted in the past, and I would be very keen to see you reinforce the promotion of that discount for those armed forces families that are eligible.

In addition, concerns have also been raised about the application of non-domestic rates to army cadet halls. Now, you'll be familiar with cadet forces, probably, in your own constituency. Traditionally, their facilities have not been subject to non-domestic rates. They've been exempted on the basis of the opportunities and services that they provide to young people in their communities, and I do think that it's a retrograde step if some local authorities are choosing now to impose charges on them that are undermining their viability.

And thirdly, can I call for an update from the Minister for Health and Social Services in relation to the Betsi Cadwaladr health board and the whole of the special measures process? Clearly, we've had some concerning information regarding the appointment of turnaround directors and additional capacity in that health board. Now, we accept that that health board is clearly struggling. The interventions so far from the Welsh Government have not worked to support significant improvements in that health board and many people are very, very concerned that this is a health board with a significant overspend expected by the end of the financial year of tens of millions of pounds, that is making changes to nurse staffing rotas that are unpopular and providing a disincentive for nurses to go and work in that health board, and that, at the same time, is spending millions of pounds on people who are contracted as consultants to the health board doing jobs that, frankly, the executive team ought to have the capacity to do. [Interruption.] So I think we do need a statement on this from the Minister for Health and Social Services, who is barracking at the moment while I'm trying to ask for this statement. If he's got something to say, let's hear it in a formal statement, instead of the barracking that he's giving me from the front row, along with other colleagues on that front row, right now.

Well, on the issue relating to council tax discounts and non-domestic rates for army cadet halls, I'll certainly look into both of those issues and provide you with a letter, but Deputy Minister Hannah Blythyn will be making a statement marking Remembrance Day and supporting our armed forces community in Plenary next week.

On the second issue that you raised, regarding Betsi Cadwaladr, I think there are multiple opportunities to raise that with the Minister this week, including a debate to which the Minister will be responding tomorrow, which will no doubt address those issues you've described.

I want to express my horror at the recent ITV News interview given by a doctor who, prior to surgery, was asked by a patient if they could have a white person performing the operation instead. This hurt caused to a medical professional, who has given decades of hard toil, compassion and expertise within the NHS, was clear to see. What compounded matters was that he did not know how to respond to this blatant act of racism, as he was not clear how he would be supported by his employers. We know that racism doesn't exist in a vacuum. The Welsh Government must send out a clear and unequivocal message that all people of colour working in our NHS must have employer backing in such a situation, and that racism will not be accommodated or tolerated.

I'm sure you will share my disgust at the revelations that Ross England, a staff member for Tory Secretary of State Alun Cairns, deliberately collapsed a rape trial in the eyes of a senior judge. There are many questions that need to be answered on this, and hiding behind the lie that there are legal proceedings ongoing, as the Prime Minister erroneously and shamefully said, does not cut it. A story has emerged within the last hour that states an e-mail was sent to Alun Cairns by a special adviser in August of last year about the collapsing of that rape trial. This runs contrary to claims that the rape case collapse was news to Tory party figures, including Cairns, when the story first emerged last week. If this is true, it's incredible that instead of beginning disciplinary proceedings as a result of this courtroom outrage and the consequences that flowed from it, chiefly that a vulnerable victim was put through the ordeal of a second trial, England was named as a candidate in a key Tory target seat just a few months later. This is remarkable; remarkable for the indifference that the Tories have shown to the victim of such a serious crime, and remarkable for such a serious error of judgment from senior Tory figures who must resign if they knew about this disgusting behaviour.

I'm also concerned that a message has been sent out that politics are not just indifferent to the scandalously low rape conviction rates, which are at their lowest in a decade in England and Wales, but that politics are actively involved in perpetuating this horrific statistic and platforming those who sabotage rape trials. Can this Senedd please send out a clear and unequivocal message that not all politicians are the same, that some of us have no truck with people who wreck rape trials? Will this Welsh Government also redouble efforts to devolve the criminal justice system so that we can tackle the inequality of low rape prosecution rates in this country? Will you join me in condemning any politicians who knew about this and did nothing? And if it's proven that they knew, do you agree with me that they should resign?  

I thank Leanne Wood for bringing both of these extremely important issues to the floor of the Assembly this afternoon. In regard to the ITV interview, it was absolutely heartbreaking to see a doctor describe the racism that he had experienced, but then also to describe the fact that he didn't know how to respond to that individual, and that he didn't know that he would have the full support of his employers and the NHS. Of course, in Wales, there is absolutely no place for racism in any of our public services or society more widely, and if more work needs to be done to give people of ethnic minorities the confidence that the NHS or their public service employer is there to support them in any circumstance when they find themselves experiencing racism, then we certainly will look to provide that confidence and do more work in that area.

