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Category: Wales

  • Jane Hutt – 2023 Statement on the Turkish and Syrian Earthquake

    Jane Hutt – 2023 Statement on the Turkish and Syrian Earthquake

    The statement made by Jane Hutt, the Welsh Minister for Social Justice, on 7 February 2023.

    In the early hours of 6 February 2023, a 7.8 magnitude earthquake hit Türkiye (Turkey) and Syria. This was followed by another earthquake soon afterwards and over 60 aftershocks.

    The scale of destruction is vast and details are still emerging but it is clear that a great many have lost their lives, are injured and have been displaced.

    I have today sent a message of sympathy and support to the Turkish Ambassador and extend my thoughts in particular to all of those affected including Syrian and Turkish people living in Wales who have families and friends in the earthquake zone.

    Our thoughts too are with the brave search and rescue teams and people from across Wales who are already offering all manner of support. The emergency response is expected to include water and sanitation, shelter and food support as well as longer-term rehabilitation and reconstruction.

  • Eluned Morgan – 2023 Statement on Ministerial Priorities for the NHS in Wales

    Eluned Morgan – 2023 Statement on Ministerial Priorities for the NHS in Wales

    The statement made by Eluned Morgan, the Welsh Minister for Health and Social Services, on 7 February 2023.

    The increased emergency pressures on the NHS, which have been so evident over the winter months, have been compounded by a number of factors, including concurrent surges in a range of respiratory viruses, including Covid-19, flu and scarlet fever.

    But external factors, such as the ongoing consequences of Brexit, the cost-of-living crisis and the war in Ukraine, are all also impacting our health and care services.

    I have recently spoken about the need for clear priorities – this statement highlights the priorities I have set for the health service in Wales. They will help address the immediate pressures and help to build a sustainable health and care service over the next year.

    It is important people play their part in helping the NHS by looking after their own health and wellbeing and taking steps to stay well. I want to continue this conversation with the public so together we can create a healthier population, reduce pressure on acute NHS services and improve outcomes in the longer term.

    The current environment means the priorities need to be targeted to the challenges we face. The NHS Planning Framework 2023-26 sets out the broad requirements that will underpin NHS plans going forward – this includes the importance of quality, safety, prevention and good health outcomes at the heart of the NHS in Wales.

    We must continue to focus on population health and prevention as the route to better health and wellbeing and to sustainability in the longer term. Reducing inequity and improving the quality, safety and experience of those in need of health services must always be a driving force in service planning and delivery. Delivering efficiently, effectively, and optimising service delivery is how the improvements must be embedded in the DNA of the NHS in Wales.

    It is crucial the NHS focuses on these priorities so resources and capacity can be used to make a real difference to people throughout Wales.

    Members will be very well aware that frailty is driving demand for healthcare, particularly urgent emergency care, and social care.  Once clinical interventions are complete, people should be able to return to the community, and services must be available in an integrated way to facilitate that.  That’s why in this calendar year I am prioritising work to increase the number of healthy days at home for people experiencing frailty.

    This must be an equal partnership between the NHS and social care organisations, and be really focussed on people receiving a consistent standard of community care across Wales.  The approach, backed up by improved data collection will provide a better basis for focused support.  In developing a plan for this work with organisations and other key partners, the aim is to have regions and localities working towards the national service specification and workforce model well ahead of next Winter, and for there to be means in place for identifying relative impact.

