Heledd Fychan: It is a lifeline for many. We cannot underestimate how important it is. One of the things that I'm really pleased that you've emphasised today is in terms of the eligibility criteria, because one of the things that has been brought up with me, from those whose young people within families are completely reliant on the EMA, has been the eligibility criteria when that young person is a carer....
Heledd Fychan: Trefnydd, last week, it was announced that the Minister for Climate Change had approved a planning appeal that means the life of Craig yr Hesg quarry in my region, as well as the area quarried, will be extended. This is despite significant local objections and the fact that Rhondda Cynon Taf council's planning committee had rejected both applications. I would, therefore, like to request a...
Heledd Fychan: May I echo the words that have already been expressed in terms of thanking Sally Holland for her tenure over seven years? I think her parting lecture, as well, was food for thought for many of us, reflecting on the challenges that she believed still faced so many children and young people. I would also like to welcome the new children's commissioner, who has shown already in her role that she...
Heledd Fychan: 5. How is the Welsh Government supporting local authorities in South Wales Central to maintain their statutory services? OQ58625
Heledd Fychan: Thank you, Minister. I was referencing, in particular, the authorities within my region.
Heledd Fychan: One essential statutory provision is social services, and, specifically, care. We know that there are huge problems when it comes to recruiting carers. As a result, more and more individuals are becoming unpaid carers in order to look after their loved ones, and they face financial hardship as a result. Have there been any discussions with the Welsh Local Government Association in terms of...
Heledd Fychan: Thank you, Sam, for bringing this forward today.
Heledd Fychan: I don't avidly follow your Twitter or Facebook, I have to admit; I like to look after my blood pressure. [Laughter.] But I have seen the research that you've referenced, and, certainly, we can all relay the countless benefits there are from outdoor education. Many of us, as Huw mentioned, have had the pleasure of being in Llangrannog, Glan-llyn—all those are invaluable experiences, and we...
Heledd Fychan: Trefnydd, you and other Members will be aware, I'm sure, of the outcomes of the survey of NAHT Cymru, which were published today, which conveyed a very concerning picture in terms of the pressure on school budgets. We heard last week that the idea of teaching online for one day a week had been mentioned in Powys, and, in terms of the survey, that headteachers were considering job losses, as...
Heledd Fychan: Wales has a long history of internationalism. Solidarity movements have existed for generations, with communities as far afield as Somaliland, as we know from Wales's coal-trading history and long-settled diaspora; Lesotho, through Dolen Cymru, founded in 1982, which after all was the world's first nation-to-nation twinning; and Uganda, where several charities have worked over four decades....
Heledd Fychan: Thank you very much, Dirprwy Lywydd, and I’d like to thank those of you who will be staying for today's debate. I’d like to confirm that I have given a minute of my time to—
Heledd Fychan: Thank you, Dirprwy Lywydd. I'd like to confirm that I have given a minute of my time to Sioned Williams today. Every day, around the world, it is estimated that 300 million people bleed due to menstruation. It's a completely normal act—as normal as going to the bathroom—but for far too long, talking about periods has been taboo. Indeed, despite the fact that there has been more open...
Heledd Fychan: I’m ashamed to admit that period poverty isn’t something I’d been very aware of prior to becoming a councillor in 2017. It was an issue that was raised by my then fellow Plaid Cymru councillor on Rhondda Cynon Taf council, Elyn Stephens, when she asked us as a group to support a notice of motion that she wanted to submit, urging the council to look into providing free sanitary products...
Heledd Fychan: Some of you may be wondering why there's a need to legislate on this issue, when we already have a positive action plan in place. Well, as we all know in this Senedd, legislation makes a strong statement that can have a more far-reaching effect on cultural practices and expectations. There are many examples where a legislative change has led to cultural changes that have affected people's...
Heledd Fychan: So my plea to the Minister today is: please continue the great work that you are already doing, but please go that step further by also enshrining the right to free period products, wherever you are in Wales, in law. Action plans are great but can lose momentum when competing with other priorities. This is the only way to fully realise our shared ambition for ensuring period dignity for all....
Heledd Fychan: 2. How is the Welsh Government supporting local authorities in South Wales Central to secure a home for everyone who needs one in light of the cost-of-living crisis? OQ58722
Heledd Fychan: Diolch, Prif Weinidog. I was contacted last week by a single parent with primary-school-aged children who have diabetes, autism and ADHD. Mam works as a school assistant, and has an expired eviction notice as the landlord is selling the house. The local council told her to seek private rental accommodation, but the cheapest she can find is £995 per calendar month. Estate agents said she...
Heledd Fychan: Thank you, Deputy Minister. Childcare is an important element of the co-operation agreement, and I'm pleased to welcome this afternoon's statement. The facts that you have referred to demonstrate just why this is so important, and the impact that expansion is already having. I know of casework in the past involving people who would have benefited a great deal from what you have shared with us...
Heledd Fychan: Universal free childcare has been recognised as the greatest of equalisers by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. While expanding access to free childcare directly benefits children in their formative years, it also—as you’ve acknowledged—has wider benefits in tackling poverty. As we know, it removes some of the barriers to help parents, particularly mothers, to...
Heledd Fychan: Thank you, Minister, for your statement.
