– in the Senedd at 3:01 pm on 21 January 2025.
Item 3 is next, the business statement and announcement. I call on the Trefnydd to make that statement—Jane Hutt.
Thank you very much, Llywydd. There is one change to today's agenda. Later this afternoon, the Deputy First Minister and Cabinet Secretary for Climate Change and Rural Affairs will make a statement on the water interruption in Conwy. Draft business for the next three weeks is set out on the business statement and announcement, which is available to Members electronically.
Trefnydd, I'd be grateful if we could have a statement from the Deputy First Minister and Cabinet Secretary for Climate Change and Rural Affairs on recycling efforts across Wales. Wales is currently second in the world for its recycling rates, and it's vital that we continue to be a global leader in this area. Pembrokeshire County Council is currently reviewing its kerbside collection management as part of a consultation on its draft environmental strategy, and there are concerns about what that may look like in the future. I can't emphasise enough the importance of waste collection and recycling to our environment, and indeed to our health. Regular kerbside collections must continue to take place, or else it may undo some of the good progress made by Pembrokeshire County Council in recent years. Therefore, I'd be grateful if we could have a statement from the Welsh Government on recycling rates that includes up-to-date guidance being issued to local authorities around kerbside collections and that also explains how the Welsh Government is protecting waste and recycling centres across the country.
Diolch yn fawr, Paul Davies. As you say, we are a global leader in our recycling efforts, which are recycling efforts from our communities, our people, our businesses, our households. We're proud that we're a global leader and we thank everyone for playing their part. It is a strong community effort, but very much supported by local authorities. It's good to hear that Pembrokeshire County Council is undertaking this review, mindful of the particular issues and challenges in terms of kerbside collection. There is clearly best practice. The Welsh Local Government Association are very involved, as well as the Welsh Government. Obviously, the Deputy First Minister and Cabinet Secretary for Climate Change and Rural Affairs has heard the point in terms of the status of that in terms of not just being up to date, but also showing the best practice across Wales, which I think many of us benefit from.
I'd like a statement, please, on quarry planning legislation. The Bryn quarry at Gelligaer has reportedly continued blasting operations despite their planning consent running out at the end of last year. They've applied for an extension, but that hasn't been approved. This quarry has been controversial for years. Residents living near the quarry have long complained about noise pollution from blasts, dust, vibrations in their houses, and unpleasant smells. I've been sent photographs of structural damage to properties that residents say was caused by the works at the quarry. A Plaid proposal last year in the Senedd to introduce a mandatory buffer zone between quarries like this and residential properties wasn't supported in the Senedd, and look at what's happening now. This has echoes of what has happened at Ffos-y-fran in Merthyr. We surely can't allow companies to continue works like this so near people's homes when their planning consent has run out. Surely that Plaid proposal for a mandatory buffer zone must be looked at again. So, could we have a statement, please, responding to that need?
Thank you very much, Delyth Jewell. These issues have been debated in this Chamber, and we've focused on particular sites as well. And, as you say, this is about planning consent powers and responsibility—what lies with local authorities, the Welsh Government and, indeed, site providers themselves? So, thank you for drawing attention to this again today, and I will ask the Cabinet Secretary to clarify if there is anything that we need to respond to in terms of that particular site that you mention.
Can I raise a statement from the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care regarding screening for abdominal aortic aneurysms or AAAs in Wales? Currently, screening for abdominal aortic aneurysms are routinely offered to men over the age of 65, but are not routinely offered to women. Only one in 70 men scanned have an abdominal aortic aneurysm, which is a deadly condition, and rupture leads to immediate death. So, screening and early capture is essential.
Risk factors for this condition include smoking, high blood pressure, or close family history, and men are six times more likely to have an aortic aneurysm than women, but aortic aneurysms still do occur in women. Currently, although screening is not routinely offered to women, GPs wish to refer women with significant risk factors to a hospital vascular unit for imaging rather than the screening programme.
One of my constituents is campaigning to include women with risk factors in routine AAA screening, and I'd be interested to know if the Welsh Government has investigated whether there is a case for doing this that makes sense health wise and economically. So, can we hear from the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care as to whether the Welsh Government has looked into the case for routine AAA screening for women? Thank you.
Thank you very much, Gareth, and thank you for raising this important issue. It is about early capture, as you say. That's what screening's purpose and objective is. And you've drawn attention to the screening for aneurysm with abdominal aneurysms in terms of screening for men, and now address the issue for women as well. I'm not sure what the situation, the status of that screening is in terms of national guidelines, but I will draw this to the attention of the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care.
