The next item is the business statement and announcement. The Trefnydd will make that statement—Lesley Griffiths.

Diolch, Llywydd. There are three changes to this week's business. The statement on the national contemporary art gallery has been withdrawn. Additionally, the debate on the Welsh Language Commissioner's annual report has been postponed until 15 November. Finally, an oral statement on the closure of the Menai bridge has been added as the last item on today's agenda. 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, last week, I had the pleasure of meeting with Diabetes UK and Member of Parliament Sir James Duddridge to discuss the lesser know type 3c diabetes, something that both James and my father suffer with. For those in the Chamber that aren't aware, type 3c is diagnosed when the pancreas not only stops producing insulin for the body but inhibits the production of digestive enzymes as well. This is often brought on by a host of other conditions, such an pancreatitis, pancreatic cancer, cystic fibrosis and haemochromatosis. However, despite its causes, it's frequently misdiagnosed, most often as type 2 diabetes. So, given its rarity and the importance of accurate diagnosis, can I ask that the health Minister, either orally or in a written statement, make a statement about the steps that the Welsh Government are taking to raise clinical awareness about type 3c diabetes and how individuals living with the condition can be supported? Diolch, Llywydd.

Thank you. I certainly think you've done a very good job in raising awareness of a very unknown, I think, type of diabetes. The Minister for Health and Social Services is in her place and has agreed to write to you on it.

Trefnydd, figures supplied to my office lay bare the capacity problems within the Welsh NHS. The Welsh ambulance trust is routinely losing more than 2,000 hours per month due to ambulances waiting outside just one hospital in my region. The fact that this hospital is the flagship Grange hospital is even more problematic, as this was meant to herald an improvement in health services for constituents. Can this Government therefore order a review into capacity issues within the NHS and the knock-on effect that this is having on other services and patient well-being? The status quo is failing patients, it's failing hospitals and it's failing ambulance staff. I hope you agree things are unacceptable and things cannot go on like this. 

Thank you. Well, the Member does raise a very important point, and it's certainly something that I think we've seen outside many of our hospitals in Wales, which is something that we don't want to see, and I know the Minister's been working very hard with all the health boards to try and improve the times that ambulances are waiting outside. Obviously, this is an issue with capacity in our emergency departments, and, again, I know the Minister's been working very hard to recruit more emergency consultants. I know, certainly, Betsi Cadwaladr, which I appreciate is not in your area, is an area where they've had a real focus. 

I ask for only one statement and it's by way of update. There was a real sense of optimism a year ago, when the Welsh Government stepped into the breach in terms of the Caerau Arbed community energy saving programme issues, with over 100 householders—not all through the Welsh scheme, in fact, the majority through the English CESP programme—deeply affected, with their homes and their standard of life as well, I have to say. It's a real issue. But the Welsh Government stepped up and it said it would work with Bridgend County Borough Council to bring forward a business case that would then be signed off and we could get on with remedying the homes of all those people. But time has gone by; I think it's eight months since the business case was being presented. I know there's been to-ing and fro-ing between the council and Welsh Government finessing it, because I've written before. Other Members in the Senedd have raised this issue as well. But we need a statement, so that we can give the reassurance to people that this is progressing, despite delays, despite refining, despite having to get all the bureaucracy signed off, because it's a heck of a lot of money we're talking about, but we want to see it progress. So, is there any chance that we could have a statement of update so that all those householders—over 100 in Caerau—will know that this work is finally going to be done, and sooner rather than later? 

Thank you. I know the Minister for Climate Change, who obviously has responsibility for this scheme, has recently written to Councillor Huw David, the leader of Bridgend County Borough Council, thanking his officers, particularly, for their ongoing engagement with her officials in developing the detailed business case. As you said, the Minister approved the scheme in principle, back in last November, so it has been nearly a year, and obviously there's been a subsequent submission of the detailed business case, and I know the Minister's officials are working on advice, which will be given to the Minister imminently.  

Could I ask for an urgent statement from the health Minister this afternoon on waiting times in Glan Clwyd hospital in Bodelwyddan, as I have been contacted overnight by Chelsea Clark from Meliden, whose grandmother has been sat in A&E for 35 hours—35 hours in a dirty corridor with a blood clot in her leg, pneumonia, and has previously had sepsis and meningitis, which has caused kidney disease? This is a live case, Trefnydd, which is causing much distress to the patient and her family, and something needs to be done, as we see all too often cases such as this. So, I'd like an urgent statement from the Welsh Government this afternoon detailing what mechanisms they're going to use to bring the health board to account on these problems. And, failing this, will the Welsh Government accept that they've completely lost control of health services in north Wales? My constituents need answers and they need them now. 

Well, the Member knows that we can't possibly do an urgent statement this afternoon on a very distressing individual case, and I'm sorry the Minister isn't in the Chamber, but I will make sure she hears about the individual case. While she can't obviously comment on a specific case, you will be very well aware of the significant work that the Minister is doing with Betsi Cadwaldar University Health Board particularly around A&E. I mentioned in my earlier answer to Peredur the work she has been doing to make sure that we can get—[Interruption.] 

Allow the Minister—[Inaudible.] 

—to make sure that—  

What's happening to my microphone? Allow the Trefnydd to carry on. I think she heard me.  

—to make sure that our major hospitals in north Wales do have the emergency care consultants that are required. 

