The next item on our agenda is the business statement and announcement, and I call on Jane Hutt.

Llywydd, I have three changes to report to this week’s business. The Minister for Social Services and Public Health will make a statement on Sport Wales shortly. The Cabinet Secretary for Communities and Children will then make a statement on ‘resilient communities—next steps’. And, finally, I’ve reduced the time allocated to the Counsel General’s oral Assembly questions tomorrow. Business for the next three weeks is shown on the business statement and announcement, found among meeting papers, which will be available to Members electronically.

Leader of the house, I’d like to request two statements today, please. Firstly, I’d welcome a statement from the health Secretary regarding any discussions he may have had with the UK Government about future access to the European Medicines Agency. Currently sited in London, this will move to Europe as a result of Brexit, and, more importantly, if we lose our membership of the EMA, not only will scientific research and our biosciences industries suffer, but Welsh citizens could find themselves last in line when it comes to accessing new medicines.

Secondly, I’d welcome an update also on the city deal. It’s excellent news that the last local authority has now approved the deal. But I’d welcome an update from Welsh Government, setting out the next steps on what could be a real game changer for my constituency of Cynon Valley.

Thank you very much to Vikki Howells from the Cynon Valley. Clearly, in terms of the European Medicines Agency, this is a matter of concern but the Cabinet Secretary for Health, Wellbeing and Sport is leading discussions with the Department of Health and also with the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency, responsible for matters related to regulation of medicines. There’s been regular contact with the agency in terms of current arrangements for regulation, licensing and safety of medicines at UK and European levels, and we would expect to be involved in discussions leading into the future. Let’s just remember that EMA—the European Medicines Agency—protects public and animal health in 28 EU member states, as well as the countries of the European Economic Area, by ensuring that all medicines available on the EU market are safe, effective and of high quality.

Your second question on the Cardiff capital region city deal: it is excellent that the last local authority—I believe it was the Vale of Glamorgan—last week approved the deal. I very much see that this will take us forward in terms of prospects for the whole of the region, the Cardiff capital region, and for your constituency, if you look at the fact that, over its lifetime, the Cardiff capital region city deal is expected to deliver up to 25,000 new jobs and leverage an additional £4 billion of private sector investment. Of course, a key priority for investment will be the delivery of the south-east Wales metro, including the Valleys lines electrification programme.

I’d like to request a statement from the Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Local Government. A number of residents in Blaenau Gwent are concerned about reports of further hikes in fees and charges for the use of sport and recreation grounds in the borough on top of previous hikes. So, could we have a statement from the Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Local Government on the issue more generally, and especially how such hikes are compatible with the much celebrated provisions of the Well-being of Future Generations (Wales) Act 2015?

Well, clearly, this is a matter for local authorities in tough times in terms of UK Government austerity policies, but it is a matter where, of course, the Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Local Government would wish to engage and be involved with local authorities in terms of the impacts, and also to recognise that we have got real opportunities. We’ve just been talking about the city deal, but we have opportunities, I think, in terms of support, and, indeed, looking at the transitional rate relief, the extra £10 million that’s just about to make its way to our high streets as well in terms of the business rates relief fund, which, of course, we have agreed with you—with Plaid Cymru—is a very important way forward.

May I ask for a statement from the Cabinet Secretary for health on upfront charges on foreign patients using the NHS in Wales? From April this year, NHS hospitals in England will have a legal duty to charge overseas patients upfront on non-urgent care if they’re not eligible for free treatment. Emergency treatment will continue to be provided and invoiced later. There is a danger that pressure on the NHS in Wales could be increased by foreign patients seeking non-urgent treatment here, rather than in England, unless a similar scheme is introduced in Wales. Could we please have a statement on this issue?

Secondly, I’m very grateful—only a couple of weeks ago I raised this issue that Newport was getting really bad on antisocial behaviour issues. The very next day, the police in Gwent took very strong action and they did a wonderful job. I hope south-east Wales police do the same thing and clean up our cities. Could we please have a statement from the community Minister about how police are tackling antisocial behaviour and other problems in inner cities, in our south-east Wales areas? Thank you.

I think in terms of your first question, Mohammad Asghar, I have to say it’s quite horrifying to see people approaching people in beds with a machine to get them to pay up; that horrifies me. But, clearly, we have to look at our own—. We do have guidance, we have guidance in regard to overseas patients—. [Interruption.] That’s in England, of course. We have our guidance and we’re going to publish our guidance in terms of updating in due course and that’s a matter for the Cabinet Secretary for Health, Well-being and Sport to take forward.

