Julie James: The Member raises two extremely important points, both of which, as it happens, overlap with my own portfolio, and on which I'm working very closely with the Cabinet Secretary for Education. So, on the first one, in terms of reporting racist hate crimes, faith hate crimes and so on, I think actually it's me who'll be bringing forward a statement in due course on that. I don't have a timetable...
Julie James: Well, thank you for those three very important points. On the continuity Bill, we are very much looking forward to Steffan Lewis's debate tomorrow. The Government is supporting it and there's a free vote for the backbenchers. We are very much of the view that it would be better if the UK Government put the right position in its own Bill and made the right amendments and carried out the right...
Julie James: Well, that's a very important issue indeed, and because it's so important, the Cabinet Secretary does report annually on those figures. I'm sure he's heard your remarks today and will take those into account in his next report on the subject.
Julie James: Well, thank you for raising that very important point. Community safety is, of course, a top priority for the Government. The Member is obviously aware that policing itself isn't devolved, despite the various representations that have been made to Westminster on that point. The Cabinet Secretary for Local Government and Public Services announced the provisional police settlement on 19...
Julie James: Well, thank you for raising that very important point. I don't think it's a suitable thing to bring forward a Government debate in Government time on at all. I do think that it's a real shame that the consensual way in which this place has always operated, including allowing Government pairing, for example, to have important Government business conducted, has broken down, and I do think that...
Julie James: Thank you for both of those. On the first one, I'm the Cabinet Secretary responsible for the Gypsy/Traveller sites, and I am planning to bring a statement before the Easter recess to the Senedd in order to update people on where I am since I took over the portfolio on a number of issues. However, the Member did mention some very specific issues around particular sites that he has an interest...
Julie James: Well, thank you very much for raising both of those very important points. The Member will be very aware that the Hunting Act is not a devolved matter, and the enforcement of it is a matter for the police. However, I completely concur with her that the vast majority of people find foxhunting both abhorrent and extremely cruel. We do hope the UK Government will take account of that in its...
Julie James: Thank you for both of those important points. On the first one, the Minister was here listening to your remarks. I think if you wrote to the Minister and asked him those specific points, I'm sure he'd be able to answer those queries, and perhaps you could indicate in that letter whether there's a wider interest across, other than in the instances you're speaking about. In terms of the FMQ...
Julie James: Thank you for both of those. On the first one, absolutely, I will speak with the Cabinet Secretary and make sure that he contacts you and gives you a timeline for that. The Minister is here to hear your remarks and I'm sure she'll be able to let you know as soon as possible when she is going to bring that statement forward. It's not in the business timetable for the next three weeks.
Julie James: Diolch, Llywydd. There are no changes to this week's business. Business for the next three weeks is shown on the business statement and announcement found amongst the meeting papers that are available to Members electronically.
Julie James: On the first point Mohammad Asghar raises, the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Services will be covering that as part of his statement on the winter preparedness issue. On the second, I'm afraid that's a matter for the local authority, very much. It's a matter for either the police commissioner or the local authority, or both of them acting in concert. I would suggest the Member...
Julie James: Yes, on the first of that, just to make that point of clarification, I certainly wasn't saying that I was going to wait 16 weeks. I was simply saying I wouldn't have the definitive figures for 16 weeks. We will be bringing forward an oral statement shortly to set out what we intend to do with the second phase and to say where we are and the definitive timescale. I said about 16 weeks but...
Julie James: Well, thank you for both of those important points. On the first one—the winter pressures—I know that the Cabinet Secretary is planning to make a statement on winter pressures and how they've worked over this winter and future—. He'll be bringing that forward in due course. So, it won't be a debate, but there is a statement planned for that. The Cabinet Secretary is also indicating to...
Julie James: Well, thank you for those three very interesting topics, Simon Thomas. So, in the spirit of largesse in the new year, I'm going to say that we welcome all three of them. We're very happy to bring forward a debate on matters to do with the NHS. There are a number of issues that I know the Cabinet Secretary wanted to talk about generally in the Chamber anyway, and he's certainly heard some of...
Julie James: In terms of the first request for an oral statement to follow the written statement, the Member, of course, will have plenty of opportunity to question the Cabinet Secretary during his oral Assembly questions, which will be occurring later this month. But I understand that he's also making an oral statement generally on transport later this month, which will afford an opportunity for the...
Julie James: The Member raises a hugely important point, and I know in her short debate the issues arising from the book and so on were very comprehensively gone through. I think the Cabinet Secretary at the time, the late Carl Sargeant, went through all of the actions at that time that we'd taken, both to learn from past abuse and to act to ensure we prevent similar mistakes reoccurring. I think it's...
Julie James: On that second one, the Minister is indicating to me that it should be with them today. So, hopefully, that will be resolved very shortly. In terms of the flooding statement, I'm sure the Minister responsible will be bringing forward a statement on the general arrangements for flooding and its review after the winter period, which is normal when we look at it. If the Member has specific...
Julie James: Thank you for that question. The Cabinet Secretary is indicating to me that he will ensure that officials liaise properly with both the Member and the residents to ensure the situation is resolved satisfactorily.
Julie James: Diolch, Llywydd. There are three changes to this week's business. The Minister for Children and Social Care will make a statement shortly on the consultation on legislation to remove the defence of reasonable punishment, directly after this business statement. This will be followed by a statement by the Counsel General on the Welsh Government prosecution code, and finally, the time allocated...
Julie James: I take that point, but I do think the Member ought to also realise that some of the austerity impacts that they're having on the ability of people who live independently, for example, with disability and so on, are very much impacting on the services that they require. But I'm more than happy to work with him on identifying any areas in which he thinks we can invest to save, because...
