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

Diolch, Llywydd. There's one change to today's agenda: the motions on the Health Protection (Coronavirus Restrictions) (Wales) (Amendment) (No. 6) Regulations and No. 7 regulations have been withdrawn, and draft business for the next three sitting weeks is set out in the business statement and announcement, which is available amongst the papers that have been made available electronically to Members.

I think it's a great shame, Trefnydd, that those particular regulations have been withdrawn without the opportunity for a debate on the action that has been taken on the coronavirus restrictions over the past six weeks in terms of the items that were contained in those restrictions, and I very much hope that the Welsh Government will reflect on providing an opportunity for Members of the Senedd to consider these matters perhaps in a different way through take-note debates in the future, prior to actual votes on regulations.

Can I call for two statements today, please, from the Welsh Government—the first in relation to tourism, in order to get some clarity on the reopening of permanent fairgrounds in Wales? I appreciate that the Welsh Government has taken the decision that, at the moment, funfairs must remain closed in Wales, but there are theme parks in Wales, which are allowed to open at the moment, and it does appear to be quite an inconsistency, when you consider that they're very similar sorts of operations in terms of making those facilities safe for people to visit. Businesses in my own constituency have lost quite a considerable amount of trade this last weekend, and I think it's imperative that we do whatever we can to make sure that they don't lose that business for future weekends. So, if we could have a statement on that, I'd be very grateful.

And, secondly, can I also call for a statement in relation to the future of local resilience forums in Wales? The National Association of Funeral Directors have called for a permanent presence on local resilience forums in order that they can be part of the planning process for future pandemics and other matters, so I think that should be considered and wonder whether we could have a statement on the matter. Thank you. 

Thank you to Darren Millar for raising those issues and, of course, we had the opportunity to discuss the first issue that he raised, in terms of when we debate our regulations, at some length in the Business Committee earlier this week, and I know that there'll be some further discussions between the Llywydd and the Government on that particular issue looking ahead.

In terms of tourism, I'll certainly seek that clarity that you're requiring in terms of the permanent fairgrounds and ensure that we find the best way to update Members on that, because I think the point that you make is important. As we start opening up more and more of our economy, then clearly there will be individual cases and individual types of business who want more detail on what it means for them, so I'll pursue that on your behalf. 

On the issue of local resilience fora, I know that the Minister with responsibility for local government will be, obviously, listening to this, and will be taking into consideration the future of those fora as we move forward out of the crisis phrase and into the stabilisation and recovery phases. 

Many community-based carers have worked right throughout the COVID crisis, and we know that staff and residents in care homes are being tested on a regular basis, whether they have symptoms or not. Carers who go into people's homes in the community are only tested if they're showing symptoms, which is a problem when we know that people can infect others when they don't show symptoms, and a single carer in the community can therefore infect potentially hundreds of people without even knowing that they're carrying COVID. So, can we have a statement on testing policy? Improved test and trace, we've been told, is key if we're to reduce the risk of a second wave; specifically, I'd like a statement that addresses this point about testing asymptomatic workers who come into close contact with the most vulnerable. We've got the spare testing capacity, and we have one chance to prevent a second wave—let's not waste that chance.

Thank you for raising this issue, and I do know that the Minister for health has been working on the next iteration of the testing strategy, and that there will be an announcement and publication along those lines very shortly. And, obviously, he will have heard what you've said in terms of community-based carers and how we ensure that tests are available for all of those people who would require them and benefit from them.

I think, business Minister, we've all been very grateful to Ministers who have taken the time to make a series of public statements on what their response has been to the developing coronavirus crisis, and I think the communications of Welsh Government have been absolutely first class. The way that Ministers have enabled scrutiny to take place, both within the public arena and here, has been absolutely beyond comparison, particularly with the chaos on the other end of the M4. However, there are certain statements that should be made to this place first, and the need for parliamentary scrutiny is different to the need for public scrutiny. And particularly where statements are made that will involve changes to the law and changes to rates of taxation, they should be made to this place before they're made in the public environment, to enable that scrutiny to take place. So, I would seek the support of the Presiding Officer as well in these matters, protecting the rights of this Parliament, and of the Government in ensuring that statements are made to this place, and that the inevitable and correct public scrutiny that Ministers face can do so as well, but I don't believe it should happen instead of parliamentary scrutiny, and so I hope the Government will respond positively to that. 

