Julie James: The leader of UKIP makes his usual nonsensical alignment between two completely different things. Of course, the First Minister is conducting a series of important negotiations with a range of investors right across the United States and Canada, as it happens, in the best interests of this country. Of course, he will be meeting with Hillary Clinton and a range of other people who have an...
Julie James: I think it's very important that we maintain an open mind during the negotiations with the EU and therefore we need to have a customs union of one sort or another. If that turns out to be the customs union as a result of the negotiations, well that would be very interesting, but, in the spirit of a negotiation, of course we have to keep everything on the table.
Julie James: No, I disagree entirely. I think it's a very sensible point to make that we need to be in a position to negotiate the very best possible deal for Wales and for the UK as a whole, as part of these negotiations in leaving the European Union. Therefore, we need to try and negotiate the best possible deal. I personally think that the best possible deal is the current state of play. I'm a...
Julie James: We've been very clear as a Welsh Government, and indeed, in co-operation with Plaid Cymru, about the very best possible outcome for Wales, and we're still very clear about that. But I reiterate what I said: this is a negotiation. It is about getting the best out of the negotiation overall. So, if you rule everything out except the position you start from, that's not a negotiation, and you're...
Julie James: Well, yes, as I said earlier on in answer to the question, we've confirmed we'll bring forward the debate in Government time on the M4 corridor around Newport, following the conclusion of the public local inquiry. The debate is likely to be a 'to note' debate at this point in time, but I'm hesitant to say that categorically because we don't yet know the outcome of the public inquiry. So,...
Julie James: Yes, currently, we are minded that it will be a 'to note' debate, but I want to reiterate that until we see the outcome of the public inquiry and the consequent legal advice and so on it's impossible to be categoric. So, I'm not in a position to be categoric about it, for the best possible reason, which is that we need to react to it in the light of whatever the outcome of the public...
Julie James: Yes, we worked very hard to keep them inside the procurement. The leader of the opposition is absolutely right: it's better for us to have the widest range of possibilities open to us in terms of the procurement. So, a lot of very hard work took place actually before the Carillion collapse, and after it, to keep them in the procurement. However, we've still got two very robust tenderers...
Julie James: Yes. In partnership with the WLGA, we will continue increasing the number of local authorities and schools running this scheme by making a further £500,000 available during 2018-19. This will involve working with partners, including local health boards and Public Health Wales, to align agendas, for example, by reducing adverse childhood experiences or increasing sport participation.
Julie James: Yes, indeed. The food and fun scheme is a great scheme—it's won seven awards, including an NHS award recognising the scheme's adherence to the tenets of the Well-being of Future Generations (Wales) Act 2015. I'm delighted to say that the Sustain charity wrote to all UK Governments in 2017 highlighting the Welsh model for tackling holiday hunger as the best in the UK. So, we're very pleased...
Julie James: I share the Member's concern, actually, but I'm not sure I'd put it in quite the way that he did. Only registered child minders are currently eligible to receive funding as part of the offer because legislation for 2010, actually, states that the person looking after a child does not act as a child minder if that person is a parent or relative of the child, or a foster parent of the child....
Julie James: Apologies.
Julie James: Apologies for that. The Welsh Government ensured that Wales was at the forefront of introducing the charge on single-use carrier bags. Since its introduction, there has been a substantial reduction in single-use plastic carrier bag usage. We are now developing legislation to introduce a microbeads ban in Wales, on both the manufacture and sale of those products.
Julie James: Yes, indeed, I very much welcome Anglesey's bid for Anglesey to become Wales's first local authority to have official plastic-free status. I think it includes plans to establish a water refill network across the island, and we'd be very interested to see how that goes. The Member will be well aware that 2018 is Wales's Year of the Sea, so it's very timely to act to protect our natural assets...
Julie James: We've commissioned consultants to conduct a study to examine the potential for extended producer responsibility approaches in Wales, which will help increase recycling and reduce the littering of packaging. I think the research will be focusing on food and drink-related packaging, including plastic bottles and cans, and will also include an analysis of a potential deposit-return scheme. The...
Julie James: I think it's a very laudable aim. I'm not too sure about china ones, but I know that David Melding has heard me on one of my many soapboxes on a number of occasions about my antipathy towards single-use coffee cups, and my carrying around, to the detriment of the inside of my handbag on occasions, coffee cups that can be refilled. Indeed, I'm very pleased that the Assembly estate largely uses...
Julie James: Yes, indeed. The new clinical response model is ensuring all patients receive the right response from the right type of clinician and vehicle to optimise their chances of a good outcome, and that patients in most need of an immediate intervention receive the fastest response.
Julie James: My understanding is that the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Services has already asked the chief ambulance services commissioner to review the monitoring of amber calls in order to reduce the time waited by those with the longest response times and consider how the amber calls are being dealt with. So, I'm sure he's heard that additional point that you've made and will be taking...
Julie James: Welcome to the Chamber. I think that's your first question, so I'm delighted to be the one answering it. Our plans for investment across north Wales are detailed in the 'National Transport Finance Plan 2017 Update'. Our resources are directed to achieving a sustainable and integrated transport system that supports all modes of transport.
Julie James: Yes, very important points. We certainly recognise the importance of improving transport connectivity between north Wales and north-west England, and that's why we're working closely with organisations on both sides of the border to develop and deliver improvements across all transport modes. Representatives from Cheshire West and Chester, Merseyside travel and Wirral are members of the north...
Julie James: My understanding is it's part of the consideration of the connectivity that I was just talking about. The Cabinet Secretary's indicating to me that it will be part of the consideration, but, if the Member wants to write for very specific details, I'm sure he'd be happy to give you specifics.
