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Tag: Vaughan Gething

  • Vaughan Gething – 2024 Resignation Statement

    Vaughan Gething – 2024 Resignation Statement

    The resignation statement made by Vaughan Gething, the First Minister, resigning from the role on 16 July 2024.

    I have this morning taken the difficult decision to begin the process of stepping down as leader of the Welsh Labour Party and, as a result, First Minister.

    Having been elected as leader of my party in March, I had hoped that over the summer a period of reflection, rebuilding and renewal could take place under my leadership. I recognise now that this is not possible.

    It has been the honour of my life to do this job even for a few short months. To see the dedication to public service from our civil service, and the dedication to civility from the Welsh public.

    To see the election of a new government in Westminster, and the fresh hope that brings to Wales. I have always pursued my political career to serve Wales.

    And being able to show underrepresented communities that there is a place for them, for us, is an honour and privilege that will never diminish.

    It’s what drew me into public service. Before becoming an MS I fought employment cases for people who’d been mistreated at work.

    I wanted to give power those without a voice. That has always been my motivation. I also campaigned to help create the Senedd, clocking up 30 years of work to support Wales’ devolution journey.

    This has been the most difficult time, for me, and my family. A growing assertion that some kind of wrongdoing has taken place has been pernicious, politically motivated and patently untrue.

    In 11 years as a Minister, I have never ever made a decision for personal gain. I have never ever misused or abused my ministerial responsibilities.My integrity matters. I have not compromised it.

    I regret that the burden of proof is no longer an important commodity in the language of our politics. I do hope that can change. I will now discuss a timetable for the election of new leader of my party.

    Finally, I want to say thank you to those who have reached out to support me, my team and my family in recent weeks. It has meant the world to all of us.

    To those in Wales who look like me – many of whom I know feel personally bruised and worried by this moment, I know that our country can be better. I know that cannot happen without us. There will – and there must be – a government that looks like the country it serves.

    Thank you.

  • Vaughan Gething – 2024 Response in the Senedd to No Confidence Vote Against Him

    Vaughan Gething – 2024 Response in the Senedd to No Confidence Vote Against Him

    The speech made by Vaughan Gething, the Welsh First Minister, in the Senedd on 5 June 2024.

    Diolch, Llywydd. I regret that the Conservatives have brought forward this motion today. I do not regret it because I think I’m above criticism. I do not regret it because I think I have made and will continue to make mistakes. I am human, I am fallible. I do not even regret it because of the issues it raises, because I have nothing to hide. I regret the motion because it is designed to question my integrity.

    Like so many of you in this Chamber, I have dedicated my adult life to public service and to Wales. Even in the midst of an election campaign, it does hurt deeply when my intentions are questioned. I have never, ever made a decision in more than a decade as a Minister for personal or financial gain—never. I do not doubt the sincerity behind some of the questions that the motion touches on today, even if the motion is transparently designed for another purpose. I hope the people in this Chamber and beyond will take a moment to reflect on the sincerity with which I have answered and continue to answer these questions. I will not shy away from scrutiny and challenge. I have reflected on donations and, as Members know, I’ve instigated a review into how that is handled in the future in my party, and I’ve asked the cross-party Standards of Conduct Committee to look at Senedd rules for all of us.

    We cannot, of course, retrofit new rules to old campaigns where we don’t like the result. That is not how democracy works, but I do take seriously what people have said to me outside the cut and thrust of this Chamber. The support that I’ve received in recent weeks from Labour Party colleagues across Wales and the UK has been overwhelming, and I’m grateful for their incredible generosity of spirit and solidarity. More than that, I want to thank the many members of the public for their support in person, online and in a variety of means. Diolch o galon i chi. I also want to recognise that, like me, so many people of colour have been traduced and vilified merely for raising concerns about how some of these debates have been handled. Our lived experience should matter and be respected. We still have a very long way to go.

    Mae gennym ni ffordd bell i fynd.

    We still have a long way to go.