On your second point, I believe I answered that very clearly when you raised this point a couple of weeks ago, looking at the robust partnerships at a local level within our powers so that we can ensure that we have safer communities and communities that also care for each other.

I wonder if we can find time for a debate or a statement on the construction industry in Wales, and I draw Members’ attention to my register of interests—the two unions I’m involved with have a construction interest. But, it’s following the latest data from the Construction Industry Training Board that shows that output growth in Wales is forecast to be stronger than any other part of the UK, with infrastructure projects again driving growth, that Welsh construction is set to grow almost four times faster than the UK average, with an average growth rate of 6.2 per cent compared with 1.7 per cent across the UK, creating nearly 20,000 jobs. And if we have that debate, we might have time to see how much that’s being driven solely by Bridgend County Borough Council and the two new primary schools that they did the ground breaking for last week, part of an £11.1 million funding in infrastructure, jointly funded by Welsh Government and Labour-run Bridgend County Borough Council.

Thank you, Huw Irranca-Davies. Only just a short while ago, we heard about the investment by Torfaen County Borough Council, a Labour-controlled authority, with the Welsh Labour Government. The twenty-first century schools programme is playing a huge part in terms of enabling us to have those very good forecasts from the Construction Industry Training Board, predicting strong growth in the sector in Wales. And it reflects our continued commitment to long-term infrastructure planning and investment. I think Construction Futures Wales is also very important in terms of capacity and capability, working very closely not just with CITB Wales, but Welsh companies in terms of taking this forward. And, of course, our national infrastructure commission for Wales will play a big part in this.

Leader of the house, can I call for a statement on the future of Colwyn Bay’s Victoria Pier? You will be aware that there was an announcement over the weekend by Conwy County Borough Council that an agreement had been reached with the Colwyn Victoria Pier Trust over the dismantling of the pier in order to protect it from further deterioration, after recent storms gave it a battering and caused some significant damage. That will allow the pier potentially to be refurbished and re-erected at some point in the future, but it’s highly likely that that will need the support of Welsh Government Ministers in order to allow that dismantling to take place, and potentially may need some financial support there in the future as well. Can I call for an urgent statement on that, please, in order that we can have some clarity as to the timescales by which the Welsh Government might be able to make a decision in order that this can happen rapidly? Thank you.

I think we all welcome that. It was very disheartening to see the result of the disintegration of that historic pier, and very welcome that the trust is taking that lead in terms of responsibility. I’m sure this will lead to the development of partnership discussions on the way forward.

Cabinet Secretary, can I ask for two statements today? One is from the Cabinet Secretary for environment in relation to the issuing of guidance and strengthening the guidance to local planning authorities when it comes to opencast mining, because we might be in a situation in my constituency where, once again, on the Parc Slip site, the application currently is to delay restoration. When they make applications they promise the earth, then later on in life they promise a bit of the earth because they haven’t got the money. Now, they’re not promising anything, because they say, ‘We got to delay it again’. It’s important that if applications are approved, the individual organisation is held to account for its application. Can we therefore strengthen the advice on that area, please?

On the second one, can I ask for a statement from either the First Minister or the Cabinet Secretary for Economy and Infrastructure as to what discussions they have had with the UK Government following the leaking of document information regarding the priorities placed upon industries for Brexit discussions? I understand the priority for steel is low, and therefore a major aspect of our economy in Wales is not considered important enough for the UK Government? So, can we have a discussion as to what has been said and what discussions have been going on, to ensure that steel is not at the bottom but at the top of the agenda for Brexit?

Thank you for those two very important questions, David Rees. In terms of Parc Slip, the fact that an alternative restoration scheme has been put forward at the site is important, and I understand that the details, as you say, are still being finalised. Of course, they will go to the relevant planning authorities, acknowledging your point about what impact we can have in terms of those regulations. I think it’s important to note, of course, that the Welsh Government has been clear that the UK Government, who benefited from the receipts of privatisation, should assist with the effect of restoration of the site, and I think that is, of course, crucially important in terms of the way forward. I think your point is very pertinent in terms of the importance that we place, as a Welsh Government, and indeed as this Assembly, in terms of steel when we face the daunting prospect of Brexit. I think that’s where we look to our White Paper, particularly, which does, of course, include that very clear message in terms of our priorities, economic, of course, being at the forefront, and steel being a key part of that in terms of that sector and your constituency.

