We'll move now to our second item, the business statement and announcement. I call on the Trefnydd to make that statement—Lesley Griffiths.

Diolch, Llywydd. I've added debates on the Health Protection (Coronavirus Restrictions) (No. 5) (Wales) (Amendment) (No. 23) Regulations 2021 and the Health Protection (Coronavirus Restrictions) (No. 5) (Wales) (Amendment) (No. 25) Regulations 2021 to today's agenda, along with the corresponding motion to suspend Standing Orders. Additionally, the debate on the legislative consent motion on the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill has been postponed until next week. 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.

Thank you, Trefnydd, for that statement. Can I call for an urgent statement from the Minister for Health and Social Services in relation to access to NHS COVID passes in Wales for those who received their vaccinations overseas? I understand that action has already been taken in England and indeed in Scotland in order to ensure that people who have received their vaccines overseas can have those validated for incorporating into their NHS COVID pass systems, but for whatever reason Wales appears to be dragging its feet here. I've got constituents who've received their vaccinations in both France and Norway, and even in another part of the UK, in Northern Ireland, who cannot get those validated here in Wales for use in the NHS COVID pass system. That is clearly unacceptable and needs to be addressed. I would be grateful for an urgent statement on the action that is being taken by the Welsh Government to address this so that there can be a clear timetable for those individuals affected to get access to their COVID passes as soon as possible.

Thank you. I know this is something the Minister for Health and Social Services is working on and she will do a written statement when they've got to the conclusion that they want. 

I'd be grateful if the Trefnydd could please confirm the media reports that an urgent debate will soon be held about the change to cervical cancer screenings, after we've already heard this afternoon that over 1 million people signed petitions on this issue. I do think it's fundamentally important, because again, as we've heard, over the past week people in Wales, women in Wales, have been deeply confused and concerned because these routine cervical smear tests will now be offered every five years instead of every three years. The fact that the announcement was made on social media with a graphic that didn't explain the context or the reason for this change caused some panic.

Members have been contacted now by Public Health Wales, and the First Minister has set this out this afternoon as well, to explain that the test has changed, the cells will in future be tested for HPV infection first, and we've been assured that that is a more accurate way of screening. That is reassuring to hear, though I have been contacted by constituents who are still concerned. There are some further queries that I will be raising in any debate, but overwhelmingly, an urgent debate must surely be necessary to help quell the concerns of those women who saw that graphic online. They didn't have the contextual information. It's unlikely that the thousands upon thousands of people who've signed those petitions now know about the reason that's been given.

I know our health spokesman has written to the health Minister asking her to arrange direct communication with all of those affected to explain the change, and I really think that an urgent debate on top of this would be welcome. So, could you please confirm, Trefnydd, that those reports are accurate, and could you also tell us please whether the debate will be amendable by Members?

Yes, there will be a debate next week.

I would like to ask for two statements. As someone who has continually asked about the public sector provision of supply teachers, I have long believed that supply teachers are being badly treated. I was very pleased to see the proposed action in the Welsh Government and Plaid Cymru agreement. I would like a Government statement on where and how the option for a more sustainable model of supply teaching with fair work at its heart, which will include local authority-led and school-led alternatives, is going to be implemented.

The second statement I'm requesting is on public rights of way. Sections 53 to 56 of the Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000 refer to a cut-off date of 1 January 2026 for claiming historic unregistered rights of way that existed before 1949. How does the Welsh Government intend to ensure that all public rights of way are registered? 

Thank you. In relation to your second point, around sections 53-56 of the Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000, they are not yet commenced in Wales, which means they're not currently enforced, and there are no intentions to bring them into force in Wales.

On your point around the co-operation agreement between Welsh Labour and Plaid Cymru in relation to supply teachers, as the Member is aware, local authorities are responsible for employing school staff, and that includes supply teachers. Clearly, we have many different systems across Wales—different supply systems and models are all in place. So, to progress this commitment, we're doing a piece of initial work to establish how different local authorities engage, how they utilise the supply teachers they have, and work's also been undertaken to establish how supply teachers are employed not just in Wales, but right across the UK, and the sort of benefits and the disadvantages of the models that are used. I think it's important that we do look at best practice and learn from other countries also. The Minister's officials have started to scope out alternative models. It's a very complex area. There are many financial and legal complications involved. So, we are committed to the review, as you state, and this work is being progressed.   