Minister, as a clinician, I appreciate the enormous pressure on the NHS, on our patients waiting for treatment, and on our staff, who have shown such professionalism in the face of unprecedented challenges. Whilst I know we have to resolve the short-term crisis, we also need to look to the longer term strategically and with purpose. In the field of cancer care, this is vitally important. Both England and Scotland have a national cancer plan, and Northern Ireland consulted on this last November. Wales, by contrast, is now the only nation of the UK that does not have a cancer plan. I know that you owe it to those needing care and treatment and to those delivering our services for there to be a strategy to set out the outcomes that are needed. Will the Minister schedule a debate in the Government's time to allow the Minister to set out her thinking? Thank you.

I will certainly ask the Minister for Health and Social Services to consider making a statement on cancer services in Wales. I think she does do so most years, but I'm not quite sure in the cycle where we are, but I will certainly ask the Minister—who's just heard your question—if she's prepared to do so.

Good afternoon, Trefnydd. The particular financial situation at the moment means that those who are the poorest in our society are going to be particularly hard hit and those who are currently in debt are going to suffer particular problems. This was highlighted in an online story by the BBC that focused on the terrible case of a single mother who worked as a carer. Julie spoke of the shame she felt. She spoke of the terror her young daughter experienced when bailiffs in full body armour were banging on the door. I'm sure you would agree that no-one should have to live like this. We know that Wales has the highest proportion of financial exclusion in the UK and we need to be willing to consider radical solutions to address the effects of debt on our residents here.

So, this is also by way of a follow-up. I was very pleased to be part of the social justice committee gthat recommended that Wales consider a debt bonfire. Therefore, could I ask for a statement from the Minister for Social Justice on this topic and an update on the situation? Diolch yn fawr iawn.

Thank you. Well, we certainly know that, for many people, this cost-of-living crisis will absolutely tip them over the edge, unfortunately, in relation to their finances, and I know the Minister for Social Justice considered the report very carefully, and that she is looking—. I know one area where she is doing some work is debt owed to the public sector creditors, for instance, and that includes local authority, which is becoming a growing concern as people are faced with the cost-of-living crisis, and officials continue to research the proposal for a debt bonfire.

As a Government, we are certainly doing all we can to support our residents in relation to being able to access financial support, and doing what we can to help people with debt and with the cost-of-living crisis, and you will have heard the First Minister say in his answer during his question session how, as a Cabinet, every week we have a cost-of-living sub-committee of Cabinet, where we have experts coming in to give us advice as to how we can be more radical and what more we can do to help people.

Please can I ask for a statement from the Minister for Economy about what work the Welsh Government is doing to boost pre-Christmas trade for our hard-working town-centre businesses? I'm a firm believer that we should be doing all we can to help businesses thrive, not just survive, across Wales, and they face rising cost-of-living pressures and continue to deal with the aftermath of the coronavirus pandemic. In my region of south-east Wales, I've launched a new initiative to give businesses a much-needed boost in the run-up to the festive period and increase footfall in our town centres. I've written to all the leaders of all the local authorities across south-east Wales, asking them to back my proposals and work with me to make this a reality. My plan is to see car parking fees scrapped in all council-controlled car parks throughout December in a bid to encourage more people to get out and about as the festive period approaches. Not only will businesses benefit as a result of free car parking, but it would also go a long way in helping families who are feeling the financial squeeze. Many town centres across the UK have rolled out similar schemes, which have been incredibly successful, and I do appreciate that Monmouth council has indeed embarked upon this as well. So, any support the Welsh Government can give to my initiative would be greatly appreciated, and I'd also appreciate if the economy Minister could outline how exactly he is working with local authorities and other stakeholders to help Welsh business in the run-up to Christmas.

Thank you. I certainly think it would be worth you writing to the Minister for Economy, outlining the proposals that you suggested, and I know we have undertaken quite a lot of work as part of town-centre regeneration, particularly in the run-up to Christmas over previous years, to highlight how they can get more footfall into our town centres, and, clearly, free car parking is one area.

Good afternoon, Trefnydd. I would like a statement from the Minister for education on the fact that some primary schools now are in urgent need of support to extend their kitchens and employ more staff to manage the free school meal policy. Indeed, in a response to a written question, the Minister for education advised me, and I quote,

'further work will take place during October to understand whether any additional kitchen upgrade works are required to deliver the next stages of universal primary free school meals.'

He was then, however, unable

'to confirm the number of primary schools in Wales requiring upgrades to their kitchens.'

Without the staff that are employed to work in our school kitchens in Aberconwy and across Wales, the delivery of this universal offer is not going to be possible. I met one of those teams—a school kitchen team, the other day—and they were working incredibly hard, but they themselves now are beginning to panic about how they're going to take this policy and do it properly, with the number of pupils in various schools. So, could we have a statement from the Minister? Will he update the Chamber on the outcome of the work this month so that school kitchen teams themselves can find out whether they're going to be receiving this help? And, in the main, it's finances as well they're looking for. Thank you.

Thank you. Obviously, as we roll out this policy, more work will be done and has been done with our schools. You mentioned that you'd had a response from the Minister for Education and the Welsh Language in relation to further work that was being undertaken during the month of October. Obviously, we're still in the month of October, so I would hope that when he has that information to hand, if he feels he needs to do an update, he will do so.

Thank you, business Minister. I would like to request a statement, as well, from the Minister for education stating the Government's position on the charity Mermaids and their influence on educational material in Wales. There is currently an investigation under way by the Charity Commission surrounding the compliance of the charity, and, just this month, the Department for Education has removed Mermaids as a mental health and well-being resource for schools as a result of an ongoing investigation, the seriousness of the allegations and the need to protect our children and young people. Could I therefore ask the education Minister for an oral or written statement outlining this Welsh Government's stance on Mermaids and the concerns that I outlined? Thank you.

I'm not aware of any work being undertaken by the organisation that you refer to, but if that is the case, I will ask the Minister to write to the Member.

I thank the Trefnydd.