So, item 2, the business statement and announcement. I call on the Trefnydd to make the statement.

Diolch, Llywydd. There are no changes to this week's Plenary business. 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.

Minister, could I call for an urgent statement from the Minister for Education and Welsh Language on our schools' readiness for the implementation of the new curriculum? Alongside the obvious impact the pandemic has had, many schools are currently really struggling with staff absences, and supply teachers are difficult to source at the moment due to the amount of teachers self-isolating and infected with COVID themselves. And this is clearly going to impact on the outcomes of the current Estyn inspections when trying to gauge the readiness of schools for the new curriculum. School meetings have been dominated by discussions on COVID rather than the implementation of this new curriculum. Headteachers and their teams are overstretched and need additional support, so I'd be grateful if the Minister could come to the Chamber to address these issues. 

Thank you, Laura. We are well on our way on the journey to making our new curriculum a reality in our schools and other settings across Wales. Of course the pandemic has affected preparations for reform. The recent survey results from the Education Workforce Council, and the Government social research service, show the challenges that obviously we face due to the pandemic. But there does remain a very strong commitment to these reforms throughout the whole of the sector, and I think it's very important that we do have a very clear national structure in place so that the implementation can be supported, and, obviously, it needs to be backed up by strong regional and local support.

The 'Curriculum for Wales: the journey to curriculum roll-out' document, which was published on 22 September, sets out that framework, and I'm sure you've had a chance to look at that, and it's backed up by £7.24 million in funding to support the curriculum development in this financial year.

Trefnydd, the Aneurin Bevan University Health Board has introduced significant temporary changes to maternity services because of staff shortages. So, home birthing has been suspended and midwifery-led units in the Royal Gwent, Nevill Hall, Ysbyty Aneurin Bevan and Ysbyty Ystrad Fawr will be temporarily closed, centralising all birthing services at the Grange hospital in Cwmbran. The health board expects that those changes will be in place until 18 October.

I'd like a statement from the Government please to tell us what support is being offered to the health board to ensure that staffing levels won't be affected like this again, particularly as we go into the winter months when COVID-19 is likely, unfortunately, to be more prevalent in our communities. And could that statement please also outline what support the Government could give through the health board to expectant mothers and their families, who will have to make changes to their plans at what is an already anxious time? I'm thinking especially of mothers who have elected to have either home births or local births because of traumatic births in the past. This could have really serious implications for them, so I'd be grateful to know what support could be offered urgently to them and, of course, to all families who will be affected by this.

Thank you. I know the Minister and her officials are working closely with the health board around this issue. You mentioned that, hopefully, they would only be in place until 18 October, so there will not be time to have a Government statement, but I'm sure if the Minister has anything new that she wishes to inform Members of, she will do a written statement.FootnoteLink

Information further to Plenary

Could I ask for two statements from the Government please? Firstly, on the implications of the Supreme Court decision last week to rule two Scottish Acts to be out of competence. Those Acts contained a number of provisions that we have already enacted in this place, notably on the place of the rights of children in legislation. It appears to me that that has a direct read-across to legislation that is on the Welsh statute book, and I think it's important that we do have a statement from the Counsel General to understand what the Welsh Government believes is the situation with Welsh law as a consequence of this Supreme Court judgment.

And, secondly, could I have a statement from the Government on the current role of legislative consent motions? We're used to legislative consent motions in this place, but normally they tend to refer to quite minor matters that either impact upon legislative competence here or where the Welsh Government is seeking to enact legislation on a relatively minor matter as part of a UK process. It appears to me that in this Senedd there's been an increase in the number of LCMs, and also an increase in not just the quantity of LCMs themselves but in the nature of those LCMs, where there is too much legislation, Welsh legislation, reaching the statute book without proper scrutiny in this place. It is important that this Parliament has the opportunity to scrutinise all legislation that affects Wales within devolved areas before it reaches the statute book. And it is important, I think, that as a Parliament we're able to understand the processes that the Welsh Government intends to put in place to ensure that Welsh legislation does not reach the statute book without any scrutiny at all.

Thank you. With regard to your first point around the Supreme Court's decision, I know that the Counsel General and Minister for the Constitution is currently having discussions to understand the implications of that decision.

In relation to LCMs, I think we have seen a significant number—I think we've got about 14 at the moment that the Welsh Government are considering. At the current time, I think there's only probably about seven of them that we could recommend the Senedd grants approval to. And I think it's really important that we work very closely with the UK Government. There is such a huge amount of legislation coming through at the moment, and obviously the Welsh Government can only process, and the Senedd can only scrutinise, so much. But I do think it is really important that Members have that opportunity to scrutinise LCMs as they come through.

Trefnydd, I'm sure you'd agree that north Wales continues to have a world-class reputation for delivering exceptional events and being a world-renowned destination. And following on from a point I raised with you before the summer, in regards the UK City of Culture competition, I'm sure you are delighted to see that Wrexham has been shortlisted to be named UK City of Culture 2025, along with seven other candidates across the United Kingdom. And you'll know more than anybody, Trefnydd, the fantastic culture that Wrexham has to offer, including Wrexham Football Club, and the historical Racecourse ground there as well; the Pontcysyllte aqueduct, which has received UNESCO world heritage status; the cultural community centre of Tŷ Pawb; theatres, churches, and many more, which you will be fully aware of. And of course, winning the UK City of Culture would not only have huge benefits for Wrexham, but for all of north Wales, and indeed our nation more broadly, creating jobs, driving investment, delivering long-lasting benefits. I would welcome a Welsh Government statement, outlining their support for Wrexham's bid to secure the UK City of Culture title, and hear how the Welsh Government would work together with local authorities to ensure that Wrexham has the best chance possible to win the UK City of Culture bid 2025.

