2. Business Statement and Announcement

Part of the debate – in the Senedd at 2:42 pm on 23 November 2021.

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Photo of Janet Finch-Saunders Janet Finch-Saunders Conservative 2:42, 23 November 2021

I, first, would like to request two statements. But, in the first instance, I want to echo the points made by my colleague James Evans. I was present at the meeting; I think it was Friday. And I was amazed by the number of council leaders, planning officers, who attended the meeting and raised their concerns about the lack of—the stop to—building that's going ahead. And I know the coalition deal that you've done with Plaid Cymru—all the emphasis on second homes—but yet we have thousands of homes in Wales now that are unable to go ahead in planning. Young people simply cannot get on the ladder; we need more housing. It's true that the special areas of conservation management oversight group, a planning sub-group and an NRW project group with several work streams have been formed, but it has been made very clear to me that this is not working for our councils across Wales. So, will you arrange for the Minister to make an urgent oral statement outlining what steps she's going to take? 

Secondly, the Minister knows that I'm opposed to the NHS COVID pass, but I accept that the majority voted in favour and that is democracy. The Older People's Commissioner for Wales, however, has highlighted that only 40 per cent of over-75s in Wales use the internet, compared to 71 per cent of 65 to 74-year-olds. It's essential that all residents have the ability to request a paper COVID pass, and, Minister—and the First Minister is here as well listening to this—I am receiving a lot—. We do have an older population in Aberconwy, and people are phoning quite distressed about the lack of ability to obtain a COVID pass so that they can go to a show or a theatre in our Venue Cymru. The phone lines are not always working—