Wales has unacceptably high rates of excess winter deaths and it is disgraceful that First Minister Carwyn Jones made no reference to the ‘NICE’ guidelines on ‘Tackling Excess Winter Deaths’ when replying to my call for these to be implemented in Wales.
Responding to the Statement on the Supreme Court Ruling on Article 50, I noted that although this found that a UK Parliament Act is required before Article 50 is triggered, it also ruled that the consent of the devolved institutions is not necessary. Wales did not therefore need the Labour Welsh Government to jump on the bandwagon and spend public money on representation at the Supreme Court, justifying this by reference to matters which fall outside Article 50 negotiations with the EU.
Speaking in the Debate on General Practice, I observed that the Labour Welsh Government had failed to listen to years of warnings by Doctors’ professional bodies regarding the GP crisis facing North Wales.
I raised concern that the leading role played by John Summers High School in engaging with the local Gypsy/Traveller community and improving educational outcomes for young people was not factored into decisions over the school’s closure.
Speaking in the Debate on the supply of contaminated blood products to NHS patients with haemophilia in the 1970s and 80s, causing over 2,000 to die since, including 70 in Wales, I stated ‘A Public Inquiry is the only way forward to get to the truth about these events’.
Holocaust Memorial Day , 27th January, remembers the millions murdered in the Nazi Holocaust and subsequent genocides, and challenges hatred today. I signed the Holocaust Educational Trust Book of Commitment and joined the Holocaust Memorial Service on the Senedd steps.
Other Assembly meetings included Responsible Finance Cymru, Royal Mail and CALOR, to discuss their assistance for fuel poor rural households.
I joined Farmers Union of Wales for Annual Farmhouse Breakfasts in both the Assembly and Cilcain Village Hall, and met Flintshire County Council with Flintshire Disability Forum to discuss barriers faced by disabled people.
Having previously engaged with HSBC and NatWest over branch closures, I am concerned that HSBC now plans further closures, including Holywell. The newly agreed single set of services in Post Office branches for UK bank customers is therefore welcomed.
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