Rhun ap Iorwerth: 6. Will the Leader of the House make a statement on broadband connectivity for rural communities on Anglesey? OAQ51810
Rhun ap Iorwerth: Thank you very much. My question today comes directly from the clerk of Bodedern council. I ask it because it's pertinent for so many of our rural communities, and I'm grateful to the clerk for contacting me. I will read: Significant problems with broadband connectivity exist in a number of areas of the community, which is having a very negative impact on many individuals, families and...
Rhun ap Iorwerth: Diolch, Llywydd. The brevity of the Government's response will be noted and people will come to a judgment, I'm sure, about whether that afforded this Assembly the proper courtesy. I conclude this debate by speaking in favour of today's motion, a motion tabled to seek maximum transparency around the questions of if or how specific information was shared prior to the recent ministerial...
Rhun ap Iorwerth: Certainly.
Rhun ap Iorwerth: Yes, I agree, and that reflects the comments I made earlier about needing to know how questions were asked, what questions were asked and how conclusions were reached. Key questions still remain unanswered about the circumstances surrounding the reshuffle. I've seen texts this week, which I understand will be made available to the QC-led inquiry into events leading up to Carl Sargeant's...
Rhun ap Iorwerth: I certainly do, and you make the point correctly, of course, that redactions do get around the issue that was raised by the First Minister initially. I'll conclude. I do hope the Assembly will support this motion today. I'll make an important point—if today's motion is supported, Government should act on the Assembly's will. I remind you of a recent comment from a Welsh Government source,...
Rhun ap Iorwerth: Will you take an intervention?
Rhun ap Iorwerth: Thank you for taking an intervention. I think we're getting off the point here. [Laughter.] I'm not sure I agree with Dai about the bilingual signs in Casualty either, and I'm delighted that we have a strong broadcasting sector in terms of its economic potential, but what about the potential for strengthening the way that we talk about ourselves as a nation and generate through...
Rhun ap Iorwerth: Will you take an intervention? And I apologise if it's premature and that you're going to explain, but what has changed since the White Paper that we produced jointly, where clearly it was the current European Union customs union that we sought to pursue?
Rhun ap Iorwerth: Diolch yn fawr iawn. Thank you for all the contributions to this afternoon's debate. You know, Cabinet Secretary, there's so much that we agree on on this matter, but I would really like to know, and would welcome an intervention or a lengthy letter, as you wish, whether there are other elements of the White Paper that you are now distancing yourselves from. Let's remind ourselves of the...
Rhun ap Iorwerth: A specific question on waiting times during the bad weather that we've just experienced—we are aware of the particular pressures put on the ambulance service because of the snow. I've heard one particularly concerning report about the impact of waiting a very long time on a specific patient. Heavy snow isn't something that happens on a weekly basis, but neither is it something that's...
Rhun ap Iorwerth: I think the stories that we've heard from across the NHS in the recent extreme weather conditions show the extreme dedication of staff to provide care for their patients, and I hope that they hear our gratitude for their commitment to their work and the service they provide.
Rhun ap Iorwerth: Thank you, to all the NHS staff, for your commitment. I have a number of questions to ask. One could insist that everything was fine in terms of staffing levels in the NHS in listening to this statement, but I do have a number of issues that I think are important to emphasise and to highlight here. This claim that there’s a record number of staff working in the NHS. We still have fewer GPs...
Rhun ap Iorwerth: Will you take another intervention? I can see the time is very short.
Rhun ap Iorwerth: Thank you very much. Is it not the case, though, that this legislation in emergency form would not perhaps be necessary had the UK Government responded to our demands from Wales to take into account the needs of Wales moving forward after we leave the European Union?
Rhun ap Iorwerth: 11. Will the Cabinet Secretary make a statement on careers advice services? OAQ51872
Rhun ap Iorwerth: Thank you very much. I’m going to ask you not to be as impartial as careers advisers. My interest is in your willingness to work with the Cabinet Secretary for health to encourage the young people of Wales to follow a career in health and care. Would you, as a Government, support joint investment between education and health, possibly, in a kind of all-Wales roadshow to explain the whole...
Rhun ap Iorwerth: 1. What is the Welsh Government's response to the effects of storm Emma on Holyhead? 150
Rhun ap Iorwerth: Thank you for that response. I was at Holyhead marina on Friday, immediately after the storm, and the scene—many of you will have seen the pictures on television and so on—was truly heartbreaking: utter destruction. There were many pleasure boats there, which are important to the area, but there were also commercial boats in the marina, and many of those had been destroyed or partially...
Rhun ap Iorwerth: I thank the Cabinet Secretary for that statement. I would like to express my gratitude to and admiration of the group of campaigners who have worked so hard over far too long a period in presenting their case with determination and dignity that there should be the inquiry that we are about to see. I’ve got to know many of them through the cross-party group, and I’d like to pay tribute to...