    Priorities

    • A closer relationship between the NHS and local government to tackle delayed transfers of care, and an effort to move further and to deliver an integrated community care service for Wales is essential. Work is ongoing across health and social care to introduce the Pathways of Care Reporting framework for delayed transfers of care in 2023. Health boards will be expected to use this to monitor the progress of safe and timely discharges of patients.  All organisations must deliver care closer to home. The focus should be on doing the right things to support people, to ensure they receive the care they need at home.
    • Improving access to general practice, dentistry, optometry and pharmacy This will include independent prescribing and increasing self-referral to a wider range of community-based allied health professionals, including rehabilitation, mental health and audiology.
    • Urgent and emergency care must focus on the effective management of people with urgent care needs in the community 24/7, and help more people to safely access alternatives to hospital-based care, for example through robust, seven-day same-day emergency care services and integrated health and social care community response models. Health boards must work with partners to significantly reduce the time patients spend waiting in ambulances outside emergency departments.
    • Planned care and recovery is being led by the National Recovery Programme, which will set specific requirements for health boards. Meeting these requirements must be a priority. Regional diagnostic centres and treatment centres should be at the forefront of organisations’ plans. This must include actions to move services, workforce and funding from hospitals into the community so people need to go to hospital when it is right for them. Organisations must demonstrate how they will deliver a significant increase in the numbers of patients who undertake pre-habilitation. Diagnostics services improvements must result in a reduction in numbers of people waiting for diagnostic tests to pre-pandemic levels as a minimum, including for mental health diagnosis.
    • Cancer services must enact the quality statement on cancer and ensure there is a reduction in the backlog of patients waiting too long on the cancer pathway. Achieving the required standards must be a priority for health boards.
    • Mental health and child and adolescent mental health services there must be improvements across all age services and equity and parity between physical and mental health services. Health boards must plan to expand tier 0/1 support to provide easy access to population level support for lower-level mental health issues, improve services across CAMHS, adults and older adult services and implement 111 press 2 for urgent mental health support. Reconfiguring eating disorder services to target earlier intervention and ensure a maximum of a four-week wait for routine access to eating disorder services is required. Improving memory assessment services to obtain a timely diagnosis and treatment should also be included. Improved access to full range of all age mental health and wellbeing services, particularly for children and young people, boosting prevention support for adults and children and de-medicalise the approach to mental health services where appropriate.

    Core Supporting Functions

    Digital, innovation, technology and transformation must underpin the delivery of optimum care and services for patients, alongside workforce, wellbeing and robust financial management.

    It is important the NHS focuses on ways to deploy the existing and future workforce to best effect. This includes enhanced use of multidisciplinary teamworking, role redesign, developing new roles, and advanced practice models, enabling people to develop their careers and work at the top of their license.

    The economic and financial outlook is extremely challenging. The value of the overall Welsh Government budget has fallen in real terms by £3bn over the current spending review period. A renewed focus on cost reduction and value improvement in the NHS is therefore critical to ensure the ongoing sustainability of services.

    Robust financial planning, fully integrated with service and workforce planning, is essential, as is tight financial governance and financial management. Capital plans must be prioritised and aligned to decarbonisation targets.

    The role of NHS organisations as anchor institutions provides a driver to implement care and services in a way that supports individuals and communities as part of normal business. This will include the approach to the foundational economy and how the NHS can respond to the cost-of-living crisis for both patients and staff.

    The net zero target for the public sector in 2030, decarbonisation action plans and social value, as part of contributing to achieving the aims of the Well-being of Future Generations (Wales) Act 2015, remain as commitments and opportunities to build in actions and benefits as part of service planning and should be taken.

    All NHS organisations must submit board-approved plans providing firm commitments about how these priorities will be delivered by 31 March 2023.

    This is a challenging period in which to plan and deliver health services but I am confident the NHS will continue build on the progress and learning from the pandemic and the ongoing pressures to deliver the sustainable services we all want.

  • Eluned Morgan – 2023 Statement on NHS Pay Update in Wales

    Eluned Morgan – 2023 Statement on NHS Pay Update in Wales

    The statement made by Eluned Morgan, the Welsh Minister for Health and Social Services, on 3 February 2023.

    Following continued discussions over the last week, we are pleased to announce that an enhanced pay offer has been made to our health trade unions. On this basis, we are hopeful that the planned industrial action over Monday 6th and Tuesday 7th February will be postponed, allowing trade unions to discuss the proposals further with their members. Individual trade unions will confirm their intentions regarding next week’s action, prior to further talks with their members.

