2. Business Statement and Announcement

– in the Senedd at 2:28 pm on 22 March 2022.

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Photo of Elin Jones Elin Jones Plaid Cymru 2:28, 22 March 2022

(Translated)

The next item, therefore, is the business statement and announcement, and I call on the Trefnydd to make the statement. Lesley Griffiths. 

Photo of Lesley Griffiths Lesley Griffiths Labour

Diolch, Llywydd. There is one change to this week's business: the statement on the Commission on Justice in Wales and the Law Commission report on Welsh Tribunals has been postponed. Draft business for the next three weeks is set out on the business statement and announcement, which can be found amongst the meeting papers available to Members electronically. 

Photo of Peter Fox Peter Fox Conservative 2:29, 22 March 2022

Trefnydd, could I ask for two statements from the Minister for Health and Social Services, please? Firstly, I would like to request a statement regarding access to GP services. Recently, a constituent contacted me after their family tried to get an appointment at a GP surgery, only to be told that a nurse would call them back with a phone appointment arranged for three weeks after the person had tried to get an appointment. I understand that GPs are facing significant demands, as they normally do, but a number of constituents have raised with me their difficulties obtaining a GP appointment, and particularly the ability to see a doctor face to face. Not everyone can use a mobile phone or have access to the internet, so it's important that people can see their doctor in a timely manner in a way that meets their needs.

Secondly, Trefnydd, could I request an urgent statement regarding services at the Grange University Hospital? It's completely regrettable that I have to inform the Chamber of yet another heartbreaking story of a constituent who has been let down by issues at the hospital. That particular story involves a constituent's 99-year-old mother, who has since, sadly, passed away. She waited over eight hours for an ambulance to arrive with a broken hip. She then was forced to wait outside the hospital in a cold ambulance for a number of hours. Her daughter meanwhile tried phoning the hospital to find out what had happened, yet every department that she needed to contact didn't answer. I want to make clear that this is not the fault of staff, doctors and nurses, but of the lack of adequate structures in place, which need to finally be addressed by both the health board and the Welsh Government. The Government and the health board need to get a grip because people deserve better, and we shouldn't have to keep raising constantly these issues in the Chamber and finding that nothing is being done about them and no improvement. So, I regret, Trefnydd, that I will be raising these things further if we can't get a statement and some progress on these things. Thank you, Llywydd. 

Photo of Lesley Griffiths Lesley Griffiths Labour 2:31, 22 March 2022

I thank Peter Fox for those two requests. In relation to access to GP services, you'll be aware that throughout the COVID-19 pandemic constituents have been able to access their GP via telephone consultations, via video consultations. And, of course, it's not always a GP that somebody needs to see; it's really important that they see the most appropriate person, and sometimes that's not a general practitioner. But I do hope that we will be able to see far more face-to-face consultations taking place as we come out of the pandemic. And you're quite right—not everybody has access to technology, and it's a matter, I personally think, for each GP surgery to ensure that patients are able to access the services. 

In relation to the Grange hospital, it was certainly horrific to hear your story about your constituent, and the Minister for Health and Social Services is in the Chamber and has heard that. I actually think you should write to her about the specific case, but the Minister will have heard the general points you made, both about the Grange hospital and the ambulance service. 

Photo of Rhun ap Iorwerth Rhun ap Iorwerth Plaid Cymru 2:32, 22 March 2022

(Translated)

I'd like a written statement by the Minister for health in response to concerns that I have in terms of the pace at which the Betsi Cadwaladr health board has responded to enquiries and complaints. There's one case that stands out specifically, relating to an enquiry on behalf of a constituent who suffers from long COVID. We're still waiting for a full response to an enquiry from May 2021 about the treatment and support available to her as a constituent. There's another family waiting since November for a response to a complaint about the treatment their late mother received whilst a patient at Ysbyty Gwynedd. They have concerns regarding fundamental lessons about care that need to be learnt, and they feel very frustrated that they're still waiting for a response. 

