Jane Dodds: Good afternoon, First Minister. I just really wanted to follow on from James Evans's question around sporting facilities and concentrate on swimming pools. Many of us, I'm sure, learnt to swim in swimming pools, literally giving us a life-saving skill, and we know that swimming pools are essential for mental health, physical health and particularly for people with disabilities. At this stage,...
Jane Dodds: Thank you so much for that clarity. Therefore, there is a little bit of disingenuous positioning there, isn't there, when you're saying to Labour, 'Close Cardiff Airport'. My challenge to the Labour Party is: if you really do believe in reducing carbon emissions, then ditch Cardiff Airport. We have to reduce our carbon emissions, enable modal shift and enhance road safety, which will be...
Jane Dodds: The climate emergency is the most important challenge we face. That's why I support the conclusions of the road review. I also support the Conservatives' position, if indeed it is your position, to close Cardiff Airport. My challenge to you is: if, indeed, that is your position, bring forward a debate to close Cardiff Airport. I look forward to contributing to that, because that is consistent...
Jane Dodds: Thank you. That's a really good point, and that really homes in on animal welfare issues. And we know, actually, that the only racetrack in Wales is looking to expand the number of dogs that they have, despite not having planning permission yet. They've been turned down twice, and yet, they are building right now; they are building not even kennels, they are building racks for 200 dogs to go...
Jane Dodds: I will, of course.
Jane Dodds: I'd like to thank so many people; I'd like to thank the Petitions Committee and I'd like to thank the organisations that I met with, including GBGB. If they are here or listening, I really think they do care about dogs and I'd like to thank you for your time, but I would particularly like to pay tribute to those animal charities. I couldn't actually do what you do. It would upset me so much...
Jane Dodds: Thank you so much to Sarah Murphy for initiating this debate. I know that Sarah has been a real champion of the concerns around biometric data and of digital rights, so I do thank you for the opportunity to sponsor this and to take part in this debate. Diolch yn fawr iawn. The collection and use of biometric data in schools raises real concerns about rights, legality and the appropriate use...
Jane Dodds: Good afternoon, Minister, and, yes, I'm very impressed also with Sam Rowlands's research work. Can I also just echo some of the comments that Sam has made? It is a real difficulty for people being able to access NHS dentists, and I'm aware, Minister, that you're looking at options around this. But I wanted to just focus in on community dental services in north Wales and elsewhere in Wales as...
Jane Dodds: Thank you very much. I'm grateful to Alun Davies for that intervention. It sounds as if you're almost about to support it. I'll be interested to see—[Interruption.] I'll be interested to see whether you will vote for it, or at least abstain, because this is such an important, fundamental issue, and that's why I want it on the Bill. I don't want it to slip from our attention. I don't want it...
Jane Dodds: —and I would like to see those within the Act. Yes, of course I will.
Jane Dodds: Diolch yn fawr iawn, and thank you to the Minister as well for that response. We've had various discussions on this, and just, for me, the issue is that it should encompass all seven goals of the well-being of future generations Act. The Government supported that Act. The particular one that I wanted to include was 'a globally responsible Wales', a Wales that actually looks at how it's...
Jane Dodds: Diolch, Llywydd. I would like to start by placing on record my appreciation of the way that the Deputy Minister has engaged with me throughout this. I'm very grateful to her for that engagement. The purpose of this amendment to this Bill is to allow the social partnership commission to advise on a wider range of issues in relation to the well-being goals in the Well-being of Future...
Jane Dodds: Thank you, Dirprwy Lywydd. I was shouting, then, and I didn't need to, I realise. I want to just talk about dentistry. Thank you so much for the work you've been doing. I'm really pleased that we are seeing an increase in dentist provision in rural areas. I know that we are looking at mobile dentistry, and we're looking at those dentists as well being in schools, secondary schools, so I'm...
Jane Dodds: How wonderful to hear you refer to the Welsh Liberal Democrats. We barely get a mention, so it's really good to hear you talk about the Welsh Liberal Democrats. I'm not going to talk about the specifics around what you have done, what you have done to Welsh farmers. You have sold them down the river with a deal with New Zealand and Australia, which is about importing lamb at a much lower...
Jane Dodds: Well, I'm also stunned by the Welsh Conservatives, and here are some quick reminders: a £20 cut in universal credit from the Conservative Government. That's—[Interruption.] That's a £20 cut every week to the poorest people. Peter Fox talked about Welsh ambulances queuing outside of hospitals. I actually don't think England is doing much better at all when it comes to queues of ambulances...
Jane Dodds: Good afternoon, Minister. You wouldn't find me often saying that I support Michael Gove, but I'm afraid, on this particular issue, I can see that, in England, Michael Gove has actually moved the agenda on for those people trapped in buildings that are unsafe. With Janet, and with Rhys, I attended the meeting last Wednesday. We heard very emotional stories. These are very human stories. We...
Jane Dodds: Good afternoon, First Minister. I concur with the comments made by my colleague Joyce Watson and with yourself as well in terms of Brexit and its damage to the competitiveness of our Welsh ports. I just find it surprising that our colleagues in the Conservative Party, in their condemnation of the roads review, say that Wales is closed to business. Well, actually, you've closed Wales to...
Jane Dodds: I’m afraid I’m also seeking to understand what’s happened in relation to the independent members of the board. We’ve all heard how important it is for Betsi Cadwaladr to go into special measures, and we all want to thank the staff as well. But it is critical that we understand the process, as we’ve all heard from people—and, in my case, from a very well-respected former...
Jane Dodds: Good afternoon, First Minister. Just following up on the question from James Evans, it is the case that when children require intervention in dentistry, there are long waiting lists for that NHS treatment, particularly in the areas that we cover. During the pandemic, we know that the number of children receiving treatment fell by more than 80 per cent, so there is catch-up to be done. And...
Jane Dodds: Cymdeithas yr Iaith Gymraeg, in their evidence to the Senedd committee inquiry on mental health inequalities, raised concerns that, despite the measures put in place to improve access to healthcare in Welsh, access to mental healthcare in Welsh remains poor. I do hope that the Minister will consider this issue and be able to respond to some of the concerns that have been raised. We need to...
