Rebecca Evans: I thank Mike Hedges for raising that particular, important issue and for his constant support for Designed to Smile. I remember in the finance scrutiny session just recently, he was able to cite that as one of the excellent examples of really, truly preventative spend that we do have in Wales. I think it's only right that we seek to focus our efforts to improve the dental and oral health of...
Rebecca Evans: The Welsh Government is committed to ensuring spending decisions are informed by robust evidence and value for money is considered throughout policy development. We draw on a range of guidance to make the best use of public resources, including the high-level principles set out in HM Treasury's Green Book.
Rebecca Evans: This Welsh Government is proudly a global, internationalist Welsh Government that takes its responsibilities to the planet and to others very seriously. We're absolutely proud of the work that we're doing through our Wales for Africa programme. I think that perhaps it might speak more easily to the Member's set of values if I just make the point that, actually, it's in our own best interests...
Rebecca Evans: I'm aware of the good work of Play Wales. I've had the opportunity to see some of the things that they do locally within my own patch. What I will say is I'm not familiar particularly with the specific grant to which the Member refers, but if you would write to me with some further information, I can then discuss it perhaps with the relevant responsible Minister.
Rebecca Evans: The budget invests in all parts of Wales to support our public services, businesses and communities. This includes a £20 million boost for the north Wales metro within the Minister for Economy and Transport's portfolio, continuing our investment in an integrated, modern and efficient transport system for the region.
Rebecca Evans: I'm grateful to Llyr for raising this issue. I know that he's got a very strong interest in the hydro energy sector, as do I and the Minister with responsibility for energy. We are currently awaiting a paper from the representative body of the hydro sector, which does refer to those potential changes in methodology that you described, but I'm open to having some further discussions, as I've...
Rebecca Evans: As I mentioned in the statement yesterday, the local health boards across Wales will be coming forward with their plans and their proposals for 2020-21 by the end of the month, and the health Minister and his officials will be robustly scrutinising and challenging those and then the health Minister will accept or not accept the plans as they come forward. Obviously, a focus on improvement and...
Rebecca Evans: Well, it isn't the case, of course, that north Wales does not get its fair share of funding. I'm just having a look at the figures on capital spend, which I have in front of me, and they show that the total projected cost of capital spend in the most recent year, for which we have those figures, is £2.5 million, and that is actually the second highest of all the regions. And that's just the...
Rebecca Evans: The draft budget 2020-21 delivers on our promises to the people of Wales and invests in the future of our planet. For example, our plans include funding to complete the £25 million investment for phase 2 of the women and children's scheme at Glangwili hospital.
Rebecca Evans: I thank the Member for raising that question. I will perhaps, if she's content, ask the health Minister to provide the detailed answer to that question.FootnoteLink
Rebecca Evans: In line with the priority this Government places on supporting the most vulnerable in our communities, and despite almost a decade of austerity, the Minister for Housing and Local Government is maintaining investment in the housing support grant next year at £170 million—sorry, £127 million.
Rebecca Evans: Jack Sargeant recognises the importance of the housing support grant, as do I, in terms of it being one of the levers that we have in terms of preventing homelessness here in Wales. He's right that, despite being able to maintain budgets at existing levels, we unfortunately haven't been able to provide real-terms increases to every item in the budget. Pressures continue, of course, going into...
Rebecca Evans: So, Russell George is correct that there is specific funding that is going to Swansea, Newport, Cardiff and Wrexham, because those are real areas where there is significant rough-sleeping, and those local authorities do have significant pressure on them. But we absolutely recognise that homelessness doesn't just occur in cities and urban areas, it actually occurs across Wales, and that's one...
Rebecca Evans: There's one change to this week's business. As no amendments have been tabled, the time allocated to the Stage 3 debate on the National Health Service (Indemnities) (Wales) Bill has been reduced. Draft business for the next three weeks is set out on the business statement and announcement, which can be found amongst the meeting papers available to Members electronically.
Rebecca Evans: I thank Darren Millar for raising those issues. On the first, which relates to the future of the patient voice in Wales for health and social services, he made a keen bid for his own constituency. I know that the Minister for Health and Social Services will be keeping the Senedd updated on this particular issue, of course. But, more widely, I can say that the Welsh Government has published,...
Rebecca Evans: I thank Leanne Wood for raising both of these—all three of these—issues in the Chamber this afternoon. On the first, I will certainly ask the Minister with responsibility for equalities to provide an update as to the situation regarding the disability support helpline, because I don't have that information in front of me today.FootnoteLink But she has also indicated that she would be...
Rebecca Evans: On the first issue, regarding schools and your concern about particular individual schools within the region that you represent, I would encourage you to write to the education Minister and potentially the local authority raising the concerns you have regarding those specific schools. And, on the second, of course Welsh Government wants Airbus to be a great success. We've invested over the...
Rebecca Evans: I thank Jenny Rathbone for raising both of those issues. On the first, obviously, Welsh Government is investing additional funding through our most recently published draft budget, which looks to support and increase the use of electric vehicles here in Wales. But, alongside this, we're also preparing for hydrogen opportunities that we expect to come forward over the next five to 10 years....
Rebecca Evans: On the first issue, which relates to Welsh Government policy on incineration, Mike Hedges raised a similar issue within the Chamber in recent weeks, and I know that the Minister's provided him with a comprehensive background on Welsh Government policy in this area, and I know that she'd be keen to share the same with you. We are currently considering the report from WSP on the adequacy of the...
Rebecca Evans: Again, I'm grateful for these issues being raised again this afternoon. I know, on the issue of steel, the Minister will be meting with Dr Henrik Adam, CEO of Tata Steel Europe, in the coming weeks in relation to Tata particularly. However, the points are well made about the contractors, and obviously the full supply chain that is dependent very much on Tata. So, I'll be sure to make the...
