, Committee for the Scrutiny of the First Minister
North Wales
I don't believe we told him he couldn't propose a third crossing. I hope that's right. I believe that's right. [Laughter.]
, Committee for the Scrutiny of the First Minister
North Wales
I think that's a question for Lord Burns rather than for me. It was under consideration because we asked the Burns commission to consider it. I haven't seen—nobody has seen—their final conclusions. Their interim report focused on those practical actions that…
, Committee for the Scrutiny of the First Minister
North Wales
Yes, in the short term too.
, Committee for the Scrutiny of the First Minister
North Wales
There are a number of practical steps that they have suggested in order to ensure that the Britannia bridge is in a place where it can cope with the traffic flow there in that period when we are working on the Menai bridge. Now, once the work is completed on…
, Committee for the Scrutiny of the First Minister
North Wales
Three-lane running or tidal flow on the Britannia bridge; reconfiguration of the junctions around the Britannia bridge; and wind deflectors on the Britannia bridge.
, Committee for the Scrutiny of the First Minister
North Wales
As I said, Chair, there are a number of practical suggestions in the interim report produced by Lord Burns.
, Committee for the Scrutiny of the First Minister
North Wales
Yes, I do agree. It is crucial to have a reliable system where people can be clear that they will be able to make that crossing. But with having two crossings in place already, I do think it is possible, through investment in the existing infrastructure, and…
, Committee for the Scrutiny of the First Minister
North Wales
So, the reason why a third crossing was thought to be possible was because the development of Wylfa B was going to contribute significantly to the costs of creating a third crossing, because the cabling, and so on, that was required for Wylfa B would become…
, Committee for the Scrutiny of the First Minister
North Wales
Well, Chair, I acknowledge, of course, the importance of having access to Anglesey through the two crossings that we already have. It's important that that's in place and that it is safe, and that's why this work is ongoing—in order to safeguard the people…
, Committee for the Scrutiny of the First Minister
North Wales
Yes. Look, this is my first hearing of it. I'm absolutely happy to make sure that I find out if there aren't any genuine inhibitions to us being able to do the same.
, Committee for the Scrutiny of the First Minister
North Wales
Yes. Well, Chair, we have always worked very closely with Community Pharmacy Wales. We'll continue to do so. There is a dilemma in the question, isn't there? We are, as they've said, moving to electronic forms of prescribing. Part of the reason for doing that…
, Committee for the Scrutiny of the First Minister
North Wales
Well, a small piece of good news for Mr Rowlands is that this was a recommendation of the health committee's inquiry into dentistry. The recommendation was accepted by the Welsh Government, and some significant work is being done, which I think now is getting…
, Committee for the Scrutiny of the First Minister
North Wales
Well, it is, Chair; I can give you that assurance. The Designed to Smile scheme is recovering fast from the pandemic. There is preventative work being done in dentistry, at a much higher rate with children, partly, I believe, as a result of the contract and…
, Committee for the Scrutiny of the First Minister
North Wales
Yes, we will absolutely look at it, and it's been looked at elsewhere.
, Committee for the Scrutiny of the First Minister
North Wales
Well, at present, Chair, as far as I'm aware, there is no obligation on someone who has gone through that training, largely, and significantly, at public expense, and quite certainly, using all those public facilities for their training placements and so on…
, Committee for the Scrutiny of the First Minister
North Wales
I heard Eluned Morgan's comments, and I'm sure that she will now work with people in Bangor and across north Wales to see if it would be possible to create a dental school for the future. Today is an important day, Chair, because the General Medical Council…
, Committee for the Scrutiny of the First Minister
North Wales
But I did hear him say that, in the future, we will have to have a deal struck between people who are being trained, where the public essentially pay for that training, that there has to be more of a contract with them so that they do work for the NHS for a…
, Committee for the Scrutiny of the First Minister
North Wales
It's not habit forming.
, Committee for the Scrutiny of the First Minister
North Wales
No, of course not. Nobody wants to see people thinking that that's the only way they can access the treatment that they need. The fundamental problem we have is that the health board and health service doesn't fund people working in this area directly. They…
, Committee for the Scrutiny of the First Minister
North Wales
Across the whole of Wales, we had hoped that the new contract would lead to 112,000 people being newly able to access dental services; it was actually 174,000 people at the end of the year—so, a very significant overachievement as a result of contract…
, Committee for the Scrutiny of the First Minister
North Wales
The situation is challenging, as it has been and as it will be into the future. But, we are doing a number of things to try to extend dental services for people here in north Wales. We've changed the contract, and that's important. I'm sure, when you speak to…
, Committee for the Scrutiny of the First Minister
North Wales
Again, in the theme about wanting to have some optimism about the future here in north Wales, two of the strengths that I've always thought the service in the north possessed were the strength of its primary care services and the strength of its public health…
, Committee for the Scrutiny of the First Minister
North Wales
The hope is that we've learnt lessons from the experiences we've had in the past here in north Wales. We are trying also to draw on the lessons that can be learned from England, where more than 20 health boards—they don't call them health boards, of…
, Committee for the Scrutiny of the First Minister
North Wales
This is going to be a very difficult few months ahead in trying to do just that. Every single health board in Wales is reporting a significant inability to live within the budgets that the Senedd voted for them only three months ago. Now, I don't think that's…
, Committee for the Scrutiny of the First Minister
North Wales
I don't think it's possible. I have seen Ministers in the past who were put up to answer questions on the floor of the Senedd by saying, repeatedly, 'That is the responsibility of Hywel Dda health board.' 'That is the responsibility of Aneurin Bevan health…
