James Evans: And, of course, it's very important to support your local breweries, Russ, which will be in the beer tents, but it is a great opportunity going around summer shows to meet your constituents, as you said. And, as many people and a few in this Chamber know who have stood in the great seat of Brecon and Radnorshire, if you don't go around the summer shows, you're just simply not going to get...
James Evans: Will the Minister make a statement on the Welsh Government's support for the hospitality industry?
James Evans: I, like many others in this Chamber today, thought this was a speech that none of us would have to make. When the sad announcement came of the passing of the Queen, it left a void in our hearts and a shared grief with people right across our country and the world, as we paused together to remember the greatest servant the world had ever seen. My thoughts and prayers, along with all my...
James Evans: 6. What steps is the First Minister taking to engage with the new Prime Minister of the United Kingdom? OQ58388
James Evans: Thank you for your answer, First Minister. I was encouraged to see your tweet welcoming Liz Truss to her new position. She is, of course, the third woman Conservative to hold that office. It's hugely important to the Welsh people that you and the new Prime Minister work together with mutual respect from both Governments to tackle the shared challenges that people face. I know at times, First...
James Evans: Thank you, Counsel General. My party are very glad that this legislation is coming forward because we need to do as much as we can to reduce single-use plastics right across the globe, because it is the great scourge of our time that we are seeing plastics littering our oceans and killing our animals, and that is totally unacceptable. With the Welsh Government going further, banning more...
James Evans: I met with Brecon Beacons Tourism recently, Minister, and they have many concerns, but one of their biggest concerns was the lack of clarity from the Government over this. The change in language used from a focus on tourism to a visitor levy has contributed to uncertainty. The First Minister himself said it isn’t just for people coming to Wales for tourism purposes—the levy will apply to...
James Evans: Minister, while the idea of rent controls and suspending evictions may seem like a good idea to help people, history shows us that it's not a good solution to fix the problems that we currently face. In 2017, the Irish Government brought in rent controls, and that led to a housing shortage, higher rents due to loopholes and landlords withdrawing properties from the market. The reason why...
James Evans: Minister, planning and other appeals were removed from the joint agency between the UK and Welsh Government and placed within the planning and environment directorate within the Welsh Government. We were told this would improve the service and deliver the changes that Wales needs. In the 11 months since the change, the average delay in even opening the appeals application has increased from...
James Evans: It's really positive to see this legislation coming forward. It's a bit overdue, but I'm glad to see it's coming forward. One part of the Bill is about animal welfare, and in the explanatory memorandum points 7.514 to 7.531 set out actions and targets for the Welsh Government regarding what the Bill will do around TB, sheep scab, antimicrobial resistance, et cetera. Do you think, Minister,...
James Evans: The UK Government's levelling-up agenda has brought great benefits to mid Wales, with the last autumn budget seeing a total of £22 million being invested in Powys for elements of social care, tourism and housing, most of which are truly needed in my community. Does the Minister agree with me that funding like this from the Conservative UK Government is a huge boost for rural communities,...
James Evans: One of the downsides of going later on in these debates is that a lot of people have already said a lot of what I wanted to raise. I'm not going to reiterate a lot of the comments that other people have made, but one thing I did want to say, and something about the key statistics that has really stood out for me, is that 1,200 people each year are diagnosed with gynaecological cancer, and...
James Evans: First Minister, people in rural areas spend 10 per cent more of their income on fuel for their cars, so can you tell me what the Welsh Government is doing to improve transport connectivity in rural areas so people don't have to rely on fossil fuels?
James Evans: 6. Will the Minister provide an update on the work of the Veterans' Commissioner for Wales? OQ58474
James Evans: Thank you for that, Deputy Minister. I'm sure that you're pleased, as I am, that the work that he is doing is well under way, and I'm sure that you'd welcome Sarah Atherton to her position in the UK Government, as the Minister for veterans. You did say that it is the responsibility of the UK Government, but there are matters that are devolved here, and hopefully we can get some answers on...
James Evans: 9. What were the costs to the Welsh Government of the legal challenge to the United Kingdom Internal Market Act 2020? OQ58472
James Evans: Thank you, Counsel General—£132,000. A freedom of information request stated that the Welsh Government have spent over £200,000 in court cases against UK Government, which could far better be used supporting the Welsh people. Will the Counsel General put minds at ease and ensure that Labour Ministers won't waste any more money on politically motivated, self-indulgent legal challenges...
James Evans: My colleagues have highlighted some of the deficiencies. I'm going to talk about some of the positives, I think, across Wales. Do you know, I'm actually very pleased with the major events that have come to my constituency? I look at the Hay-on-Wye literary festival that brings £70 million into the local economy. I know many people on these benches and others enjoy the Royal Welsh Show, the...
James Evans: That's very true, Huw. I know 13.2 per cent of people in my constituency are employed within tourism. A lot of that tourism in Hay-on-Wye, Crickhowell, Builth Wells and other parts of my constituency rely on that regular tourism, year in, year out, to promote economic growth, so I do take that point and take it on board. But we do have music festivals in Brecon and Radnorshire. We also have...
James Evans: Having that regular event coming back and forth to Wales is fantastic. I would like to see more major darts events in Wales, because I think it's very, very important that we highlight that. But golf is probably my No. 1 love in life, I would think—[Interruption.] No, I won't tell my girlfriend. [Laughter.] I spend much of my time on the golf course, and she isn't very happy about that...
