Rhun ap Iorwerth: We missed one out there, I think.
Rhun ap Iorwerth: Formally.
Rhun ap Iorwerth: Formally.
Rhun ap Iorwerth: Diolch, Llywydd. It seems remarkable, in a debate such as this, that we’re going to have to go over some of the basics of how the Welsh Government receives its funding and why the decisions of how England chooses to run its national health service are relevant to both the financial and workforce decisions that are possible in Wales. So, for the benefit of people who perhaps don’t...
Rhun ap Iorwerth: But it isn’t just on the alleged privatisation and austerity where there are concerns due to the political structure of Wales being overly dependent on decisions made by politicians in London. The transatlantic trade and investment partnership talks that were ongoing a couple of years ago attracted major concern because of the effects that such a deal could have on the NHS. Had TTIP been...
Rhun ap Iorwerth: The figures I quoted were of the money going into the private sector, which I admit is growing slowly, but it’s exactly this ‘death by a thousand cuts’ that threatens the future of the NHS. [Interruption.] From a sedentary position, the Conservative health spokesman asks if I’m going to talk about Wales. This is the context in which the future of the Welsh NHS will try to survive. In...
Rhun ap Iorwerth: Thank you very much, Deputy Presiding Officer, and thank you to everyone who has contributed today. The purpose of this debate and the purpose of the motion is clear and very simple, I believe. I think that the Conservatives are eager to transfer more powers and funding for the health service to the private sector. The evidence shows that. The figures—. The 8 per cent of the budget going to...
Rhun ap Iorwerth: I was delighted that the Assembly unanimously last week supported a Plaid Cymru amendment to the Public Health (Wales) Bill, which will mean that there will be a Government strategy to tackle obesity on the face of that Bill. And I’m grateful to Members of all parties and to the Government for supporting that. Does the First Minister agree that our clubs and professional sporting...
Rhun ap Iorwerth: I was very pleased, a few days ago, to see the Welsh Government noting Llangefni station as one that could be reopened in future. This emerges directly from the work that my predecessor, Ieuan Wyn Jones, did as Minister for transport, in commissioning a feasibility study on the potential of reopening the line from Gaerwen, through Llangefni, to Amlwch—something that I know would bring huge...
Rhun ap Iorwerth: May I thank the Cabinet Secretary for his statement, and for all of the work staff and volunteers in the health service and the third sector do in providing end-of-life care and palliative care across Wales? I don’t think there’s much new, truth be told, in today’s statement—although it’s always useful to have an update—so may I refer, perhaps, to what should happen in the mind of...
Rhun ap Iorwerth: It’s good to be able to note that it is Dementia Awareness Week, and I congratulate everyone involved with activities this week. It was nice to see our friends from the Alzheimer’s Society Wales here in the Assembly today, and there are events happening across Wales—I had an e-mail this afternoon drawing my attention to an event in Llangefni town hall between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. on...
Rhun ap Iorwerth: We will be supporting this Bill today. Don’t get me wrong: I am not suggesting that all Bills should go through a similar journey to that of the Public Health (Wales) Bill through the Assembly, but I do think that the fact that the Bill, to all intents and purposes, went through this Assembly twice—it does show the work done by all parties, including Government and the opposition parties,...
Rhun ap Iorwerth: Diolch, Llywydd. Now, last week was Mental Health Awareness Week, and, though that’s been and gone, we’ve got to keep the issue’s prominence, of course, on our agenda. Last week, I raised the issue of mental health services in the north of Wales with the First Minister, in particular the number of mental health patients who had been sent out of north Wales, hundreds of miles away from...
Rhun ap Iorwerth: So you keep telling us. Some of the figures that the First Minister didn’t accept this week were that waiting times for CAMHS haven’t improved. He claimed things had moved on significantly. We all know that if you want to demonstrate improvement, you simply take the month where figures were at their worst as your starting point and compare with more recent ones and, unless the performance...
Rhun ap Iorwerth: But people aren’t stupid; they know when people are being selective with figures. There’s clearly a shortage of staff in mental health, and I hope that you would agree with that. Another area of health workforce where we have shortages is among GPs. It’s a Wales-wide problem. It’s one of the reasons to support Plaid Cymru’s pledge to train and recruit 1,000 extra doctors. Now,...
Rhun ap Iorwerth: Thank you very much, Chair. I will keep my comments brief. Earlier in the Chamber, we discussed Plaid Cymru’s aim of training and recruiting and extra 1,000 doctors in Wales. I was extremely disappointed with the response of the Minister. ‘Mae hyn yn uchelgeisiol, ond nid yw’n gyraeddadwy’ were the Cabinet Secretary’s words. Now, we’re talking here of a 10-year programme. This is...
Rhun ap Iorwerth: Will you take an intervention?
Rhun ap Iorwerth: I don’t think he is either.
Rhun ap Iorwerth: 3. Will the First Minister make a statement on transport links in Ynys Môn? OAQ(5)0637(FM)[W]
Rhun ap Iorwerth: Thank you. It's some two and a half years since the former Minister for the economy confirmed to me that work was ongoing to try and deliver plans to improve the links between the A55 and the port of Holyhead, where there are major traffic jams at the moment, particularly when lorries try to leave the port. Now, people ask me often when they will see this road completed, and I share their...
