Jane Hutt: Well, I think all of us, across this Chamber, will want to congratulate Rhianon Passmore on the way she has been able—with, of course, the Arts Council of Wales—attract such distinguished figures. And others, who can spend some time joining that very important event, I know will do so. But I think your more important point is to link this to the importance of the Welsh Government’s...
Jane Hutt: Vikki Howells has consistently raised this important campaign, and although pension matters are non-devolved, and the responsibility of the Department for Work and Pensions in the UK Government, we as a Welsh Government remain very concerned about the disproportionate effect the changes arising from the Pensions Act 2011 are having on a significant number of women. Welsh Ministers have...
Jane Hutt: I am grateful for that question because it does point to the importance of that communication, not just between yourself and the health board, but also for your constituents in terms of practice closures, such as the one you describe in Pen-y-groes. I think it’s important to recognise that there is funding going in to ensure and support the sustainability of high-quality primary care...
Jane Hutt: I thank Julie Morgan for her questions and was also glad to join Julie Morgan and families affected by the contaminated blood scandal on the steps of the Senedd, with other Assembly Members from the cross-party group, this afternoon. We wholeheartedly welcomed last week’s announcement of the inquiry into the infected blood scandal that led to people contracting hepatitis C and/or HIV. The...
Jane Hutt: Well, we’ve committed, as Carl Sargeant has said, to learning all relevant lessons from the tragic Grenfell Tower fire, and to take all appropriate action. That’s why Carl Sargeant has convened the fire safety advisory group. We don’t want to pre-empt that group’s work, but we do need to identify a stronger case for mandatory testing than there is now.
Jane Hutt: Well, the Member is fully aware that local authorities in Wales have the flexibility to set appropriate budgets for the needs of their communities. Funding for schools in Wales is up, despite the cuts to our block grant by your UK Tory Government. Last year, we delivered an extra £35 million to councils for school services and, indeed, data show that the funding delegated to schools has...
Jane Hutt: Thank you. Neil McEvoy’s very aware, of course, of the Welsh Government policy—very clear policy—of no car parking charges at hospital sites across Wales. We’ve been very disappointed, as I know he would understand, that the University Hospital of Wales contract has had to be maintained over recent years due to contractual arrangements that had been put in place, and the prohibitive...
Jane Hutt: I think it’s very appropriate that we take this opportunity, and thank you, Dai Rees, for raising this. Of course, the coast path’s been a great success. In fact, the report for 2014-15 showed that the economic impact of the coast path generates approximately £16 million of gross added value to the Welsh economy, and around 715 person-years of employment each year. In fact, recent...
Jane Hutt: I will only repeat what the First Minister said in his response, which is important, that it is a matter for the Cardiff and Vale university health board. Indeed, of course, we have received—I’m sure you have, Andrew R.T. Davies—. The chair has written and we have very clear statements made by the new chief executive of the Cardiff and Vale university health board on this matter. But I...
Jane Hutt: I’ve a few changes to make to today’s agenda, Llywydd. The First Minister will shortly move a motion to suspend Standing Orders to allow us to hold a debate on the publication last week of the UK Government’s European Union (Withdrawal) Bill. Later this afternoon, the Cabinet Secretary for Economy and Infrastructure will deliver an oral statement on the development bank of Wales....
Jane Hutt: Llywydd, I want you to consider a point of order.
Jane Hutt: Diolch, Llywydd. I want you to consider a point of order made regarding Adam Price’s question, which I felt was inappropriate in relation to Standing Order 13.9, to the First Minister in relation to the Circuit of Wales this afternoon.
Jane Hutt: Thank you, Deputy Presiding Officer. I do welcome the opportunity provided by this debate to remember the events of Srebrenica 22 years ago. I thank Jayne, and I think all of us here today thank Jayne Bryant for bringing this to the National Assembly for Wales. It’s vital that we do take time to remember this terrible genocide. As Jayne said, at least 8,372 Bosnian Muslims, boys, men and...
Jane Hutt: Thank you, Simon Thomas. Certainly, we will look at the most appropriate response on the assessment of our relationship with Euratom in terms of impact on Wales. As you say—and I think it’s been in the news that radiologists are concerned—it’s medical as well as environmental, and we will certainly look to the most appropriate statement to be made and at what point on this assessment....
Jane Hutt: I thank Andrew R.T. Davies for that question. I think it is most appropriate if the Cabinet Secretary writes to all Members, given the issues that you raise in terms of not pre-judging the outcome. I think the Cabinet Secretary will ensure that he writes to fully update Members on the situation as soon as possible—I’m sure over the next 24 hours.
Jane Hutt: I thank Neil McEvoy for drawing attention to what clearly is a very important petition that’s come before the Petitions Committee about diabetes 1. Indeed, of course, the Welsh Government—and I recall when I was health Minister, being very engaged in particular how children are affected, and, indeed, early intervention and diagnosis and all the important points that have been made by this...
Jane Hutt: Thank you. Darren Millar strengthened the case for a focus on the Evo triangle and the way that it’s been promoted. In fact, Assembly Members can also—and they have today—usefully highlight the dangers, and you can also raise those points yourselves with magazines promoting it and, indeed, in terms of social media. But, GoSafe—the Cabinet Secretary was out there in the spring with...
Jane Hutt: I’m glad that Mike Hedges has taken the opportunity to ask another question on Swansea tidal lagoon. As the First Minister has said, we continue to be supportive of the benefits of the proposed Swansea bay tidal lagoon, and we are waiting for the UK Government’s response to the Hendry report—waiting with exasperation, I would say, in terms of the slowness. It is interesting that the...
Jane Hutt: It is important that this report was raised. It is an independent report, as Steffan Lewis has said. I think, in Wales, we’ve talked about the importance of the way in which we’re tackling these issues. We have a consultation at present and, indeed, Rebecca Evans is taking forward the consultation about zero-hours contracts in terms of the social care sector. I hope Assembly Members will...
Jane Hutt: Well, Mark Isherwood, you know, as a Welsh Government, we’re committed to delivering the improvements that people with autism and their parents and carers tell us they want to see. Indeed, the Social Services and Well-being (Wales) Act 2014 is beginning to transform the way that people receive care and support. We’re also delivering on the priorities of our new autistic spectrum disorder...