There are many similar examples, I'm afraid. We shouldn't be having to raise them here, if truth be told; they should be resolved by the health board. I'd like a review to be held of the processes being followed, and for a statement to reflect the findings of that review. 

Photo of Lesley Griffiths Lesley Griffiths Labour 2:33, 22 March 2022

Thank you. I agree—timely responses are very important when we're dealing with very emotive issues quite often. I think that the most appropriate way forward would be for the Minister for Health and Social Services to raise this with the chair of Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board in their regular meetings. 

Photo of Jenny Rathbone Jenny Rathbone Labour

As the Welsh Government is now a supersponsor for receiving Ukrainian refugees, we do hope that we'll now be able to see people arriving in this country in order to take up the very kind offers that so many people across Wales have given. In light of the expected arrival of these people who really need our support, I wondered if we could have a statement from the economy Minister about whether or not it would be possible to allow greater flexibility in the ReAct funding criteria for allowing refugees to access English-for-speakers-of-other-languages lessons, which would also pick up the slack we have in some of our languages schools who haven't been able to recruit as may foreign students because of the enduring impact of COVID. 

Photo of Lesley Griffiths Lesley Griffiths Labour 2:34, 22 March 2022

Thank you. As you're aware, the Welsh Government has indeed been given supersponsor status, and I know my colleague Jane Hutt, the Minister for Social Justice, has been working very closely and very hard with the UK Government to ensure that we are able to receive people from horrific circumstances who are in absolute desperate need. I know officials are working very closely with ESOL providers and the education sector right across Wales to assess what existing capacity in schools there are in the system, and to take any necessary action to ensure that they can provide that immediate and longer term support to those Ukrainians who come to Wales. That does include work to ensure those arriving have access to appropriate support, including housing, healthcare, childcare, education, benefits and employability, and that does include the ReAct programme.

Photo of James Evans James Evans Conservative 2:35, 22 March 2022

Trefnydd, I would like to ask for a statement from the Minister for Climate Change, outlining that she will not be looking at the issue of the 10 per cent charge in the private sale of park homes. I have talked to park home residents right across my constituency about this. This has been going on since 2013. Park home residents have been waiting nine years for this unfair charge to be removed from the statute book. Park homes are still allowed to demand 10 per cent of the sale price from private individuals who live in park homes. The Minister at the time, Rebecca Evans, decided, after much consultation, that the 10 per cent would be reduced to 5 per cent maximum over the course of five years—this was to be fair to both parties. So, can you ask the Minister to come to the Chamber to explain why she will not be looking at this again and why park home owners are being neglected and let down time and time again?

Photo of Lesley Griffiths Lesley Griffiths Labour 2:36, 22 March 2022

I will certainly speak to the Minister for Climate Change. My understanding is that, with a huge number of programme for government commitments, et cetera, within her portfolio, this was something that she didn't feel she could give resources to, certainly for the short term, and then maybe the longer term in the term of Government. So, I will ask her if she would provide a written statement clarifying the position.

Photo of Siân Gwenllian Siân Gwenllian Plaid Cymru 2:37, 22 March 2022

(Translated)

May I ask for a written statement from the Minister for health, outlining the steps that she has taken since the tragic news of another two very serious incidents in the vascular unit at Ysbyty Glan Clwyd emerged last week? Patients, their families, and the public in Arfon, and beyond, need assurances that the Government is turning every stone to ensure that the unit is safe and that conducting treatments in Liverpool is a temporary solution. These two incidents come in the wake of damning reports and after the Minister announced that the unit was to be placed in special measures of significant intervention. So, isn't it now time to raise that level of intervention to the highest possible level at once, rather than waiting another two months, as the Minister appears to be doing? We need to be convinced that everything possible is being done, and being done as a matter of urgency.

