Jane Dodds: Good afternoon, First Minister. Today the Welsh Liberal Democrats published a report looking at dentistry, particularly focusing on our concern around two-tier dentistry—and I do make no apology in using that term. We have a system at the moment that means that, if you can pay for dentistry, then you don't have to wait; if you can't, then you do have to wait. And that is the basic truth. I...
Jane Dodds: Good afternoon, Minister. It is reported that the chief executive of Dŵr Cymru is to receive a bonus payment of nearly £0.25 million. This is despite sewage being in our rivers and our seas, and our beaches being in a terrible condition. I wonder if I could ask for a statement, please, from the relevant Minister on the performance of Dŵr Cymru, as well as the payment of bonuses to senior...
Jane Dodds: I recognise and welcome this really positive statement, but I would like to remind Members that, of course, this doesn't replace the unfettered access we had to the world's largest single market prior to us leaving the EU. But this is a reset for some of our coastal communities that have really struggled. I wondered if I could focus just on one specific question to you, Minister. There are...
Jane Dodds: Good afternoon, Minister. Just following on from that question from Gareth as well, I also met with Ukrainian guests and their hosts in Powys last week, in Talybont, and one of the issues that they did raise with me was transport, particularly in a rural area. There is a concern around the freedom pass coming to an end at the end of June, so my first question is: I wonder if you would...
Jane Dodds: I am a member of the Business Committee, and we have rehearsed these issues before, including Darren Millar's position that the pairing system actually fulfils the issues we're trying to address. It doesn't address or fulfil those issues for somebody like myself, who is a sole Member. I cannot pair with another Member for a long period of time, because there will be different times for...
Jane Dodds: Tourism is a vital part of our economy; it accounted for 11.3 per cent of all jobs in 2020, and, in rural areas like the one I represent, that proportion is much higher. More than half of those jobs are part time, a far higher proportion than the economy as a whole. It is essential, but it's fragile. Many of the jobs are in hospitality and it is a sector dominated by small and medium...
Jane Dodds: Thank you very much to Huw for bringing this short debate, and I really do want to thank others here who stayed in the Siambr, of both genders, and across all of the parties. Thank you for staying with us and listening to this because it is appreciated. I just want to also touch on the fact that, where I live in Powys, there are no specialist services and we do have to travel across the...
