Rhun ap Iorwerth: Thank you very much. With costs increasing so much, it's more important than ever that agriculture can be as productive as possible, and making the best use of the best land is part of that. I'm pleased, in the context of bids for solar schemes, that there is a strengthening view now that we need to retain our best and most versatile land for agriculture. And perhaps the Minister could...
Rhun ap Iorwerth: As the Member for the Vale of Clwyd wouldn't take an intervention, I'll make the point that I was going to make then. One of the positives that could come out of disinvesting in this way would be to persuade those companies that have traditionally made their profits from fossil fuels to change direction. It is about persuading them to work in an ethical way by saying, 'We'll invest in that...
Rhun ap Iorwerth: It's a very brief one. And, of course, local authorities do say how difficult it is for them to deal with the administrative burden of this. In response to what Darren Millar said, yes, of course we have, as Members of the Senedd, an opportunity to scrutinise decisions taken by Welsh Government. That is our role as parliamentarians, and does the Member for Ogmore agree that the danger in...
Rhun ap Iorwerth: Thank you for the statement. I fear that, however you look at this, the timing of this today doesn't reflect well on the Welsh Government. Indeed, it demonstrates once again how little understanding and how little appreciation there is within the Welsh Government of the gravity of the situation at Betsi Cadwaladr health board.
Rhun ap Iorwerth: This is a very weak response to an extremely serious situation, I fear—an extension of targeted intervention, rather than a real rolling up of sleeves to deal with a problem that is causing so much anguish to staff and patients across the north. An extension of targeted intervention—why end here when there are so many problems right across Betsi Cadwaladr? The problems I've brought to...
Rhun ap Iorwerth: The Minister says that there are pockets of excellence within Betsi Cadwaladr. Well, yes, there are. I wrote to the chief executive and chair recently following the publication of cancer figures showing that there was good work happening in north Wales. We do understand that. The Minister, I know, is eager for us to bear in mind the need to support staff through all of this. I couldn't agree...
Rhun ap Iorwerth: Thank you very much, Llywydd. I'm very pleased to move the amendment formally. We've been here before, haven't we? We've been here so many times previously, and it saddens me. There's no criticism of staff here; indeed, in the face of all the questions about the health board, we need to do more to support them. We thank you for your tireless service, and that goes for front-line staff,...
Rhun ap Iorwerth: Yesterday, a suite of interventions, too weak, too late, were announced by Welsh Government—a Welsh Government that has failed to address the problems of Betsi Cadwaladr time and time again. The suite of interventions was in response to more damning reports—hugely damning reports. But where's the next report? Experience tells us that it may not be very far away. Betsi Cadwaladr University...
Rhun ap Iorwerth: Thank you very much for taking the intervention, and can I thank you also for making that series of very constructive suggestions? I'm particularly interested in the second of those, which seems to me to mirror exactly the kind of conversation that we are asking to take place on potentially how reorganisation could work and the benefits that could come from that. Can you confirm that you are...
Rhun ap Iorwerth: May I thank the Minister for this statement? I'm also looking forward to seeing what kind of responses there are to the consultation that's now ongoing. This is very important and, on the face of it, it is the fruit of partnership working, as we should see happening in Wales, where different organisations who want to see us making ground in this area have been involved in its development. We...
Rhun ap Iorwerth: Will you take an intervention?
Rhun ap Iorwerth: Firstly, where's the equivalent support for radio in Wales, which is equally as important as television? Secondly, where is the support for English language programming for Wales? We used to have one. We used to have a channel called BBC Choice, BBC 2W, which I had the pleasure of contributing to at times. Where is the English language broadcasting platform that only a Welsh Parliament would...
Rhun ap Iorwerth: Thank you for the opportunity to say a few words.
Rhun ap Iorwerth: I was fortunate enough to work in the broadcasting industry for a couple of decades before coming here. I declare an interest as a member of the National Union of Journalists still. I used to be employed by the BBC in Wales and a number of independent broadcasting companies. Communication and broadcasting is how we talk to each other, about each other, learn about our history, excite together...
Rhun ap Iorwerth: Thank you very much, Llywydd. A question first of all that I’d intended to ask before realising that we as a health committee were publishing today our report on patient flow through the health and care system. The recommendations, I think, are powerful, they are important, and they relate to the need to strengthen the social care system, to attract and support staff. It’s a sector that...
Rhun ap Iorwerth: And politicians in England can criticise the English Government for what they're doing on the loss of community beds too. The problem is that you are putting unsustainable pressure on the care sector, because of the loss of that step-down facility. Resolving the issue, I think, of patient flow will be a major contributor to the work of dealing with the backlog in the health service—the...
Rhun ap Iorwerth: This could supersede it.
Rhun ap Iorwerth: I have to say, Llywydd, that I am shocked by the hypocrisy of the Conservatives here, denigrating north-south links, saying that there's been too much investment in south Wales, when they wanted to spend billions of pounds on the M4 in the south-east. I am shocked that Carolyn Thomas asked this question given that she was so lackadaisical on the Sharp End programme on ITV Wales last night...
Rhun ap Iorwerth: As one constituent of mine said, 'This is a decision that demonstrates a depressing lack of vision and ambition. Wales has so often been the victim of a casual decision made in London', he said, 'ignorant or uncaring about its effects on Wales.' Now, he feels that this is as casually ignorant of the need to bring us together as a nation through transport links—not necessarily the nature...
Rhun ap Iorwerth: Will you take an intervention?