Minister, as a Senedd friend of Srebrenica, I would like to call for a debate in Government time to discuss the worrying developments in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Many of our colleagues here, including Ministers in the Welsh Government, have been long-standing supporters of Remembering Srebrenica UK, ensuring a strong Welsh voice alongside our colleagues in Westminster. There have been debates in the House of Commons and House of Lords on this matter, and I think it is right that we should show solidarity and express our concerns for what we see emerging in Bosnia and Herzegovina, where there is threat of secession of the Serb-majority entity Republika Srpska, with the country now facing a great challenge to its stability and security. I know we are pressed for time. I know that members of the Government will be concerned. In the spirit of co-operation, I would be grateful if the Minister could set aside time for this to be discussed. Thank you.

Thank you. I know there are several Members of the Senedd who have a role as a friend of Srebrenica. The Minister for Social Justice has written to the Foreign Secretary to request an update on the measures being taken by the UK Government. She also set out her concerns around the destabilisation of the region, given Bosnia's recent history. So, as you say, it is a matter of foreign policy—it's a reserved issue by the UK Government—so there are limitations on what we can do and how much we can say. But I'm sure the Minister for Social Justice will be happy to update Members once she has a response from the Foreign Secretary.

Trefnydd, I've previously raised this issue with you and the Minister for Health and Social Services on a number of occasions, but it remains unresolved, and that is the issue of people who cannot be vaccinated or take a lateral flow test, and how they still can't access a COVID pass, which allows them entry to events and venues automatically. On 7 December, you agreed with me that it needs to be urgently resolved, and committed to asking the health Minister to look into the issue and update Members in an oral statement the following week or beforehand. This did not happen, and, when I questioned the Minister, she responded by saying that a great deal of work has been done on this but the same people are now working on the vaccination programme, so it has not been completed. Is it therefore possible for Member to receive an update on this work and an indicative timetable for when it will be completed? I'm constantly being asked this question by constituents, and they are desperate to know when they will be able to access a COVID pass to live their lives as fully as they are able to within the restrictions that are currently in place. Diolch. 

Thank you. I haven't spoken to the Minister for Health and Social Services since I initially did following your question to me, Heledd Fychan. I will certainly ask her if it is possible to give an indicative timeline. Obviously, there is the debate this afternoon on the COVID regulations—I don't know if you will have the opportunity, but I will certainly ask her to look at when we will be able to bring that information forward.

I'm delighted to hear, Trefnydd, that we are going to have a debate next week on cervical cancer, which happens to be Cervical Cancer Awareness Week, so great timing. Thank you very much.

I just wanted to ask for a statement from the economy Minister about the way in which the extra £120 million he announced in December to cope with the restrictions that have had to be imposed as a result of omicron are going to help taxi drivers in particular, who been unbelievably badly affected by the clarity with which the Welsh Government message has been heard about the need to not do the usual festive meeting-up with people. This has had a massive impact on taxi drivers' earnings. They would normally earn above £3,000 in December, which helps tide them over the quiet month of January, but now all they've been earning in December has been somewhere in the region of £800 or less, and this has barely covered their costs and they simply don't have any money to live off. So, it would be very useful to hear how the economy Minister's additional money is going to enable people like taxi drivers and, indeed, the hospitality industry where they don't have employment rights, to tide them over this unbelievably difficult situation, given that they can't get universal credit for up to six weeks.

Thank you. Well, you'll be aware of the Minister for Economy's statement just prior to Christmas. So, a discretionary fund will be delivered by local authorities. There will be a short application process, and that will support other businesses such as sole traders and freelancers, and that includes taxi drivers as well, and businesses that employ people but who do not pay business rates. So, the fund will provide £500 to sole traders and freelancers, and £2,000 to businesses employing people in the impacted sectors. Applications will open on local authority websites, I think, next week—the week beginning 17 January—and those windows will be open for two weeks. Obviously, the Minister for Economy will be keeping the support under review

