Rhun ap Iorwerth: Thank you for taking an intervention. I must say I see it as another symptom about the lack of clarity about the direction of travel in which we're heading. One of the big issues that I have about the referendum in 2016 is that we still do not know what people voted for. You might have an idea; others in this room might have an idea. Again, after three years of failing to reach a conclusion...
Rhun ap Iorwerth: In terms of transport infrastructure, one issue that's important in my constituency at the moment is that the Welsh Government should be doing as much as it can to extend the rail system. Can you give me an assurance that you will support me in my bid to Network Rail to invest in putting in place the railway bridge in Glanhwfa Road, Llangefni after it was struck by a lorry last year?
Rhun ap Iorwerth: 5. Will the Minister provide an update on support provided following the announcement to close the Rehau factory in Amlwch? OAQ53996
Rhun ap Iorwerth: Thank you very much. May I say thanks for the letter from the Minister on 5 June in reply to an e-mail from me on 9 May regarding support for the economy of north Anglesey? There is a reference there to the taskforce that has been established following the announcement from Rehau. Yesterday, in the context of the announcement about the Ford factory, we heard the Minister say that he would...
Rhun ap Iorwerth: Quite simply, the port of Holyhead in my constituency is one of the major ports between the UK and the EU. Would the Minister agree with me that a Brexit of any kind is bound to pose significant challenges to the port but that leaving without a deal would certainly lead to the loss of trade through that port?
Rhun ap Iorwerth: It can be a bit frustrating sitting on these benches. I very much welcome the report from the Welsh Affairs Select Committee. We're pleased that the argument and that opinions from politicians and other political parties are catching up with us, whether it’s on the devolution of policing, or the pop tax, or now air passenger duty. It can be frustrating waiting for others to come on board...
Rhun ap Iorwerth: Getting to grips with the health issues of our nation has to be a priority. I barely need to say that. We know that obesity and physical inactivity, which helps to create that obesity, is something that we can't afford to ignore at any level. There is a Public Health (Wales) Act 2017 that we now have that demands that a strategy is in place to tackle obesity. I was pleased to play my part, as...
Rhun ap Iorwerth: Thank you very much. I, too, am a fan of the daily mile. The children at the school that my children attended, Ysgol Henblas in Llangristiolus, do that and it brought them a great deal of benefit. But in wanting to see 120 minutes being given to physical activity, I'm perfectly happy for that to include the daily mile. I don't mean formal physical education lessons necessarily. The important...
Rhun ap Iorwerth: Could we also put on the record that there is no mention in our motion of supporting a blue route? I've long been of the opinion that there might have been something based around the blue route, but not the blue route itself, perhaps that would be worthy of investigation. To me, that still stands in terms of strengthening and building resilience into the road network. Not the blue route as—
Rhun ap Iorwerth: Thank you very much, Deputy Presiding Officer, and thank you to those who have participated.
Rhun ap Iorwerth: Thanks to everybody who's taken part in the debate this afternoon. I've sensed real frustration this afternoon and, in fact, over the past week or so, and I share much of that frustration. I've heard frustration from a local Member that the pulling of the black route leaves an unresolved issue for her community. We've heard frustration about money wasted, about time wasted, indecision and...
Rhun ap Iorwerth: Thank you for the intervention. I shall be launching a leak inquiry immediately after this debate to find out who passed my speech on to you—[Laughter.]—because I was also going to be talking about that as an innovation, because it certainly is an innovation. We heard suggestions about moving light freight onto heavier freight road vehicles. That's a way of doing it. Another potentially...
Rhun ap Iorwerth: Indeed, this is very much a speech by committee and I'm glad that everybody's on the same page in terms of looking at all these innovations and solutions that are already out there.
Rhun ap Iorwerth: Car shares have been listed, and, obviously, investing in public transport in a much deeper way than is currently planned, looking at how we investigate free public transport in order to use that incentive—the financial incentive to get people out of their cars. We've heard Professor Mark Barry recently talking about changing working times in different parts of the south-east Wales economy,...
Rhun ap Iorwerth: Yes, and it's a fair point to make, but we also have to be aware and remember that we were willing to consider spending a significant amount of money on a single scheme, otherwise it would have been killed dead a long, long time ago. We have to now be brave and look at ways that we can use, again, significant investment in looking at the issues in the south-east of Wales plus more wide...
Rhun ap Iorwerth: What assessment has the Counsel General made on the effect that leaving the EU would have on the ability to recruit dentists?
Rhun ap Iorwerth: 5. What assessment has the Deputy Minister made of women's wages in Anglesey? OAQ54073
Rhun ap Iorwerth: Thank you for that response. The most recent Chwarae Teg report on the state of the nation demonstrates that Anglesey has the greatest gap between the salaries of men and women. The gap in Anglesey is 25.5 per cent, which is staggeringly high, particularly given that this is to be a priority, as you’ve just said, for the Government. I’ll be chairing a special meeting in Anglesey in...
Rhun ap Iorwerth: 8. Will the Minister make a statement on the farm business grant? OAQ54071
Rhun ap Iorwerth: Thank you. The Farmers Union of Wales contacted me on behalf of one of their members a few weeks ago because an application from a constituent for a grant had failed because he'd failed to provide a letter from his accountant to confirm that the turnover of his business was below £1 million. Now, I should say that his turnover is way below £1 million, and I should add that virtually every...
