Julie James: Yes, I share the Member's concern. We've all had constituents who've been contacting us about the use of medicinal cannabis. I think it's important to set out the actual situation as we find it. So, prior to the change in law, Sativex was able to be prescribed to treat spasticity and multiple sclerosis where clinically appropriate. At present, seven pharmaceutical companies are developing...
Julie James: Well, I think it's very important not to mix up the use of medicinal cannabis with the unlawful use of a prescribed drug. So, I'm not going to go down the rabbit-hole that the Member has opened up in front of me. I think it's actually extremely important to make the very clear distinction between the use of illegal drugs—which is what the Member's talking about—and the purpose of this...
Julie James: Our approach on health and well-being in our communities is set out in our primary care model for Wales. In north Wales, we expect the health board and local authorities to collaborate with a wide range of service providers to plan and deliver effective and seamless health and well-being care.
Julie James: I'm afraid I don't know the detail that the Member has set out there. I'd be very grateful if he would write to the First Minister, and we'll get a detailed response to him as soon as possible.
Julie James: The Cabinet Secretary recently set out his winter preparedness statement, making sure that we are as resilient as it's possible to be as we approach the winter months. Integrated winter delivery plans have been received from each health board, and have been scrutinised carefully by officials, the NHS Wales delivery unit and the national programme for unscheduled care, and feedback has been...
Julie James: We are taking significant steps to tackle congestion and improve journey-time reliability across Wales, through our road infrastructure projects, pinch-points programme and improvements to public transport.
Julie James: Thank you for that very important question. We've been conducting a series of studies into measures to tackle pinch points on the most heavily congested parts of the motorway and trunk road network. Those studies are under way, and as soon as we've got the results, we will be acting on them. Our transport network needs to obviously be sustainable, as the Member rightly points out. The...
Julie James: Well, no, that's not how the legals work; it's an executive decision for the Government. So, if it's not the Government, then, obviously, he can't take it. However, we are currently working very hard, as I've said repeatedly—we're currently working very hard to make sure that all of the legal advice and all of the other advice necessary to ensure that the decision can be properly considered...
Julie James: As I said, the Government is in a legal process; it's not for me to upset the legal process. The legal process is a set process that I've explained on a lot of occasions; I'm happy to explain it again. The reason I took a little while to get to the M4 is because I do think that Members need to understand that this is a range of measures; there are a suite of things happening across the road...
Julie James: Yes, and as I said, I emphasised that the pinch-point studies are designed to look at a range of solutions to congestion problems—not just road building, but absolutely everything, from public transport to active travel. A whole suite of measures is necessary to reduce congestion in most parts of Wales, not a fixation on a single part of that.
Julie James: We are considering all options to improve air quality in Wales. As part of the clean air programme, the Minister for Environment has established an air quality evidence, innovation and improvements project, which will consider the practical application of the World Health Organization guidelines for air pollution in Wales.
Julie James: Yes, absolutely. As part of the clean air programme established this summer, as I just said, an air quality evidence, innovation and improvements project has been set up. That will look at the World Health Organization guidelines for air pollution and all of their potential impacts and for potential adoption in Wales. The guidelines are based solely on scientific conclusions about public...
Julie James: Yes. As I said, we've got the studies going on at the moment, and I'm sure, once we've bottomed out some of the practical aspects, then we will be consulting on a way forward on that. I can't speak for this particular area, but normally we would look to consult and engage with as wide a range of stakeholders as possible—particularly those with expert knowledge on how to implement practical...
Julie James: Yes, as I said, we've a range of measures in place, and we need to look to see what we can do with current levers, including that we have—. For example, we consulted earlier this year on tackling roadside nitrogen dioxide concentrations. That document set out how we will reduce concentrations of nitrogen dioxide around roads in Wales where levels are above the limit. That plan will be...
Julie James: Diolch, Llywydd. The only change to this week's business is to reduce the time allocated to questions to the Counsel General tomorrow. 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.
Julie James: On the M4, I'll try to be as crystal clear as I possibly can be. We are in a legal process. We had a local inquiry. That report has been received by the Government. It is subject to official advice and legal advice. When the official and legal advice and clearances are through, it will be submitted to the First Minister for his executive decision. It is not a collective decision of the...
Julie James: Yes, the Member highlights a particular issue with the current system in which GPs are independent contractors. We are seeing a shift towards fewer, larger sized GP practices with a wider skill mix of health professionals providing a greater range of healthcare locally, and that's partly because of what the Member is pointing out there about the financial commitments and so on. We do take...
Julie James: Yes, the Member highlights an incredibly important area. We very much welcome the positive announcement from the UK Government to fortify flour with folic acid. We have for a very long time called for this to be taken forward, and the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Services has written a joint letter with the Scottish Government yesterday to endorse our support and to drive forward...
Julie James: The Member highlights a very important part of the curriculum, and the Member will be aware that, as part of the Donaldson reforms to the curriculum, we're rolling out the new curriculum and part of that is very much to be a healthy, active citizen of Wales. We hope very much that that will mean that sport is far more integrated into the curriculum. The Member will be aware that we've been...
Julie James: Yes, indeed. Taking them in reverse order, officials have met with George Hosking, the founder and CEO of the WAVE Trust, on a number of occasions to discuss the work, including the 70/30 campaign that the Member highlights, and the adverse childhood experiences work. The meetings have provided opportunities for officials to share with the WAVE Trust information on the Welsh Government's...
