Plaid Cymru

Speeches and questions

Speeches and questions in Plenary and in committees, newest first. The Llywydd's and deputies' chairing of Plenary is left out.

1,140 speeches and questions

29 September 2026Plenary
Statement by the Deputy Minister for Social Care, Mental Health and Women's Health: Improving Family-centred Neonatal Care in Wales: Progress Towards the Bliss Baby Charter
Janet, I am so sorry for the experience that you have just talked about in your family, and I think the thoughts of everyone in the Chamber will be with your family. I really hope everything will be all right. You also mentioned the incredibly distressing…
29 September 2026Plenary
Statement by the Deputy Minister for Social Care, Mental Health and Women's Health: Improving Family-centred Neonatal Care in Wales: Progress Towards the Bliss Baby Charter
Sorry, but awkwardly with the Chamber, I have to have my back to you when I'm answering you. Thank you, Sara, for sharing Chloe and Theo's story with the Chamber. We all know that neonatal admission can have that really lasting psychological effect and impact…
29 September 2026Plenary
Statement by the Deputy Minister for Social Care, Mental Health and Women's Health: Improving Family-centred Neonatal Care in Wales: Progress Towards the Bliss Baby Charter
Okay, and for me to be succinct too, I would imagine.
29 September 2026Plenary
Statement by the Deputy Minister for Social Care, Mental Health and Women's Health: Improving Family-centred Neonatal Care in Wales: Progress Towards the Bliss Baby Charter
—and that they have those tools at their disposal to be able to do this. But of course, if we see that there is a need for us to consider that further, of course that's something we'd be open to. I can't know exactly how this is going to roll out in the…
29 September 2026Plenary
Statement by the Deputy Minister for Social Care, Mental Health and Women's Health: Improving Family-centred Neonatal Care in Wales: Progress Towards the Bliss Baby Charter
—that they are empowered—
29 September 2026Plenary
Statement by the Deputy Minister for Social Care, Mental Health and Women's Health: Improving Family-centred Neonatal Care in Wales: Progress Towards the Bliss Baby Charter
Diolch, Natasha, and as you said at the start, it is an emotive area, and I really welcome the fact that there is cross-party support for the principles here. Of course, in terms of how it is rolled out in terms of how the accreditation progresses, all of you…
29 September 2026Plenary
Statement by the Deputy Minister for Social Care, Mental Health and Women's Health: Improving Family-centred Neonatal Care in Wales: Progress Towards the Bliss Baby Charter
Diolch, Jayne, for those questions. I know this is something really close to your heart, as well. Indeed, as you say, and it is right to put that on the record again, the work that was undertaken by the previous Government on this was foundationally important…
29 September 2026Plenary
Statement by the Deputy Minister for Social Care, Mental Health and Women's Health: Improving Family-centred Neonatal Care in Wales: Progress Towards the Bliss Baby Charter
Diolch, Catherine. Welcome to your role. The work that is being carried out in neonatal units across Wales is indeed, well, absolutely life-changing. I think it would do us all good to pause and reflect on the phenomenal work that is happening across Wales…
29 September 2026Plenary
Statement by the Deputy Minister for Social Care, Mental Health and Women's Health: Improving Family-centred Neonatal Care in Wales: Progress Towards the Bliss Baby Charter
Now, while today is an opportunity to recognise progress, the work is not complete. Bronze accreditation is an important foundation, but accreditation must not become an end point. Lasting improvement will depend on units continuing to listen to families, to…
29 September 2026Plenary
Statement by the Deputy Minister for Social Care, Mental Health and Women's Health: Improving Family-centred Neonatal Care in Wales: Progress Towards the Bliss Baby Charter
The Bliss baby charter supports the quality statement for maternity and neonatal services. This sets out our national vision of providing safe, equitable and person-centred care. The quality statement recommends that health boards should follow the standards…
29 September 2026Plenary
Statement by the Deputy Minister for Social Care, Mental Health and Women's Health: Improving Family-centred Neonatal Care in Wales: Progress Towards the Bliss Baby Charter
And we know, of course, that some parents will face additional barriers to being close to or involved in their baby’s care. These could include distance from their home, financial pressures, work, other caring responsibilities, language and communication…
29 September 2026Plenary
Statement by the Deputy Minister for Social Care, Mental Health and Women's Health: Improving Family-centred Neonatal Care in Wales: Progress Towards the Bliss Baby Charter
In September 2025, the Welsh Government provided almost £100,000 to Bliss to establish a national neonatal service improvement programme for Wales. Since then, every neonatal unit has either achieved bronze-level accreditation or submitted evidence for…
29 September 2026Plenary
Statement by the Deputy Minister for Social Care, Mental Health and Women's Health: Improving Family-centred Neonatal Care in Wales: Progress Towards the Bliss Baby Charter
Each year, around 2,800 premature and sick babies in Wales receive neonatal care. For many families, admission to a neonatal unit is one of the most fraught experiences they will ever have to face. Parents may spend weeks or months in hospital dealing with…
29 September 2026Plenary
