Rhun ap Iorwerth: We have to be prepared as parliamentarians to listen, always, and we want to listen. That's why we're here. And we need to look for ways of giving people a voice, and my hope with this appeal for young people to share their personal experience is that we can reach out to some who perhaps haven't had their say before. I want young people to share their experience particularly about how easy or...
Rhun ap Iorwerth: Thank you very much, Llywydd. This short debate stems from a conversation that I had with a young constituent a few weeks ago. He prompted me to look for new ways to encourage debate about mental health and specifically about how and where young people can turn for help, and I'm pleased that many Members have been prompted to want to contribute today, and I've agreed to give time to hear...
Rhun ap Iorwerth: Now, 2 Wish makes first contact with families within 24 or 48 hours of people being referred to them, but they are concerned that not everyone is able to access that kind of support. And that's what they are asking for through this petition: that medical staff should provide that offer of support to families, even if the family doesn't necessarily feel that they want to take advantage of that...
Rhun ap Iorwerth: 'It was support we hoped we would never need. But we do. And we are so very grateful that it is there.'
Rhun ap Iorwerth: So, let us ensure that that support is available for all families facing this nightmare.
Rhun ap Iorwerth: 'They have helped our family stick together when we were too weak to cling to one another. The individual counselling sessions provided a safe haven to talk; or not. The group sessions provided not just for parents, but also for grandparents have helped us share the load.'
Rhun ap Iorwerth: I have just a few words in welcoming and supporting this important petition. The demand is quite simple, isn't it: to ensure that families who lose children or young adults unexpectedly do receive the support that they need. And it is a heartfelt call and I'd like to thank Rhian Mannings for all of her campaigning work on this very important issue, arising of course from her own experience,...
Rhun ap Iorwerth: 'While concerns have been raised over public transport access...the health board claims most patients will be taken to the hospital by ambulance.'
Rhun ap Iorwerth: Well, what we have there is an example of ignoring entirely the environmental problem in failing to think environmentally in planning services. Yes, patients who are very ill will be taken to the hospital in an ambulance, but what about the staff? What about visitors? What about suppliers and all the out-patients who need to be encouraged to leave the car at home and not see barriers put in...
Rhun ap Iorwerth: Thank you for the statement, Minister. The climate emergency, as we heard from the Minister, is a health emergency too, of course. Doctors are seeing the impact of air pollution. Extreme weather can be a threat to health and a threat to life. These problems will get worse unless there is action, and all our eyes are on COP26 in the hope of seeing signs that that is about to happen. The truth...
Rhun ap Iorwerth: 'if it becomes possible, through technology, to move lateral flow devices beyond self-certification'—
Rhun ap Iorwerth: and that was our great concern—
Rhun ap Iorwerth: 'then I agree that that would certainly be an important step forward.'
Rhun ap Iorwerth: Is there any update on that? It is true to say that we are at a crossroads now; people are becoming concerned about another COVID Christmas and now is the time to see the Government doing things to keep things tight—not just for the sake of Christmas, but it is a reminder of the need to take action.
Rhun ap Iorwerth: That's what one person said.
Rhun ap Iorwerth: 'I'll put one on if you'd like me to.'
Rhun ap Iorwerth: Well, that's not what's important here. The message has been lost. That was the case with the four people on the train, as with so many others. We are agreed, certainly, on the importance of vaccination. I'm very grateful to all of the teams implementing the booster vaccination programme. I am concerned that there are people who have had to wait longer than six months since their last...
Rhun ap Iorwerth: 'Why have you decided today not to wear a mask?' 'Oh, I don't know, there are not many people on this train.'
Rhun ap Iorwerth: The situation is still very, very serious in Wales. There is grave concern out there still. Yes, things are moving in the right direction, hopefully, but we are moving there from a frighteningly high peak in terms of the number of cases. And—let's be quite open about this—we're among the worst in the world in terms of numbers of cases. So many have been in touch with me expressing...
Rhun ap Iorwerth: Thank you very much for the opportunity to take part in this short debate, an opportunity to say a few words and, very simply, to say thank you. That's what I want to do today, to say thank you to the YFC that provides so many opportunities to young people in rural Wales, to say thank you for an organisation that makes such a contribution to rural society in Wales, for an organisation that...
