Rhun ap Iorwerth: Clearly, this is more devastating news for the steel industry in Wales and the individuals involved, who are now concerned that there will be more impacts on jobs here in Wales, though, of course, it is very uncertain at this point where the axe is going to fall. I think it's clear also that we have a case here of workers, wherever those jobs go, paying the price for the way that joint...
Rhun ap Iorwerth: May I request a debate in Government time to discuss the very real crisis that exists in terms of waiting times for orthopaedic surgery in Ysbyty Gwynedd, and the concern that that crisis has become something far worse? In May, which was the last time I asked for waiting time figures for orthopaedic surgery at Ysbyty Gwynedd, there were 2,200 people waiting at that point for 110 weeks. By the...
Rhun ap Iorwerth: Formally.
Rhun ap Iorwerth: Thank you very much. I do regret the fact that there has been no shift within Government in light of the arguments that we have put forward. Certainly, I am not at all convinced as to why the Government couldn't have given a free vote to its own members. There are examples when members of this Government have been allowed to disagree on other issues and I simply can't understand why you...
Rhun ap Iorwerth: Very briefly on that point, you say that people can have different views on this, but not within the Government, it would seem.
Rhun ap Iorwerth: Very quickly, I can certainly give an assurance to the Member that I would be more than happy to share the details of that poll at a further Report Stage, if that's necessary.
Rhun ap Iorwerth: Take this opportunity. Support those who have contacted you from across parties and beyond parties to say that we must adopt the name 'Senedd' officially. Support Penrhyndeudraeth council, who went to the trouble to hold a vote yesterday evening to support the name 'Senedd'. I'm very grateful to them. Support the people of Wales, as they have spoken through the opinion poll I mentioned...
Rhun ap Iorwerth: It's a pretty well-rehearsed argument now. Our Assembly has grown into a fully fledged Parliament over the past 20 years. This Bill is a means to reflect that, referring to this place in legislation as a Parliament for the first time. It's also about who can vote, who can stand for election, those mechanisms of public engagement with democracy, and the democratic process in Wales. But, we...
Rhun ap Iorwerth: Thank you very much, Deputy Presiding Officer. A Bill of the kind that we are dealing with today requires collaboration, it requires compromise, it means that we must realise what our role as a Parliament is. It is a Bill that relates not to policy, not to any programme of government, and not even to today, but the work of nation building and the institutions that that nation needs for future...
Rhun ap Iorwerth: Diolch yn fawr iawn, Dirprwy Lywydd. I think it is fair to recognise that the Welsh Government is undertaking work in a non-devolved area here. But, I don't think that means that we should give a free ride to the Welsh Government, in that it does have influence in areas through grant funding, for example, including grants for individuals through Access Broadband Cymru, grants for...
Rhun ap Iorwerth: I have worked with Business Wales and have referred a number of businesses to Business Wales—certainly, there are committed staff there, but the concerns I have very often, and the Minister will be aware of this, as I have corresponded with him on the issue on a number of occasions, is that there’s underfunding often, not enough resources provided to them, and there is too much pressure...
Rhun ap Iorwerth: Thank you for the statement and for the early copy of it. I certainly agree—how could I not—on the importance of SMEs to the Welsh economy. The figures, as you've presented them, are quite shocking, if truth be told: 259,000 businesses, and 257,600 are micro and small and medium businesses. So, to say that they are the backbone of our economy is an understatement.
Rhun ap Iorwerth: May I thank the Minister for this statement? I think it is important that we now have a marine plan for Wales, although, as one who has been pushing for some time for some kind of Welsh plan that corresponded to the 'Harnessing our Ocean Wealth' Irish plan, which has been published for some years now, I do note, of course, that Welsh Government had to produce this plan, and that was as a...
Rhun ap Iorwerth: The issue on the dispensation, as you know, is that action wasn't taken on time by Welsh Government. But, if I could turn, for my third question, to something that I want to pursue in a non-confrontational way, if that's allowed during election time. I wrote to you yesterday, asking the Welsh Government to support amendments that I've tabled for discussion in Stage 3 of the Senedd and...
Rhun ap Iorwerth: The Welsh Government was warned by an Assembly committee in 2013, I think, that it must address rolling stock issues as a matter of urgency, especially in light of compliance deadlines that we knew were coming. Can you tell us why it is that the transport Minister left it until this autumn before requesting the dispensation to continue using those trains? Officials warned as far back as May...
Rhun ap Iorwerth: Thank you very much, Llywydd.
Rhun ap Iorwerth: During rush hour, again, this week, Transport for Wales has been under fire for cancelled trains, missed stops and overcrowding. I don't think it's acceptable to hear passengers—including one telling a story of setting out early for a new job and reporting having to watch four or more trains pass through Queen Street station before finally finding room to get on one. These are problems...
Rhun ap Iorwerth: Will the First Minister make a statement on primary care services in Ynys Môn?
Rhun ap Iorwerth: Thank you very much. It is wonderful to see the medical school there, or the medical education there developing, at least. Would you agree with me that what I currently see in my constituency, in the Holyhead area—where there are two surgeries that, because of failures to recruit GPs, have had to transfer to the management of the health board, and that causes a crisis in terms of primary...
