Rhun ap Iorwerth: —in terms of our response to COVID.
Rhun ap Iorwerth: I'm happy to take an intervention.
Rhun ap Iorwerth: And that is a point I've made myself: it's important for democracy that we get things right and do things in the right order. But to argue now that what was evidenced properly at the time was wrong is a very good example of the misuse of hindsight, I think.
Rhun ap Iorwerth: We will be voting for the Government's amendment because all it does, I think, is set out the process of lifting those restrictions that has already been announced and has started to be implemented indeed. I think it's worth outlining once again the principles that I and fellow Members of Plaid Cymru have been led by over the past two years. We need those restrictions and regulations in place...
Rhun ap Iorwerth: Of course.
Rhun ap Iorwerth: Well, I think from my experience and from the experience of colleagues of yours, I know there has been open dialogue that you can have with advisers to Government, and we have it through health committee and so on. Plus, we were talking about a global wave and global evidence of an impending wave of a new variant that we knew nothing about, that you might think you know everything about now,...
Rhun ap Iorwerth: I will bring my comments to a conclusion by looking ahead. We need to adhere to the same principles that I've mentioned about doing enough but not too much. In terms of the self-isolation time: bring it down as much as possible, but only when the evidence allows that to be done safely, and I hope that that can happen soon, of course. We have to remember that we are still living in a time of...
Rhun ap Iorwerth: Diolch yn fawr iawn. I've got to come in here and say I am frankly disgusted with the Conservatives' attitude in this debate this afternoon. It's the most COVID-denying, the most dismissive of the realities of the losses of the past couple of years, that I have ever heard. Are you ashamed that you're a party whose own leader rubbed our faces in it through his flagrant disregard for the...
Rhun ap Iorwerth: Thank you. Just a very brief intervention. Many constituents of mine have raised particular concerns about increasing energy prices. We talk about people having to make a choice between heating and eating. Does the Member agree that one problem we're likely to face more and more of is people being unable to cook or heat food because they can't afford the energy prices? And we know how...
Rhun ap Iorwerth: 10. What is the Welsh Government doing to improve digital skills in Wales? OQ57515
Rhun ap Iorwerth: Thank you for that response. A week ago, I questioned the health Minister on a number of issues, including how we can ensure that more steps are taken in terms of developing the digital response to COVID, and developing the Welsh NHS app for example. I'll quote from the Minister's answer here: 'oh my gosh, Rhun, I'm just as eager as you are to see that developing. One of the problems that we...
Rhun ap Iorwerth: We're talking about the environmental benefits, the economic benefits of developing procurement policies that are robust for Wales, and the pandemic gave us another very clear reason for the benefits of having these strong supply chains, and the Brodwaith company in my constituency was one of those companies that diversified to provided PPE to the health service, and the Elite company in Ebbw...
Rhun ap Iorwerth: Thank you very much, Dirprwy Lywydd. The first thing I want to do is to pay tribute and say 'thank you' to the hospice sector in Wales; to thank them for their vital service. Anybody who has had the privilege of visiting a hospice or has experienced the hospice at home service knows about the tireless care that they provide. I've worked with the sector as best as I can as Member for Anglesey,...
Rhun ap Iorwerth: Wishing the Minister well as she recovers from her cold.
Rhun ap Iorwerth: 5. What support does the Welsh Government provide to make roads that flood regularly more resilient? OQ57514
Rhun ap Iorwerth: My best wishes to the Deputy Minister depend on his answer to the next question, of course. When wind, rain, and high tides come together, the road to the east of Beaumaris near the Laird site floods. It's happening more and more often, and although there are no homes at risk directly from the flooding, thousands of homes in the areas of Llangoed and Penmon are isolated, care homes can't be...
Rhun ap Iorwerth: Diolch yn fawr iawn. I'm grateful to you for taking an intervention. I think this is a much more reasonable tone, actually, from Sam Rowlands, and I agree entirely with you. All of us want to get rid of face masks in schools, and everywhere else as soon as possible, and I think probably Sam Rowlands will be embarrassed by some of the mantra that has been heard by some of his colleagues, this...
Rhun ap Iorwerth: Thank you very much, Deputy Llywydd. I also feel the need to say that it's nice to see the Minister face to face again after some weeks of working virtually. Thank you for this statement today; I give a careful but general welcome to the principle. We're certainly agreed on the need to integrate as much as possible. Plaid Cymru for many years has supported putting funds in place in order to...
Rhun ap Iorwerth: 'the overall impact of the fund'—
Rhun ap Iorwerth: the integrated care fund at that time—
