Visit from Ysgol y Gogarth
Last week I had the pleasure once more to welcome pupils and staff from Ysgol y Gogarth down to Westminster. Whilst this was not a first visit from Ysgol y Gogarth and one of dozens that I have now hosted since I first became the MP for Aberconwy it was, however, a rather special occasion.
After four years of design, planning and building the new Parliamentary Education Centre was opened recently and this visit from Ysgol y Gogarth was the first time that I had been able to make use of the facilities. It is, undoubtedly, a great addition to Parliament with purpose built classroom facilities and excellent staff who are able to show how Parliament works and the way in which the views of individual constituents can be heard here in Westminster. During the visit from Ysgol y Gogarth there was a mock election and it was a landslide to the yellow party! Clearly that was a result that was somewhat contrary to recent history but as one of the pupils was announced as the Prime Minister it was apparent that the political acceptance speeches of teenagers are better than anything you would hear from experienced politicians.
This new centre is a credit to Parliament and has justified the vision that Mr Speaker had for such a facility. As always I would like to say that each and every school in Aberconwy are very welcome to visit and if they need any support or guidance they are most welcome to contact my office in Conwy.
Assisted Dying Debate
It’s not often that I stay in London for the Friday sitting which usually comprises Private Member Bills of little relevance to constituents here in Aberconwy. This, however, was not the case last Friday when Parliament debated the issue of Assisted Dying, an issue which had prompted hundreds of letters and emails to my office. I was glad to welcome some of the team at St. David’s Hospice to listen to the debate and was delighted to be able to offer them tickets to listen to the debate in front of the security screen such was my confidence in their good behaviour. Mrs Harrison the chair of the Hospice spoke for all when she complemented the Members who took part in the debate on a civilised and often thought provoking discussion of the very real ethical issues at stake.
I joined with 330 colleagues from all political parties to reject the proposal but I do not for one second doubt the sincerity and motives of the 118 members who decided to support the proposed change in the law. What is clear is that there is a very real cross party recognition that with the proposed Bill rejected there is much more that needs to be done to ensure that people and families are supported during the last weeks and days of their lives. Palliative care and support is something we are very aware of here in Aberconwy due to the incredible work being done by a hospice such as St. David’s. The challenge for society and politicians is to ensure that the care and support provided by St. David’s is replicated and becomes a more commonly available service for those facing the last days of their lives.
Ymweliad gan Ysgol y Gogarth
Yr wythnos diwethaf cefais y pleser unwaith eto o groesawu disgyblion a staff o Ysgol y Gogarth i San Steffan. Er bod dwsinau o dripiau ysgolion wedi dod yma o’r etholaeth erbyn hyn, roedd hwn yn achlysur go arbennig.
Yn ddiweddar, ar ôl pedair blynedd o gynllunio a pharatoi, agorwyd Canolfan Addysg y Senedd a dyma’r tro cyntaf i mi gael cyfle i ddefnyddio’r adnodd. Yn sicr, mae’n ychwanegiad gwych i’r Senedd gan fod iddi ystafelloedd dosbarth a chyfleusterau pwrpasol ynghyd â staff brwdfrydig a gwybodus sy’n gallu dangos sut mae’r Senedd yn gweithio a sut y gall etholwyr unigol ddylanwadu ar yr hyn sy’n digwydd yn San Steffan. Yn ystod yr ymweliad gan Ysgol y Gogarth cynhaliwyd ffug etholiad ac enillodd y Blaid Felen o fwyafrif llethol – canlyniad oedd yn dra gwahanol i’r hyn ddigwyddodd yn yr etholiad go-iawn – ac wrth i un o’r disgyblion gael ei gyhoeddi’n Brif Weinidog daeth yn amlwg bod areithiau gwleidyddol y bobl ifanc yn llawer gwell na’n hyn a gawn gan wleidyddion profiadol.
Mae gan y Senedd le i ymfalchïo yn y ganolfan newydd ac mae’n gwireddu gweledigaeth y Llefarydd am adnodd o’r fath. Hoffwn bwysleisio eto bod croeso i bob ysgol yn Aberconwy ymweld â’r Senedd ac os hoffent unrhyw gefnogaeth neu gyngor mae croeso iddynt gysylltu â’m swyddfa yng Nghonwy.
Y Ddadl ar y Mesur Cymorth i Farw
Anaml y byddaf yn aros yn Llundain ar ddydd Gwener gan nad yw Biliau Preifat Aelodau Seneddol fel arfer yn berthnasol iawn i etholwyr Aberconwy. Fodd bynnag, nid oedd hynny’n wir ddydd Gwener diwethaf pan oedd y Senedd yn trafod y Mesur Cymorth i Farw, pwnc oedd wedi ysgogi cannoedd o lythyrau ac e-byst i’m swyddfa. Roeddwn yn falch o groesawu rhai o dîm Hosbis Dewi Sant i wrando ar y ddadl ac roedd Mrs Harrison, cadeirydd yr Hosbis, yn mynegi teimladau pawb pan ganmolodd yr Aelodau Seneddol am gynnal trafodaeth waraidd a deallus ar bwnc moesegol cymhleth.
Ymunais â’r 330 Aelod Seneddol o bob plaid wleidyddol a wrthododd y cynnig, ond nid wyf am eiliad yn amau didwylledd a chymhellion y 118 aelod a benderfynodd gefnogi newid y gyfraith. Yr hyn oedd yn amlwg iawn oedd bod teimlad ym mhob plaid bod angen gwneud mwy i sicrhau bod unigolion a’u teuluoedd yn cael eu cefnogi yn ystod wythnosau a dyddiau olaf eu bywyd. Mae gofal a chefnogaeth liniarol yw rhywbeth rydym ni yn Aberconwy’n ymwybodol iawn ohono oherwydd y gwaith anhygoel a wneir gan hosbisau megis Hosbis Dewi Sant. Yr her i gymdeithas a gwleidyddion yw sicrhau bod y gofal a’r gefnogaeth a ddarperir gan Hosbis Dewi Sant yn cael ei ailadrodd drwy’r wlad ac yn wasanaeth sydd ar gael i bawb sy’n wynebu diwedd eu hoes.