Statement by the Deputy Minister for Social Care, Mental Health and Women's Health: Improving Family-centred Neonatal Care in Wales: Progress Towards the Bliss Baby Charter
Thank you, Dirprwy Lywydd. Today, I am pleased to provide Members with an update on the progress being made across Wales to improve the experience of babies and families receiving neonatal care through the Bliss baby charter. This is a sign of our ongoing…
17 September 2026Health and Social Care Committee
General scrutiny session with the Cabinet Minister for Health and Care, the Deputy Minister for Public and Preventative Health and the Deputy Minister for Social Care, Mental Health and Women’s Health
Thank you for the work that you're doing there to support people in crisis. It's hugely important. So, the NHS '111 press 2' service exists at the moment so that someone with a mental health need can get that triage happening straight away, rather than…
17 September 2026Health and Social Care Committee
General scrutiny session with the Cabinet Minister for Health and Care, the Deputy Minister for Public and Preventative Health and the Deputy Minister for Social Care, Mental Health and Women’s Health
Could I ask, to Sara and to other members of the committee, when you come across examples like that, if you could write to us with them—where you're seeing examples of how things could be made better? That would be really useful.
17 September 2026Health and Social Care Committee
General scrutiny session with the Cabinet Minister for Health and Care, the Deputy Minister for Public and Preventative Health and the Deputy Minister for Social Care, Mental Health and Women’s Health
And that is again something that is going to be part of the programme that we're going to be setting up later this year as well. Every element of this will have its part to play, and this isn't just something that is specific to mental health, of course…
17 September 2026Health and Social Care Committee
General scrutiny session with the Cabinet Minister for Health and Care, the Deputy Minister for Public and Preventative Health and the Deputy Minister for Social Care, Mental Health and Women’s Health
Just before Mabon comes in on the more general points, in terms of—. We are doing a lot of work to improve mental health data, certainly. Because I agree with you that it's really important. I know that NHS Performance and Improvement are looking at lots of…
17 September 2026Health and Social Care Committee
General scrutiny session with the Cabinet Minister for Health and Care, the Deputy Minister for Public and Preventative Health and the Deputy Minister for Social Care, Mental Health and Women’s Health
In terms of—. Forgive me; do you mean—
17 September 2026Health and Social Care Committee
General scrutiny session with the Cabinet Minister for Health and Care, the Deputy Minister for Public and Preventative Health and the Deputy Minister for Social Care, Mental Health and Women’s Health
If you could, that would be really useful, because, again, I know that we're short on time and I don't want to rush this, because it would be really useful for us to learn from this.
17 September 2026Health and Social Care Committee
General scrutiny session with the Cabinet Minister for Health and Care, the Deputy Minister for Public and Preventative Health and the Deputy Minister for Social Care, Mental Health and Women’s Health
This would be part of that, because I agree with you; we are not where we should be in terms of these waiting lists. That can be a particular problem for young people as well. So, it does all link together, and this is something that, again, I hope that the…
17 September 2026Health and Social Care Committee
General scrutiny session with the Cabinet Minister for Health and Care, the Deputy Minister for Public and Preventative Health and the Deputy Minister for Social Care, Mental Health and Women’s Health
Thank you, and thank you for your expertise. I think it's really going to enrich what the committee is doing. There are so many of you with expertise in this committee. We want to get to a place where, when someone presents with a mental health problem, they…
17 September 2026Health and Social Care Committee
General scrutiny session with the Cabinet Minister for Health and Care, the Deputy Minister for Public and Preventative Health and the Deputy Minister for Social Care, Mental Health and Women’s Health
Claire, thank you so much. On the point that you're making, firstly about the life course pathway and looking at those different flash points where we can be looking out for when young women, women throughout their lives are more likely to be experiencing…
17 September 2026Health and Social Care Committee
General scrutiny session with the Cabinet Minister for Health and Care, the Deputy Minister for Public and Preventative Health and the Deputy Minister for Social Care, Mental Health and Women’s Health
Certainly in terms of the women's health plan, that feedback is really useful and I don't disagree with you at all. I am looking to strengthen how that plan answers the most urgent concerns of the women of Wales. And so both you as a committee and any women…
17 September 2026Health and Social Care Committee
General scrutiny session with the Cabinet Minister for Health and Care, the Deputy Minister for Public and Preventative Health and the Deputy Minister for Social Care, Mental Health and Women’s Health
I'm aware of time, but I'll just add briefly, because you mentioned endometriosis there and how that links in with general menstrual health and empowering girls and teenagers as well, young women, to be able to spot what is normal, that, again, a big passion…