Jane Hutt: We continue to actively engage with the UK Government in relation to agriculture and countryside policies. Most recently, the Cabinet Secretary for Environment and Rural Affairs met with Ministers from both the UK Government and devolved administrations on 23 February in Edinburgh.
Jane Hutt: I can certainly assure Simon Thomas of that. And, of course, he would agree with me and the Welsh Government, in relation to the future of agriculture and environment policy in Wales, that, as a Government, we’ve been extensively engaging with stakeholders for the last six months through our round-table meetings on the implication of exiting the European Union. We’ve underlined how...
Jane Hutt: This is crucially important, and, of course, we have got our action plan for the food and drink industry, working closely with food security and food safety stakeholders and partners to sustain and enhance the food production base in Wales, and actively working with the industry. And that’s about improving resilience, productivity, competiveness of food and farming businesses, and adding...
Jane Hutt: We will play an active part in developing frameworks with the UK Government, and also with the other devolved nations. I think we need to look at where UK frameworks and structures are needed to replace those currently set by the EU, but we see these as being collectively developed and agreed. That’s crucially important—collectively developed and agreed, and not imposed, and, most...
Jane Hutt: The Welsh Government continues to fund the Library of Wales series, through the Welsh Books Council. As part of our aim to promote the series, gift sets of one copy of each title are being sent to all secondary schools, colleges and library authorities when new titles are published.
Jane Hutt: Well, I’m glad that the Member for Llanelli has drawn attention to that most interesting, I’m sure, visit with Jon Gower, and also drawn attention to the fact that Llanelli author William Glynne-Jones is featured in the new series. It is important that it isn’t just gift sets going to schools—clearly, those books have to be used widely, they need to be borrowed, read, shared,...
Jane Hutt: Well, in March, of course, we published our national literacy and numeracy programme, and that plan does give a very clear vision of our strategy for literacy and numeracy, going forward. It ensures that there’s significant ongoing support for literacy and numeracy across the curriculum. And Estyn’s 2015 annual report showed that standards are improving in Wales, and we will work to...
Jane Hutt: I thank Andrew R.T. Davies for that question, because we are all aware here today of the tragic death of Ellie-May, and my thoughts are with her family at this difficult time. It is a professional regulatory matter for the General Medical Council, who oversee such cases at the UK level, as the leader of the Welsh Conservatives will recognise. And, as you’ve acknowledged, it’s what role we...
Jane Hutt: I think the case was reviewed in accordance with the current GMC procedures. And it is important also to say this afternoon that the health board took the action to refer the doctor to the GMC, following their own internal investigation. So, I think that is, again, where we must recognise that responsibility—that action that was taken. I also notice that Sir Donald Irvine, the former...
Jane Hutt: Well, the Cabinet Secretary for health and well-being is certainly going to be looking at this case in terms of the GMC’s role and procedures, but I think it is important that you’ve put your point on the record today, and I’m sure that those points can be made, and will be made, across this Chamber.
Jane Hutt: Well, there’s clearly an opportunity now, and as a result of the discussions that we’ve had, to look very carefully at the opportunities for those drugs to be made available. Of course, this is part of the way forward in terms of the review of the prescribing of those drugs.
Jane Hutt: Well, I very much welcome the engagement of the MS Society, an organisation that has represented patients with multiple sclerosis so effectively in Wales, and of course their evidence is vitally important to inform us in the considerations of very clear clinical arrangements in terms of the prescribing of drugs. But it is very important that we look particularly to the effect and beneficial...
Jane Hutt: What I would like to do is to ensure that we can make those medications, those drugs, available, such as Sativex, which obviously has proven benefits. I certainly would want to ensure, from your questions today, leader of Plaid Cymru, that we look very carefully at access to and the availability of those clinically proven and beneficial medications for people with MS in Wales.
Jane Hutt: Well, I have to say that I’m a bit concerned that the leader of UKIP is not helping to reduce the toxic situation that has been described. I think this is something where, in terms of our responsibilities, indeed, your responsibilities—and we must be very clear here, and perhaps the leader of UKIP needs to be reminded of this: the Welsh Government can’t comment on any proposals for...
Jane Hutt: These are, as I’ve said, matters for Carmarthenshire council. As a Government, we’re supportive of the Welsh language. We want to see an extension of Welsh-medium education and more children involved in it. It is for Carmarthenshire council to justify the decisions it takes—clearly, sensitive to the fact that local authorities must comply with the School Standards and Organisation...
Jane Hutt: Again, I have to say, Llywydd, it’s not a matter for Welsh Government to intervene. Of course it’s important that any local authority does take into account the views of those who live locally and, indeed, a consultation was held between 28 January 2016 and 18 March, to which there were 267 responses. It is now for us to let the process progress in terms of the legislation, the school...
Jane Hutt: We continue to provide support for start-up businesses through the Business Wales service and we encourage business start-up from a young age through our Big Ideas campaign.
Jane Hutt: Dawn Bowden does illustrate a very good way, a constructive way, in which we have been able to invest the Vibrant and Viable Places investment in the regeneration programme in Merthyr Tydfil, obviously in partnership with the local authority and other partners. I think, in terms of the way forward, this is a flagship regeneration programme—over £124 million of capital funding to support...
Jane Hutt: I don’t know where those figures that Russell George quotes this afternoon are emanating from, in terms of the evidence. I would like to put the record straight that the latest data show that the number of business births in Wales has grown every year since the financial crisis, and in 2015 reached a record high of 11,525. I’m sure that Russell George would agree with me that these...
Jane Hutt: I don’t think there’s a word that I would disagree with, Adam Price, and I think the Cabinet Secretary would be only too delighted to meet with the London-based investors. I think that it’s important that you mentioned indigenous businesses. We are continuing to support indigenous business. We’ve got a record number of active enterprises headquartered in Wales. The latest figures show...
