Rhun ap Iorwerth: One thing that Professor Brown identifies is that gross value added measures are a very good indication of how prepared an economy is for automation. And the report highlights the sheer scale of the challenge for Wales in particular in preparing the workforce for advances in automation because of a failure to increase our GVA. And if we look at GVA figures by region, then it's very, very...
Rhun ap Iorwerth: I look forward to the full response on Professor Brown's report. What he saw was that too many Welsh companies are locked into low-value parts of worldwide chains and, actually, that there's little scope for higher value roles in areas like research and development and international procurement. Now Professor Brown further argues that the Welsh workforce, as a result, will be exposed to...
Rhun ap Iorwerth: Thank you very much, Llywydd. Will the Minister outline the Welsh Government's preparations for industry 4.0?
Rhun ap Iorwerth: We know that uncertainty is bad for business, which in itself is a condemnation of the way the referendum was held, without homework having been done, because it was inevitable that it was going to take years to resolve Brexit. Yes, there has been a slippage to the original timetable, but there was going to be a period of years anyway, so it was inevitable that that period of uncertainty, as...
Rhun ap Iorwerth: We’re talking about the importance of the use of language; let me turn to the use of the Welsh language. It did appear that there was quite some consensus achieved in terms of giving the name ‘Senedd’ to this institution. New legislation would reflect the fact that ‘Welsh Parliament’ is the meaning of the term ‘Senedd’, but we would give an inherently Welsh name to the...
Rhun ap Iorwerth: 'Senedd' has increasingly become a norm when people refer to this place. Yes, they call it the Welsh Assembly, they call it the National Assembly, they call it the Assembly, but more and more this building is known as the Senedd in both languages, which belong to all of us in Wales, whichever our language or languages of choice. And now we can take the small but significant step of adopting...
Rhun ap Iorwerth: As I said in my first question, all of us, of course, on both sides of the debate have to get our tone right. I read Welsh Government's policy update on Brexit, published last week, 'A brighter future for Wales', and in that document the Government floats proposals, including summary deportation of migrants and tracking of migrants through national insurance. Now, parking for one second the...
Rhun ap Iorwerth: Thank you, Llywydd. Trefnydd, many people were shocked last week by some of the language chosen by the UK Prime Minister in the House of Commons. They were shocked that he could be so thoughtless in terms of the fears of Members of Parliament regarding physical violence against them, and that he was so willing to disrespect the memory of an MP who was murdered because of her beliefs. Whatever...
Rhun ap Iorwerth: It's very interesting—consensus can build between politicians here in Wales and politicians in Westminster. It's happened over air passenger duty, for example. But still, because the cards are held by UK Government, it is up to them, not us as a nation what we get to decide on the future of our transport network. So, there's a catalogue of examples that I could give of why the UK is not a...
Rhun ap Iorwerth: Only if they get some decisions on Crewe, correct, is there a chance that parts of north Wales in the north-east may not be harmed, but the Welsh economy as a whole, on which we will be basing our tax base in years to come, will be harmed. Every study shows that. Mark Reckless.
Rhun ap Iorwerth: As an independent nation we would certainly be recognised as a nation throughout the whole world. My wish is for that Welsh nation to develop those international networks that your party seems determined to break—building walls rather than building bridges. But, by all means, let's talk about our transport infrastructure, as I'm always eager to, on how to improve connectivity to strengthen...
Rhun ap Iorwerth: This motion expresses support for 'Wales’s membership of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and its indefinite continuance.' I'm afraid that we on these Plaid Cymru benches can't sign up to that. Why? Firstly, I think we're more than likely discussing a hypothetical. It would be foolish in the extreme, I believe, to fully commit ourselves in perpetuity to a state that...
Rhun ap Iorwerth: Will you take an intervention, David?
Rhun ap Iorwerth: Thank you for taking the intervention. I'm sure you're aware that the European Union was more than happy for Welsh routes, both road and rail, to be given core status within the TEN-T networks. It was UK Government that didn't put those routes forward to be connected within TEN-T. Brussels was perfectly happy.
Rhun ap Iorwerth: Thank you for taking the intervention. There's a very straightforward difference in the two scenarios: Wales is not an independent country within Britain; Britain is an independent country within Europe, by any measure.
Rhun ap Iorwerth: Therefore, funding provided for local government for the care provided by them is funding that provides savings to the NHS at a later date, and the WLGA estimate that local government has had to make real-term cuts of 22 per cent over the past decade. Now, clearly, this is not sustainable for the future and the priority has to be clearly set out in the 2020-21 budget, or the NHS will suffer...
Rhun ap Iorwerth: No, I'm not agreeing with you—I think what we’ve seen in England is them falling into the trap of thinking they can put all the money into the health service, starve other services delivered by local authorities, leading to a knock-on in additional pressures on the NHS. What I’m saying is that money should be considered in the round. Money going into social care, social services, is...
Rhun ap Iorwerth: We know that we’ve lived through a period of huge financial pressures, but what that means in reality is that, when it comes to setting priorities and trying to ensure that we are able to deliver on those priorities, to channel the funds in the right way to the right place in order to deliver against those priorities, it means that we will need to be more sophisticated in terms of how...
Rhun ap Iorwerth: I have become aware of what appears to be a concerning pattern of deaths on Anglesey in this latest period. I say that I’ve become aware of this, because, as far as I know, there’s no publicity on this. What I’ve had is people in our communities talking with me to share their concerns, and they see a pattern. I think I’m right to say that five deaths have occurred in the Llangefni...
Rhun ap Iorwerth: 7. Will the Minister make a statement on the mortality rates associated with the misuse of drugs in Anglesey? OAQ54389
