I want to use this opportunity that this Plaid Cymru debate brings to follow on from yesterday's statement on flooding. I raised a number of issues in the Minister's statement yesterday that were not dealt with in her subsequent response. So, I want to return to those matters today and to raise some more issues that time did not allow for yesterday.

The first matter relates to Natural Resources Wales and the question of liability. This was a particular issue in Pentre, where I was again this morning with local councillors and Plaid Cymru's leader, but it's not just confined to that town. The tonnes of debris washed off the mountains that blocked the main culvert in Pentre was also a factor in other communities, such as Ynyshir and Blaenllechau. I would like to invite the Minister to visit communities like Pentre, Blaenllechau, Treorchy, Ynyshir, Ystrad, Porth and Trehafod to see the aftermath of the floods, and to see the scale of what people face to get back on their feet. 

If the next time, Minister, you come to the Rhondda you come with me, I'll make sure you speak to people who can explain to you very clearly the impact on their lives of what they believe to be Natural Resources Wales's actions or inactions. Perhaps you could also bring representatives of Natural Resources Wales with you. Such a visit will help you and officials to see why we need an independent inquiry into the causes of the flooding across the Rhondda and further downstream. An internal review conducted by Natural Resources Wales will not be good enough. 

Rhondda communities are demanding that Natural Resources Wales acknowledge their mistakes in leaving such large quantities of material on the mountain and, in some places, changing watercourses through the use of heavy machinery on the mountains without remedial works afterwards. For residents to receive justice, there needs to be an admission of liability on the part of NRW. They also want you to acknowledge that the guidance under which natural Resources Wales has been working to in relation to tree felling is no longer fit for purpose. It needs looking at again, and if you agree with me on that point, Minister, I'd like to hear from you how quickly you think such a review could be undertaken.

As Minister with responsibility over Natural Resources Wales, will you support steps to begin this process? While people are struggling to piece back their lives, there can be no lengthy delays to any part of this process. So, I ask you to act swiftly in terms of accepting liability, instituting an independent public inquiry and reviewing Natural Resources Wales's tree-felling guidance. Lessons have to be learned so this can never happen again. Where tree felling occurs, timber should not be left lying on the mountain in such large quantities. Watercourses, if disrupted through logging operations, must be reinstated.

I saw a prime example of this in Blaenllechau where a stream entered the property through the back door and left by gushing out through the front door. The woman living there told me that the watercourses above her home had been altered as a result of these tree felling operations. Naturally, she is concerned that this surge of water through her home will become the norm in heavy rain from now on until work is done to put matters right.

So, on behalf of this resident and many others, will you, Minister, ensure that these changes are implemented as soon as possible and that work is taken to reinstate whatever damage has been caused to watercourses on hillsides and on mountains? Not only do we have to put things right that have been damaged or altered, but we also have to futureproof our communities from further flooding. The climate crisis means we have to readjust and recalibrate everything we once thought was normal. Scientists are telling us that extreme weather events like large storms within quick succession will become more commonplace. We have to be more ready next time.

How do we further protect our communities, then, and our people? We must begin by looking at a programme of upland tree planting on the land especially that belongs to the Welsh Government. Where the land is privately owned, the occupiers need to be incentivised to plant and grow indigenous trees. We also have to seriously call into question planning policy that allows houses to be built on land that can be vital in the fight against flood prevention. We must also have a comprehensive and regular drainage and culvert cleaning programme.

The flooding not only damaged homes, it also damaged vehicles, and some are not covered for flood damage through their insurance policy. This is detrimental to everyone, but especially people who were relying upon their vehicles for employment purposes. In the light of that, will you consider granting people who have been affected by this free public transport, perhaps an extension of the free bus pass to those who have been affected? People have suffered enough; they should not have to pay extra to go back and forth to work.

There also needs to be consideration of the people who have lost their works vehicles if they're self-employed tradespeople. These people have not only lost their homes but they've also lost their livelihoods, and some will be left without their tools as a result of the flooding. So, I'd urge you to consider how people in that situation can best be helped.

I asked a number of other questions yesterday that did not get an adequate response. I asked about help with energy bills and packages of support in line with what is available elsewhere. So, I very much hope that these points will be answered through the course of this debate this afternoon. All of these matters are in your gift or in the gift of your Government, Minister. I hope you will address them, and I hope you will take the necessary action that our communities demand and expect.