    Pairs are a normal part of how this Parliament and many others work. It preserves the democratic balance determined by the electorate. Welsh Labour has always paired with other parties during ill health absence. We did so for three months with the leader of the Welsh Conservatives. The refusal to do so today when two of our Members are unwell reflects poorly on opposition parties. This is meant to be a motion about confidence, but we know that it is not. The timing tells you everything that you need to know.

    If Andrew R.T. Davies and his colleagues were genuinely concerned about the issue of political donations, they would have spoken out at a different time. They would have stood up when it really counted. They would have rejected the millions of pounds given to their party by a man who boasted about wanting to shoot a black female MP, or the millions given to their party by a man who served as a Minister in a foreign dictatorship.

    If that party had genuine concerns about how decisions were made and actions taken during the pandemic, they would have stood up when it counted. They would have walked away from the party that partied in Downing Street whilst the country was on its knees; walked away not defended a Prime Minister served with a criminal fixed-penalty notice.

    If that party had genuine concern for the integrity of devolution and democracy in Wales, then they would do well to look to their own benches before casting the first stone—to demand of anyone else standards they have no intention of meeting themselves. They can talk about confidence until they are blue in the face to match their blue rosettes. If they want a real confidence motion, then table one properly in line with Standing Orders.

    I will tell them what I have confidence in. I have confidence in Wales and in our younger generation. I have confidence in our campaign to change our country. I have confidence that we do have brighter days ahead of us, and the kind of populist politics that are being promoted day after day by the Tories, I hope, is about to be dealt a hammer blow at the ballot box.

    I know that some will try to reframe this confidence as arrogance. It is absolutely not the same thing. And if that word did pop into your heads, I challenge you to ask why. I can make apologies for many things, but I will never shy away from a positive approach to politics, our country and our Government. I want us to to be a confident Cymru.

    To Plaid Cymru I say this: we have worked together in the past. I have offered you the hand of friendship, practical action and co-operation. I continue to do so. You yourself recognise the hypocrisy of the Tories. You say you want to see an end of the Tories in Wales, yet you come here today to link arms with them. There is nothing progressive about joining the Tory lead in an anti-Labour alliance. It is the very opposite of the co-operation that we have worked through. It is of course for you to explain to your voters, members and potential supporters why now, of all times, you would side with a party that makes enemies of the vulnerable, that smashed our economy and treats Wales as an afterthought.

    Gwlad dros blaid. I will continue to put Wales first; first in thought, deed and ambition, as I serve and lead my country. Diolch yn fawr.

  • Vaughan Gething – 2023 Statement on the Appointment of new Chief Scientific Adviser for Wales

    Vaughan Gething – 2023 Statement on the Appointment of new Chief Scientific Adviser for Wales

    The statement made by Vaughan Gething, the Welsh Minister for the Economy, on 11 January 2023.

    Following a very competitive process, I am very pleased to announce our new Chief Scientific Adviser for Wales, Professor Jas Pal Badyal FRS. He will become Wales’ fourth lead advisor on science.

    Professor Badyal is a distinguished Chemist, currently holding a Chair at the University of Durham. He was elected to Fellowship of the Royal Society in 2016 and enjoys a truly global reputation.

    He is particularly recognised for his work on the functionalisation of solid surfaces and deposition of functional nanolayers. His cutting-edge chemical research has many and varied real-world applications – from antibacterial medical applications to making water-repellent coatings for smart phones – from fog-harvesting to providing clean water in developing countries, to prevention of fouling on buildings and marine surfaces. He has a strong understanding of the challenges surrounding the translation of research discoveries into commercial opportunities. Professor Badyal’s insight and advice will be a welcome addition to strengthening the role R&D can play in taking forward our Programme for Government commitments.

    I look forward to welcoming and working with Professor Badyal who is expected to take up his post early this year.

  • Vaughan Gething – 2022 Statement on a Statutory Licensing Scheme for all Visitor Accommodation in Wales

    Vaughan Gething – 2022 Statement on a Statutory Licensing Scheme for all Visitor Accommodation in Wales

    The statement made by Vaughan Gething, the Welsh Minister for the Economy, in the Welsh Parliament on 15 November 2022.

