Rhun ap Iorwerth: Thank you for that response.
Rhun ap Iorwerth: I think we're all in principle in favour of planting a lot more trees, although, I must say, I have real concern about decisions taken by Welsh Government to buy good agricultural land to plant trees on. But that's not the focus of my question today; it's about protecting the trees we already have. In Holyhead, there's real anger about the plans that have been in place for a decade or so now...
Rhun ap Iorwerth: 2. What assessment has the Welsh Government made of the value of trees to a healthy environment? OQ58230
Rhun ap Iorwerth: 6. What action is the Welsh Government taking to support pupils taking their exams this year given the impact of COVID? OQ58231
Rhun ap Iorwerth: Thank you very much, Llywydd, and thank you to everyone who's contributed to this debate this afternoon. I thank the Minister for her response. I won't speak for too long, I think that the excitement is there and is shared across the benches here in terms of the scope to develop a new sector here and to be at the forefront. We heard the Minister listing all of those elements of hydrogen...
Rhun ap Iorwerth: We're talking about a transition here from the fossil fuel economy to a low-carbon economy, and hydrogen really is a keystone. It can support all priority areas, if you look at it, within the programmes of UK and devolved Governments in green technology, in innovation, clean growth, green recovery and the infrastructure needed in that drive to net zero. And, of course, there are elements that...
Rhun ap Iorwerth: Thank you very much, Dirprwy Lywydd. I'm here today and this motion has been tabled to encourage you to get excited about hydrogen.
Rhun ap Iorwerth: I want this Parliament and the Welsh Government to get excited about hydrogen. I can tell you now what I'd like to hear from the Minister. Quite simply, I want the Minister to say, 'I am serious about wanting Wales to be a player in the emerging hydrogen sector.' I'm determined that, with a clear strategy and well-targeted investment, we can maximise the massive opportunities that the...
Rhun ap Iorwerth: Would you add to that list of partners you want to work with, especially when it comes to monitoring in future, the citizen scientists that have been playing an important role in emphasising the risks? I'd like you to join me in congratulating Surfers Against Sewage for the work that they have done to highlight the problems that we face here. Recommendation 4 does emphasise, doesn't it, the...
Rhun ap Iorwerth: Will you take an intervention?
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: 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: This could supersede it.
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: 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: 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: 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: 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...