At the same, we also know that we are meeting twice over the summer months in order to take some decisions with regard to legislation; I strongly support the recall of this place to do that work. But I'm also aware, and I saw a story in the Financial Times on the weekend, that the United Kingdom Government is railroading legislation that could severely constrain the powers of this place and our right to exercise those powers. I hope that the Welsh Government and the Presiding Office will look favourably at any Member who seeks to raise these matters when we meet during August in order to deal with coronavirus regulations, because I do believe the threats from the United Kingdom Government to the powers that the Welsh people have sought to rest in this place are not something that we should wait to address. The right of this place to articulate its view should be given an opportunity during the summer months, if that is necessary.

I thank Alun Davies certainly for his opening remarks, in terms of the way in which the Welsh Government has embraced scrutiny and has been as open and transparent as possible throughout the crisis.

I take on board his criticism regarding the recent statement on land transaction tax. The only thing I will say is that the pace of decision making has been extraordinary, and the number of decisions that are taken on a daily basis is extraordinary. Of course, we only have very limited time in the Chamber, but I take on board the criticism that he's made, and I do share his concerns about the threat to devolution and to the powers of the Senedd in terms of the way in which the UK Government has sought to move forward through this crisis, but then also in terms of as we approach our exit, or as we approach the end of the year with the potential crashing out and a 'no deal' Brexit. So, there are, clearly, large areas of concern that we share there.

Business manager, I would like to understand why the Government haven't tabled a statement today from the health Minister, who will be making, as I understand it, through the Government press conference, an announcement on the new testing regime that the Government are bringing forward. I did raise it with the First Minister, but it should be on the floor of the Chamber that the health Minister is making this statement and not from the comfort of the lectern in Cathays Park. It's just not good enough that such statements are being made from Cathays Park at 12:30, when I am currently advised on the internet that he will be talking about the testing regime, and we, as Members, are sitting here in the bay listening to other matters. This is a key part of making sure that there isn't a second spike or a second outbreak through the Government's programme, and to date the testing regime has failed miserably, as the figures I put to the First Minister show. Can you enlighten me as to why the health Minister is not making a statement to the Senedd, as opposed to the press conference in Cathays Park?

Secondly, can I seek clarity from you or someone within Government as to the guidance about marriages? In August, you will be able to get married in a registry office or a church, but, regrettably, you will not be able to get married at another venue that, traditionally, has been licensed for a wedding ceremony. I do believe that this is an anomaly, and I'd be grateful if the Government could look at this, because in my own South Wales Central area I have businesses that have converted properties to become marriage venues, yet they won't be able to undertake the ceremony at the facilities in which they've invested considerable sums of money. So, could I seek clarity as to why it is only registry offices and churches that will be able to perform weddings, as opposed to other venues that, traditionally, have been licensed to undertake such a ceremony? 

On Andrew R.T. Davies's first point, I would just refer him to the answer that I have just given to Alun Davies, who raised a similar concern. But, in terms of the marriage ceremonies, I can reassure you that the Welsh Government is looking closely at the issue of how we can open up those other venues that are not registry offices or places of worship. As soon as we are able to say more on that, I can assure you that we will.

May I ask for a statement on funding for the arts? There are huge concerns that have been raised about the £59 million that was announced and broadly reported last week. It appears now that this sum of money is not available, and there's nothing near that sum available for the arts sector in Wales after all. We need clarity. First of all, how much money will be available for the sector? Secondly, how will any new funding be distributed across the arts? It's extremely disappointing that we don't have that clarity, and I would appreciate an early statement from the Government, please.

Yes, a great deal of work is going on in this particular area, and I know that my colleague the Minister for International Relations and the Welsh Language yesterday met with the Arts Council of Wales, which has been putting together a proposal, which would come forward, then, to Welsh Government with a view to drawing down some funding from the COVID reserve that we've established. I haven't yet seen that proposal, but, again, as soon as we do have a proposal we will seek to make an early decision in order to provide a statement with the clarity on the decisions that have been made.