    Diolch, Dirprwy Lywydd. I am pleased to have the opportunity today to provide an update on the steps we are taking to help secure a sustainable and thriving visitor economy that supports and enhances communities across Wales. The visitor economy is rapidly changing, and the role of visitor accommodation presents major challenges for communities across the world. For example, the growth of online booking platforms has brought many benefits, such as new routes to market and increased consumer choice. However, we are aware of the concerns around compliance with existing requirements and the impact of short-term lets on housing stock and our communities.

    Our plans to develop a statutory licensing scheme will be focused on levelling the playing field as part of a long-term response to the major challenges that we face. Our co-operation agreement with Plaid Cymru commits to a statutory licensing scheme for holiday lets as part of a package of measures to address the negative impact second homes and short-term holiday lets can have on the availability and affordability of housing for local people in our communities. In July of this year, the First Minister and the leader of Plaid Cymru confirmed plans to introduce a statutory licensing scheme for all visitor accommodation, including short-term lets, making it a requirement to obtain a licence, with the aim of raising standards across the tourism industry.

    Prior to that, and over the course of the past year, we have been exploring and engaging with stakeholders how such a scheme could work in Wales. Contractors were appointed to undertake this work last year and they conducted interviews and focus groups with key stakeholders from local authorities, sector representative bodies and accommodation operators. They explored the benefits of such a scheme and the key considerations of how such a scheme could be taken forward and implemented here in Wales. A review of how other destinations globally approach such schemes was also taken into account. This initial work has shaped the consultation that the Government will look to be launching shortly.

    But first, Dirprwy Lywydd, I’d like to outline the aims and proposed benefits of such a scheme. The primary aim is to establish a level playing field for all visitor accommodation businesses operating in the sector. The concern around the lack of a level playing field has been a long-standing area of discussion. Specifically, there are concerns that certain parts of the sector, for example informal short-term lets, do not meet or comply with their statutory obligations, whereas established, bona fide businesses do. A statutory licensing scheme could provide the mechanism to address this through requiring operators to evidence that they have certain requirements in place, such as the correct insurance, confirmation of planning status, evidence of fire-risk assessment, gas safety certificate, proof of electrical safety, to list a few examples. This scheme will help to ensure that there is a consistent standard that all operators should meet. Having a scheme where visitor accommodation businesses must meet a certain threshold of requirements conveys a very clear message to consumers that visitor accommodation businesses in Wales meet certain requirements on standards and safety.

    A scheme would also give us enhanced intelligence—a comprehensive database, which is not currently available, of exactly who is operating in the industry. It is currently not possible to determine how many visitor accommodation businesses there are in Wales or in any given community. Understanding the scale and the nature of the sector will be an important tool in developing future policies at either a local or national level. Establishing a statutory database of licensed visitor accommodation businesses would give the Welsh Government and other partners, such as local authorities, a mechanism to communicate on key issues relating to the sector. We saw how challenging it can be to reach all parts of the sector through our recent experiences during the COVID-19 pandemic.

    We also recognise that a statutory licensing scheme will provide an important foundation for other policy areas. Having the information provided by such a scheme will provide data on the scale and nature of our tourism offer to inform policy considerations, locally and nationally, around evidence-led management of second homes, holiday lets and developing the visitor economy and infrastructure. It could also support the collection of a visitor levy. For the visitor levy, having a licensing system would provide a comprehensive list of all visitor accommodation providers in an area. This could support the ongoing administration of the levy, as those who will require a licence will likely be the same as those who will be required to charge and collect a levy. There are clear links between these proposals, and I would encourage contributions to the 12-week visitor levy consultation, which closes on 13 December.

    As I previously mentioned, in looking to establish a statutory licensing scheme, we’re also looking at similar mechanisms operational or in development across the world. In the UK, different approaches have been taken by our neighbours and are at different stages of development. In Northern Ireland, visitor accommodation providers must receive certification by Tourism Northern Ireland in order to operate, and this scheme has been in place since 1992. The Scottish Government has legislation in place requiring all short-term let hosts and operators to obtain a licence to operate, unless specifically excluded. Existing hosts and operators have until 1 April next year to apply for a licence in Scotland. And in England, the Department for Culture, Media and Sport recently closed a call for evidence on the potential introduction of a tourist accommodation registration scheme. The purpose of the DCMS consultation is to better understand the benefits and challenges of the increase in short-term and holiday letting in England, and to gather initial evidence on the potential impact of a range of possible policy responses. There are other examples too, such as the compulsory schemes operating in the Isle of Man and in the Republic of Ireland. We’re looking to learn from these various examples, including what lessons can be learnt from the Rent Smart Wales model in terms of developing our own scheme.