On the issue of the disgusting behaviour of the deliberate collapse of a rape trial, I absolutely agree with what Leanne Wood has said here today. I associate myself with the comments you've made and agree with you that there are absolutely questions to be answered. I would suggest that I'm not the person to be answering those questions, but they do remain to be answered, and I think that sending a strong clear message that not all politicians are the same is a really important thing to do.  

I wanted to raise the important issue of cervical cancer screening. Last week, the latest figures showed that one in four women do not get tested for cervical cancer screening by getting a simple smear test. And, given that this is the biggest killer of young women, it is particularly concerning that, amongst young people in their 20s, the numbers are down to one in three not getting tested. This simple test is what can save people's lives. Also last week, it was reported at a science conference that a new urine test could replace the smear test, which would obviously be a lot less invasive. Women don't have to go to a medical centre to have it done. They just simply take a urine test and send it off from home. So, there's both positives and negatives arising out of this. No. 1, it would be great if we could have a statement from the health Minister as to when he thinks this urine test is likely to have completed the research test that will satisfy us that this can be used as an alternative to smear tests. Apparently, it's already proving to be more accurate. No. 2, could we also have a statement on how we are going to endeavour to get more women, particularly younger women, to come and get smear tests in the meanwhile?

Thank you very much to Jenny Rathbone for raising this particularly important issue this afternoon. I think that we do have a good story to tell here in Wales in terms of the work that we've been doing thus far, because, of course, Wales is the only UK nation to have implemented HPV testing for participants in the cervical screening programme, and the programme now tests for 14 high-risk HPV types, and those are the ones that cause 99.8 per cent of cervical cancers. And this is a much more sensitive test and will prevent more cancers, and it's hoped that the new test will improve uptake over time. 

But the health Minister issued a written statement earlier this year saying that self-testing won't be rolled out across Wales or the rest of the UK until the pilot in England has been shown to be safe and effective and has been recommended by the UK National Screening Committee. But, obviously, we're really keen to watch the progress of that and to understand the evaluation of that pilot. I'll explore what the timescales are for that pilot with the health Minister and ensure that you have an update as to what kind of timescale we might be looking at for the completion of the programme and the evaluation.FootnoteLink

Information further to Plenary

Organiser, can I seek a statement from the health secretary in relation to the story that broke last week on waiting times in the Cwm Taf area? I think it is fair to say, and, in fairness, the report pointed out, that this wasn't a deliberate omission of people off the waiting lists, and I think that's a critical point to bear in mind. But it did point to a lack of governance and a culture that maybe was a bit sloppy, to say the least, around the edges that allowed for nearly 3,000 people to be missed off a series of waiting lists, which is roughly 5 per cent of the total. And we know full well that it was a lack of governance that led to the tragedy in the maternity services in Cwm Taf, and we don't want to see the same thing happening here.

There's still work ongoing to try and understand the overall impact, and, as I understand, there's still another 750 individuals being looked at to see whether they too were missed off the waiting lists. But I do believe that this warrants an oral statement from the Minister of health, so that we—in my particular instance, as a Member for South Wales Central, but I'm sure other Members—can seek answers and reassurance from the Minister as to what action the Welsh Government is taking to make sure that governance is reintroduced and, ultimately, this type of problem does not exist again.

I'd like to also put on the record my thanks to the chairman of the health board, who did meet me over this particular matter to discuss it, but meeting the chairman and getting an oral statement off the Minister for health, who ultimately is responsible for the health service here in Wales, is not the same thing. So, I hope that you'll be able to facilitate such a statement coming forward, given the difficulties that the Cwm Taf health board has faced in recent times on maternity services. None of us want to see that going into other areas of delivery for this particular health board. 

Thank you. I'm very pleased that the chair of the health board was able to meet with you to discuss your concerns in this regard. And, of course, I'll make sure that the Minister for health is aware of the request that you've just made for a statement, and I'll know that he'll give due consideration to the best way to keep Members informed about this issue. 

Could I ask for a statement on measures to tackle empty former commercial premises, including long unused petrol stations like that at the entrance to Ogmore vale, or the empty and dilapidated factory shell at the entrance to Evanstown in my constituency, which, just like empty and abandoned homes, can blight communities terribly. Yet, business owners and absentee landlords can sit on these properties with business rate reductions or exemptions for years and years, and even decades, and, despite the best efforts of local authorities to work with those owners and landlords, and agents, they remain crumbling eyesores. Now, yes, local authorities have measures they can take on matters like environmental health and safety and security, but this merely maintains the buildings in a state of near dereliction—they are zombie commercial premises and they bring a community down. So, could we have a statement on how Welsh Government can explore new streamlined measures for local authorities to tackle these empty commercial zombie properties, and an update on what powers and incentives currently exist as well?