Minister, I would associate myself with the remarks made by Alun Davies earlier. Last week, we saw £470 million of health board debts written off announced in a press conference and, as an Assembly Member representing a health board that has always operated in the black in one of the poorest parts of Wales, I would have liked the opportunity to scrutinise that. 

However, my main reason for speaking today is to ask for a statement on the ongoing impact of lockdown on those living with dementia. Last week, the cross-party group heard from people living with dementia about the immense and heartbreaking impact that lockdown has had on their lives. It was sobering, it was hard hitting and it was very upsetting. I'd like to ask for a statement, as I've highlighted previously with the First Minister the high numbers of people dying from dementia not from COVID during lockdown. There are also continued concerns about lack of access to memory clinic assessments going forward, and it is crucial that that work is addressed as a matter of urgency. So, I'd like to call for that written statement, a detailed statement, as a matter of urgency. Thank you.

Okay, thank you. And again, I note the opening remarks that you made, and obviously I'll be having some further discussions with colleagues about this particular issue. But in terms of your request for a statement on dementia, I think the health Minister will have heard that particular request, and I'm sure that he'll be keen to share what the Welsh Government has been doing to support people with dementia through what's been an incredibly difficult time, and potentially especially more so for people who are living with dementia and their families. So, I will liaise with the health Minister on that particular issue.

I would like to endorse the request for the statement with regard to the testing of our social care workers and domiciliary care providers providing care in the community, in other words in their own homes. Last month, after several weeks of the care home testing debacle here in Wales, I asked the health Minister as to what steps they were taking to test those going into vulnerable people's homes. He agreed with my concerns and actually acknowledged that the WLGA have raised issues also. I've heard nothing since. So, I would like to endorse Leanne Wood's comments: can we have a detailed statement? I want to be advised of how many of those delivering care to our most vulnerable in their own homes have actually yet received a COVID-19 test. Thank you.

Again, I just would refer you to the answer that I gave to Leanne Wood in relation to the new testing strategy. But also, I will be sure after this session today to have that conversation with the health Minister with regard to the concerns that both you and Leanne Wood have raised regarding people who are working in the social care sector but are doing it within people's homes, so providing domiciliary care and other forms of support within the community.

I'd like a statement on the testing of the nuclear mud from Hinkley Point nuclear power station, or the lack of it, really. We heard last week that an expert panel had been set up without a process of public application. I'm really concerned that some key experts in nuclear physics—scientists—have been left out of that group, which is a concern. But the very simple statement I want is, simply, if scientists are saying that the mud is contaminated with plutonium—they say they're convinced it's contaminated—why on earth isn't the Government insisting on the mud being tested for plutonium? It beggars belief. A very simple statement.

Could I ask you to write to the Minister with that concern and with your suggestions of people who might have something useful to contribute to this debate?

I would like a statement about the new street layouts being introduced across Wales to support social distancing and rightly revitalising our town centres and helping us to socialise once again. But many of those layouts will present challenges to people with sight loss and they should, in my opinion, be equality impact assessed to ensure that they don't exclude the most vulnerable of people. The Royal National Institute of Blind People has proposed a coronavirus code of courtesy, and that, indeed, would help us all to develop mutual respect, to share spaces safely in what will now become the new normal. They and other charities are calling for the Welsh Government to raise public awareness of the challenge that social distancing will pose for disabled people.

I want to also, at the same time, thank all those people in local authority areas who've worked so hard to reorganise the streets in, very often, their own time, and the charities that have been involved in giving that advice. But what's imperative here is that the Government gives a clear statement about the respect agenda for all.

I thank Joyce Watson for raising that and I agree completely with everything that she has said. The RNIB work, for example, is really important in terms of ensuring that, when we consider how we refocus the public realm, we do so in a way that is inclusive and doesn't cause unnecessary and additional trouble for people who are disabled, whether it be through visual impairment or other ways in which people become disabled, by the society that is around them. I think it really reminds us, doesn't it, of the importance of the social model of disability and the importance of adapting our society to ensure that everybody can play their part and do so in an inclusive way.

I know that the Deputy Minister and Chief Whip has taken a particular interest in this in terms of the advice that she is receiving and seeking from the equality sector, which can help ensure that, when we do adapt to the new normal, it's a new normal that is inclusive. 

I thank the Trefnydd.