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

Diolch, Llywydd. There is one change to this week's business. I have extended the time allocated to the statement on NHS winter pressures to 45 minutes. Draft business for the next three weeks is set out on the business statement and announcement, which can be found among the meeting papers available to Members electronically. 

Trefnydd, can I call for a statement from your colleague, the Minister for Health and Social Services, in relation to the situation at the Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board? Members will be aware that there was some discussion in the media about a £122 million fraud investigation that is being undertaken by NHS counter-fraud at the moment, alongside a review by Audit Wales—a high-level review—of board effectiveness. Now, clearly, these are matters of concern for a health board that we know was already struggling to perform and deliver its services at a standard that the people of north Wales deserve, and I do think that we need an opportunity to question in this Chamber the Minister on the action that is being taken, in order that we can be confident that it is appropriate.

Can I also call for a statement from an appropriate Minister in relation to the Welsh space industry? I was very pleased yesterday to see Wales’s first satellite launched into the air, at least. It didn’t quite get into space. [Laughter.] It didn’t quite get into space, but there was a successful launch from Cornwall of a rocket from the bottom of an aircraft, which got into the outer atmosphere. As I say, it wasn’t quite met with the success that we had all hoped for, in terms of ForgeStar-0 actually being released, but I do think that there is a growing interest in space as an opportunity for our economy here in Wales. We know that there are plans in Llanbedr in north Wales with Spaceport Snowdonia as well, and I think that this growing interest is something that Wales should capitalise on as soon as possible in order to make sure that our economy benefits from it. I do think that it’s time that we had, given the events of last night, an opportunity to consider it further in the Chamber. 

I should note that I saw a meteor in the sky last night as well, over Cardiff, which was quite exciting. I don’t know if anybody else noticed it, but if you get on to Twitter and put 'meteor Cardiff', you will see, on people’s ring doorbells and the like, that many people had been able to witness this ball of fire in the sky, which was quite exciting to witness on my way to Wetherspoon’s last night, at about 8 p.m. [Laughter.]  

Thank you, Darren Millar. In relation to the first issue that you referred to, with Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board, you will be aware that there is a process to go through, and I'm sure that the Minister for Health and Social Services will update us at the most appropriate time, but I do not think that that will be before next month.

In relation to your second request, it would be from the Minister for Economy. I will certainly ask him if there is anything that he thinks is worthy of an oral statement to update us on the Welsh space issue. You are quite right—I didn't see the meteor because I was actually watching the news, where a lot of people in Cornwall were getting incredibly excited about this rocket going up. As you say, it didn't end in the way that we would have wished. 

I was just thinking, what did you see on your way back from Wetherspoon's if you managed to see a meteor on your way to Wetherspoon's? [Laughter.] Anyway, I'll leave that to the imagination. Delyth Jewell. 

Diolch, Llywydd. I'd like to request a statement, please, outlining whether legislation in Wales covering homelessness is sufficiently compassionate. Just after Christmas, I was made aware of a homeless man who'd sought help from a Catholic church in my region. The man had been released from prison and he'd lost his flat. He'd approached social services and Cornerstone, and he was given a tent and a sleeping bag and told that they would see him after the Christmas break. The parish priest housed him over Christmas in a hotel at his own expense before the man came back to stay in the church shed. Now, the priest, I know, asked the authorities whether a tent over Christmas really fulfills society's duty of care for the vulnerable, and I have to say I share his alarm. Is that really the society that we are? Can a statement please outline what support is expected to be given to everyone presenting as homeless and set out what would need to be done to raise awareness and to remind local authorities and support services across Wales of those responsibilities please, and to ensure that more desperate people, in the depths of winter, aren't left to just make do with a tent?

Thank you. I think you raise a very important point about compassion. And I too attended, in my own constituency, a group of homeless people who were very worried that they would be given a tent. And I was very pleased to be assured that would not happen, but, clearly, you give an example of when that has happened. Obviously, the legislation around homelessness, particularly in relation to people coming out of prison, has been updated over the years. I don't think there is anything new for the Minister to give us an update on, but I will certainly ask if that is the current position. 

Trefnydd, I'd like to hear from the education Minister about what is being done to address misogynistic ideology in the classroom. The case of Andrew Tate has lifted the lid on a pervasive, toxic and dangerous culture that is targeting vulnerable boys in particular. And it's endemic. I must confess I'd not heard of him until the current legal case, because I'm not on the platforms or algorithms that promote his hate speech. But his influence among younger men and boys is astonishing. He was the third most searched person online last year, after the late Queen and Donald Trump. His videos have gained more than 12 billion views on TikTok. I'm extremely anxious to know what is being done in our schools to safeguard girls and to encourage all students to question and challenge the misogynistic content that they're being exposed to. Because if society doesn't address the problems facing boys and young men today and help them answer the questions of what it means to be a good man, then predatory people like Andrew Tate will. 

