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

Diolch, Llywydd. There are three changes to this week's business. Immediately after this business statement, the Minister for Finance and Local Government will make a statement on the Welsh Government response to the Chancellor's statement on the medium-term fiscal plan. Secondly, the Marine, Fisheries and Aquaculture (Financial Assistance) Scheme (Wales) Regulations 2022 have been withdrawn and the debate postponed. Finally, subject to a motion to suspend Standing Orders, tomorrow we will debate a legislative consent motion on the energy prices Bill. 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. 

Trefnydd, can I call for a statement from the Deputy Minister for Climate Change on the Welsh Government's roads review? As you will know, there's a moratorium on many capital projects across Wales at the moment, including two on the A494 in my own constituency. One is a piece of work to address the concerns about highway safety on the Maes Gamedd bends in Gwyddelwern, and the other is on the Lôn Fawr junction in Ruthin. These are causing lots of accidents, many of which could be avoided. There seems no reason whatsoever as to why they should be paused in a way that is a concern about climate change—these are about safety, and they need to be done and need to be actioned. When can we have a statement so that we can know that some of these schemes, which have been held up for far too long—in the case of Maes Gamedd, well over a decade—so that they can be unplugged, action taken to address them, so that people can travel safely on our roads?

Thank you. The Deputy Minister for Climate Change is currently looking very closely at the roads review, which is under consideration by the Welsh Government. He will be bringing forward a statement, probably, now, in the next half of this current term.

I'm sure the Trefnydd will be aware at this point of the despicable actions of Royal Mail bosses, who have sunk so low in threatening job losses in an attempt to break strikers. I can tell you that posties at the Bridgend delivery office are holding fast, and these actions by Royal Mail show how desperate they are to not come to a fair resolution with their workers, who were out on the streets at the height of lockdown, not only delivering our mail, but delivering massive profits for Royal Mail. I'd like to ask if the Welsh Government will issue a statement in support of Royal Mail strikers and condemn the actions of Royal Mail bosses in the strongest terms.

Thank you. I think we've all attended picket lines with, as you say, our very hard-working postmen and women, who delivered such an important service over the COVID-19 pandemic, particularly. And I know the Minister is in close contact with her counterparts in the UK Government.

Minister, we're aware that the United Kingdom Government has routinely misled people about the future of European Union funding streams, and we're aware of the mistruths that have been told over a number of years to Ministers here, to Members here, and to the people of Wales. But we're also seeing the incompetence of the United Kingdom Government over recent months endanger the Horizon programme. And it would be useful if the Government could provide us with a statement on the future of the Horizon programme and other programmes that provide important funding for universities and for others in terms of delivering research and other support programmes. It's essential to have that as part of any programme to support investment in Wales.

Can I also ask for a statement on policing in Wales? I met with the chief constable of Gwent Police yesterday, and we discussed the pressures facing the police forces at the moment. Now, we on this side of the Chamber recognise that many of these pressures are caused by repeated spending cuts imposed upon the police by the Tories in London. But, for the ordinary constable on the beat, these are real issues facing all of our communities. It is right and proper that we provide the police with all the facilities and all the resources they require, and it would be useful if we could have a debate on policing in Wales, to bring these issues to the attention of the UK Government.

Thank you. In relation to the Horizon Europe funding, the Welsh Government, as you know, has consistently pushed for participation in programmes such as Horizon Europe, and we certainly have not seen the promises that were made by the UK Government in relation to EU funding and the fact that we would not lose a penny if we left the European Union. I know that the Minister for Economy is working very closely with our stakeholders here to maximise funding around Horizon Europe.

And in relation to policing, obviously, it is a reserved matter, and we've certainly seen the significant cuts to policing over the years. The Minister for Social Justice regularly does meet with the four police and crime commissioners and the four chief constables, and we have tried to plug gaps, if you like, that the Home Office have made, with police community support officers.

Minister, I recently met with some of the fantastic staff at the Welsh Refugee Council in Newport, alongside several asylum seekers. It was an incredibly informative meeting, and we discussed a range of issues that the organisation, asylum seekers and refugees face. One in particular that stuck with me was the welcome ticket scheme, which gives all refugees unlimited travel on trains and buses until the end of March next year. It's a fantastic initiative, and it has my full backing. However, after talking to the refugee council, it's clear the scheme could be drastically improved.

