Julie James: Investment, legislative drivers and a robust regulatory framework has led to 42 per cent of our inland waters achieving good ecological status. We are committed to improving water quality but we cannot do this alone. We need to take an integrated catchment approach, focusing on multisector co-operation and nature-based solutions.
Julie James: Our priority is to support local planning authorities who have river catchments affected by high phosphorus levels and work with stakeholders to develop guidance where appropriate. This would include consideration of intensive poultry units.
Julie James: I meet regularly with the Minister for Health and Social Services to discuss housing, health and social care. Joint working between housing and health is essential to delivering our Programme for Government commitment to invest in housing to meet care needs.
Julie James: Thank you, Jenny Rathbone, for those excellent points. And the answer is a really complicated one because, as I said, it really depends on the person that you're talking about, because every individual has a different and complex set of needs. The further away from having had a permanent home they are, the more complex the needs. It isn't just a case of giving you four walls and a roof. If...
Julie James: Well, Laura Anne Jones, you started really well and then you went rather downhill. So, we have not failed to tackle homelessness. Wales has a very proud record of tackling homelessness, and in the pandemic, we have done considerably better than our neighbours that you support over the border. So, I'm not taking any of that nonsense from you. Just to be very clear, at this point in time, the...
Julie James: Yes, thank you very much, Mike. I completely agree that house building is fundamental to this, of course, and social house building. One of the reasons we have the ambitious 20,000 target for homes for social rent is exactly because of that. We absolutely have to have the supply to meet the demand. But, you know, it's not just about the roof and walls, although that roof and walls should be...
Julie James: Yes, it's a thread, isn't it, that runs through the action plan. So, in the preamble, we talk—. The action plan isn't my action plan; it's the homelessness action group's plan presented to us, but we're very happy to accept it and I think it's an excellent plan of action. But, for us, it's the golden thread that runs through it that each person must have their needs met. So, until you see...
Julie James: Diolch, John. I very much welcome the committee's engagement on this, and I look forward to discussing both the public audit report with you, and, indeed, the future commissioner has recently done a housing report as well, which I know the committee is aware of. I look forward to discussing that with the committee in my next evidence session. Just in terms of the specifics, the support for...
Julie James: Diolch, Mabon. I completely agree with the basic premise of your contribution. Rough-sleeping is the scourge, the visible and most appalling form of homelessness, but there are many other sorts of homelessness, and if the pandemic has shown us anything, it's shown us the extent of that across Wales. In previous spot counts of rough-sleeping, we knew it was under counting people who were...
Julie James: Well, as usual, Janet Finch-Saunders has read out a series of ill-thought-out statistics, many of which I've actually set out in my own statement, and made—well, I don't know quite what she was doing. She's calling for me to take action immediately—I am today launching the action plan, so I think that's about as immediate a response as you can make to a call for action. So, this is the...
Julie James: Diolch, Dirprwy Lywydd. Today, I am launching the Welsh Government’s ending homelessness action plan. This is a plan that takes forward our 2019 strategy for ending homelessness and the recommendations of the expert homelessness action group. It sets the direction for how we will achieve our ambition of ending homelessness for people across Wales. I want to say at the outset, and on the eve...
Julie James: Okay, I'll try it like that. There's a building site just outside my room here, so I just hope there aren't too many noises off. So, I was just saying that we've consistently held the view that leaseholders did not create the issues that have been identified, and it's right that those responsible should pay to rectify them. In October 2020 I wrote an open letter to developers to that...
Julie James: Okay. I don't know what's happening there. Can you hear me now?
Julie James: Okay. So, I started by saying that the remediation of unsafe, high-rise residential buildings is a priority for the Welsh Government, and combustible cladding is one part of that. We've consistently—[Inaudible.]—and it's right—. Has it gone again?
Julie James: It's not above my head, it's right here. Anyway, I'll take my headphones off and see if I can make any difference with that. Is that better or is that worse?
Julie James: Diolch, Dirprwy Lywydd. The remediation of unsafe high-rise residential buildings is absolutely a priority for the Welsh Government, and combustible cladding is one part of that. [Inaudible.]
Julie James: Yes, I'd be delighted to do that. We're looking for those kinds of enterprising schemes to see what we can do to bring houses both up to standard and back into beneficial use, so I'd be delighted to do that, Mark.
Julie James: Yes. Thanks, Carolyn, those are two very good points. We have been talking to some lenders about whether or not we could devise a scheme that allowed a long rental record of perhaps more than the mortgage to be taken into account on ability to pay. Often, though, a deposit is also a problem for people renting, because getting their deposit together can be really problematic. So, one of the...
Julie James: Yes, absolutely, Sam Rowlands. I completely agree with that. Wales is indeed a welcoming country, and one that is very proud of its tourism offer and the welcome we keep in the hillsides, to quote the famous song. So, absolutely. This isn't about not welcoming people who are coming on holiday to spend their money with us and spend their time with us and share their life and experiences with...
Julie James: Thank you very much, John Griffiths. I'm really looking forward to working with the committee on this, so I'll be delighted to come and give evidence to the committee on their inquiry. This is a big issue right across Wales, actually. Some areas, though, have a real hotspot for it. The pilot was chosen because we had been in conversation with Gwynedd Council for some considerable time before...
