Heledd Fychan: Excellent. Thank you very much and thank you also for the role that you played in ensuring that young people of 16 and 17 did have the right to vote in this year's election. Although many young people took that opportunity, I'm very pleased to hear that you will be looking at the effectiveness of that campaign, but I'd also be interested to know whether that research will also include those...
Heledd Fychan: What legal advice has the Counsel General given to the Welsh Government regarding progressing the devolution of broadcasting to Wales?
Heledd Fychan: The first of the section 19 reports prepared by Rhondda Cynon Taf council into the 2020 floods was published last Thursday and related to Pentre. In the aftermath of its publication, we've seen a public fallout between Natural Resources Wales and RCT council about the conclusions, and calls from some local politicians for compensation and potential legal action. Further, as was reported...
Heledd Fychan: It is right that questions are asked of NRW and I raised this very issue yesterday in the Senedd, but I am concerned by the tone of the comments made today. At the end of the day, I think we need to remember that Natural Resources Wales are a Welsh Government sponsored body. In their own review and report into the floods, they stated that they have been underfunded and this has been on record...
Heledd Fychan: What steps are being taken to improve access to cancer treatment and diagnosis for residents of South Wales Central following the pandemic?
Heledd Fychan: First Minister, as you alluded to in our first response, Wales and Africa is about much more than trade. Oxfam Cymru, through their partners in Uganda, have been told that COVID-19 cases increased by over 1,000 per cent last month, and that only 4,000 people have been fully vaccinated in a population of 45 million. How is Welsh Government using its voice to push UK Government to share...
Heledd Fychan: Trefnydd, I'd like to request two statements, if I may, the first in terms of this Government's response to the fact that the UK Government refused last week the demands to give £1.2 billion from pension funds to former miners, and instead insisted on keeping hold of that funding. And how will the Welsh Government support those miners and their families to get justice and that which they...
Heledd Fychan: I'm sure we're as one in our hope that this will be a budget for recovery rather than a reactive budget, and I'd like to echo Llyr Gruffydd's points: this needs to be a radical budget if we are to address the challenges faced by our communities. It will be crucial, therefore, that the central role played by our cultural, arts, creative and heritage sectors is recognised in it. After all,...
Heledd Fychan: 4. What steps is the Welsh Government taking to address the concerns raised with the Minister by leaders of the WLGA in relation to Natural Resources Wales? OQ56769
Heledd Fychan: Thank you very much, Minister. I should declare here that I am a councillor in RCT too. You will be aware, I'm sure, that the Welsh Government has given funding to a number of local authorities, including RCT, to spend on temporary flood defences for homes, such as the flood gates and so on, and the project is being administered by Natural Resources Wales. Although a number of homes have...
Heledd Fychan: Right now, in Wales, it may feel, with this announcement, that the end of the pandemic is in sight. In fact, I've had a number of messages particularly happy that ice rinks are re-opening. But, in most places in the world, the pandemic is becoming even more deadly. Whilst we've all been enjoying the Euros over the past few weeks and seeing fans back inside stadiums, in Uganda, their national...
Heledd Fychan: In the region I represent, namely South Wales Central, up to today, 58,615 cases have emerged. From that, 2,095 people have died as a result of COVID-19 and we're all aware, of course, of the heartbreaking stories, with many people losing many loved ones within the same family, meaning that there have been over 2,000 funerals and so many tears shed within our communities. And I'm sure we're...
Heledd Fychan: Thank you, Trefnydd. You'll be aware, I'm sure, that there has been some coverage in the press and fierce opposition and local concerns about the consultation that took place over the summer on charging drivers to use the A470 between Upper Boat and Pontypridd and also on parts of the M4. I know that the Deputy Minister for Climate Change has stated on Twitter that there are no plans or...
Heledd Fychan: I welcome the opportunity to respond to this statement on the resettlement scheme, given the heart-rending situation in Afghanistan, and to discuss how Wales can and will provide refuge and support to those who need it. And I'd like to thank the Minister for organising a brief for us as Senedd Members last week so that there is an opportunity for an update. Plaid Cymru opposed the war in...
Heledd Fychan: You will be aware that a number of health boards, including Cwm Taf Morgannwg University Health Board, have put measures in place once again to restrict visitors to their sites, which, of course, is understandable. But, once again, we've seen restrictions in terms of when a partner or another individual can be with a woman giving birth, and it's only during birth and immediately afterwards...
Heledd Fychan: On 12 September 1981, CND Cymru was formed in a conference in Newtown. But even though we celebrate this important milestone, this is bittersweet. After all, the organisation was established to campaign specifically against nuclear weapons, and with nuclear weapons still present worldwide, it is a cause of great sadness to many that the organisation still has to exist and still has to...
Heledd Fychan: I would hope that there will be no disagreement today across the Chamber on this very important issue, and I will not repeat very valid points made. I echo Janet's calls in terms of that register. I think that is crucial. When you Google at the moment some areas in South Wales Central, I know of some defibs that exist but you cannot find them anywhere. Making sure that everybody is aware of...
Heledd Fychan: Jane Dodds was entirely right—cruel is the word, and I think we have to accept today that it's not the fault of people living in poverty that they are living in poverty. I think we have to accept that £20 per week hasn't resolved the issue of poverty. Seeing people smiling and laughing infuriates me when I know about the stories behind these statistics; when I get phone calls from people...
Heledd Fychan: Time and time again, the people of South Wales Central have been let down by consecutive Labour and Conservative Governments in the UK Parliament, and by the Labour Government here in Wales. Enough is enough. We need more than empty words from both Governments. We need action. Let's take that first step today.
Heledd Fychan: Trefnydd, with winter fast approaching, many people have contacted me expressing concern at the amount of shoal in rivers next to communities that were devastated by flooding in February 2020, including Clydach Terrace in Ynysybwl and Oxford Street in Nantgarw. Though some work has been undertaken in some areas, due to the impact of the floods on the riverbanks, the amount of shoal remains...