And, secondly, could I call for a statement or a debate on the subject of the Men's Sheds movement, calling attention to the growth of this fantastic movement, which does so much for men's mental health and well-being, from its start in Wales, in the Squirrel's Nest in Tondu, in my constituency, to now a nationwide network of sheds, involving, yes, mature men, but also women's sheds and youth sheds, too. And I'll also be drawing attention in the coming weeks to this celebration of Men's Sheds here in the Senedd, as I'll be hosting here a launch event in the Senedd on Tuesday 19 November, with the help of sheds from all over Wales, and inviting all colleagues to join with me, and it would be great to have a debate that coincided with that.

Thank you to Huw Irranca-Davies. The local authorities do have a number of powers available to them to help bring those redundant commercial properties back into use, as they do for residential properties. Those powers include the Town and Country Planning Act 1990, the Building Act 1984, and also those compulsory purchasing powers. However, I think what Government is really keen to ensure is that each local authority has the skills and knowledge and the confidence to use those powers to the best use for their communities. The Minister and Deputy Minister for Housing and Local Government have agreed to bring on board an industry expert in this field into Welsh Government, to make sure that all local authorities in Wales do have the skills that they need in order to address this particular issue. And the Welsh Government has been dealing with empty properties through regeneration activities—the targeted regeneration programme, which I know you're very familiar with. But the housing Minister has suggested that you write to her, perhaps, for some further information with regard to the specific cases that you've described.

And, yes, I share your enthusiasm for Men's Sheds. They are absolutely amazing in terms of supporting mental health, but also helping to tackle loneliness and isolation in communities. And I think that seeing them roll out on a very regular basis is really exciting, and I look forward very much to the celebration that you'll be hosting here in the Assembly on 19 November.

Minister, in a previous Plenary session, I brought to the Government's attention the parlous situation of the citizens of Pontypool, who find themselves marooned after 7 p.m., when all local bus services cease. The lack of transport has grave consequences for the licenced trade in the town centre, and these difficulties are being further exacerbated by the closure of the last community club covering Trevethin, St Cadocs and Penygarn. The people of that community now have nowhere to socialise, as access to the town centre is not an option with there being no possibility of a public transport return after 7 p.m. Would the Minister please make a statement on how the Government intends to take measures to alleviate these transport failures, which not only affect the communities mentioned, but many more throughout the south Wales Valleys, including, particularly, difficulties being experienced in Ebbw Vale?

Well, the deregulation of the bus industry under the Conservative Government back in the 1980s was clearly devastating for many communities, and I think that the example that you've given there very much highlights the kinds of issues that have come about as a result of that. That is why I'm so pleased that the Welsh Government is looking to bring in legislation that will help deal with some of these particular issues. And I know that Ken Skates will be bringing forward a statement in due course, as he seeks to introduce that piece of legislation to the Assembly, which I hope will have a very beneficial impact across Wales.

I wonder if I could invite Members to join with me in congratulating Bad Wolf on the first episode of their excellent production of His Dark Materials, which was aired on Sunday. Having said that though, I think there is still space, now that they're in occupation of Pinewood studios, for Welsh Government to bring forward a statement to explain what has actually happened now with Pinewood, why the arrangement with them has come to an end, and to tell us the full cost of that arrangement now that it has come to an end. I think we can also expect in a statement a little bit of detail perhaps about the arrangement with Bad Wolf studio, bearing in mind the interest of this place both in that company and in Pinewood over recent times. Perhaps we could be reassured that the company has gone in on full commercial terms, for example, even though we may not be entitled to know the specific figures. Generally, I'm asking for some transparency on an issue that has been of interest to Members in recent years. I'm sure it's good news and I think it would help the Government to let us see and hear that. Thank you. 

I absolutely join you in passing on congratulations to Bad Wolf for the production of His Dark Materials. I know it's been extremely well received and has caused a great stir, and again it's something that serves to put Wales on the map not only in terms of the fabulous country that we have to offer, but actually the incredible skills that we have here in our creative industries. And it's really exciting that the creative industries is one of the key areas, which the Minister for International Relations and the Welsh Language has prioritised within her international strategy. 