I'd like to ask for a statement from the Government, please, following the ceasefire that came into force in Gaza on Sunday, which could perhaps contain a response to the following points. Oxfam Cymru has written to every Member of the Senedd asking us to urge the Welsh Government to call on the UK Government to play their role in achieving a permanent ceasefire that leads to a lasting peace and justice and to end permanently the blockade, occupation and oppression of the Palestinian people in Gaza and the occupied territories.
Also, I'd like to know how Wales has taken and is taking every measure possible, within its competence, to ensure it doesn't contribute to potential war crimes through direct or indirect connections, partnerships or funding. And also, will the Government be increasing its current £100,000 donation to the Disasters Emergency Committee’s middle east appeal in light of the terrible conditions faced by hundreds of thousands of people whose homes, businesses and services have been obliterated, given that the Government donated £4 million to the DEC Ukraine appeal?
And finally, will the Government pay tribute to all those Welsh citizens who have protested against the war in Gaza, in every part of Wales, and here at the Senedd, imploring that we all raise our voices to call for peace, humanitarian support and justice? Diolch.
Thank you very much indeed, Sioned Williams. I'm very grateful that you've asked this question this afternoon. In fact, I will be issuing a statement tomorrow and I hope to be able to announce good news about ways in which we can contribute to the Disasters Emergency Committee fund. It is a humanitarian response, as you say, that we now need to make.
After months of devastating bloodshed and countless lives lost, it was such long overdue news that Israeli and Palestinian people have been desperately waiting for. I will respond in my statement to the issues and responsibilities in terms of what we can do and our relations with communities here in Wales, and that includes many communities that I've been meeting and many people have been meeting since that terrible day on 7 October.
I think we've got to also remember all those who have been affected. We do join the international community in hoping that all hostages, including the hostage whose family lives here in Wales, are released quickly and unharmed. But for the innocent Palestinians whose homes turned into a war zone overnight and the many who have lost their lives, this ceasefire must allow for that response in humanitarian aid, which is so desperately needed and which I will be announcing tomorrow.
Good afternoon, Trefnydd. I just wanted to raise an issue, if I may, with you around the Heart of Wales line and request a further statement, please, from the Cabinet Secretary for Transport and North Wales. The Heart of Wales line has just had a fifth train taken from the timetable. That's four trains a day in each direction going from Craven Arms and Shrewsbury down to Llanelli, going through such wonderful places as Llandrindod Wells, Llanwrtyd Wells, Llandeilo, Llandovery et cetera—26 stations in total. It provides a real transport option for those communities living on the Heart of Wales line, but also an opportunity to boost tourism and visitors to the area. So, I would like a further statement, if I may, from the Minister, and I wondered if you could pass on an invitation to the Minister to join me and perhaps others who are within that region on a journey through the 26 stations, just to pick up exactly how beloved that line is and how much further investment we need in it. Diolch yn fawr iawn.
Diolch yn fawr, Jane Dodds. I'm sure you will have volunteers to go on that journey on that wonderful Heart of Wales line. There are issues in terms of timetable changes for mainline services that are taking place, with more consistency for passengers, but of course we've heard already this afternoon and we've been reminded of the £800 million investment in our brand-new fleet of modern trains. I think what's important is that passengers on the Heart of Wales line will benefit from the conversion of the class 153 active travel units, which will provide additional seating and cycle capacity. It is important that, overall in 2024, Transport for Wales services were the most punctual and reliable of all train operators in Wales, but there is still more to do, quite clearly—huge improvements as a direct result of public ownership and investment. But it is important that you've drawn attention today to the Heart of Wales line route capacity and the service itself. This is something where I'm sure colleagues, in terms of our Cabinet Secretary, will be interested in the question, but also see that this is a partnership with Powys County Council as well, in terms of integrated public transport services, on which I know discussions are taking place.
Good afternoon, Trefnydd. I would like to ask for a statement from the Cabinet Secretary for Education on the impact of Labour's VAT hike on private schools. Despite a retention and recruitment crisis for teachers, the Westminster Government has placed a 20 per cent VAT hike on private schools, alongside national insurance increases, resulting in job losses across Wales, including at the Haberdashers' school in Monmouth in my own region. Their costs have risen by 25 per cent, and this will be the case with many private schools across Wales. As a result, many teachers will be overworked and many students will be forced to leave, including additional learning needs students, putting further pressure on our state schools, who are already at capacity and are already struggling to look after our ALN learners. I'm hoping that a statement on the floor of this Senedd will give us an explanation from the Welsh Government on how the Welsh Government will accommodate these extra students in the state school system and support those students being forced to leave who have ALN whose needs have been served very well in private schools.
