At a recent meeting of the Children, Young People and Education Committee, a psychiatric consultant and medical director for mental health at Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board said that it appears that, 'we probably need about four beds of a mother and baby unit' in north Wales.

He went on to say that the board was willing to pilot a new model of care.

Now, what becomes clear, whatever the figure, and whether you need a unit or not, is that we do need urgent action to develop unique provision for mothers and babies in north Wales. Things have started in south Wales, at last, with a pro tem unit, but there is nothing that seems to be happening in terms of mothers in north Wales, who continue to have to travel a long way from home or are treated on psychiatric wards without their babies, or decide not to seek the necessary assistance at all. Will you, therefore, give directions to the relevant bodies to look into the options for north Wales with the aim of creating unique provision so that mothers in large parts of the country aren't left behind?