2. Business Statement and Announcement

Part of the debate – in the Senedd at 2:32 pm on 2 March 2021.

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Photo of Bethan Sayed Bethan Sayed Plaid Cymru 2:32, 2 March 2021

Firstly, I wanted to raise concerns with you with regard to comments that were made by an NHS public servant last week. James Moore, who was seconded at the time to Health Education and Improvement Wales, made awful comments comparing the treatment of English speakers to that of apartheid. So, this was a campaign against a new Welsh school in west Wales. Now, notwithstanding the fact that this is entirely crass, to compare the experiences of apartheid to that of an issue in Wales where Welsh is an equal language to English, it is inappropriate for somebody in this position to make such comments. And, at the time, HEIW tried to wash their hands of this by saying that it was a private matter, and that he'd said it in a private capacity. Now, he's been transferred back to the Welsh Ambulance Services NHS Trust, and I know that they are taking action. But this goes wider than the ambulance trust, because James Moore is also the NHS lead for compassionate leadership. 

So, I would like to have a statement from Welsh Government to ask you what more you are doing to make sure that you do not tolerate anybody who works for the NHS, or any other public service, making such awful remarks pertaining to the Welsh language, and that you have a zero-tolerance approach to this in the future. 

My second request for a statement is with regard to baby development groups that are taking place during this particular pandemic. We know that in lockdown they haven't been able to meet face to face, and that they've resorted to doing those classes on Zoom. In the last few days alone, a new petition has started, which has garnered 100 signatures already, to try and get those face-to-face classes back up and running. Will the Welsh Government commit to this so that those parents and those babies who want to see development in those early stages can meet and can then practice in those classes? Thank you.