Rebecca Evans: Yes, thank you very much. On the first issue of the consultation document, I'll certainly find out what's going on there and update Members, as you've requested, in terms of the availability of that consultation document and the circulation of it.FootnoteLink On the second issue, we've been very clear that Welsh Government does see Britain and Wales's best interests best served by remaining...
Rebecca Evans: Diolch, Llywydd. There is one change to this week's business. The motion to vary the order of consideration of Stage 3 amendments to the Legislation (Wales) Bill has been withdrawn. Draft business for the next three weeks is set out on the business statement and announcement, which can be found amongst the meeting papers available to Members electronically.
Rebecca Evans: Yes, of course.
Rebecca Evans: I absolutely agree with you and I'm glad that you feel that way as well. I really would urge you to be making those representations to the candidates for the new leader of the Conservative Party. Because I'm sure that—. Well, we're certainly on the same page and I would hope that they would be as well. And I do intend to come back to address some of the comments in relation to the...
Rebecca Evans: Diolch, Llywydd. I'm very grateful to all Members for their contributions in the debate today. I always look to find consensus where I can find it, and I do think that there was some of that demonstrated in the debate that we've had this afternoon. One of the themes, I think, that came through really strongly was just simply the scarcity of information that we do have about the UK shared...
Rebecca Evans: EU funds have improved broadband coverage, built research capacity, invested in renewable energy, and developed vital infrastructure for transport, tourism and business. These and a wide range of other benefits are at risk without continued long-term and needs-based investment. Despite the significant improvements across Wales since devolution, inequalities within the UK persist and are the...
Rebecca Evans: Diolch, Dirprwy Lywydd. This debate takes place during a time of absolute chaos brought about by the UK Government's handling of Brexit. Parliament is gridlocked, and the election of a new Conservative leader means the prospect of a catastrophic 'no deal' Brexit is very real. We're likely to face a straight choice between a 'no deal' Brexit or remaining in the EU. Faced with this prospect, we...
Rebecca Evans: I thank Mick Antoniw for raising this issue, and, of course, we do have frequent opportunities to discuss various aspects of Brexit and the impact that it might have on people in Wales across all parts of life, not least including the health service and health provision. The US ambassador to the UK, Woody Johnson, has said that healthcare will be a strong focus of any post-Brexit trade deal...
Rebecca Evans: I'm grateful to you for raising this particular issue and, as Helen Mary Jones says, we are introducing new performance measures for eye care patients. At present, all new referrals for eye care are required to be seen within the referral-to-treatment target, and that has served the majority of new patients well. However, for most patients, the start of treatment is only the first point on...
Rebecca Evans: Thank you very much for raising both of those important issues. Of course, next week is Refugee Week, and I know that the Deputy Minister and Chief Whip intends to provide a written statement to update Members on Welsh Government action to support refugees, and to create a nation of sanctuary here in Wales. In relation to the request for an update on mental health, I'll certainly ask the...
Rebecca Evans: Thank you very much to Huw Irranca-Davies for that invitation. I will start by firstly addressing some of the points about First Cymru. Obviously, the First Cymru buses operate predominantly in south-west Wales, based in Swansea, and, as Huw Irranca-Davies says, they have already provided reassurance that it does envisage business as usual for its bus network, as a result of a reorganisation...
Rebecca Evans: On the first issue, of course Welsh Government is concerned if we hear of waste that has not been disposed of in an appropriate way, which is why we're really keen to develop our own recycling and processing capacity here in Wales. And I know that the Deputy Minister is doing a lot of work in order to make this possible. Clearly, we have an excellent reputation here in Wales as being world...
Rebecca Evans: Thank you very much. I'm certainly happy to oblige in terms of the first statement that you asked for. The Minister, Lesley Griffiths, will be delivering a statement on a low-carbon Wales on the twenty-fifth of this month, and obviously that will encapsulate the statement that she made earlier today, but also the document that the Welsh Government published a few months ago, which set out our...
Rebecca Evans: Thank you for raising both of those issues. I was able to provide a brief update to colleagues on the MRI and prostate cancer issue just a couple of weeks ago in the Plenary session during the business statement, but I'll certainly ask the health Minister to provide you with a more detailed update, in which we'd also include more information about our plans for radiography services in the...
Rebecca Evans: I thank the Member for raising this issue, and I completely agree with his assessment of the situation. Of course, Dai Lloyd did refer to the announcement made on 30 April by the then Prime Minister, and that was a completely unexpected statement. The Welsh Government was unsighted on the details despite previous UK Government Ministers' agreements to a four-nation approach. The uplift...
Rebecca Evans: Well, Llywydd, it's quite staggering that having already tried to raise the issue of poverty with the First Minister, the Member tries to raise it again with me this afternoon. We've made it more than clear that, of course, there's something that the Member's own party could do in order to help prevent poverty, and that would be to back Welsh Government's calls to halt universal credit...
Rebecca Evans: Diolch, Llywydd. There are no changes to this week's business. The 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: Well, the inspector's report is very long and very detailed, as is the decision letter, and it is really important that Members do have the opportunity to read both of those documents and to consider them fully before we schedule a debate in Government time. But we will bring forward a debate in Government time during the forthcoming weeks, once Members have had the opportunity to consider...
Rebecca Evans: I can give a clear statement now that we're fundamentally opposed to any privatisation of the health service here in Wales, and we're fundamentally opposed to any suggestion, for example, that there should be an agreement made with the United States of America that might sell off parts of our NHS here in Wales, and we continue to make those points. On the issue of votes for EU citizens, we'll...
Rebecca Evans: The Deputy Minister and Chief Whip has responsibility for both the support that we are able to offer asylum seekers and refugees in Wales, and also the issue of tackling domestic violence. So, I think she'll be very well placed to provide you with an update in terms of how those two pieces of work can mesh seamlessly together, so that we don't put people such as the woman you describe in such...
