Rebecca Evans: Thank you to David Rees for raising those issues. On the first, you know that we were deeply shocked by the news that the two Network Rail team members had lost their lives in a tragic accident. As David says, nobody goes to work and expects to lose their life in that way. It's extremely tragic. I know that there are investigations ongoing at the moment, but I will certainly speak to the...
Rebecca Evans: Thank you for raising both of these important issues. Clearly, the experiences of your constituent are extremely distressing, and nobody should leave hospital in that kind of situation without the kind of support wrapped around them that they would need at a time like that. The health Minister has heard your comments and he'd be grateful if you would write to him with further details about...
Rebecca Evans: Mohammad Asghar raises a really important issue, because we know our armed servicemen and women leave the forces with a whole myriad of skills—the leadership skills, for example, that Mohammad Asghar spoke of, which would be absolutely invaluable in the workplace. I know the Minister with responsibility for local government, who has some oversight of the armed forces champions within local...
Rebecca Evans: Diolch, Llywydd. There is one change to this week's business. Later this afternoon, the Minister for Environment, Energy and Rural Affairs will make a statement on 'Sustainable Farming and Our Land'. Draft business for the next three weeks is set out in the business statement and announcement, which can be found amongst the meeting papers available to Members electronically.
Rebecca Evans: Diolch. I'm very grateful to all Members who have made some very interesting and useful contributions during the debate today. It is really my hope that the UK Government will stop seeing APD devolution as something to be resisted, but instead work with us to generate opportunities not only for the economy of Wales but also for the south-west of England and the UK as a whole, because there is...
Rebecca Evans: Of course.
Rebecca Evans: I'm shortly coming on to the Welsh Government's position, and I intend also to address, at some point during the debate, the issues about the environmental concerns, which I know are very much at the uppermost of all of our thoughts at the moment. But as I say, there has been no change in the Welsh Government's position. In the event it is devolved to Wales, our intention is to use APD to...
Rebecca Evans: Diolch, Llywydd. I'm pleased to open this debate today. On 11 June, the Welsh Affairs Committee published the findings of its inquiry into the devolution of air passenger duty to Wales. We wholeheartedly welcome the unanimous recommendation of the Welsh Affairs Committee that APD should be fully devolved to Wales. From the outset, the committee recognised that the Welsh Government has been...
Rebecca Evans: Diolch, Llywydd. As both Chairs have said there, this really is a major step forward in terms of allowing us to have better quality information on the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender populations here in Wales in order to monitor inequalities and inform the delivery of public services and support for these groups of people in future. The Well-being of Future Generations (Wales) Act 2015...
Rebecca Evans: Diolch, Dirprwy Lywydd. I'm pleased to have the opportunity to explain the background to this legislative consent motion in relation to the Census (Return Particulars and Removal of Penalties) Bill. The census provides a snapshot of the population in the United Kingdom every 10 years. It provides us with information about people, including their education, religion, ethnic background, working...
Rebecca Evans: I will, Llywydd, speak to the environment Minister, in terms of the plans for releasing the ‘Brexit and our land’ consultation.
Rebecca Evans: As the First Minister was able to say in his question session this afternoon, there have been discussions on the options to improve the efficiency of the staffing model by achieving a greater integration of its community-based midwives and staff based in the midwife-led unit. But he was very clear that this will not reduce patient access, which will remain open to women in Pembrokeshire 24/7....
Rebecca Evans: Thank you for raising this issue. The health Minister, I know, is due to discuss this issue with officials this week. I understand it is a large report and a great deal of evidence has gone into it, and it obviously requires thorough consideration, but as soon as the health Minister's had advice, which I understand will be in the coming weeks, then he will provide the update that you're seeking.
Rebecca Evans: Well, the health Minister has obviously been here to hear your request, and I've certainly read the report to which you refer. I know the health Minister will also have done so. We were disappointed to read it, and we would expect of course that all patients who access care in an assessment unit to be treated in a timely way in order to optimise their experience and outcomes. But it should be...
Rebecca Evans: Thank you for raising the issue and for giving me the opportunity to also share your admiration for the work that the volunteers do in Swansea, day in, day out, to support people who are rough sleepers. The Minister for Housing and Local Government has recently set up her new taskforce to explore support for homeless people, but particularly those on the very sharp end of homelessness, and it...
Rebecca Evans: I'm very grateful for this point being raised in the Chamber. Hate crime in all its manifestations is clearly of deep concern to us. And it is very concerning that the number of people coming forward as victims of transgender hate crime has increased. If it's the case that people feel more comfortable coming forward, then that in itself is a positive thing, but nonetheless any hate crime of...
Rebecca Evans: I thank Mick Antoniw for raising both of these issues. On the first, which relates to the issue of gambling, I know that health officials are having some discussions to explore what, if any, funding might be forthcoming for Welsh Government with regard to gambling, because, as Mick identified, the chief medical officer's report specifically looked at a chapter on gambling, and, since then,...
Rebecca Evans: Thank you for raising this issue. And of course, Welsh Government has been very clear that any parkway station cannot be at the expense of Swansea city centre, and I think that that statement was made very clearly by Welsh Government. We do have a debate tomorrow that looks at the future of Transport for Wales, so that might be an opportunity to raise these particular concerns with the...
Rebecca Evans: Well, Llywydd, the health Minister has been here to listen to Janet Finch-Saunders's concerns, but perhaps if she puts the detail of those particular concerns in some correspondence to the health Minister, he'll be able to look at it in more depth.
Rebecca Evans: Diolch, Llywydd. There is one change to today's agenda and that is that the statement on the economic action plan and economic development measures has been withdrawn. Draft business for the next three weeks is set out in the business statement and announcement, which can be found amongst the papers available to Members electronically.