Thank you very much for that question, Laura Anne Jones. This is obviously a manifesto commitment that was made by the Labour Party, and, indeed, as we know all too well, the election in July resulted in Labour MPs being elected, including in your constituency and across Wales as well. So, I think now it is a matter for implementation, and obviously that’s a matter of discussion and engagement, in terms of impacts on not just the independent schools—with families and with local authorities—in terms of capacity in our state system, which, of course, we are so proud of and which can provide all that education for our young people, including young people with additional learning needs.
So, we are, as a Welsh Labour Government, supporting the way forward, supporting the change that is coming about as a result of Labour winning that election so overwhelmingly in July. But also the principle of this is important in terms of ensuring that we have got the funding to support our public services, particularly, of course, our education system here in Wales, and as a result of your party’s former Government’s mismanagement of the economy, of course, also we needed to look for those sources of income that will be really important in terms of backing our public services.
Could I ask for a statement from the Cabinet Secretary for Climate Change and Rural Affairs about the Welsh Government’s plans to support the two geoparks that have UNESCO status here in Wales: Fforest Fawr geopark in Bannau Brycheiniog and, of course, GeoMôn in Anglesey. I went to Amlwch port some months ago to meet some of the volunteers in GeoMôn, and I was reminded once again of the importance of that UNESCO status, not only as recognition of the very special geological history of Ynys Môn, but also as a means to attract investment and tourism as well.
The Cabinet Secretary will be aware of a letter that I sent to him some months ago stating that the assessment to keep that status once again was on the horizon and that the criteria that had been set out by UNESCO are very thorough ones. So, could I ask, therefore, for a statement from the Cabinet Secretary confirming that the Welsh Government will be willing to help and support GeoMôn, whether through additional resources or financial support, in order to ensure that the site can retain its key status as a UNESCO geopark?
Thank you very much, Rhun ap Iorwerth, for your very important question.
We have the Deputy First Minister and Cabinet Secretary for Climate Change and Rural Affairs here with us today. Yes, obviously, this is really important in terms of GeoMôn and the UNESCO status, and you have written to the Cabinet Secretary, so we will respond to look at ways in which we can support and assist on this matter.
May I request a statement from the Deputy First Minister on progress that the Welsh Government has made on improving our food systems and food security? It’s an incredibly important issue and I would hate it to be kicked into the long grass. It’s been almost two years now since my food Bill was voted down in the Senedd, despite massive widespread support from stakeholders right across the country, including the future generations commissioner. And at the time, it was promised that the recommendations from the Economy, Trade and Rural Affairs Committee would be carried forward and more work would be done to improve food security across Wales, and the First Minister, in fairness, at the time, took some immediate steps. However, since then we’ve heard very little about what the Government is doing. For three years, we’ve been discussing a community food strategy, but we’ve never seen anything as yet. So, I would welcome an update from the Welsh Government on what progress is being made to shore up food security here in Wales and strengthen our food system accordingly.
Thank you very much indeed. This, in fact, is very much a cross-Government responsibility, led by the Deputy First Minister, in terms of developing a community food strategy, which we’re actively engaging with. But for myself, as social justice Minister, working alongside the Deputy First Minister, this is crucially important in terms of food security for our communities here in Wales. And I hope that you will consider supporting our draft budget, Peter Fox, because in it it includes a considerable amount of funding from my portfolio, and indeed from the Deputy First Minister's portfolio, to ensure that we can keep our food partnerships going in Wales. I'm sure that you are not only aware, but you will know of the importance of these food partnerships, which bring all stakeholders together on a county by county basis. I was very pleased to visit the food partnership in Carmarthenshire, the Bwyd Sir Gâr Food partnership, which includes every sector and, interestingly, enjoyed a meal in a very pioneering community facility in Carmarthen, supplied by food from the farm that is county council owned. That was an award-winning setting as well for those involved in it.
So, yes, it's on its way. We need to have backing for our budget to get the funding through, but I think Food Sense Wales, which you'll be aware of, led by Katie Palmer, all the work that's being done with the sustainable farming scheme—indeed, it does cross, as you said, every portfolio, virtually, in this Parliament and Government, including, of course, education as well as agriculture, rural affairs, social justice, and health, of course.