Thank you. I think you raise a very important point, and, like you, I had not heard of this man. It was absolutely horrific what was coming out in the news at the time this story did hit the media. I think we need to be very, very clear that we need to ensure that we protect all children and young people, and, in particular, boys, from harm and influence from individuals on abusive and unhealthy relationships. All education settings in Wales have a legal duty to ensure that children have access to a safe learning environment, and I know the Minister for education expects those safeguarding responsibilities to be taken very seriously. You'll be aware of Hwb's dedicated 'Keeping safe online' area, and the guidance and the tools and the training on a range of online safety issues are available for schools to access. 

Samuel Kurtz. 

Thank you, Llywydd. Happy new year, everyone. 

Two statements, if I may, Llywydd. Further to written correspondence from yourself, Minister, I request a statement on Natural Resources Wales's astonishing increases in regulatory fees and charges. As you will know, the proposed charge for the disposal of sheep dip is set to rise tenfold, with NRW providing no evidence to underpin this increase. Also, the charge for standard rules permits for on-farm anaerobic digestion is set to double, and water resources fees are set to increase from £135 to over £6,000—a percentage increase of over 4,500 per cent.

What is missing from these price increases is transparency as to how these figures were calculated. Is NRW looking to make a profit from fees and charges, or are they cost-neutral? The unintended consequences of these charges will curb the advancement of new tech, hinder the industry's delivery of net zero and significantly impact animal health. Given these concerns and those of the agricultural sector, an oral or written statement on this matter would be much appreciated.

Secondly, noting Welsh Government business tabled up until February 7, the annual bovine TB eradication statement still has yet to be tabled. Therefore, I would like to reiterate my call from November for an updated statement on the Welsh Government's bovine TB eradication programme. Diolch.

Thank you. I haven't seen your correspondence, but that could be because NRW falls within the portfolio of my colleague the Minister for Climate Change, Julie James, so it may have been transferred over to her. But obviously I'm very aware of the ongoing Natural Resources Wales consultation regarding their regulatory fees and charges for 2023-24. I think the whole aim of that review is to ensure that NRW achieves full cost recovery, with some of the current charges having not been reviewed for many years. But obviously I fully appreciate this is a very challenging time for all our farmers and I'm aware of the concerns within the agricultural sector. So, what will happen after the consultation is that those proposals will go in front of the Minister for Climate Change prior to implementation. But it is the responsibility of NRW to recommend the appropriate fee structure to Welsh Ministers.

In relation to the TB eradication programme, I actually have a meeting tomorrow, and I will be tabling a statement as soon as possible.

Trefnydd, as you will be aware, next month will mark three years since the devastating flooding as a result of storm Dennis, which particularly affected South Wales Central. The subsequent report by Natural Resources Wales outlined that one of the biggest challenges they were facing in responding to flooding was capacity, due to being under-resourced in terms of staff. A report published by Audit Wales just before Christmas outlined that this was a continued problem, and stated that greater urgency is needed to deal with the challenges facing flood risk management. I'd therefore like to request a statement from the Minister for Climate Change, responding to Audit Wales's report, outlining how the Welsh Government will be taking forward the recommendations made.

Thank you. I'm assuming that the Minister will be currently considering the report that you refer to. You will have heard the First Minister say in his question and answer session that we've put significant funding once again into our flood risk management programmes, and it is really important that our local authorities and NRW have the staff to be able to implement all schemes.

Good afternoon, Minister. And also

happy birthday to you too.

Just to embarrass you. [Laughter.]

Could I please ask for a statement from the Minister for Climate Change regarding the measures being taken to reduce pollution in the River Wye, and what the Welsh Government's position is on calling in decisions on intensive poultry units? As a resident of Hay-on-Wye, as you will know, I'm very passionate about the river, as I know many other people are as well. We know that there are three reasons for the pollution in the Wye. They are farming and agriculture, industrial pollution and the issues around storm overflows. Whilst I support farms and farmers to diversify, in Powys, there is certainly a growing concern around the intensive poultry units and those growing in terms of numbers. And there is one that is being proposed, as I understand, now in Builth Wells, for 100,000 chickens. So, therefore, I would be very interested in what the processes are around planning and also around the calling in of decisions by the Welsh Government. Thank you. Diolch yn fawr iawn.