Leader of the house, in response to the question I put to the First Minister this afternoon on business rates, he indicated the Welsh Government would be coming forward with the information that many Members have been calling for by the end of this week. I was hoping that maybe you could use your good offices, as leader of the house, to try and get that information in Members’ hands sooner rather than later. It is a fact that, at the end of this week, we break for the half term recess, and given the interest many Members across the parties have obviously expressed in this matter, if there were to be questions that Members would like to raise on behalf of businesses and constituents, there would be little or no opportunity to do that for at least 10 days.

I’m sure the Presiding Officer’s hearing what I’m saying, because it does seem to be a trend that these announcements are made on the eve of recess, where it does fall off the radar by the time we come back, and I think that’s a missed opportunity. It is our job to actually ask the questions that our constituents and businesses ask of us, and I fail to see why the Government can’t bring this information forward sooner in the Plenary week so that Members can ask the questions that they require, rather than leaving it to the end of the week, just like the initial statement that was brought out on 17 December, which was during the Christmas recess. Again, Members were not able to put the pertinent questions that were asked of them by the businesses in their community, as you would have seen first-hand when you came to Cowbridge and listened to businesses’ concerns in Cowbridge, when they were merely just seeking answers.

Well, I would have hoped that Andrew R.T. Davies would welcome the fact that we have actually secured an additional £10 million of rate relief for our high streets. Of course, that formed part of our final budget package before Christmas, and I hoped at the time that you would welcome it. Certainly, I had some good response in terms of that announcement before Christmas.

You also have to recognise that we’ve got a £10 million transitional rate relief scheme. Those businesses who are eligible for that will automatically get their fair share of that £10 million. In terms of the £10 million special scheme, it is a special scheme, as the Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Local Government has explained to you. The £10 million rate relief scheme is being targeted specifically at high-street ratepayers, including shops, pubs and cafes. We have to target effectively and we have to support those retailers most in need, so we’re working very closely with local authorities on the design and implementation of the scheme, and a statement will be made shortly by the Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Local Government.

Leader of the house, could we, as a matter of urgency, have times to discuss Wales’s response to the plight of child refugees in the European camps? I’ve been contacted, and I expect many in this Chamber have been, by constituents from Mid Wales Refugee Action, and other groups, who express, and I quote, their deep sadness and horror about the UK Government’s decision to limit the number of unaccompanied child refugees to Britain to a

‘paltry 350, rather than the 3,000 that Lord Dubs calculated would be our fair share.’

The Government says it is because local authorities have no space. I’d like to hear from the local government Minister and the Cabinet Secretary for Communities and Children on that specific point. As you know, the Equality, Local Government and Communities Committee is currently looking at some of these particular issues and we hope to report our findings next month. But this is actually important.

It’s interesting to note, in her recent interview with the ‘New Statesman’, the Prime Minister stated that her proudest achievement was delivering the Modern Slavery Act 2015. Yet, by refusing sanctuary, she is exposing thousands of children—the most vulnerable of children in the world—to trafficking and worse. This Chamber should have time to say and to do something about that.

Thank you, Joyce Watson. I think, in response to the first point of your question about working with local authorities, the Welsh Government does work very closely with the Welsh Local Government Association regarding local authorities and their willingness, ability and capacity to accept unaccompanied refugee children. Also, we are very much aware of placements being offered in the last week, for example, by leaders of Welsh local authorities, who are expressing a desire to take children under the Dubs scheme. But I think it is relevant to share with the Chamber that the First Minister has written to the Prime Minister today, and he has said that he wants to urge her ‘to reverse this decision’ in terms of concluding the Dubs scheme at the end of March. He says this closes a

‘vital route to sanctuary for some of the most vulnerable child refugees…I urge you to reverse this decision and work more effectively with devolved administrations and local authorities to identify placements for the affected children.’

Also going on to say to the Prime Minister and, of course, Members are aware, that

‘We are currently investing £350,000 in building social services capacity to ensure additional places for unaccompanied asylum seeking children can be identified.’

I think, finally, I would say that the First Minister says that

‘Wales is an outward-facing nation which takes its moral obligations seriously.’

And

‘Reinstating the scheme would send an important message about the type of country we want to be in the context of the recent hardening of attitudes towards refugees elsewhere in the world.’

Thank you, Minister.