Carwyn Jones: He will know—he’s seen it himself—how it works. The reality is that we saw in Prestatyn GP practices—two of them, if I remember rightly—close. But, the local health board took over the provision of primary care services, and the services are better and are certainly wider than what was available before. So, it does show that the contractor model is not always the best model for...
Carwyn Jones: We’ve made a number of commitments around mental health and well-being in the programme for government, and we will shortly be publishing the next three-year plan to deliver our mental health strategy, ‘Together for Mental Health’.
Carwyn Jones: I disagree with the Member. It did need an injection of money; that’s happened. We are seeing the benefits. Fewer children are being cared for out of the area. The waiting times for specialist CAMHS services are down by 21 per cent. And, of course, new services for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and autism are being established across Wales. There’s more to do, of course, but we...
Carwyn Jones: The Japanese Government’s statement covers a number of potential adverse economic implications of the UK’s exit. It’s for the reasons that are outlined by that Government that we want businesses in Wales to have full and unfettered access to the single market.
Carwyn Jones: To me, agreeing that fundamental point is essential before we can move on to anything else. That is the basis—the building block—on which any deal can be built. Unless we get progress on that, it’s very difficult to see progress on anything else. I’m certainly concerned that the UK is now seen as not wanting to engage with the EU. There are issues. I met with the chief commissioner...
Carwyn Jones: Yes. Llywydd, I understand that you’ve given your permission for questions 1 and 4 to be grouped. I can say that progress continues to be made in building collaboration and partnership around shared priorities for jobs and growth.
Carwyn Jones: The city region has tremendous opportunity. I’d encourage all those looking at a city deal for Swansea bay to put that bid in before the Chancellor’s autumn statement. It is important that local government work together in order for that to happen. We’ve seen this happen in the capital region. The same thing needs to happen in Swansea bay as well. But, yes, as part of the work that the...
Carwyn Jones: Well, they are in the driving seat. The city deal is a matter for local government, and not for the Welsh Government. That said, of course, we are there to assist, as we did with the Cardiff city deal bid, but it is important now that they do work together to put a credible bid on the table.
Carwyn Jones: Well, of course, it’s a matter for local government to put the city deal bid in, not for Welsh Government, but as I said in answer to the earlier question, we stand ready to assist. Of course, we have been, as we did with the Cardiff city deal bid. So, any request for assistance, of course, will be looked at and assistance provided; and we have been working with the city deal team in order...
Carwyn Jones: Well, to me, both these things run together. It’s hugely important that manufacturing in Wales is state-of-the-art. That means working, of course, with the universities. I know that Swansea University, which I know is in his constituency, has been working well with industry over many, many years. Indeed, we’ve been working with them in order to see how best we can maximise the expertise...
Carwyn Jones: We’re looking, of course, at ways of creating a metro project in that region in years to come. Swansea, as a city, is an economic driver for the areas around it, and it’s important that people are able to get to Swansea easily as well. But, I have to say, what would be hugely useful is if the UK Government made good on its promise to electrify the south Wales main line as far as Swansea,...
Carwyn Jones: Yes, the model has to be flexible to recognise economic reality, not political boundaries. We understand that. The city region, and the reason why Cynon Valley is in the city region along with Cardiff, is because of the tendency of the road links, and the rail link particularly, to come into Cardiff. But, of course, as we know, from the Baverstock roundabout westbound, there are links to...
Carwyn Jones: Local authorities will play a key role towards the delivery of our ambitious target of 20,000 affordable homes in this Assembly, and we’re keen to support their work to build high-quality, new social housing in the areas that they are responsible for.
Carwyn Jones: Whilst the Member is right to point out that Welsh local authorities are free in terms of the old housing revenue account subsidy system, there is neverthless a cap still on borrowing that they have to observe. What I can say is that we’re working with those authorities who wish to build new council housing to ensure their borrowing cap is used to its fullest capacity in order to increase...
Carwyn Jones: Yes, this is a problem and we are considering a way of resolving this through legislation. I can say that the housing associations should be confident that this will be resolved as soon as possible.
Carwyn Jones: I wouldn’t go so far as to say that local authorities can only be enablers; they are important builders of houses as well. But it’s not the only model, and that we understand. We know that housing associations will continue to be important in the provision of affordable homes, and, of course, innovative new solutions. We’ve talked in the past about community land trusts, of shared...
Carwyn Jones: Well, there are examples of brownfield sites that are being built on across Wales. Not too far away from here, the old Ely mill site is being redeveloped. The Member is right to point out that we do have a legacy where, in the days when environmental regulations were far more lax than they are now, where operators of sites no longer exist as companies, and therefore the liability then falls...
Carwyn Jones: That would be a journey, I suspect, of some two hours, depending on the traffic, of course.
Carwyn Jones: Far from it—we want to make sure that there is a specialist centre. It’s happened all across the rest of Wales, and it’s important that people who live in the area of Betsi Cadwaladr do have the ability to have a very strong specialist vascular unit. I think the question is not that there should be a specialised unit, but where it should be placed. And I understand the points that have...
Carwyn Jones: We want to protect the world-class vascular service for the whole of Betsi Cadwaladr. We’ll consider all the representations that are made, and the health board will consider it next. I have to say, she makes the point about urban solutions in rural areas, and, I’m sorry, but that’s sometimes used as ‘a slightly worse service for rural areas than in urban areas’, and I disagree. I...