Photo of Lesley Griffiths Lesley Griffiths Labour 2:38, 22 March 2022

Well, as I think you just referred to in your question, the Minister for Health and Social Services has given the health board three months to address these issues, with immediate effect. We are now one month into that, and I know she has had a first monthly update from the health board, and she also met with the chair of the health board to discuss the matter earlier this month. I know she was very disappointed to hear about further issues with vascular services, and certainly our thoughts are very much with the families who have been affected. I know, again, the Minister welcomed the support offered by Liverpool vascular service network, and will continue to monitor the situation very carefully. She'll be due a further update and I'm sure then will either reconsider or continue with the way that she has set out to the health board to manage the situation.

Photo of Joyce Watson Joyce Watson Labour 2:39, 22 March 2022

Minister, I'd like to ask for a statement on school meal standards at Ysgol Dyffryn Taf in Whitland, or rather the lack of standards. Recent reports in the press have shown some pretty disturbing images of undercooked and watery food, including meat, which has been served to pupils in recent weeks. And if that wasn't bad enough, many pupils and parents have said that the portion sizes are tiny, leaving the children hungry. We know how important it is to have a good meal, and a full stomach allows pupils to learn and also to concentrate, and, for some pupils, we also know that this will be their main meal of the day. It's been reported that many pupils have simply been going without lunch due to the poor quality of that food, and, according to the school website, the canteen is run by Carmarthenshire County Council. I understand that the headteacher is in talks with the local authority regarding the issue and hot meals have been suspended for the early part of this week. That, in my opinion, is totally unacceptable and pupils will not be able to access any hot food. It is a serious issue, and raises some serious questions that I would urge the Welsh Government to raise with the school and with the local authority. And it took pupils to share their images and their concerns on social media for them to realise that this food was completely inadequate and, in some cases, arguably, unfit for human consumption. So, following on from this scandal—and it is a scandal—I would also like to request that the Welsh Government makes sure that it's not happening in other schools across Wales, and that pupils are being offered nutritious, high-quality meals that actually are fit for human consumption and also fill them up. 

Photo of Lesley Griffiths Lesley Griffiths Labour 2:41, 22 March 2022

Thank you. I know the Minister for Education and Welsh Language is aware of the case that you refer to, and obviously consuming a more nutritious diet during the school day is absolutely necessary for a variety of reasons, which you've referred to. Welsh Government has the Healthy Eating in Schools (Nutritional Standards and Requirements) (Wales) Regulations 2013. They set out the types of food and drink that may be provided during the school day and define the nutrient content of school lunches that are provided for pupils. And the whole point of that is to improve the nutritional standards that are served in schools across Wales, and to ensure that our children and young people are offered healthy food throughout the entire school day. I know the Minister's officials have been working with the local authority to make sure that this does not happen again, and it is really important that, if we look at any changes that are needed, the main thing is to look at how we have better compliance with regulations across Wales, and they will be looked at as part of monitoring of our school food. 

Photo of Mike Hedges Mike Hedges Labour 2:42, 22 March 2022

I'm asking for a statement from the Welsh Government following the decision of the High Court yesterday not to accept the injunction it applied for in relation to ensuring the power can stay on at Baglan Energy Park until a new connection has been completed. Many of my constituents are employed in the numerous businesses that are based in the energy park, and this decision now puts their future on hold at a time when the cost-of-living crisis is already causing concern. Yesterday's decision now opens the door to the official receivers to start cutting off power to those businesses, and the implication of that could be the loss of over 1,000 well-paid jobs, as businesses are no longer able to continue operating. Therefore, it is important that the Welsh Government provides an update to the Senedd on what actions it will now take to protect those jobs in the local economy. This decision will also have a huge effect upon the environment and air quality as alternative energy sources are brought in, which will almost certainly be very poor for the environment. 

Photo of Lesley Griffiths Lesley Griffiths Labour 2:43, 22 March 2022

Thank you. I know the Minister for Economy and his officials have been working very closely on this matter, and the Minister for Economy will be publishing a written statement today.  

(Translated)

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