In terms of Pinewood particularly, we've worked closely with them throughout their time here in Wales, and utilised the company's industry knowledge to get the best economic outcomes for Wales and make it a thriving and established location for film makers. Pinewood leaves Wales to concentrate on its own growth plans at Shepperton, at a time when all three studios in south-east Wales, including Wentloog, are operating at full capacity with productions such as His Dark Materials and Brave New World. We're really proud of our association with Pinewood over the last five years, and our vibrant creative industry has seen some fantastic results. Pinewood and Bad Wolf have spent in excess of £100 million here in Wales, creating good jobs and benefiting the local supply chains and hundreds of businesses across Wales. But if there are specific questions that you have, I'd invite you to write to the Deputy Minister for Culture, Sport and Tourism, or the Minister, I should say, for Economy and Transport, and he'll be able to provide the detail that you're seeking.  

Trefnydd, I'd like to ask for an oral statement from the Minister for Health and Social Services. I very much appreciate his written statements over recent weeks regarding Orkambi and Symkevi, and we are now in a position where we are trying to get a deal with Vertex on the access to those drugs, and I also read from Simon Stevens' letter that, in fact, the English NHS agreement was based upon Wales and Northern Ireland having similar agreements in place. Now, the Minister put out a tweet this morning—very interesting, but it has questions we want to ask of him, and, therefore, an oral statement as to where we are—. Maybe by next time we might actually be in a position where we have a deal, but it opens us up to questions that we need answers to, which don't come always from a written statement. So, if we can have an oral statement from him, that would be very helpful. 

And following on from Jenny Rathbone's points on screening, I would also like to ask for a statement on bowel screening, particularly as to a report on how successful the new test is. I do not want to wait 12 months to see how the 12-month period is, because I think that's way down the line, but we should have at least a three-month position now as to how that test is working. Whether there would be an assessment as to the sensitivity of the test and whether that can be improved, because we are working on the sensitivity, which limits where we are, basically standing still on the test levels—. We can get better, but that depends upon also the resource of the diagnostics agenda, and the endoscopy in particular. So, can we have a statement from him in relation to how he sees bowel screening working? Is the new test more effective? Are we getting a better response rate as a consequence of the test? And what resource has been put in place to ensure that we can improve the sensitivity, which allows us to actually catch earlier cancers so that we can get better results and outcomes? 

I'll certainly make the health Minister aware of both of those requests for a statement, and I know that he'd be keen to update Members particularly on the issue of bowel screening, as and when information becomes available, in terms of the analysis that is being done of the impact that the FIT rate has and what the options are in terms of increasing the sensitivity of that, but also in terms of the work that we're doing to try and ensure that particular groups who have been slower to come forward to undertake that screening are fully engaged with. 

And on the issue of Orkambi, of course, the health Minister has been very, very clear today that he would agree today the same pro rata deal as the deal that's been offered for England, if that were to come forward, and we look forward to a positive response from the suppliers as soon as possible. 

Minister, could I have a statement from the Minister for health on the termination of the contract with Microtest Health to deliver the new computer software for handling prescription and medical records of patients in Wales? NHS officials in Wales are reported as saying the company could not meet the required timescale to deliver this vital project. Minister, may we have a statement from the health Minister on the implications of this action for general practitioners and patients in Wales, and whether the process of modernising our outdated NHS computer system will be delayed as a result of this?

The decision to end the contract wasn't arrived at lightly, with several factors contributing, including the impact that the delays were having on practices in planning for their migration to the new system. So, GPs will continue with their current clinical information technology systems, pending a review of GP clinical systems in Wales, which is anticipated to be completed early next year. While the outcome is disappointing, the cost to the NHS has been low, and I know that if you write to the health Minister, he would provide you with more information if you require it. But the other successful system supplier, Vision, is compliant with the contract and, to date, over 100 practices are benefiting from provision of additional services, such as mobile Vision Anywhere cluster functionality, INR, and pharmacy software, free of charge.

Trefnydd, I know many Members in the Chamber are supporting the valuable work of Tŷ Hafan and the hospice movement in general across Wales, and I think we all recognise on a cross-party basis the value of the support they provide to individuals and families, both in the hospice premises themselves but also out in the community. I'm also sure that many Members will have seen the publicity over the weekend about the ambitious proposed refurbishment work at Tŷ Hafan, the 'fit for future' project. The coverage surrounding this campaign raises the issue of Government support available to hospices and paediatric palliative care. So, can I ask if the Government could bring forward a statement on support for the children's hospice movement in Wales? And will the Trefnydd join me in wishing Tŷ Hafan the best of luck in their refurbishment fundraising campaign?

Thank you very much. I completely share your admiration for Tŷ Hafan and the incredible work that they undertake. I had the pleasure of visiting, some time back now, and I was incredibly impressed by the warmth, and the atmosphere that is created there I thought was really, really welcoming. I will certainly speak again to the health Minister with regard to your request for an update on support for hospices and palliative care for children and ask him to write to you with the latest position there.

Thank you, Trefnydd.