Rhun ap Iorwerth: I'm pleased the Minister mentioned the care sector. I want to turn to care homes now. It's a very real concern for me that more robust steps are not being taken to safeguard this sector, which of course is facing such a huge risk. The Minister will know that I'm of the view that the Government needs to have a plan to extend asymptomatic testing to include all care homes, whatever their size....
Rhun ap Iorwerth: As this is the first opportunity I've had to question the Minister during this crisis, I want to pursue a few fundamental issues. I will ask first of all for a little more information about the issue you just mentioned in terms of persuading the Treasury to look differently at how the Welsh Government can use its borrowing powers. I appreciate the clarity in terms of what you're seeking as a...
Rhun ap Iorwerth: That is good news, I think. I should have mentioned the figures from the Wales Governance Centre. I think they estimated a month ago that the additional funding provided to Wales through Barnett was some £500 million less than the cost of coronavirus to Wales, so that gives us some sort of context. In addition to that, there are other areas where we could look for flexibility from the...
Rhun ap Iorwerth: I'd like to return to something that—[Interruption].
Rhun ap Iorwerth: Diolch, Dirprwy Lywydd. Now, Welsh Government has so far refused to recommend that people should wear face masks when out in public. The latest advice I could find from Welsh Government is that people could wear them if they want to, which isn't particularly useful, because people look to Government for leadership at times like this. I must say, the evidence that I am seeing is getting much,...
Rhun ap Iorwerth: And I'd urge you to ask the chief medical officer to look at this. You say it might be something for the future, but when we're fighting coronavirus, the future is now in a way. What's going to happen with the pattern of the disease in Wales over the coming months can be affected by decisions that are taken now. I've spent much of the past three months pushing for the best possible protection...
Rhun ap Iorwerth: May I say at the outset that it's very important that we strike the right balance in our scrutiny between looking at what has happened during this pandemic and looking forward at the steps that still need to be developed in order to safeguard the public. I've heard some suggesting again today that whatever has happened and whatever mistakes were made by Government, well, there we go, we can...
Rhun ap Iorwerth: Well, first of all, those who make those comments clearly take it for granted that there will be an inquiry, and as Adam Price said earlier, there is no question of the need for such an inquiry; indeed, we will need inquiries at a number of different levels, but I don't think that we can make that separation quite that easily between what's happened and the lessons that need to be learned and...
Rhun ap Iorwerth: A week ago, I was calling on the Welsh Government to make a recommendation that people should wear a face mask in certain circumstances, and may I say that I am pleased that the Government has now taken action on that. But I wanted to pursue issues of dentistry in COVID-19. I've had a number of dentists contacting me following an announcement on how dental services are to be restored in...
Rhun ap Iorwerth: I will come to my question immediately. [Continues.]—and they also said that there's been an opportunity taken to change dental contracts, and I don't think that this is the right time to do this. So, I ask the First Minister, does he hear those concerns and is he willing to work with the profession to find an alternative way forward?
Rhun ap Iorwerth: Thank you, Llywydd. Today, I jointly signed a letter to the First Minister with the Anglesey Tourism Association and the council outlining our concerns about the tourism sector. There are many businesses on their knees now, and quite simply we're asking for greater clarity from the Government in terms of its plans for the sector over the next few weeks and months. This is how I see it: you...
Rhun ap Iorwerth: I think however we look at it, the experience we're going through at the moment is a turning point in our history. There will be lives that will never be the same again, families who are grieving, people facing long-term health challenges, and the change has touched upon everything—the way that services are delivered, the way that Government works, even. Of course, the economic impact is...
Rhun ap Iorwerth: With these few words.
Rhun ap Iorwerth: The time has come to be innovative and ambitious and to set new horizons for our nation.
Rhun ap Iorwerth: Thank you very much, Llywydd. I have just some comments on the regulations. I would like to start by sending my sincere condolences to Mohammad Asghar's family in their loss. There is little change to the regulations. In terms of the penalties and fines, well, there's been little need to threaten people with financial fines to date because most people have been very happy to adhere to the...
Rhun ap Iorwerth: 4. What discussions has the Minister had with the UK Government regarding the Agriculture Bill? OQ55321
Rhun ap Iorwerth: 1. Will the Minister make a statement on the cases of Covid-19 that stem from the 2 Sisters factory in Llangefni? TQ449
Rhun ap Iorwerth: Will the Deputy Minister make a statement on the voluntary sector's response to the current pandemic?
Rhun ap Iorwerth: Thank you very much. It was very, very disappointing that Conservative MPs representing rural constituencies in Wales, including Ynys Môn, voted recently against an amendment to the Agriculture Bill that sought to safeguard the interests of Welsh farmers. The purpose of the amendment was to ensure that imported agricultural produce under post-Brexit trade deals would have to adhere to the...
Rhun ap Iorwerth: Thank you very much. I am grateful for those statements. There is clearly concern locally as a result of the events of last week. The Government have said that they are now looking into the safety of the food production sector, and that's a good thing. May I ask why this kind of assessment hadn't happened before now, and has the Health and Safety Executive been effective enough in the...