    This revised pay offer comprises an additional 3%, of which 1.5% is consolidated so will be in pay packets year-on-year, on top of the Pay Review Body recommendations, which have already been implemented in full. This offer will be backdated to April 2022. Included in this revised package are a number of non-pay commitments to enhance staff well-being, on which negotiations will continue next week.

    Whilst there is currently no improved pay offer on the table for NHS staff in England, it was also agreed that any resulting Barnett consequential following any improved offer to staff in England would result in a further pay offer to staff in Wales.

    We would like to thank those that have participated in the negotiations for their positive engagement and goodwill. We are awaiting a formal response from each of the individual trade unions.

  • Julie James – 2023 Statement on the National Empty Homes Grant Scheme

    Julie James – 2023 Statement on the National Empty Homes Grant Scheme

    The statement made by Julie James, the Welsh Minister for Climate Change, on 30 January 2023.

    Today I am happy to announce that I have allocated £50million over the next 2 years to bring more empty properties across Wales back into use through a national empty homes grant scheme.

    The latest statistics for 2023/24 which were released on the 19th January show that there are 22,457 long-term empty properties in Wales. Long term empty properties are a wasted housing resource and can become a blight on our communities.

    I am implementing this grant as an additional incentive to further reduce the number of empty properties and therefore increase housing supply.

    The new scheme has been developed with the local authorities and builds on the success of our existing property loans and the previous Valleys Taskforce Empty Homes Grant. A grant of up to £25,000 will be available for home owners or prospective home owners to remove significant hazards from their properties to make them safe to live in and to improve their energy efficiency. In order to qualify for the grant, the property must have been registered as empty with the local authority for a minimum of 12 months prior to commencement of the works. Once the works have been completed, the successful applicant must then live in that property as their main and only residence for a minimum of 5 years.

    Aside from owner occupiers, Registered Social Landlords, local authorities and community housing groups will also be able to access the funding for empty properties they are acquiring to bring back into use as affordable housing. This is therefore an additional measure we are taking to take forward the commitment in the Welsh Government’s Co-operation Agreement with Plaid Cymru to bring a higher proportion of existing homes, and especially empty homes, into common ownership at local level.

    The scheme will be administered by Rhondda Cynon Taff Council on our behalf. A list of the participating local authorities can be found on our webpage and more local authorities will be added once they sign up to the scheme.

    Each participating local authority will have a notional allocation each year and will be responsible for undertaking the surveys of the properties to identify and recommend the qualifying works for grant funding.

  • Lee Waters – 2023 Statement on North Wales Transport Commission’s Progress

    Lee Waters – 2023 Statement on North Wales Transport Commission’s Progress

    The statement made by Lee Waters, the Welsh Deputy Minister for Climate Change, on 26 January 2023.

    I welcome this report from the North Wales Transport Commission. A significant amount of evidence-gathering and analysis has been undertaken and I thank the Commission for providing such detailed consideration of the transport issues facing north Wales.

    I met with Lord Burns and the Commissioners while they were in Bangor and was struck by their enthusiasm and commitment to making real change happen as a result of this work.

    The Commission’s Progress Statement identifies its emerging thoughts and identifies where the opportunities are for a better transport system, focusing on where we can make it easier for everyone to travel more sustainably.

    We hear a lot of discussion about longer-distance routes and car journeys.  However, the Commission’s analysis shows that the majority of journeys made in the region are short in length and to the same or neighbouring area. These are the trips that are suited to walking, cycling or public transport and this is where improved public transport and active travel networks can make modal shift more achievable and appealing – giving people good opportunities to change how they travel for local, everyday journeys.

    Lord Burns will now lead a period of engagement with stakeholders to test the findings of the report before submitting their interim and final recommendations.