    Following a series of engagement sessions with key stakeholders over recent months, we will shortly be launching a formal consultation to seek views on the shape and nature of the proposed statutory licensing scheme here in Wales. Feedback on some of the aims underlying a proposed licensing scheme has been supportive, especially in relation to establishing a level playing field, developing better intelligence and increased consumer confidence. However, some concerns have been raised around the perceived regulatory burden that may accompany a licensing scheme. This includes the work involved in providing evidence of current use in relation to planning, and the role played by local authorities in meeting this demand.

    Both the Welsh Government and Plaid Cymru agree that a statutory licensing scheme offers the most robust mechanism for delivery in Wales, being an approach that sets a standard for visitor accommodation businesses to operate. However, the consultation will enable a range of views to come forward, including on the requirements of a licensing scheme. We’ll be seeking views on how such a statutory scheme could operate, be that nationally or at a local level, or a hybrid model combining elements of both. In addition, we’ll be looking to gather views on whether all visitor accommodation businesses should require a licence, or whether there should be any exceptions. We’ll also look to test how frequently licences should be renewed, and the licence fees that might need to be charged. In deciding on any fee structure, we are of course mindful of the pressures on businesses in the current climate.

    We believe that most people would want to operate within the law, therefore one of the aims is to develop a scheme that will ensure a high level of voluntary compliance. However, proposals for compliance and enforcement measures, including penalties, to ensure fairness will be tested at consultation. We will be launching the consultation in December and will be encouraging our stakeholders to engage in the process. Diolch yn fawr. I’m happy to take questions.

  • Vaughan Gething – 2022 Statement on the Arfor 2 Programme

    Vaughan Gething – 2022 Statement on the Arfor 2 Programme

    The statement made by Vaughan Gething, the Welsh Minister for the Economy, on 10 October 2022.

    I am pleased to inform Members that as part of the Co-operation Agreement with Plaid Cymru, I have agreed proposals for an Arfor 2 programme.

    A budget of £11m is being made available over the 3-year period 2022/23 – 2024/24 to support the programme which will, alongside our wider support package, deliver a range of economic interventions aimed at promoting entrepreneurship, business growth, community resilience and the Welsh language.

    We have been working with Cefin Campbell MS, the Designated Member and local authority partners in the spirit of co-production to develop proposals which build on the learning from the original 2-year Arfor programme (2019/20 – 20/21) which sought to pilot a number of activities.  The findings of the independent evaluation of that programme have also been key to help shape this new programme.

    The Arfor 2 programme, which is to be delivered by the local authorities, will be operational in Gwynedd, Anglesey, Ceredigion and Carmarthenshire. It will support a number of strategic interventions, including a focus on opportunities for young people and families to enable them to stay or return to their home communities – and to fulfil their aspirations locally.

    This programme will make an important contribution to the Welsh Government’s wider Welsh language strategy – Cymraeg 2050 which aims to reach a million Welsh speakers by 2050 and aims to complement existing or planned activity which is of relevance for example Business Wales, Big Ideas, SMART innovation, Welsh Language Communities Housing Plan and other programmes.

    The Arfor 2 programme will seek:

    • To create opportunities for young people and families (under 35 years old) to stay in or return to their home communities – supporting them to succeed locally by engaging in enterprise or developing a career.
    • To create enterprising communities within Welsh-speaking areas – by supporting commercial and community enterprises that aim to preserve and increase local wealth by taking advantage of the identity and unique qualities of their areas.
    • To maximise the benefit of activity through collaboration– to ensure that good practice and lessons learnt are shared and that there is on-going monitoring to ensure continuous improvement.
    • Strengthen the identity of communities with a high density of Welsh speakers – by supporting the use and visibility of the Welsh language, encouraging a sense of place.

