Joel James: 3. What assessment has the Welsh Government made of the barriers in accessing healthcare that affect people with hearing loss? OQ57440
Joel James: Thank you, Minister, and, as you mentioned, the all-Wales standards for accessible communication and information for people with sensory loss policy provides clear guidance on what GPs and hospitals should do to make their services more accessible for people with hearing and sight loss. It aims to make sure people with sensory loss can understand the health information they're given and have...
Joel James: The national survey for Wales has shown that almost 10 per cent of people in Wales participate in off-road cycling and mountain biking, and a considerable amount of Natural Resources Wales's land accommodates this activity. Whilst I agree that off-road biking is, on the whole, a good thing, providing an opportunity for eco tourism and helps with health and well-being, we must be aware that it...
Joel James: I couldn't unmute myself, sorry, and then I realised my camera was off. Sorry.
Joel James: Thank you, Llywydd.
Joel James: 6. How will the Curriculum and Assessment (Wales) Act 2021 improve inclusivity for all learners? OQ57519
Joel James: Thank you. As you're aware, and as you have explained, the Curriculum and Assessment (Wales) Act 2021 is the legislation that sets out the legal framework for the new curriculum, and on the surface it has very inclusive aims, stating for example in section 28 that: 'The adopted curriculum must be implemented in a way that— '(a) enables each pupil to develop in the ways described in the four...
Joel James: 5. Will the First Minister make a statement on Welsh Government initiatives to develop workplace skills for secondary school learners? OQ57561
Joel James: Thank you, First Minister. The employer skills survey has reported that a wide range of skills and attributes are lacking among applicants for jobs within Wales, with over 84 per cent of vacancies partially caused by a lack of technical or practical competence, and 66 per cent partially caused by a lack of people and personal skills, such as the ability to manage one's own time and prioritise...
Joel James: As the Minister will be aware, the equality and community cohesion budget will increase from £12.7 million in 2022-23 to £20.8 million in 2024-25. This equates to an increase of 64 per cent. From what I can understand, this represents the main increase in social justice expenditure. I'm in no way criticising the allocation of this money to the equality and community cohesion budget....
Joel James: Thank you, Llywydd. Minister, almost a year ago the 'Procuring Well-being in Wales' report was published, and it clearly shows that after almost seven years of the Well-being of Future Generations (Wales) Act 2015 this Government has been found negligent of its responsibilities in ensuring that the Act is applied correctly for public procurement in Wales, and ensuring that the Act is...
Joel James: Thank you, Deputy Minister, but I feel, once again, that this Welsh Government is missing the point, because, rather than introducing new legislation, you need to make sure that existing legislation works first. If the future generations Act has been so heavily criticised for not working, why should we expect the social partnership Bill to work? As mentioned in yesterday's budget debate, the...
Joel James: Yes, perfect. Given the extensive criticism by the commissioner of this Government, particularly that the Welsh Government has failed to show clear, joined-up leadership and that there's poor communication and integration between different Welsh priorities, and that the Welsh Government doesn't actually listen to many of her recommendations, do you think this warrants a rethink of how best to...
Joel James: Thank you, Deputy Minister, for that, because at the moment it seems that the commissioner is free to waste public money at her discretion and on her own irrelevant pet projects. But, since being elected, I've read and heard of countless organisations complaining that the Welsh Government is not focused on implementing policy—
Joel James: Yes, thank you, Llywydd. The Welsh Government is not focused on implementing policy and there is a climate of seemingly warm words and promises, but a distinct lack of action. During a recent meeting with one of the commissioners, the matter of policy implementation was again brought up, plus another very interesting point. They believe that the implementation problem that this Government has...
Joel James: What discussions has the Minister had with police forces across Wales regarding the links between modern slavery and unregulated car washes?
Joel James: Trefnydd, on 28 September last year, I asked for a debate in the Chamber on the issue of safer travel for horse riders in Wales, and you may recall that your response was that such a debate would be premature, given the up-and-coming changes to The Highway Code. Now that the changes to The Highway Code have been published, I'd like to ask again for a debate in the Chamber on safer travel for...
Joel James: I am speaking today in support of saving Cowbridge old girls' school from demolition, and to speak on behalf of everyone who wants to see this building brought back to life. The issue is a complex one in that the school building is subject to an owner who wants to sell it and release its value, likely meaning its demolition, a local community that wants to keep it, and Cadw, who refuse to...
Joel James: First Minister, the HM Inspectorate of Prisons 'Children in Custody' report found that a disproportionately high number of Gypsy, Roma and Traveller children were in the criminal justice system. Typically, 11 per cent of children in secure training centres and 6 per cent of children in youth offending institutions are from a Gypsy, Roma and Traveller background, compared to 0.1 per cent of...
Joel James: 8. Will the Minister make a statement on the rights of community groups to purchase public assets? OQ57757
