James Evans: The world is standing at a crossroads, where countries across the world can mindlessly continue on their current path, using the world's fossil fuels at an alarming rate, destroying vast areas of natural habitat and cutting down trees to feed our desire for palm oil and avocados, importing vast amounts of goods and non-seasonal foods and continuing to litter our oceans and our natural...
James Evans: Oh, I can get through 30 seconds no problem. Diolch, Dirprwy Lywydd. It's lovely to see one Plaid Cymru Member here, but it's a shame that Labour have neglected this, as they have neglected it for many years. Many towns in my constituency, like Builth Wells, Penybont, Ystradgynlais, Brecon, Crickhowell—I could go on like Janet Finch-Saunders, but I won't—are suffering with flooding...
James Evans: Diolch, Llywydd. There's a close friend of mine who has had their business decimated by TB; I'll just put that as an interest. Minister, Labour's TB eradication programme has been established for some years, with a long-term goal of eradicating bovine TB. Yet, in Wales, things are not improving, they're getting worse, because you will not take the steps that are needed to tackle the root...
James Evans: Diolch, Dirprwy Lywydd. I'd like to thank the Minister for your statement and give credit where credit is due. I do welcome this young person's guarantee from the Welsh Government. I think it's very good that we're going to be offering people under the age of 25 work, education and training, and opportunities for those people to become self-employed. I do have a couple of questions, though,...
James Evans: Minister, corporate joint committees, like my colleague Sam Rowlands has said, are basically Government reorganisation by the back door. They were rejected by the WLGA leaders group because they create unnecessary layers of costly bureaucracy and they take decision making further away from local communities, which undermines the whole process of devolution of powers to our local communities...
James Evans: Minister, the UK national action plan for the sustainable use of pesticides aims to minimise the risks and the impacts of pesticides to human health and the environment, whilst ensuring that pests and pesticide resistance are managed effectively. Many farmers and land managers currently use pesticides to control and protect their crops from harm from invertebrates, disease and weeds. One of...
James Evans: Before I begin, I just want to place on record that I should have declared an interest earlier in local government questions as being a member of Powys County Council for my supplementary to question 4, and I should declare here as well, as my in-laws are food producers. I'd like to pay tribute to my friend Peter Fox, as a lover of Welsh food. I, along with many in this Chamber, have...
James Evans: I'd just like to refer you to my Member's interests as a member of Powys County Council. Trefnydd, could we have a statement from the Minister responsible for planning regarding the delivery of local development plans? My colleague Janet Finch-Saunders and I met with a number of local authorities last week to discuss the new Natural Resources Wales phosphate guidance. And a number of those...
James Evans: Minister, with regard to COVID passes in Wales, the Cabinet must have a threshold and parameters as to when they are imposed on certain venues. What I specifically want to know, Minister, is: what level does COVID-19 have to be at in Wales to get COVID passes repealed? Because none of this legislation or rules or passes that are brought in are here to stay indefinitely. So, I think it's very...
James Evans: Diolch, Deputy Llywydd. Next week, the Royal Welsh Show winter fair will be taking place in Llanelwedd after a two-year absence. Established in 1990, the winter fair is now one of the most popular attractions on the British agricultural show calendar as one of the finest prime-stock shows in Europe, showing the very best of Welsh and British agriculture. The event also showcases the very best...
James Evans: The title of this important debate is 'drug policy', and I think the time is right now that we take a detailed look at drug policy in Wales. Let me be clear: I would like to see a country where drug use is eradicated, but, sadly, I don't think that's going to be achievable. Some people take drugs for a number of reasons: experimental, recreational, and for some people, to improve their...
James Evans: Deputy Minister, social media's impacting young people massively, and apps such as Instagram are affecting the way that people view their bodies. For some young people they take inspiration from what they see online, but for many others the reality is that, due to a huge number of factors, including genetics, work-life balance and affordability, they will just not look like people do on...
James Evans: I'm not going to tell everyone where I get my hair cut, we'll be here all day. COVID lockdowns have made us realise how important our local businesses are; they've been a lifeline for rural communities in my constituency. The visit to the local shop or the pub could be the only face-to-face conversation and contact that some people have every week, and I do have to declare an interest here,...
James Evans: Trefnydd, as everyone knows in this Chamber, in my home constituency of Brecon and Radnorshire is the headquarters of the British army in Wales. We have the fantastic Sennybridge training camp, Dering Lines infantry battle school, and, for over 200 years, we have proudly been home to the Brecon barracks, which I am pleased to say in this Chamber has been protected from closure in the Ministry...
James Evans: I too, First Minister, thank you for your statement, and do want to ask around mental health community facilities, which are mentioned in your agreement with Plaid Cymru—you say you want facilities run by trained third sector staff, and this is something that I do support for young people because we are seeing child and adolescent mental health service referrals going up, and waiting lists...
James Evans: Diolch, Deputy Presiding Officer. Minister, thank you for your statement. It was very moving and humbling to join you and other colleagues across this Chamber and, more importantly, the survivors of domestic violence the other night, and I want to reaffirm my commitment and my party's commitment to ending violence and domestic violence against women. Sadly, harassment, abuse and violence are...
James Evans: 8. Will the Minister make a statement on the funding of rural schools? OQ57317
James Evans: Diolch, Weinidog. Minister, the UK Government has given Wales vast sums of extra funding over the past 20 months throughout the COVID pandemic. Recently, the UK Government announced a further £2.5 billion, down the M4 from Westminster to Cardiff Bay. At the same time, my council in Powys is restructuring and closing rural schools due to the fact that they can't afford to keep them open. So,...
James Evans: Am I unmuted? I think so.
James Evans: Thank you. Diolch, Llywydd.
