Item 2 on the agenda this afternoon is the business statement and announcement, and I call on the leader of the house, Julie James.

Thank you, Deputy Presiding Officer. There are two changes to this week's business. Today's statement on Brexit and support for further education and skills has been withdrawn, and, tomorrow, the time allocated to the Counsel General's oral Assembly questions has been reduced. Draft business for the next three weeks is set out in the business statement and announcement, which can be found among the meeting papers available to Members electronically.

Can I call for three statements from the leader of the house today on behalf of the Government? The first is in relation to the trunk road network and its maintenance. The leader of the house will be aware that there have been significant delays on the A55 in north Wales recently, in my own constituency, as a result of roadworks that have caused a closure in Llanddulas. The tailbacks have been as long as eight miles, with delays of in excess of half an hour for traffic going in either direction. Now, we were assured at that time—my constituents were assured—that work would be ongoing 24/7 in order to keep those delays and the disruption to a minimum, but unfortunately it would appear that the works are shutting down completely on some evenings, which is completely not in accordance with the assurances that were provided to my constituents, so I wonder whether you could have the Cabinet Secretary with responsibility for the trunk road network provide an update to my constituents in order that they can be reassured that this disruption will be at an absolute minimum in the future and that work throughout the night will be taking place for the duration of the rest of the works.

Secondly, can I call for a statement from the Minister for Environment? It's been a regular call of mine to address the problems in terms of the Old Colwyn coastal defences, and I was very grateful for the fact that the Minister visited my constituency to inspect the defences for herself. But, in spite of the very positive meeting that took place, I've recently received a letter from the Minister that seems to suggest that this is not a priority for the Welsh Government and that there will not be the usual level of grant funding made available in order that the scheme can take place, because residential homes are less likely to benefit than the Government seems to imagine. Now, of course, this is a part of the coastal defence network that protects the vital transport infrastructure that is the north Wales railway line and the A55 trunk road and protects the sewerage system for the whole of the bay of Colwyn. So, quite how it can be suggested that this isn't benefiting homes and businesses is beyond me. Now, it's going to take the Welsh Government to actually get to grips with this problem and bring the various parties together that need to make a contribution to the works, and I have to say I'm astounded to have received this letter, and so was the local authority, following that meeting, which I thought was very productive. So, I would be grateful if there could be a statement on coastal defences from the Minister and she could explain the situation.

And, finally, can I call for a statement on red squirrels? People know that I'm the red squirrel champion here in the National Assembly, and I had the opportunity to visit some of the excellent conservation work that is taking place in the Clocaenog forest in my constituency and on Ynys Môn, which is being undertaken by the Red Squirrels Trust in Wales in partnership with Red Squirrels United. This week is Red Squirrels Awareness Week, and the Welsh Mountain Zoo in my constituency is part of an international breeding programme for this very important protected species. I would be grateful to know what action the Welsh Government is going to take so that the good work that is being done by these projects will be able to continue once the current grant funding comes to an end next year. Thank you.

Thank you. I commend the Member for getting quite a lot of his own constituency stuff in there, so very well done.

In terms of the first trunk road issue that he raised, the Cabinet Secretary's indicating to me that that's not his understanding, and indeed it's not my understanding either, and therefore he proposes to write to you to get an understanding of where you are and why you think that so that we can put that right, as my understanding is that the work is continuing 24/7 and ought to be so. We can put that right in correspondence. If you can provide the detail, that would be great.

In terms of the coastal defence issue, it sounds as if you're already in correspondence with the Cabinet Secretary, albeit you've indicated your lack of—what shall we say—cohesion with her, so I would suggest that that's a matter that you should raise either in questions or in continued correspondence. 

And, in terms of your championship of the red squirrels, I'm delighted to find this species champion scheme working so well here in the Assembly. I'm going to take the unashamed chance to say that I'm the species champion for the native oyster, which is now being reseeded in Swansea bay. I too am very fond of the scheme. I'm sure that the Cabinet Secretary will update us in due course about the continued funding for such a scheme. 

