Diolch, Llywydd, and can I wish you a happy new year, and the Minister and all Members as well? Let's hope 2022 is a good year.

Thank you for your statement today, Minister. Can I also thank you for your briefings that you provided to me and other colleagues today with your officials? I think they're particularly very helpful, so greatly appreciated. I note that recent research by the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies suggests that you're twice as likely to catch COVID shopping than in a cinema, and going to the pub carries the same risk as going on public transport. So, I suppose I'm pointing that out in the context of the current set of restrictions and the fact that the impact of restrictions is having potentially less of an impact due to the prevalence of the virus in communities. So, I hope you understand the context of the point there. But can I ask: do you still believe, Minister, that COVID passes have been successful? What are your criteria for ending the passes, and when will you be in a position to provide the evidence that COVID passes in Wales have been successful or not successful, as the case may be?

The threat, of course, Minister, to the economy and public services grinding to a halt is just as grave as the virus itself, in part due to the self-isolation rules. The latest data shows that 1.4 per cent of NHS staff are self-isolating—that's the highest level since April last year, yet fairly consistent with the rates this time last year. It's very welcome, Minister, as you mentioned in your statement itself, that Wales has now introduced a lower self-isolation period of seven days. Now, I'd seek your views on reducing this period further. I note that the UK Health Security Agency is looking at the seven-day period being lowered, and, of course, I ask this in the context that, at some point, there will be no isolation period, as is the case virtually for all viruses. I appreciate we're not at that point yet, but that's the point that we will get to at some point; that's the context of the question.

You said in your statement, Minister, that some appointments and treatments are being postponed while staff are being transferred to work elsewhere. We know we've got large backlogs—one in five of the Welsh population on waiting lists, cancer diagnoses being missed. Now, I noticed that the shadow Minister for health in Westminster and your Labour colleague has expressed his support for using private hospitals to clear the backlog, and I'm pleased to hear that the English NHS has entered into arrangements with private providers. So, can I ask: will you follow your Westminster colleague's view to do whatever it takes to tackle the backlog? Can I ask how far along you are with regional surgical hubs since your announcement last year? Effectively, when are we going to see them, I suppose?

Now, evidence is steadily piling up to suggest that the vaccines are working, with 90 per cent fewer patients being admitted to UK hospitals because of the booster jab, and I'm of course pleased that two thirds of the Welsh population have come forward for their booster jabs. I join you in thanking all those who made this happen, especially during the Christmas period. Prior to COVID, we'd seen roughly around about 2,000 deaths, sadly, from flu every year in Wales, and the Welsh NHS was already facing winter pressures every year also. Your statement says that you will keep the restrictions under review, but the constant threat of or concerns about restrictions for years to come that limit people's movements and daily life—I think you said in your statement as well that they interrupt our lives—so, therefore, we've got to come to a position of knowing when we're going to come to an end of restrictions. So, can I ask you to tell us when the Welsh Government will be publishing the criteria for a return to life without restrictions, because I hope you can understand why those criteria and plan are important for people and businesses to be aware of? Diolch, Llywydd.