    In the meantime, the Welsh Government is moving ahead with action to enhance connectivity across north Wales, and I will shortly be providing members with an update on progress with the north Wales metro; but I am pleased that the Commission has already identified some of this work as a priority for improved public transport to key employment and development sites. This includes planned improvements for connectivity to HS2, direct services between Wrexham and Liverpool and the new station at Deeside.

    I have asked the Commission to also consider the resilience of access to and from Ynys Mon in light of the recent closure of the Menai Bridge.

    I look forward to receiving further reports later this year. The Commission is keen to hear people’s views, and I would encourage responses from all with an interest in the issues raised and the potential solutions.

    The report can be found here: https://www.gov.wales/north-wales-transport-commission-progress-statement-january-2023

  • Eluned Morgan – 2023 Statement on North Wales Medical School

    Eluned Morgan – 2023 Statement on North Wales Medical School

    The statement made by Eluned Morgan, the Welsh Minister for Health and Social Services, on 26 January 2023.

    I am pleased to announce the Welsh Government will be funding up to 140 medical student places a year at the new North Wales Medical School. Direct intake will start in 2024.

    We expect student numbers to increase steadily and to reach their optimum number from 2029 onwards. This gradual trajectory will provide time to assess and evaluate both the quality tuition and student experience at the new medical school.

    Establishing a new medical school in North Wales is a key commitment, which will help Wales to train more medical students and ensure that training opportunities and the provision of qualified doctors are spread across Wales.

    This is a real boost for North Wales, for Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board and for Bangor University.

    I have written to the General Medical Council to confirm our support and endorsement of these plans. This letter of assurance enables the GMC to progress the accreditation process.

  • Julie James – 2023 Statement on Building Safety in Wales

    Julie James – 2023 Statement on Building Safety in Wales

    The statement made by Julie James, the Welsh Minister for Climate Change, on 23 January 2023.

    Building Safety is a priority for this government.  I am as committed today as I have always been that leaseholders should not bear the cost of repairing fire safety issues that are not of their making.  I expect developers to step up to their responsibilities and am prepared to explore all options, including legislation, to ensure this happens.

    Today, I am pleased to share an update on our progress.  In my Written Statement in October, I announced that eleven major developers had signed up to the Welsh Government’s Developers Pact.  This represents a public commitment they will address fire safety issues in buildings of 11 metres and over they have developed over the last 30 years. These developers are Persimmon, Taylor Wimpey, Lovell, McCarthy and Stone, Countryside, Vistry, Redrow, Crest Nicholson, St Modwen, Bellway and Barratt.

    The Pact is underpinned by formal legal documentation.  I am pleased to confirm that this has been drafted and shared with the Home Builders Federation and we anticipate these developers will accept our terms shortly.

    I am also pleased to report a number of developers have started remediation works in advance of signing, such as Bellway and Persimmon Homes, as I saw today when I visited Century Wharf in Cardiff.

    There remains the question of what will happen to those ‘orphan’ buildings where the developer has gone out of business or cannot be identified.

    Together with Plaid Cymru, we are developing the second phase of our programme of work to address fire safety risks on residential buildings of 11 metres and over in height. This will set out the plan for supporting orphan buildings across Wales and help identify what is required to remediate all buildings as quickly and efficiently as possible.

    We have agreed to an initial cohort of six orphan buildings to be remediated to test our approach and ensure that buildings are made as safe from fire risk as possible.  The work to identify this first cohort has started and I will make further announcements on the details of this first cohort of buildings in due course.

    The route to accessing Welsh Government support will continue to be through our Welsh Building Safety Fund. This fund remains open for Responsible Persons to complete an Expression of Interest, which is the starting point for accessing support from the Welsh Government. I encourage all Responsible Persons to complete an Expression of Interest for their buildings as soon as possible.  In the first instance, the fund allows for surveys to take place at no cost to leaseholders, offering information about fire safety issues, and providing EWS1 forms for those buildings where the risk of fire is low.