Leader of the house, you will no doubt be aware that the company behind the £1.3 billion tidal lagoon project in Swansea has now agreed a company voluntary agreement with its creditors to give it up to two years to find a way to deliver this project. And, as you will know also, hopes are still alive in Swansea that this project can get off the ground. In an event in the city last week Tidal Lagoon Power's Mark Shorrock stated that he wanted to supply electricity directly to organisations and homes in Swansea via private cables, something that he hopes will make the project commercially viable without any support from the UK Government.

We also know that the Swansea bay city region has established a taskforce into the lagoon and that discussions have taken place with Welsh public sector pension funds with regard to possible investment. However, one thing that was noted during last week's meeting was that, since the decision by the UK Government in June not to back the tidal lagoon scheme, the Welsh Government has not discussed with the company the £200 million that it had previously stated it would be prepared to invest earlier this year. Therefore, with different financing and ownership models on the table, there is a clear question in terms of what role the Welsh Government is going to play in helping to deliver this project.

This project has the ability to provide a much-needed economic boost to Swansea and south-west Wales and it's vitally important that, with the UK Government having again neglected Wales, the Welsh Government steps up to the mark. With all that in mind, could I ask that the Government bring forward a statement on the Swansea bay tidal lagoon that will outline clearly what the Government position is, what work it has undertaken over recent months on the issue, how it is working with the local authorities in the region, its view on possible Welsh Government investment, and its preferred model for delivering the scheme? Diolch yn fawr.

Yes. It's a very important matter for everyone in Wales, never mind those of us who represent Swansea constituencies and regions. I can confirm that the £200 million is still on the table. We are working alongside the taskforce. As soon as we know where the taskforce is going then we will be able to come forward with a statement. We are working very closely with the taskforce and certainly it will not be spent on anything else in the meantime, but there are a number of options, as the Member knows, and as all Members know, on the table for taking forward tidal lagoon power. And, until we know what those options are, we're not in a position to specifically say, but, nevertheless, the Welsh Government continues its vehement support and vehement condemnation, I have to say, of the UK Government's lack of investment in this project.

Leader of the house, can I have two statements—one from the Cabinet Secretary for health, who's left the Chamber at the moment, some time before the October recess, on the boundary changes progress as far as Cwm Taf and Abertawe Bro Morgannwg health boards are concerned, so that we can have an update on what's happening and where we will be going? Because this will take effect as of April next year and it's important that we, as Members, are able to have that detailed an opportunity to examine the Cabinet Secretary on those matters.

The second point is that, as you may well know, we had a long campaign in Aberafan on the junction 41 closure trial that existed. We eventually managed to persuade the Cabinet Secretary for Economy and Transport that the decision to stop the trials and keep the junction open was the right decision, and that has been working ever since. Now, last week, a report commissioned by the Welsh Government on the M4 junction 41 to 42 temporary 50 mph speed limit and the emissions was published. In that is the reintroduction of a possibility of closing the westbound slip road for junction 41 again. This, clearly, is unacceptable in my constituency, and I will once again be fighting any chances of this happening, but can we have a statement from the Cabinet Secretary for Economy and Transport to reaffirm his decision at the earlier start of this Government to keep that junction open and operational? Because any attempt to close that junction on the grounds of pollution I can assure you will increase pollution on the ground where people are breathing it in, as the cars get congested on the local roads. It is not an answer to this and whoever wrote this clearly doesn't know the streets or the congestion caused during that trial.

David Rees has always been very active on behalf of his constituents in this instance. The measure currently proposed for Port Talbot to achieve compliance with the EU air quality directive is a continuation, as he knows, of the temporary 50 mph speed limit implemented back in June. However, at this point, the total closure of junction 41 can't be ruled out for legal reasons, because the monitoring of nitrogen dioxide concentration is ongoing and, depending on results, it's possible that further measures may be required to safeguard public health and comply with the legislation. However, if that were to happen, further measures proposed would be subject to a full public consultation before any action is taken to take that forward.