Minister, may I ask for a statement from the health Minister specifically on adult attention deficit hyperactivity disorder or autism assessments by the NHS in Wales? I'm genuinely grateful to the Deputy Minister for mental health for her prompt written response when asked about ADHD provisions, and I'm sincerely pleased to hear about the plans for a new time framework to improve children's early access to the right support, as well as a collaboration across Government to improve support for people with ADHD. However, sadly, many adults are being undiagnosed in their childhood, and we know that a person's personal circumstances can bring about profound change within their mental health, and having spoken to adults who have ADHD, it tends to get more serious after the loss of a job, a breakdown in a relationship or a change in circumstance. A petition was lodged with the Senedd in October that said there were currently no adult ADHD or autism assessments on the NHS in Wales. It's a fact that many sufferers go undiagnosed until adulthood because the diagnostic criteria is based on research that focuses on traits exhibited by young boys. The absence of an ADHD or autism diagnosis often results in significant mental health issues, such as depression, anxiety and social anxiety. This petition was rejected, claiming it was already covered by the Government's integrated autism service in Wales. The NHS 111 Wales website states with regard to such services, and I quote,

'Who you're referred to depends on your age and what's available in your local area.'

However, a constituent has contacted me to complain that his doctor's surgery cannot do a referral for his wife as there is no such service available. Leading psychologists have warned that gender bias is leaving many women with ADHD undiagnosed, and it's estimated that tens of thousands of women in the UK are unaware that they have the condition and are not receiving the help that they need. Please can we have a statement from the health Minister addressing these concerns and on how she will deliver adequate adult ADHD services in Wales now? Thank you so much.

Thank you. Well, you referred to an update you had received from the Deputy Minister for mental health, and I will ask her if there is any further information she can update you on. You referred to a constituent contacting you; I would advise you to write directly to the Deputy Minister.

I'd like to ask for a statement, if I could, from the Minister for health on the impact of COVID on the NHS workforce, specifically how people who have been infected by COVID and have continuing issues with their health, rendering them unable to work, will be cared for by the national health service. I'm thinking particularly of a constituent of mine, Steve Bell, who was working in the ambulance service, contracted COVID as part of this work and has now been unable to work since then. These are really serious matters. And I think, in supporting the national health service, the Government's taken some really tough and difficult decisions to protect the national health service, but we also need to take care of the individuals and the people within the national health service, especially those who have contracted COVID as part of their work over the last few years. I think we do have a continuing duty of care to these people—a continuing duty of care both during their illness and then afterwards, as well, if they remain affected by COVID. So, I hope we could have a statement from the health Minister on these matters and a debate on how we can continue to take care of those people who have taken care of us. 

Thank you. I think the Member raises a very important point. Clearly, the impact of COVID on individuals who have suffered it is very varied, so it is important particularly that we do continue to support our workforce, who, as you say, have done so much, and I will ask the Minister to provide us with a written statement.

Finally, Janet Finch-Saunders.

Diolch, Llywydd, and blwyddyn newydd dda. I'd like to call for an urgent statement regarding the concerning Welsh coal tip funding revelations. Some Members may be aware that Rhondda Cynon Taf County Borough Council's environmental services scrutiny committee report, dated 14 July 2014, states that 

'The Welsh Government has traditionally funded reclamation at 100%. Welsh Government has informed the council that it is unlikely to fund future reclamation work unless there is a "business case" for it. The focus of the business case being on economic outputs such as bringing forward development land...However, this leaves the other sites, some of which have historical stability issues, without potential funding and an increased future liability for the Council.'

So, we know about the tips with stability issues being essentially now blocked from Welsh Government funding, including the Tylorstown and Llanwonno tips. Last year, storm Dennis saw a landslip at the Llanwonno tip. So, we really do need, as a Senedd, for the Minister for Climate Change to make a statement to the Senedd explaining why the Welsh Government has changed the criteria for reclamation funding, and will she also clarify how many tips with stability issues did not see reclamation schemes funded as a direct consequence? Diolch, Llywydd. 

I think the case that the Member was referring to back in 2014 was because a business case was not put forward. I think that's my recollection of it. The Member will be very aware of the significant progress that the Welsh Government has made to improve our understanding of the number and also of the status of the coal tips that we have here in Wales. We have around 2,500 disused coal tips. A significant piece of work has been undertaken with the Coal Authority and with the UK Government, who, I'm afraid, do continue to ignore its responsibility for the industrial legacy that we have. The Welsh Government has confirmed £44.4 million of investment in coal tip safety for maintenance works over the next three years, but I'm sure the Member will appreciate that business cases do have to be put forward in order to be able to audit and show the way that public money is spent. Our programme for government includes the introduction of a coal tip safety Bill during this Senedd term also.

Thank you, Trefnydd.