    The survey work provides essential information and signposts where additional work is needed to address fire risk.  It is therefore essential that Managing Agents and Responsible Persons ensure our consultants are able to access buildings as quickly as possible to undertake these works, rather than have access delayed by those who should be acting in the best interest of their leaseholders, residents and tenants.

    In some cases, access to undertake survey work is difficult because of the location of buildings and the need to seek Local Authority permissions to close walkways and roads when work is undertaken.  I would also like to encourage my colleagues in Local Authorities to ensure these licenses and permissions are granted as quickly as possible to minimise delays on this vital work.

    Alongside the work to address fire safety issues, we also need to ensure that our building control regime is fit for purpose.  Together with Plaid Cymru, work is currently underway to implement the first phase of our design and construction transition plan bringing into force the legislative changes necessary to rectify identified problems within the current building control regimes.  This phase is bringing in more stringent regulation of the building control profession i.e. building control approvers, building control inspectors and local authorities exercising building control functions. This provision will also change who can advise on, and carry out, certain building control work, with the purpose of improving competence levels, transparency and accountability in the building control profession. This is to make sure that only individuals who have demonstrated the relevant competence are advising decision-makers before important building control decisions are taken.

    The key changes we will be making are:

    • The creation of registers for all Building Control Inspectors and Building Control Approvers
    • All Building Control Inspectors must be registered and meet competence criteria to be able to provide advice to Local Authorities or private building control bodies
    • Private building control bodies, currently known as Approved inspectors must register, as building control approvers, to continue to undertake building control work on non-Higher risk Buildings.
    • Only Local Authority Building Control will be able to be the building control authority for buildings meeting the criteria for Higher-risk Buildings.

    Transitional arrangements are being developed and will be part of the next set of consultations. Please be aware that we are likely to be opening up the registration process in October this year with a view of moving to the new regime from April 2024.

    Despite the positive moves made by developers, and other progress, I appreciate that these works will not come soon enough for some leaseholders who face financial hardship as a result of fire safety issues in their homes.  In June last year I launched the Leaseholder Support Scheme with a commitment that I would continue to review the eligibility criteria to ensure those in greatest need would benefit from the scheme.

    The recent cost of living crisis has created an untenable situation for many, and I am determined that the support offered through the Leaseholder Support Scheme takes into account these issues.  As was the case previously, the scheme provides access to free independent financial advice for relevant leaseholders and, if it is right for the household and the eligibility criteria are satisfied, the option for them to sell their property and either rent back their home or move on.

    Following the completion of a review I have instructed officials to amend the eligibility criteria of the scheme in two fundamental ways.

    The first is to amend the assessment of financial hardship to take into account the rising cost of energy.  This is vital as it will increase recognition of those in significant financial hardship as a result of the recent increases to the energy price cap and will allow more people to access the scheme.

    The second fundamental change is to remove the Displaced Residents clause. Previously, to be eligible for the scheme, leaseholders had to either be residents, or be residents forced from their property due to changing circumstances.  By removing this criterion, the scheme is now opened to leaseholders who have purchased properties as an investment, such as pensioners, or those who have received the leasehold through an inheritance.

    The support offered by this scheme will help more leaseholders in financial hardship receive the support they need.

    Ultimately, the best and right solution to help leaseholders and residents of medium and high-rise buildings (those of 11 metres and more) is to address fire safety defects. This brings a significant challenge in assessing what the right solutions are and what standard of works are needed to both address life critical fire safety issues and the requirements of lenders and insurers.

    In January last year a new documented code of practice was developed and launched by the British Standards Institution (PAS 9980:2022). The document sets out a methodology for professionals to undertake Fire Risk Appraisals of External Walls.  I will be testing this through the establishment of a task and finish group of sector financial and technical experts to ensure we provide safe homes which can be affordably insured and confidently used as a financial asset.  This continues and extends our work with the finance sector on matters of fire safety.