Refugees have to either show a biometric residence permit, a letter from the Home Office, or passport, to be allowed onto a bus or a train in Wales. These are extremely important documents, I'm sure you can agree, that the refugees are having to carry around with them and show every single time that they want to get on to public transport. Anecdotally, I've heard some parents are in fact too worried about their children losing these documents—as one would. And to make matters worse, some Transport for Wales and bus services do not even recognise the welcome ticket. Specifically, there is a misunderstanding of the various types of status on biometric residence permits. It's extremely embarrassing, and it's putting a lot of people off from using the scheme. Surely, the Welsh Government can work with its partners to roll out a special card that would be universally recognised by train and bus drivers, instead of forcing them to carry important papers. Minister, sadly, asylum seekers are not eligible for the welcome ticket. Asylum seekers live on a mere £40 a week and often wait years for their application to be processed, which I understand is not a devolved matter, yet, by extending the scheme to include asylum seekers, it would enable them to attend English lessons, community-based integration and allow them to start volunteering. I appreciate there may need to be some cross-Government work on this, but I'd be very grateful for a statement from the Minister for Social Justice outlining how the Welsh Government plans to address the concerns I have just raised surrounding the welcome ticket here in Wales. Thank you. 

Well, as with any new scheme, I think you do have teething issues and things can always be improved. I certainly shared a very pleasant train journey home to Wrexham a couple of months ago with a refugee who was very, very grateful for the scheme and was simply travelling to Holyhead and back, just to leave Cardiff and sample the scenery across our beautiful country. Obviously, asylum seekers and asylum is a reserved matter, and I think it's fair to say that the Welsh Government, in providing this scheme, has done something that I think is very much appreciated. I don't think it's worthy of a statement at the moment, but I do take on board the issues that you've raised that could improve the scheme, and I'll certainly make sure the Minister for Social Justice hears what you said. 

Trefnydd, last week, it was announced that the Minister for Climate Change had approved a planning appeal that means the life of Craig yr Hesg quarry in my region, as well as the area quarried, will be extended. This is despite significant local objections and the fact that Rhondda Cynon Taf council's planning committee had rejected both applications. I would, therefore, like to request a statement from the Minister for Climate Change on this decision, and also clarity on whether there will be a review of the Welsh Government's position on the quarrying of aggregates, as a result of the commitment to tackle the climate emergency, as well as the much-needed and much-anticipated clean air Act. 

Such a decision would not be appropriate for a statement in the Chamber. 

Trefnydd, can I please request a statement on the Welsh Government's reaction to the comments made by the UK Government's health secretary, Thérèse Coffey, that she had handed out prescription antibiotics to a friend? In a week where the Tory Government's incompetence with the economy is, quite rightly, grabbing the headlines, it was also incredibly worrying to hear the UK health Minister's reckless comments regarding easing the distribution of antibiotics. In reaction to Thérèse Coffey's comments, the BMA stated: 

'Sharing prescribed medications, particularly antibiotics, is not only potentially dangerous, but also against the law, and we would ask our Health Secretary to instead support us in encouraging good and safe prescribing practices.

'Antibiotics are a precious resource and should be prescribed only when absolutely necessary. Overusing antibiotics risks making them less effective, and makes some infections increasingly difficult to treat, which can then actually increase pressure on the health service as patients remain unwell.'

So, I'd welcome a statement distancing the Welsh Government from the comments made by the UK health Secretary, and an update on what the Welsh Government is doing to ensure that antibiotics are not overprescribed and used unnecessarily. 

Thank you. Well, they were certainly extraordinary comments, I think it's fair to say, and I think you make a very good point about, if we weren't seeing other areas of incompetence in the UK Government grabbing the headlines, that surely would have had far more of a focus on it. It is a really important issue, and I know the Minister for Health and Social Services would absolutely want to distance herself from those comments, and, certainly, within my own portfolio, antimicrobial resistance is vitally important in animal health and welfare too. 

The G7 identified AMR as a major threat to global health, along with pandemics such as COVID-19 and, of course, the climate change emergency also. Welsh Government is fully committed to the actions, ambitions and goals identified in the UK five-year action plan for AMR 2019 to 2024, and these ambitions include a reduction in antimicrobial use in humans by 15 per cent by 2024. I know that the Minister for Health and Social Services absolutely expects health boards and Velindre University NHS Trust to adhere to the principles of safe antibiotic use. 

Enough is enough. Residents in Trefnant and Tremeirchion have had enough, Trefnydd. The bridge was destroyed during storm Christoph in 2021, and on Saturday residents of Trefnant and Tremeirchion protested at why the bridge is taking so long to be fixed. I have raised this issue with you and Denbighshire County Council on several occasions, and the blame seems to be being passed from one place to the other. Would the Minister or the Deputy Minister be able to explain when the bridge will be rebuilt for the benefit of residents and the local businesses, and to join the two villages together once again?

Just to tell you exactly where it sits at the moment, and that is with the local authority. Welsh Government has not received a formal application for funding to replace Llannerch bridge. I have seen media coverage myself that has included statements by the council to say that they are building a robust business case to submit to the Welsh Government for it to be assessed. Once that robust business case has been received by Welsh Government, then obviously the next step will be discussions with the local authority to see where that will go from there. But, absolutely, it is with the local authority at the moment.