Can I ask for two statements, please? First of all, can I ask for a statement from the Counsel General on the Government's preparedness for the likely impact of Kim Leadbeater MP's private Member's Bill on terminally ill adults on Wales? The Bill, if passed into law, will have a profound impact on us here. Not only will it have an impact on our health service, but it'll also have a likely impact on the judicial capacity in Wales, because we're already being told that the High Court will have no capacity to deal with each case, and that they're likely to be pushed to tribunal. Therefore, it begs the question: what capacity is available in Wales? The final vote on the Bill is expected on 25 April, so it would be good to have a statement from the Counsel General, and the Government's assessment in advance of this.
Secondly, may I have a statement from the Minister for social partnerships regarding support provided to communities underserved by the Post Office? We heard earlier from Siân Gwenllian about the proposals to scrap the mobile service to over a dozen communities in my constituency, which will severely impact on the ability of many people, the most vulnerable in these communities, to access essential services, so any assistance from the Government would be gratefully received.
Diolch yn fawr, Mabon ap Gwynfor. Yes, I will ask the Counsel General to respond on the matter of the impact of the Bill. Obviously, there is some time yet before, as you say, the date that you've highlighted, 25 April. The assessment of impact on Wales, capacity in the High Court—indeed, we need to look at this carefully, and I will follow that up, as you've heard. This is about us also looking at our roles and responsibilities as well.
On the issue of underserved communities in terms of post offices, well, that does actually fall within my responsibility in terms of relationships with the Post Office and the reduction of essential services, which we heard about earlier on. I think this is something where, following not just the question from Siân Gwenllian, I'm working quite regularly with those who are involved as responsible lenders. But for the Post Office—I am going to meet with the Post Office chiefs for Wales and look at how they are axing services. They're carrying out reviews, I know, and it is reserved, but I think we have to now give that evidence from the Welsh Government and from the Welsh Parliament, from the Senedd, so I'm grateful that you've raised this.
Can I ask for a statement from the Cabinet Secretary for Housing and Local Government on the use of chauffeur-driven cars by Welsh councils? That comes after news reports that state that the former Labour leader and now mayor of Bridgend County Borough Council used a taxpayer-funded chauffeur-driven car to attend Welsh Labour Party events in Cardiff Bay. His attendance at the celebration dinner of 100 years of the Welsh Labour Party was clearly party political in nature, yet it has been defended in the media by Councillor Huw David. Clearly, it should not be permissible to use a taxpayer-funded mayoral car to attend party political events. So, will you either arrange a statement from the Cabinet Secretary clarifying that or, failing that, use this opportunity now to condemn it?
Well, this is a matter not just for local government, but, indeed, it is a matter for the local authority that you cited and it is a matter for those who have the privilege of serving in local government as well.
And finally, James Evans.
Thank you, Deputy Presiding Officer. Cabinet Secretary—. Trefnydd, I'd like to have a—. I can't get my words out. I'd like to have a statement from the Cabinet Secretary for economy over the President of the United States coming in, Donald Trump, and about our trading relationship with the United States. A lot of Welsh businesses rely on a strong relationship between Wales and the United States, so it'd be very good if we could have a statement from the economy Minister about how that relationship can be developed now that President Trump is in office.
I'd also like to have a statement from the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care over the findings that the group office in our party have found that the Welsh NHS have spent over £700 million on negligence claims over the last 10 years, with £100 million of that spent last year alone. That is a national scandal and I think it is only right and proper that we have a statement from the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care about what he's going to do to reduce those negligence claims, because if we're going to see those improvements in our NHS, we need to make sure that the money is being spent on the front line and not paying out people on negligence claims.
Thank you very much, James Evans. Obviously, it is in all our interests that good relations in terms of trade not only continue, but they obviously are going to be challenging as well in terms of the new President's policies and statements. But it is vital, and we do have not just the 40,000 mentioned earlier on by the First Minister, those American and business interests in Wales, but also those relationships across the United States, and I'm talking about the states as well, state by state—. There are really important relationships and we have our interests to not only protect but to progress as well. So, we anticipate that that will continue.
Yes, negligence claims are always regrettable in terms of adult social care, but we are proud of the delivery of our services in adult social care, but also very mindful, as you will know, of the work that's being undertaken and led by the Minister for children and adult social care in relation to our national care service. Now, it is good that we have also Baroness Louise Casey doing this work in Westminster, very much looking at this on a cross-party basis. And here in Wales there was a great deal of work, through the co-operation agreement, on developing that national care service stage by stage. But now, it is, I hope, a cross-party route that we take in terms of ensuring that we have the capacity and the excellence in adult social care that we know is so important to everybody, all those we serve in Wales.
Thank you, Trefnydd.