    We know that properties affected by fire safety issues have struggled to obtain mortgages, but we are making significant progress towards addressing this issue and giving the finance sector assurances they require.

    At present, lenders operate on a case-by-case basis in Wales, and we are working closely with the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors and UK Finance Ltd to ensure the recent announcement for England, which confirmed six lenders who were prepared to offer mortgages on buildings affected by fire risk, will similarly be considered on properties in Wales of 11 metres and over, which are covered by our agreements with developers and the Welsh Building Safety Fund.

    We have also recently launched a Building Safety Strategic Stakeholder Group. The Building Safety Stakeholder Group will act as a strategic, independent advisory group for Welsh Government on matters relating to, and under the jurisdiction of, the Welsh Building Safety Programme.

    Stakeholder engagement is at the core of my approach to ensure our policy development for building safety is informed, effective, robust and based on clear evidence. Obtaining the expert views, leaseholder perspective, advice and support of our stakeholders is critical to the successful delivery of our Building Safety Programme.  We have also issued invitations to expand the leaseholder representation in the Group, to ensure we capture their views and lived experience on this matter.

    I am therefore very pleased that following the first recent meeting positive and valuable discussions were made. I look forward to future meetings to obtain the expert views, advice and support from our stakeholders which is critical to the successful delivery of our Building Safety Programme.

  • Jane Hutt – 2023 Statement on Windrush 2023

    Jane Hutt – 2023 Statement on Windrush 2023

    The statement made by Jane Hutt, the Welsh Minister for Social Justice, on 20 January 2023.

    This year, on 22 June, we will mark 75 years since MV Empire Windrush docked in Tilbury, the moment which symbolises the “Windrush Generation” and crystalises how migration to the United Kingdom has shaped our society today.

    Windrush Celebration Day recognises and celebrates the contributions of men and women from across the Commonwealth who helped to build a modern Wales and made this country their home. We again want to embrace this anniversary wholeheartedly as we have in previous years. This year we will celebrate and recognise its wide historic and present-day significance.

    We are aware that Windrush celebrations will take place across the UK. Our engagement with Windrush Elders and organisations in Wales has ensured that we are well-placed to support communities to retell their stories and celebrate their contributions to our nation. The Welsh Government will again be funding both local and national Windrush events.  We will also remain committed to seeking justice for the Windrush Elders in line with the Wendy Williams report published on 19 July 2018.

    Migrants been helping to shape and enrich our nation since long before the Windrush arrivals and they are continuing to do so right up to the present day. As a Welsh Government, we have long supported and offered sanctuary to refugees and asylum seekers.

    I am very proud that this year we have seen how our vision to welcome people from across the world has been adopted and brought to life in response to events in Afghanistan and Ukraine.   Support has come in many guises, from thousands of individuals and families as well as businesses, local authorities, voluntary organisations, faith groups and many more.   This is what we mean when we talk about Wales being a Nation of Sanctuary.

    Our vision is to welcome and help anyone who is dispersed or resettled to Wales to access services and integrate with communities from day one of arrival. It is about recognising the person before seeing their immigration status. recognising that individuals come with skills and experiences and not just simply needs to be met.

    As part of this rich and continuing story of Wales as a Nation of Sanctuary, the Windrush generation has a particular and unique place in our national life. I most strongly encourage all of us to mark this historic anniversary, including participating in the celebrations, whether on Windrush Day itself, or throughout the year.

  • Eluned Morgan – 2023 Statement on Eliminating TB in Wales

    Eluned Morgan – 2023 Statement on Eliminating TB in Wales

    The statement made by Eluned Morgan, the Welsh Minister for Health and Social Services, on 20 January 2023.

    As we begin the new year, I wanted to provide an update to Members on our progress towards eliminating tuberculosis (TB) in Wales, in line with the World Health Organisation’s (WHO) vision to have the European Region free of the TB burden by 2030: Tuberculosis action plan for the WHO European Region 2023–2030. Information sheet\.