I would like an urgent statement from the economy Minister after news that AMG Alpoco in Holyhead has let its staff know that 28 jobs are to be lost there by the end of November. The letter given to staff yesterday says that increased costs, including energy costs, are behind the decision by the company to restructure. This amounts to more than half the workforce at the Holyhead plant. Needless to say, this is devastating for all those that could be affected. Could I ask that the economy Minister gives us a written statement with some urgency, or at least a response to us as local representatives, explaining the urgent measures that Welsh Government can take to contact the company to see what measures might be able to be put in place to help them and hopefully to get to a place where the company can reconsider its plans? I do have a question on this—on the costs facing businesses—in questions tomorrow, but I did consider this to be of utmost urgency and would like a statement as soon as possible. Thank you.

Well, we won't be able to have a statement before your questions tomorrow, so I am pleased that you are raising that directly tomorrow with the Minister for Economy. I do know he has been having regular meetings with business groups such as the Confederation of British Industry, for instance, to discuss the crisis that there clearly is around energy. You will have heard me say in my business announcement that we will be bringing forward an LCM tomorrow on the Energy Prices Bill that the UK Government is bringing forward as emergency legislation. I know, again, the Minister has been having discussions directly with them in relation to this. 

Minister, last week, Bridgend council concluded its public consultation into the planned expansion of Bridgend College in the town centre. This exciting plan includes a main building with a 200 seat auditorium, providing a base for departments covering performing arts, catering, visual arts, business, cosmetology, hair and beauty, additional learning needs and independent living skills. A further building contains classrooms and teaching spaces for much-needed courses in social care and health and well-being, for example. This is a major infrastructure project and demonstrates the value that further education colleges bring as key anchor institutions in developing our economies and communities. All this needs to be connected in a strategic way to include transportation links and developments that existing businesses have. Can the Minister schedule a debate on the importance of the anchor institutions in sustaining and developing our economy?

Well, it certainly does sound a very exciting plan by Bridgend county council. Obviously, the provision for transport all has to be taken into consideration when planning applications are done, but I don't think it's suitable for a statement.

Trefnydd, I'm in no doubt that you'd agree that hosting Eurovision 2023 in Liverpool is fantastic news for the whole of Wales, but particularly for north Wales. So, I'd be very grateful for a statement from the Government on how the Welsh Government plans to promote north Wales and the whole of Wales at next year's event. It is a wonderful opportunity, given how closely we work with stakeholders and partners on a cross-border basis, and might I suggest that the Minister for north Wales attends to promote north Wales at Eurovision 2023, along with excellent officials from the economy, major events and tourism teams?

The education Minister wants to come with me as well. I think you make a really important point. The links between north Wales, and particularly north-east Wales, and the north-west of England are very important, and we know that people do travel to Liverpool and, indeed, Manchester, and probably further afield, to see arts and culture events. Clearly, the Eurovision contest coming to Liverpool is very important. I will certainly ask the Deputy Minister for economy, who has responsibility for culture and arts, to update Members. I don't think she's had the opportunity to have discussions yet, but I'm sure she will be doing.

Today is UK Anti-slavery Day, falling within Anti-slavery Week, and I call for a Welsh Government statement on this important issue. Anti-slavery Day provides an opportunity to raise awareness of human trafficking and modern slavery, and to encourage governments, local authorities, companies, charities and individuals to do what they can to address the problem. I thank the 17 Members here who have so far signed the statement of opinion I have tabled regarding this, and I encourage other Members to add their names also.

This recognises that over 40 million people in the world today, and an estimated 136,000 people across the UK, are experiencing modern slavery. This also highlights the new British standard on modern slavery, published by the British Standards Institution—the first of its kind in the world—and encourages the Welsh Government to help raise awareness of the standard and publicise its free availability to all Welsh businesses and organisations. The standard provides organisations with guidance for addressing the risk of modern slavery, including prevention, identification, response, remediation, mitigation and reporting. Speaking at the launch of the Conwy Citizens Advice Tackling Modern Slavery in Ever Changing Times project in March last year, I stated that, sadly, modern slavery is a reality in our country and, in order to tackle this crime, we need partnerships between the statutory agencies and the third sector, protecting the vulnerable, educating all members of the community, supporting survivors, and working towards making Wales a safer place where criminals are not able to exploit others. I call for a Welsh Government statement accordingly.

Thank you. The Member raises a very important point of the horrific things that we've seen with modern slavery here in Wales, and I know the Minister for Social Justice would be very happy to bring forward a written statement, and she's also very keen to publicise the standard amongst organisations here in Wales.

I thank the Trefnydd.