Julie James: I thank the Member for bringing up that very important topic. I share her passion for it, having experienced something very similar when I was breastfeeding my own children. And I'm appalled to find that, very many years later, the situation hasn't improved all that much. The Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Services recently requested that officials and the Royal College of Midwives...
Julie James: In terms of the Member's first question, the Minister responsible for employability is sitting behind me, and I'm sure she'll be looking into making sure that Wales is a disability-confident and friendly nation. She'll be bringing forward a statement on the employability plan, which I'm certain will include a number of issues around disability-confident employers. When I was holding that...
Julie James: Thank you for that very important point. Members are obviously very aware that most aspects of policing policy remain non-devolved, and overall spending plans for the police in England and Wales are determined by the Home Office still. However, we're continuing to invest in community safety through our funding of the 500 additional community support officers that the Member will be very well...
Julie James: Thank you for those very important questions. In terms of domestic waste collection, it's very much a matter for individual local authorities to decide how best to provide collection services to their residents. The Welsh Government advocates that local authorities provide comprehensive weekly collection services for dry recyclables and food waste, with a view to residents who make full use...
Julie James: Absolutely. We're working very closely with Aston Martin, who intend to build their new sport utility vehicle at St Athan. And, Llywydd, I cannot resist the opportunity to say that I had the opportunity to visit Aston Martin at the Gaydon plant, and had the opportunity to have a look at some of the new designs there—and they are very exciting indeed. I also met a number of the apprentices...
Julie James: Thank you for both of those very important questions. In terms of the Brexit thing, we continue to call on the UK Government to provide Welsh businesses with the clarity they urgently need. And we absolutely do demand that they do not lose sight of the needs of businesses, workers and potential investors in their approach to the Brexit negotiations. We share the Member's concern at the...
Julie James: Thank you for those two questions. In terms of the A465, we have had a number of occasions—we've had topical questions and other available opportunities for Members to question the Cabinet Secretary around the issues there. We very recently discussed it in this Chamber and of course there will be further opportunities in questions and so on to discuss it in the future, so I don't really...
Julie James: Sorry, on the other one here—I was asked two questions, Llywydd.
Julie James: On the statement on universal credit, we know that there’s been a revised roll-out schedule for universal credit following the UK autumn budget changes announced last week, and that confirms that, with the exception of Cardiff, all the other job centres across Wales will have implementation of universal credit pushed back by a few months. We very much welcome the pause of this roll-out,...
Julie James: Thank you for those two questions. The Member will be already aware that there’s a lot of work under way on the Swansea bay region city deal to develop the proposed projects into full business cases and to finalise the governance arrangements. That’s with the expectation that funding for the city deal will begin in 2018-19. We know that good progress is being made. The next milestone will...
Julie James: Diolch, Llywydd. There are no changes to this week’s business. Business for the next three weeks is as shown on the business statement and announcement found amongst the meeting papers that are available to Members electronically.
Julie James: I accept that that is a very frustrating thing to have happen and there's some frustrations around the way that BT has restructured its copper network, and we had a spirited conversation about what the new wiring on the pole was, as I recollect, when I visited you. I've become an expert in what wires on poles are and how they're connected recently, which is a new skill that I hear that you...
Julie James: Yes, certainly.
Julie James: Yes, absolutely—I accept all of those points. I'll come on to some of the complications of mobile in a minute, but since this scheme started, one of the problems, of course, is that technology has moved very significantly, and actually, although mobile isn't devolved to Wales, as I keep saying, actually there's almost no difference between internet access and mobile. So, broadband, as we...
Julie James: Diolch, Llywydd. I'd like to start by very much thanking the Chair and members of the Economy, Infrastructure and Skills Committee for their report and all of their hard work in this area. I want to start by acknowledging some of the things that Members have said in the Chamber. I have been to most bits of Wales. I don't believe I've actually visited the constituencies of some Members who...
Julie James: Well, thank you very much for that question. It gives me the opportunity to say, of course, that I'm delighted that the centre is doing so well in Swansea University, which, Llywydd, I should say is in the heart of my own constituency, in case Members aren't aware. Research across Wales, actually, is punching well above its weight, and we should be very proud of the significant work done in...
Julie James: The Member makes a series of extremely good points. He will know that in my previous position, I was always very keen to celebrate Wales's success, and a little bit frustrated at our inability to get the prominence in the media and so on that I thought our incredible success in skills shows and in skills performance merited. The new Minister is sitting listening to you; I'm sure she'll be...
Julie James: Thank you for those kind remarks at the beginning. Actually, I've taken over responsibility for the equalities brief. Members will understand that a number of matters have occurred recently that meant I haven't been able to get to grips with that as fast as possible. As soon as I have, I will, of course, be answering questions on the floor of the house, and I will be bringing forward my own...
Julie James: The Member has taken a keen interest in this—and thank you very much for your kind remarks at the beginning there. My understanding is that the asbestos management in schools working group has decided that a consultation should take place early in 2018 on the revised asbestos management in schools guidance for Wales, and at the end of the consultation period a meeting will be convened...
Julie James: Well, Simon Thomas makes a series of extremely important points. I think in our own constituency work most of us have seen an increase in people who are really seriously struggling with austerity and the related benefits and other polices that have been brought forward by the UK Government. In particular, I remain very concerned about the delays in payment of universal credit and what that...