    Wales currently has the joint lowest TB rates in the UK (2.8 cases per 100,000 population[1]) and overall rates have been declining since 2009.

    Despite this downward trend, we continue to see some TB-associated deaths every year in Wales and the headline figures hide some increasing risks in TB prevention and control.

    Around half of all cases of TB in Wales in recent years have been in people born in the UK, which creates a different set of challenges for detection and control. Cases are generally increasingly challenging and complex, and there is the continued threat of sporadic multi-drug resistant and extensively drug resistant cases.

    TB is a potentially fatal disease with major health and social consequences for those affected. It contributes to increasing health inequalities in already deprived populations, and each infectious case represents a transmission risk to their contacts and communities.

    Although most TB cases are curable, successfully supporting a single complex

    case through treatment can have major resource implications for the NHS and wider public services. Furthermore, strong evidence exists to demonstrate that failure to prevent, diagnose and adequately treat cases can lead to the development of drug resistance, onward transmission of infection and TB outbreaks.

    Even a single case of TB can lead to large and difficult-to-manage clusters and outbreaks. In 2018, there were three outbreaks of TB in Wales, all requiring screening of extensive numbers of contacts. The outbreaks had a serious impact on both the affected individuals and NHS resources.

    Mass community screening of more than 1,500 people took place in 2019 due to a continuing outbreak with a cumulative total of more than 30 TB cases since 2010.  This long-running outbreak has caused significant public concern, and activities associated with screening continue to this day. In 2020, a second mass screening exercise involving more than 1,000 staff and prisoners was undertaken following a TB incident associated with a prison.

    That rates of TB in Wales have declined since 2009 is largely a tribute to the professionals involved in TB prevention, diagnosis, treatment and control. Given the challenges, we need to ensure there is renewed focus to eliminate TB in Wales.  I have therefore agreed a number of actions will be taken forward:

    • We will establish a bespoke TB Elimination Oversight Group to monitor and drive forward progress across Wales. It will report to the Chief Medical Officer under the Health Protection Advisory Group governance arrangements.
    • Public Health Wales will re-establish the All-Wales TB Group, which was stood down during the pandemic. Its remit will include consideration and review of evidence including learning from outbreaks, advising on issues such as prioritisation of services and screening requirements for entrants into Wales and the development of guidance to support professionals.
    • The first task of the All-Wales TB Group will be to review the Tuberculosis Strategy and Service Specification for Wales to incorporate the valuable lessons learned from both the Covid-19 pandemic and the programmes established to welcome those seeking refuge in Wales.
    • The All-Wales TB Group will recommend the updated Tuberculosis Strategy and Service Specification for Wales to the TB Elimination Oversight Group for review and endorsement as a direction of travel in Wales.
    • The All-Wales TB Group will develop a National TB Action Plan for agreement by the TB Elimination Oversight Group. This will be regularly reviewed to ensure the agreed actions are implemented.

    I will keep Members informed of our efforts to prevent and control TB and our commitment to ultimately eliminate TB as a public health threat.

    [1] Reports of cases of TB to UK enhanced tuberculosis surveillance systems, 2000 to 2021 – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

  • Julie James – 2023 Statement on the Publication of the Consultation Response for the Deposit Return Scheme

    Julie James – 2023 Statement on the Publication of the Consultation Response for the Deposit Return Scheme

    The statement made by Julie James, the Welsh Minister for Climate Change, on 20 January 2023.

    The Minister for Climate Change is pleased to announce the publication of the Government response to the consultation on the Deposit Return Scheme. The response is published jointly with the UK Government and Department for Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs, Northern Ireland.

    This follows the joint consultation in March 2021 and feedback from this consultation has been evaluated in developing the final design for the Deposit Return Scheme for drink containers.

    Following the publication of this response to the consultation https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/introduction-of-a-deposit-return-scheme-in-england-wales-and-northern-ireland, the next stage will be the development of secondary legislation required to implement the scheme.