Rhun ap Iorwerth: In Bangor Cathedral today, family, friends and admirers remember, express gratitude for, and celebrate the life of Irfon. We need hardly utter his full name. Irfon Williams came to prominence through his battle with cancer. It was a personal battle for him—a battle for his health and for life itself. That battle required courage and determination, and Irfon showed those qualities in...
Rhun ap Iorwerth: Thank you very much for giving way. Will the Member accept that there was no threat, of course, to funding for farmers in Wales if we had stayed in the EU? The vote has taken place, of course, but would he accept that whether it is three, four or however many years with regard to the continuation of the funding, that isn’t enough for farmers who are trying to make investment decisions in...
Rhun ap Iorwerth: Will you take an intervention?
Rhun ap Iorwerth: You mentioned the 65 per cent down to 42 per cent. Will you accept that leaving the European Union means that that figure coming from the European Union will be zero in future and that, as it stands, the money coming from the UK Government, or the promise of it, is also zero? So, that’s what we’re negotiating for for Welsh farmers.
Rhun ap Iorwerth: Thank you very much for taking the intervention. Is it not the case, though, that, were it not for those CAP payments, farmers who are struggling to get by would have gone out of business altogether, with the untold costs that that would have for them and for Welsh society?
Rhun ap Iorwerth: Will you take an intervention?
Rhun ap Iorwerth: That’s a new one.
Rhun ap Iorwerth: 7. Will the First Minister make a statement on mental health services for young people? OAQ(5)0656(FM)W
Rhun ap Iorwerth: Thank you, Llywydd. It has been a great disappointment in my constituency as year 10 and 12 pupils hear that they won’t be going on work experience placements this year. I declare an interest as a father to one daughter in year 10, and another in year 12. Will the First Minister agree with this statement that Anglesey council officials certainly say is true, that what’s at the heart of...
Rhun ap Iorwerth: I was particularly pleased some weeks ago to have a conversation with Laura Burton, a young woman from Anglesey who volunteers her time for Time to Change and is doing excellent work in pressing for improvements in mental health services. I agreed with her that we certainly need to do more to change the attitudes of young people towards mental health, but also that an increase in awareness...
Rhun ap Iorwerth: I certainly welcome the consultation. This is, without doubt, an area of medical advancement that holds a huge amount of potential, as the Cabinet Secretary outlined. Of course, it fits into the agenda of disease prevention and early diagnosis as a means to improving outcomes for patients, plus, of course, saving money for the NHS. There are huge saving that can be made here through careful...
Rhun ap Iorwerth: 2. Will the Cabinet Secretary make a statement on work experience opportunities for pupils? OAQ(5)0131(EDU)[W]
Rhun ap Iorwerth: Thank you. This is an issue I raised with the First Minister in a supplementary question yesterday. A number of councils, as you know, have taken the decision to cancel the work-experience placement for year 10 and 12 pupils, including Anglesey. And, again, I declare an interest as the parent of two children—one in year 10 and the other in year 12. Parents and pupils have expressed huge...
Rhun ap Iorwerth: Thank you very much to Paul Davies for introducing this Bill. Plaid Cymru has been supportive of demands for legislation to safeguard and protect the rights of autistic people in Wales, as well as their families and carers—legislation that would improve the services accessed by people and would improve diagnosis. There will be a free vote on this. I certainly will be supporting the motion...
Rhun ap Iorwerth: I’ll keep my contribution today short. I just want to state my support, very simply, for this important motion. The aim is very simple too, and it’s also extremely exciting, I think. The aim is to eradicate hepatitis C in Wales in its entirety. Yes, there is a commitment from the World Health Organization to eradicate by 2030, but we, here in Wales, could move according to a tighter...
Rhun ap Iorwerth: Will the First Minister make a statement on support for disabled sport in Wales?
Rhun ap Iorwerth: Thank you, Llywydd. There have been a number of cases drawn to my attention of doctors trained in Wales who want to work in Wales, but, because they’ve worked abroad, or have been further trained abroad, they find it very difficult to register to work again in Wales. In one case—and I wrote to your predecessor about this case—she had to return to New Zealand having returned to Wales...
Rhun ap Iorwerth: And certainly, I will contact you, as I contacted your predecessor, who also gave me some warm words as you have done. But, unfortunately, it’s clear that there is a problem still facing us. I will move to the challenge of attracting doctors from England. Now, doctors registered in Wales can’t work in Wales until they’ve been registered, as you know, on the Welsh performers list....
Rhun ap Iorwerth: I certainly welcome any signals—and there are positive signals—in terms of an improvement in the number of those choosing to come to work in Wales, and an increase in the number of those choosing to train as GPs, and the financial incentive can play a part in that. But developing expertise and having the support to develop expertise is also something that appeals to junior doctors. And...
Rhun ap Iorwerth: It’s perfectly clear to me that the Government is in some difficulty on this issue. I will keep my comments very brief. I did agree with you, when you sat on these benches, when you did mention a lack of ambition among your predecessor Labour Welsh Ministers, but having listened to your responses today, I haven’t heard whether you are still committed to the targets that the First Minister...
