Rebecca Evans: Thank you very much. I'll certainly ask the economy Minister to write to you with the very latest in terms of the support that Welsh Government is able to offer Rehau, particularly how we would seek to support the workforce and ensure that there is a viable future for that plant. I'll also ask him to include in that correspondence more information about the plans for investment in the rail...
Rebecca Evans: Thank you very much. I certainly would pass on those congratulations to your constituent and agree with you that the Commonwealth Day celebration was an absolutely lovely celebration of our relationships with our Commonwealth family. I enjoyed some fantastic music, and I think it's only right that we should be celebrating the day in that way.
Rebecca Evans: Thank you, Presiding Officer. I'm grateful to the Member in charge, Llyr Gruffydd, for the detailed amendments he is proposing today, making the final technical changes needed to ensure that the Bill operates effectively. I'm glad that this group of amendments finishes the task that Llyr started at Stage 2 by removing gendered terminology from the face of the Bill and ensuring that...
Rebecca Evans: Thank you, Presiding Officer. As we've heard, these amendments, along with those in groups 11 and 12, update the way powers are conferred upon the Assembly. Conferring powers upon the Assembly as a whole and making provisions for them to be delegated to a committee, sub-committee or Chair by Standing Orders allows the flexibility for the Assembly to determine the most appropriate level to...
Rebecca Evans: Speaking first to amendments 8 and 9, these amendments do not change the intention of this section. They aim to ensure that the ombudsman is able to recover costs incurred when they have been obstructed by a private healthcare provider. It is vital that there is a disincentive in the Bill to obstructing the ombudsman, and that private health companies enable the ombudsman to properly...
Rebecca Evans: Thank you very much, Presiding Officer. Amendment 49 would counteract an amendment agreed by the Equality, Local Government and Communities Committee during Stage 2 scrutiny. That amendment was agreed following the committee’s own Stage 1 recommendation, based on evidence from the Auditor General for Wales that he needed greater flexibility in relation to the accounts deadline. Reinstating...
Rebecca Evans: I'm very happy to support these amendments.
Rebecca Evans: As we've heard, amendments 4 and 43 clarify the way in which the subsections of the relevant sections inter-relate, stating for the avoidance of doubt that the ombudsman's decision whether to begin, continue or discontinue an investigation is subject to the provisions in subsection (1), which specify the matters the ombudsman is entitled to investigate. Amendments 5 and 44 are also updated...
Rebecca Evans: These are important changes to ensure that the ombudsman's services are accessible to everyone in Wales and to ensure that legislation doesn't create unnecessary barriers that might exclude vulnerable people. I'm very happy to support all of the amendments in this group.
Rebecca Evans: This amendment would require the ombudsman to consider the Nolan principles when undertaking their functions in relation to a listed authority. The Nolan principles set out the behaviours expected of people who hold public office. They set out clear expectations about conduct and about how people are expected to contribute to delivering public services. The Nolan principles apply to...
Rebecca Evans: I'll begin by saying that I'm happy to support amendment 11. The Member in charge is proposing a welcome drafting update to ensure that the procedure by which the Assembly agrees the complaints-handling principles is clear bilingually in the Bill. However, speaking to amendment 47, this would undo an amendment agreed by the Equality, Local Government and Communities Committee at Stage 2,...
Rebecca Evans: This amendment improves the drafting of the Bill, conferring an explicit regulatory power on the face of the Bill, rather than stating simply that regulations may be made. I'm very happy to support this amendment.
Rebecca Evans: These amendments, as was the case with those that we debated in group 2, update the functions that are conferred upon the National Assembly, ensuring that functions are given to the Assembly, rather than directly to a committee. And, as with group 2, this will bring the Bill in line with other legislation, such as the Public Audit (Wales) Act 2011, and I am happy to support these amendments.
Rebecca Evans: I'm very happy to support the amendment.
Rebecca Evans: I'm happy to support this amendment, which updates the Bill’s overview to reflect the Government amendment agreed at Stage 2, which brings the ombudsman under the Welsh language standards. I'd like to put on record my thanks to the Member in charge for the detailed work that he and the Assembly team supporting him have done in collaboration with the Government to improve this Bill. Between...
Rebecca Evans: There is one change to this week's business. The First Minister will deliver a statement: update on EU negotiations. Draft business for the next three weeks is set out in the business statement and announcement, which can be found amongst the meeting papers available to Members electronically.
Rebecca Evans: Thank you very much for raising this issue. And it does give me the opportunity to express our thanks to all of those in Natural Resources Wales, the local authorities and the emergency services, who worked so tirelessly over the weekend to respond to the flooding events across the country. We had a statement on flooding and flood defences just last week from the Minister, who outlined a £50...
Rebecca Evans: Thank you for raising both of these issues. As you say, the Deputy Minister has offered a briefing to Assembly Members tomorrow on the Swansea bay city deal and the independent review that was undertaken. I realise that some Members won't be able to attend that, so I will speak to the Deputy Minister to explore whether there's another opportunity for Members to have that opportunity to have a...
Rebecca Evans: Thank you for raising this issue. We're certainly in a very different place in Wales to the position that England is finding itself in, because, of course, we're the only country in the UK to offer high-risk HPV testing as the primary test to all people attending for cervical screening. This is a more sensitive and more accurate test, and its use will prevent more cancers than the previous...
Rebecca Evans: Thank you very much. On the Barry incinerator, I'm afraid the position remains as it has thus far in that, as soon as the legal advice is available to us, then we will be able to provide that decision. Unfortunately, I'm unable today to give you a date for that. On the issue of your query regarding junction 34, of course, there's the opportunity for you to raise this matter directly with...