Thank you. Yes, I was very, very pleased to see that my constituency of Wrexham had been shortlisted for UK City of Culture; I think the announcement will be made in May of next year. And certainly, as a Welsh Government, we will be doing all we can to look at how we can support Wrexham, and I know that the Deputy Minister for Arts and Sport, and Chief Whip is currently in discussions. You named many places within the constituency and just outside, in the constituency of Clwyd South—Ken Skates's constituency—that have got that fantastic reputation, but, absolutely, none other than the Racecourse, I quite agree.

Trefnydd, I note the written statement that was published today in terms of coal tip safety, with 33 more tips in the highest risk category, which leads to a total of 327. That's caused a great deal of anxiety in those communities that live in the shadow of those tips, so I'd like to ask for a further statement in the Chamber from the Minister for Climate Change to note when the location of these tips will be made known. This is a question that a number of people who live in their shadows have. Also, how have the discussions regarding the funding of this work gone with the UK Government, and will there be a specific campaign to raise awareness of how people can report their concerns about the safety of tips and any changes, more than what is noted in the statement today?

Thank you. And as you say, the written statement was issued yesterday, giving us an update on coal tip safety by the Minister for Climate Change. There's a huge amount of work that's gone into this piece of work—partnership working between the Coal Authority, UK Government, local authorities and Welsh Government. And as you say, there have been further coal tips highlighted as having high risk. Local authorities have the data as to where these are, obviously, sited. As you say, it does cause concern. I think it's really important not to cause even more concern to people. You'll be aware the Welsh Government brought forward a helpline—it was obviously in my portfolio in the previous term. The discussions around funding are really important, because this is significant funding. And clearly, it predates devolution—it predates 1999—so therefore, the UK Government really need to up their game in this area and ensure that we have the funding that is absolutely needed to make these coal tips safe.

Given the ongoing disinvestment of the banking industry in our high streets, and, in some circumstances, that we don't even have the lender of last resort in our post offices—certainly some of my communities don't any longer have a post office—I just wondered whether we could have a Welsh Government statement on how we can protect the digitally excluded, who are really not comfortable with a cashless, paperless society, to ensure that they've still got a secure place to keep their savings and that they can still access cash without having to be charged for the privilege.

Thank you. We are very concerned, as a Government, at the reduction of banking services right across Wales. We've seen an ever increasing number of bank closures across the country. So, we do continue to use our influence, both with the UK Government and with the banking sector, to ensure that high street banking services are maintained. I don't think it's just the digitally excluded; we all rely on banking services. I think we all need to speak to somebody, don't we, from time to time, but I think you highlighted a specific group that need additional support. We've seen, I think, more banks closing due to the pandemic, where again we've seen cash used less and less, which again has an impact on people who are digitally excluded. And we know that there are increasingly a number of people who are very removed from conventional banking services, and we really don't want to leave anyone behind. We've also seen—I think I mentioned this when I was asked about banking services previously—we've seen a reduction in the number of free-to-use ATMs, while I think we've seen an increase in the ones that charge. So, we are committed to supporting the creation of a community bank for Wales, and, at the current time, we're working with the private sector to develop proposals in line with the regulatory approval process, and I think that would be the most opportune time to have a statement.

Recently, I visited the Tennant canal at Aberdulais to meet representatives of its owners and members of the Neath and Tennant Canals Trust to discuss its future, following a fall in the water levels. Many residents are concerned about the future of the canal, its historic infrastructure and role in sustaining wildlife. Whilst there are issues to resolve with NRW and other public bodies, it does remind me of the importance of our canals to our environment, tourism and well-being. Will the Government arrange a debate for us to consider the strategic importance of our canals, please?

Thank you. I think you make a very important point about the role that canals play, certainly in relation to biodiversity, and you will be aware it's COP15 this week, which really highlights biodiversity. We do make a range of statements, and I'm sure the Minister will be making one following COP15, where she can cover that.

And, finally, Joyce Watson. 

Diolch, Llywydd. Trefnydd, could we have a statement, and I think the Minister for Social Justice is best placed to speak on it, on the very urgent need to make public sexual harassment a specific criminal offence in England and Wales? I referred to it in my recent topical question to the Minister on women's safety in public places. But, since then, it's become clear that the roadblock to reform is the Prime Minister himself. As well as blocking a new law on harassment, the Prime Minister personally intervened to torpedo attempts to make misogyny a hate crime. It emerged this weekend, however, that Tory peers and MPs plan to defy Johnson and push ahead with attempts to change that law. I know it falls outside this institution's legislative powers, of course, but, just as Boris Johnson's dismissal of misogyny and gender-based harassment sends a dangerous public message, the Welsh Government ought to counter that and do what it can to realise change in the law to protect Welsh women and girls.

The Deputy Presiding Officer (David Rees) took the Chair.

Thank you. I think, whilst I've been on my feet, the Minister for Social Justice has issued a written statement on hate crime. But we've been very clear that the current hate crime regime that we have isn't fit for purpose. It fails to deal with misogyny, and I think that's an absolute major demonstration of what is wrong with the regime. Earlier this year, you may be aware, the UK Government agreed to a pilot, where police would record crimes of violence motivated by a person's sex or gender. I think we need to see a bit of urgent progress on this. I know the UK Government will be considering the recommendations that come from the Law Commission on this, so I would urge the Law Commission, firstly, to expedite the report to the UK Government, and then certainly I would expect the UK Government to bring forward some action around the recommendations, and I know the Minister for Social Justice has written to UK Ministers several times to highlight this.

Thank you, Trefnydd.