Julie James: Thank you for the question. I think I understood it to be, right at the end there, the introduction of deposit passporting. We have a range of measures we're happy to look at in the private rented sector to enable tenants to move between households, where that's necessary for their families, and, as I've said, we're working hard in implementing the renting homes Act, which will allow greater...
Julie James: Thank you for the question, which I'm sure comes from a real, shared desire, as I know everyone in Wales has, to make sure that we tackle the scourge of homelessness, especially with preventative measures. I'm extremely proud of the measures that everyone in the sector has taken across Wales during the pandemic, and we easily have the best record in the UK nations of making sure that people...
Julie James: Diolch. Thank you, Deputy Presiding Officer. Welsh Government has negotiated a policy of no eviction into homelessness with all its social landlords across Wales. There is no eviction policy in the private rented sector, and the Welsh Government has, in fact, taken unprecedented steps to support tenants, preventing homelessness and supporting them to remain in their homes.
Julie James: —one more sentence—we will always put collaboration ahead of competition. I ask Members to reject the amendment tabled by Darren Millar, but I will willingly work with Members across the Senedd to effect those ends. Diolch.
Julie James: The pandemic has focused all our minds on the need for everyone to have access to a safe, affordable home, and, of course, it has highlighted the huge challenges that people face who don't have a permanent home. Perhaps now more than ever, we appreciate what it means to have a safe and secure roof over our heads, somewhere to call home, and this is very much reflected in our programme for...
Julie James: Diolch, Dirprwy Lywydd. Firstly, let me sincerely thank Plaid Cymru, and Siân Gwenllian, in whose name it is, for tabling this very important debate so early in the Senedd term. I'm sure you've noticed that we have not amended the motion that you put forward. We didn't do that because we agree there is a housing crisis. Senedd Members will have seen our programme for government published...
Julie James: Well, thank you very much, Buffy, and I don't share my colleague Lee's tendency, I'm afraid, Llywydd, to overcome the congratulations all in one burst. I think we should take congratulations where we can find them—[Laughter.]—so, I'm very pleased to be welcomed to my post, and I'm very glad to see you here too, Buffy.
Julie James: Long may it last is all I can say. So, absolutely, just to start with the question at the end: I'm very happy to meet with NRW to discuss it. I'd also like to suggest that I arrange a briefing for yourself, alongside the RCT leader, to just discuss some of the issues upfront, before we get the section 19 report, so that we can understand where we're coming from. We've been working very...
Julie James: As I said, I've just outlined a series of additional funding that we've put into NRW. That funding is, of course, across Wales, and not for any specific community. We also work very closely with our local authority partners in ensuring that they do the right assessments and we have the right kind of flood management projects coming forward for capital funding. Local authorities themselves...
Julie James: Thank you for that. I understand where the Member is coming from, for sure, but it's simply not true to say that we've been underinvesting in it. In 2021-22, the Welsh Government will be investing over £65 million in flood risk management, which is the largest amount invested in a single year since the beginning of devolution. This financial year, we've allocated NRW £21 million in...
Julie James: Diolch. It's clear lessons needed to be learned following the devastating flooding in 2020, which NRW’s review acknowledges. This year, we are investing record levels of funding for flood risk management. In 2020-21, NRW’s revenue funding was increased by £1.25 million to £21 million, which is being sustained in 2021-22.
Julie James: I have to respond to that, Delyth, by saying, 'Oh, you've got me there'. I don't know the answer to that. I'll have to write to you.FootnoteLink
Julie James: My colleague Lee Waters will be primarily responsible for transport, but I'll just set out very briefly that we will bring forward a range of things that we want to say about public transport, both its structure and purpose, and some of the issues you've raised around the way that the current operations exist alongside the COVID regulations, which are very difficult problems to solve. All of...
Julie James: Thank you for that, Delyth, and it's nice to be working with you again as well. We see it as another part of the climate emergency. The nature emergency is being driven by changes in the climate, the reduction of habitat, and all the rest of it that goes alongside the climate emergency. So, I don't think there's any disagreement with us that we're in that kind of emergency. We have shocking...
Julie James: Thank you, Janet. There's a huge consensus across the Chamber that we need to implement a new building safety regime in Wales, and we worked very closely together in the last Senedd on putting together the proposals, and so on. We were very anxious before the election, and we all worked across the Chamber, to make sure that the industry out there realised that all the big parties in the...
Julie James: So, unfortunately, Janet, that's just not how consequentials work. So, the consequentials come as part of a funding package to the Welsh Government, which have negative consequentials in them as well as positive ones. I always say to people who ask me to give them the positive ones, 'Be careful what you wish for, because you might also get the negative ones that come with it, and find that...
Julie James: Yes, of course, Janet, and welcome to your new brief as well. But of course, Janet, my heartfelt sympathies go to the victims of the Grenfell fire and, indeed, actually, to all of the people who are living in high-rise buildings who have these issues affecting them. It is absolutely a scandal that the buildings were ever put up with so many faults. However, as I said many times in the...
Julie James: Thank you, Jack, and I'm really delighted to be in this portfolio. It was good to work closely with you in the last Senedd, and I'm looking forward to doing that again. It's really nice to see people in person, I have to say. So, yes, we're very—. Obviously, the first thing to say is we're very keen to make sure that each local authority does have an up-to-date LDP, that it goes through the...
Julie James: Yes, thank you very much. So, it's a development of what I was saying in answer to the previous question. So, national planning policy, as I've already said, places a strong emphasis on placemaking and the steps we need to take to create places that meet everyone's well-being. The national planning policy also ensures that we think about how our places make us both healthier and improve our...
Julie James: Thank you very much for those congratulations, and congratulations to you too. The Welsh Government’s approach to planning policy is set out in 'Planning Policy Wales' and in 'Future Wales: the national plan 2040'. Both of those documents seek to promote the sustainable development of places throughout Wales.
