Jane Dodds: Diolch yn fawr, Dirprwy Lywydd. I'd like to start by making a declaration of interest on this item, as I'm still a registered social worker. 'They said I was going to be there until I was 18 but because it was so expensive…they had to move me back down...they waited until I got my GCSEs, I thought that was fair, but didn't like a decision about my future based on money given they had put me...
Jane Dodds: Every morning, I walk my dog along a very short part of the Offa's Dyke path, and today I want to mark the fiftieth anniversary of the opening of the Offa's Dyke path. It is a 177-mile long walking trail, opened in the summer of 1971. It links Sedbury cliffs near Chepstow with the coastal town of Prestatyn. In addition to being hugely important for our history and culture, it represents one...
Jane Dodds: Diolch, Gweinidog. The Organisaston for Economic Co-operation and Development has said 'Providing access to quality education in rural areas is crucial to meet the needs of rural youth, and also to attract young families to settle in these regions.' I was proud that, under Kirsty Williams's leadership, Wales introduced its first ever rural schools strategy and action plan, setting out how...
Jane Dodds: Just continuing the theme of evictions, in Mid and West Wales, there were 77,000 social housing tenancies in arrears in March 2019, and, as we know, the pressure of lost income and loss of employment has likely pushed many more into rent arrears. You'll be aware, Minister, that the evictions ban introduced in December 2020 came to an end, although I do welcome the fact that landlords still...
Jane Dodds: Thank you, Llywydd, and thank you also to the Trefnydd.
Jane Dodds: Pre COVID, one in three women were experiencing some form of violence, domestic abuse or sexual violence. The full impact of the pandemic on women experiencing violence is still to be determined, but sadly, from anecdotal evidence, it is likely that numbers have increased. Welsh Women's Aid reported in 2020, and they stated that the provision of sustainable funding for violence against women,...
Jane Dodds: The Royal College of General Practitioners in Wales say that loneliness and social isolation can be as bad for patients as chronic long-term conditions. Loneliness puts people at a 50 per cent increased risk of an early death. Forty-one per cent of people in material deprivation were lonely, compared with those of around 12 per cent who are not in material deprivation, and that's following on...
Jane Dodds: 'Our house is on fire.' That's what Greta Thunberg said. We have a climate emergency, and when we have an emergency, just as we've had with COVID, there are things we can carry on with, and there are some things we have to give up. And this is a bit of a schizophrenic motion, if you don't mind me saying. Whilst I agree with some things in it—I agree about increased electrical charging...
Jane Dodds: Minister, I just want to continue with the theme of funding. I'm afraid I'm going to come back to it, because I do really want to pin you down. Thank you very much to Peredur and to Natasha as well for raising this important issue. I was really shocked to hear from Tŷ Gobaith and Tŷ Hafan that they only got 10 per cent of their funding from the Welsh Government. Let's just pin this one...
Jane Dodds: Diolch, Llywydd. I welcome the proposals, including setting out a clear national framework to support services to be planned regionally and delivered locally, and the strengthening of partnership arrangements. I just want to focus briefly on services for young people and young adults within this framework, particularly those with learning disabilities, and the barriers in place for social...
Jane Dodds: Diolch yn fawr iawn, Dirprwy Lywydd. Just following up on some of the points that Jenny Rathbone raised: I'm encouraged to see your commitment to electoral reform, to reduce the democratic deficit. And I'm sure you are as concerned as I am over the UK Conservative Government proposal to disenfranchise voters, under plans unveiled only on Monday, that will force people to carry identification...
Jane Dodds: Diolch yn fawr iawn. Minister, research from the Learning and Work Institute and Gingerbread suggests that the pandemic has hit single parents very hard—loss of work and income, home education, and loss of childcare and caring support. These are workers typically concentrated in low-paid and part-time work and in those industries hit hardest by the pandemic—144,000 lone parent families in...
Jane Dodds: 2. Will the Welsh Government consider introducing free part-time childcare for children from nine months to their third birthday to all parents regardless of work status? OQ56753
Jane Dodds: I welcome this paper—thank you very much, First Minister. I welcome this paper because it is about business, it is about trade deals that are made without our input that affect our farmers and our businesses. It is about health and how we work together in order to ensure that this pandemic is brought under control. It is about Wales and it is about the future of Wales, and that's why it's...
Jane Dodds: May I send my best wishes to the First Minister and his family?
Jane Dodds: In a survey at the beginning of this month, more than 50 per cent of respondents from rural areas in Wales felt that the internet was not fast and reliable, particularly people in Pembrokeshire, Ceredigion and Carmarthenshire. Only 36 per cent of people in rural areas had superfast broadband, compared to 67 per cent in urban areas. I wonder if the First Minister could just comment on the...
Jane Dodds: I have learnt a lot in the last five years, and I think one of the most important things that I've learnt is that people want us to stop getting at each other, to work with each other, and to concentrate on the future of the people of Wales. I have to say I am surprised at the tone of some of the remarks in this debate, and I guess I don't think they're necessary. Brexit was divisive and...
Jane Dodds: Thank you very much, Deputy Presiding Officer. I'm very grateful.
Jane Dodds: I'm just going to be very, very brief because I'm aware that there are other pressures, obviously, but I really just wanted to say a few words on housing. Many of us have some brilliant solutions, and we should be working together to make sure we bring those into a very clear coherent strategy. I just want to touch on two things: the first is my real confusion here with the Conservative...
Jane Dodds: Thank you very much, Deputy Presiding Officer, and thank you for the opportunity to make this speech.
