Janet Finch-Saunders: —who were saying, 'Please do not freeze rents.' I'm outlining the truth, and have repeated several times that you and your policies will push people into temporary accommodation. I genuinely invite fellow Members of this Parliament to accept reality, let us all work together, cross party, to tackle the housing crisis in its entirety. So, there, we can a make start today by backing the...
Janet Finch-Saunders: Yes, but bear in mind that a lot of these homes have been bought, you know, and are subject to mortgages.
Janet Finch-Saunders: No. I'm sorry, no. The policies alone—
Janet Finch-Saunders: No, thank you. These two policies alone will turbocharge the tsunami of landlords leaving the sector and a section 21 notice is issued. Already, between 2018-19 and 2021-22, there have been 20,070 landlords deactivating from Rent Smart Wales. It is policies such as yours that are actually now spooking the market. Evidence shows that an eviction ban delays the threat of homelessness rather...
Janet Finch-Saunders: Yes, go on.
Janet Finch-Saunders: Diolch, Dirprwy Lywydd. I refer Members to my declaration of interest form in terms of property ownership. I rise once again to contribute to another debate that references and tries to do down the private rental sector. Now, let me say from the start and without any doubt that it is a matter of fact that private landlords are a very large, significant contributor to providing good quality...
Janet Finch-Saunders: Minister, you'll know I've raised in the past my concerns about the length of delays at our hospitals—Ysbyty Gwynedd, Ysbyty Glan Clwyd and, of course, Maelor. Now, you'll also know that I believe that community hospitals, and in particular Llandudno district general hospital, have a key role to play in addressing some of these issues. I know that you've been listening, because a bridging...
Janet Finch-Saunders: Thank you, Minister. I just felt compelled to raise this with you, given that, of late, I'm being approached by many constituents who feel that, either when they or their loved ones are in hospital, they get told very little. More worryingly, of the cases that I've raised recently with the health board, only 68 per cent have been responded to within their target of 21 working days. Now,...
Janet Finch-Saunders: 4. What steps is the Welsh Government taking to improve communication with patients within the Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board area? OQ58519
Janet Finch-Saunders: Flint. I beg your pardon. So, focusing for a bit longer on the plastic products we would like to prohibit, research has found now that around 39 per cent of smokers throw cigarette butts—or cigarette tips, as I always used to say; yes, cigarette tips—containing plastic down the drain. The vast majority are single-use plastic, and they contain hundreds of toxic chemicals, once smoked. What...
Janet Finch-Saunders: I would just like to thank the Minister and your officials and my committee colleagues for the work that has gone into this so far, and it’s not before time that we need to stand here, really, to welcome this Bill. I appreciate everything that the Chairs of the other committees have said, and I just hope that this is one Bill that we can all, cross-party, get behind. But it needs to be a...
Janet Finch-Saunders: Yes. So, I have a couple of questions for you. Can you explain how many new builds are you hoping to see in Welsh language speaking areas? Whilst you are pursuing planning changes, in terms of categorisation, will you be focusing on planning reform that will boost house building and infrastructure projects, as our Prime Minister is doing? And, finally, where you have these Welsh-speaking only...
Janet Finch-Saunders: I refer Members to my declaration of interest forms published, in terms of property ownership.
Janet Finch-Saunders: Thank you for the statement. I think that every Member of the Senedd is supportive of the target of having a million Welsh speakers by 2050. [Interruption.]
Janet Finch-Saunders: Thank you. It's a start. [Laughter.] Importantly, our First Minister has called Wales a nation of sanctuary. So, for me, I have to start off my contribution today that there must not be here in Wales, at any time, any bias or prejudice to interfere against any person looking to buy a house in Wales. Now, I do respect the fact that the fair chance scheme, which may allow properties to be...
Janet Finch-Saunders: I am, thank you. It is a really big issue. We’ve all said, Minister, that this is a multifaceted approach. However, targeting second home owners is a retrograde step. Both properties will just end up back on the market with Airbnb, people who can afford them more, and we’ll end up as Airbnb. Thank you.
Janet Finch-Saunders: I refer Members to my own declaration of interest in terms of property ownership. Now, all the way through, I know that the Welsh Labour Government started off by wanting to tackle the shortage of affordable homes in our communities, and it's fair to say that this group actually supports that endeavour. However, I have been very concerned, and I'm not alone; people within my own community and...
Janet Finch-Saunders: Thank you. Of which, whether you like it or not, Wales—
Janet Finch-Saunders: —Wales remains a very integral part. Can you confirm why there is this negativity? Diolch.
Janet Finch-Saunders: I take it that that was said in the positive vein, and that you are actually going to be very positive about bringing more law here that we can all look at. Because as the Counsel General will know, Wales, along with the majority of the British people, voted unreservedly to leave the European Union—I nearly said 'onion' then—and to remove ourselves from the unelected and dysfunctional...