    The Arfor 2 programme will also look to promote the learning and sharing of good practice and to broaden our understanding of the links between economy and language, and where relevant housing, and identify those interventions which can make a difference.

    Work will now continue on the detail of the proposed interventions, and I will update Members as the programme progresses.

  • Vaughan Gething – 2020 Statement on Scientific Advice in Wales

    Vaughan Gething – 2020 Statement on Scientific Advice in Wales

    Below is the text of the statement made by Vaughan Gething, the Minister for Health and Social Services in Wales, on 4 May 2020.

    The Welsh Government’s Chief Scientific Advisor for Health Dr Rob Orford joined the UK Government’s Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (SAGE) COVID-19 meetings on 11 February 2020.

    SAGE is responsible for ensuring timely and co-ordinated scientific advice is available to decision makers to support UK cross-government decisions in the Cabinet Office Briefing Room (COBR).

    Wales’ Chief Medical Officer Dr Frank Atherton and Dr Orford agreed a formal technical and scientific advisory structure within Welsh Government was also needed to provide official sensitive advice to Ministers. The terms of reference for a Technical Advisory Cell (TAC) were agreed on 3 March, in accordance with SAGE guidance. TAC meets three times a week.

    The TAC is designed to:

    Interpret SAGE outputs into a Welsh context

    Relay relevant information and questions from Welsh Government to SAGE

    Ensure indirect harm is not caused by the proposed interventions

    Help inform NHS and social care planning guidance

    Ensure Welsh Government and Public Health Wales have timely access to the most up-to-date scientific and technical information

    Brief Local Resilience Forum and Strategic Coordinating Group chairs about scientific and technical outputs, via the

    Strategic Health Coordinating Support Group, which is chaired by Public Health Wales.

    TAC does not replace statutory functions of Public Health Wales or use the technical or scientific information, which has not been agreed or discussed by SAGE, unless this has a specific Welsh context.

    The priorities of TAC are aligned to SAGE and include:

    The detection and monitoring of coronavirus

    Understanding effective actions to help contain a cluster

    Understand, measure and alter the shape of the UK epidemic

    Ensure indirect harm is not caused by the proposed interventions

    Model the UK epidemic and identify key numbers for NHS planning

    Understand risk factors around demographics, geographies and vulnerable groups

    Generate behavioural science insights for policy makers

    Ensure NHS tests and trials key interventions

    Consider emerging therapeutic, diagnostic and other opportunities.

    TAC is co-chaired by Dr Orford and the Deputy Director for Technology and Digital. Membership is drawn from Welsh Government, Public Health Wales, Cardiff University and Swansea University. A range of experts from different disciplines are included covering public health, health protection, medicine, epidemiology, modelling, technology, data science, statistics, microbiology, molecular biology, immunology, genomics, physical sciences and research.

    Membership of TAC is kept under constant review.

  • Vaughan Gething – 2020 Statement on the NHS and Covid-19 in Wales

    Vaughan Gething – 2020 Statement on the NHS and Covid-19 in Wales

    Below is the text of the statement made by Vaughan Gething, the Minister for Health and Social Services in Wales, on 6 May 2020.

    We are moving out of a period of COVID-19 critical planning and response and into a longer period where our health and care system must remain both prepared for any future peaks and effectively providing essential services and other high quality care and treatment for the people of Wales.

    In March I made a number of decisions to ensure early and decisive action to continue to provide care and support to the most vulnerable people in our communities, whilst also making sure organisations and professionals were supported to prepare local responses to the public health emergency. The NHS in Wales has already delivered a remarkable response to the COVID-19 health emergency since receiving the first coronavirus patients and now we must take the next steps.

    To maintain momentum and to ensure the system continues to focus its attention on the provision of a wider range of services, I have issued an NHS Wales COVID-19 operating framework for quarter 1 (2020/21).

    The document highlights four types of harm that could emanate from Covid-19 which we must remain focused on and guard against. These are;

    Harm from COVID-19 itself

    Harm from an overwhelmed NHS and social care system

    Harm from a reduction in non COVID-19 activity

    Harm from a wider societal actions / lockdown

    This framework will drive, even further, our systems focus on the two components of ensuring both a continued effective response to COVID-19 whilst providing other essential services in a careful and balanced manner.