Diolch. As you're aware, Welsh Ministers did issue a direction on 5 January in relation to a specific planning application on a poultry farm, and that direction does prevent the granting of planning permission until Welsh Ministers have been able to assess whether or not the planning application should be called in or not, and such directions, as you know, are issued routinely where a Welsh Minister does consider a call-in. At the moment, obviously, nothing further can be said about that specific one, but I know this is an issue that the Minister is looking at very closely, in particular to Powys.

Trefnydd, I'd like to ask for two statements—one from yourself, on the defective regulations that we put through here on 13 December, the Trade in Animals and Related Products (Amendment and Legislative Functions) and Animal Health (Miscellaneous Amendments) (Wales) (EU Exit) Regulations 2022. You stated on 13 December that you'd come forward as soon as possible to amend those to make sure we get good legislation on the statute book. Could you please update us as to when you intend to do that?

My second Welsh Government statement that I'd like to ask for is from the Deputy Minister for Climate Change on the shambolic home to school transport changes in the south of my constituency by Powys County Council. Children have been left in the rain, left on the side of the road, told to catch service buses that arrive late or arrive too early. We've had young children told to hang around outside the school for an hour and just to get on with it, and in some cases they've been put on service buses that are going completely the wrong way to where they're supposed to go home because of poor timetabling. Trefnydd, the Liberal Democrats in Powys County Council have lost control, so I would like to ask for a Welsh Government statement on what Welsh Government can do to get control of Powys County Council to make sure that no more young children are left on the side of the road in my constituency.

In relation to your first point, I will be amending the legislation as soon as possible. You'll appreciate this is the first week we are back after the Christmas break, but I do intend to continue to bring forward that amended legislation as soon as possible. 

I certainly don't think that is the case with Powys County Council, but I do suggest you write to them around your specific point.

This morning, the weather was atrocious. In the downpour, I walked to the train station. Luckily, it's only five minutes away from my house. But, in other parts of Bridgend county, too many kids had to walk over an hour to get to school, no doubt arriving soaking wet. I first raised this in September 2021. Nothing has changed. This barrier to education in still in place. So, I would like to ask for an urgent statement from the Government outlining their plans to tackle this. The Government has discretionary powers it can use. Parents are simply fed up.

Thank you. As I say, this is a matter for local authorities. I don't see that this is an issue for Welsh Government. I would give you the same advice as I've just given to James Evans; I think it's really important you raise it with your local authority.

May I ask the Minister for Education and Welsh Language to make a statement on how the Government intends to ensure timely Welsh-medium assessments for children who require an autism assessment? I have a few cases in my constituency of children who require Welsh-medium autism assessments but who are having to wait years. For example, Rhodri—not his real name—who is eight years old was referred in February for an autism assessment. The option of an online assessment with the Healios company was offered, and the first assessment was held yesterday. Welsh is his mother tongue, and the assessor decided that the next assessment should be undertaken in Welsh to ensure the fairness of the result and that such an assessment could be swiftly arranged. Today, however, I understand that the only assessor available to do this work is away on maternity leave, and the case was referred to the local neurodevelopmental service. The result of all this is a wait of two or even three years for a face-to-face assessment in Welsh. The difference in the service offered to those who wish to access a service in Welsh is wholly unacceptable. So, I'd be grateful for a statement on how the Minister intends to remedy the situation as soon as possible, please.

Thank you. I think the situation you set out is indeed wholly unacceptable. If there's only one member of staff who's then on maternity leave, then obviously I appreciate they can't just get somebody in at very short notice. However, a wait of two to three years for such an important assessment is clearly too long. I will certainly ask the Minister if he's aware of the issue that you raise—I'm assuming it's up in Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board—and have a discussion with the Minister for health to see if there's anything further we can do.

Can we, please, have a statement from the Minister for Climate Change to update us on the proposed and long-awaited bypass for Llandeilo? The page summarising the status of the project on the Welsh Government website did pledge that the Government would recommend a favoured option from the four options remaining as part of the WelTAG stage 2 consultation by the winter of last year. But, on Friday, this was changed to the spring of this year. This further delay of some months comes after delay upon delay. The WelTAG stage 2 process looking into just four options has taken four years. The original pledge to build the bypass goes back seven years, and the people of Llandeilo have lost all faith and trust in that pledge. So, can we have a statement as a matter of urgency from the Minister to inform us of the reasons for these further delays?

Thank you. Well, that would be for the Deputy Minister for Climate Change, and, as you know, the whole road review and road building programmes have been looked at very closely, but I will ask the Minister—Deputy Minister, sorry—to issue a written statement. 

I thank the Trefnydd.