    I have taken advice from professional colleagues, including NHS Chief Executives and Medical Directors. This advice demonstrates consensus across the health and care system that we must ensure delivery of essential services for our population and where possible recommence more routine care. The advice I have received also says that this must be done progressively, with caution and in a flexible and agile manner to ensure confidence for the public and staff.

    This framework is set under a number of themes;

    New ways of working and workforce wellbeing – Staff have created and quickly embraced new ways of working to respond to the COVID19 challenge- offering benefits in terms of safety and quality to both staff and patients whilst also contributing to reduced congestion in primary care and hospital settings. We must continue to build on this work and harness the opportunities it has provided.

    Examples of the scale of transformation include the rollout of video consultations safely to primary care. Locally and nationally these new ways of working must be sustainably embedded.

    This framework recognises the importance of the wellbeing of our workforce, and in particular those staff who have been under significant pressure in responding to COVID 19 and they must be at the forefront of our minds. Pressures may increase again in the next few months. I am clear that appropriate testing systems must be in place and be informed by the impending Testing Strategy being developed to support and help sustain staff.

    Managing COVID 19 – It will always be difficult to guarantee that health and social settings will be COVID free, however patients using the NHS must be confident that hospital environments are as safe as possible. The key criterion I will looking to organisations to be assured on include:

    Ongoing and consistent application of Infection Prevention and Control guidance.

    Identification of COVID “zones” and dedicated isolation facilities. I will be anticipating that regional solutions are explored along with the targeted use of independent sector hospitals and field hospitals to support the separation of covid and non-covid activity in the immediate term.

    New service or specialty based triage and streaming processes in both unscheduled and planned care to support the separation of patient services.

    Continued implementation of Acute Pathways for COVID 19 and the related rehabilitation
    Assurance on the availability of sufficient physical and workforce capacity that reflect the need to maintain social distancing and infection prevention and control measures.

    The framework reflects my determination that we retain our ability to quickly activate additional critical care capacity, if we enter into another peak.

    “Essential” services – I am clear that Essential Services should be maintained at all times throughout the pandemic. An Essential Services technical document has been developed in line with The World Health Organization (WHO) guidance. If, in any areas of essential services, the response to COVID 19 has led to backlogs they must be urgently addressed. Ultimately I recognise that some decisions on treatment will rest between patients and their clinicians, taking account of their specific risks during the COVID outbreak.

    “Routine” services – We know that capacity exists in some parts of our system to support the re-introduction of routine services. The reintroduction of these services is a local operational decision for Health Boards and Trusts in conjunction with relevant partners. These decisions must be taken with care, and organisations need to assure themselves that it is safe and appropriate to do so. I outline how they need to assure themselves in the framework.

    Primary care – For General Medical Services we have seen a shift to telephone first triage; this must remain in place during Quarter 1 and I encourage it longer term. Equally our community pharmacy services have been under significant pressure and have introduced new ways of working to manage patient care safely and efficiently, these too must continue where the benefits are clear.

    All routine primary care dental treatments and check-ups continue to be cancelled. Dental practices with NHS contracts remain ‘open’ for remote triage, the provision of advice and the issuing of prescription. Further guidance will be issued separately to this framework about the future status and restoration of dental services. In optometry services, a number of practices remain open for emergency and essential eye care services. Health boards must continue to ensure urgent patients are seen.

    Social Care Interface – Finally the framework makes clear that NHS organisations must continue to work with partners to ensure an effective interface with social care. This is in line with the approach set out in “A Healthier Wales” and the framework makes clear how this must happen.

    There has been clear and consistent messages for the public that the NHS is still available at times of need despite COVID-19. We must continue to ensure that key services are available and patients can access them, now and in the future.

    To help patients access these services over the last eight to ten weeks there has been a seismic level of transformation across our system. We must reflect on these changes but not dwell on them. They must be adopted, adapted and applied. This framework supports the health and care system in moving to the next phase of providing services.