In terms of the realignment of ABMU and Cwm Taf, I'm sure that the Cabinet Secretary will be updating Members as soon as that has sufficient progress for there to be something substantial to report.

May I ask for a statement from the Cabinet Secretary for health on mandatory eye tests for motorists in Wales, please? In May last year, a driver with poor eyesight—

I'm sorry, I didn't hear that, Mohammad Asghar. Could you repeat it? Sorry.

Okay. Leader of the house, may I ask for a statement from the Cabinet Secretary for health on mandatory eye tests for motorists in Wales, please? In May last year, a driver with poor eyesight who defied his optician's advice to stay off the road was jailed for seven years after he killed a motorist in an accident on the M4 in Newport. At the moment, it is the responsibility of the driver to advise the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency that they are no longer able to drive. Can I ask for a statement on what plan the Cabinet Secretary has to strengthen the guidance issued to opticians to make it mandatory that they advise the DVLA when a driver's eyesight has deteriorated to such an extent that they are a danger to themselves and to other motorists on the road, please? Thank you.

Deputy Presiding Officer, I'm not actually sure quite where the devolution settlement is on that. So, what I'll do is I'll undertake to discuss that with the Cabinet Secretary for health and come back to the Member.

Thank you, Deputy Presiding Officer. Tomorrow is World School Milk Day, and I very much hope that Assembly Members will enjoy the pint of milk that I will deliver to your doorstep, in your offices, tomorrow morning, in order to highlight and to remind you of the healthy properties of milk for our children, and the importance of the dairy sector for the rural economy. This programme, of course, is partially subsidised by the school milk subsidy programme of the European Union, and the Cabinet Secretary for Education, earlier this year, said that she was in negotiation with DEFRA in terms of ensuring continuity, after we leave the European Union—if we do leave—for that programme. I would ask whether we can have a statement from the Cabinet Secretary giving us an update on those negotiations, because clearly, as I said, it's important from the point of view of our children's health, and it's important from the point of view of the contribution it makes to the dairy industry, too. So I would ask for a statement on that.

May I also ask—? Clearly, we saw the publication of a very significant report at the end of last week by the education Secretary of work conducted by Professor Mick Waters, Professor Melanie Jones and Sir Alasdair Macdonald, who conducted an independent review of pay and conditions of school teachers. I want to put on record my thanks to them for their work. As one who provided evidence to them as part of that process, I was very pleased that many elements of the Plaid Cymru manifesto appeared in the recommendations that they made. But I do think that this report is very significant indeed, one that I'm sure will be very far reaching in terms of the changes that will emerge as a result of it in the sector, and for teachers' pay and conditions. I do regret that we had a written statement on this and that we didn't have an opportunity to discuss what's being recommended in the Chamber. Now, I assume that the Cabinet Secretary will want a period to consider what's being proposed, but may I ask that we do have an opportunity to discuss this issue soon? Because I do think that it is an exciting report, it's an interesting report, it's a challenging report in many ways, and it's important that we all here have the opportunity to air those views in full. And I would have appreciated an opportunity to have an oral statement, rather than just a written statement.

Llyr Gruffydd makes two very important points. I look forward to my pint of milk arriving; it's always a nice, refreshing drink. The Cabinet Secretary is indicating to me that she is very happy to bring a statement forward about the state of play on the continued negotiations with DEFRA on the subsidy.

And also, on the point about the very important report, I completely concur with the Member's comments on it. As soon as we've got a response ready to go, then we'll be bringing back an opportunity for Members to have a full discussion on the report, and the Government's response.

Leader of the house, are you aware of the select committee on work and pensions report on the impact of universal credit on domestic abuse victims? Given that the committee has recognised that women are more at risk under universal credit, could we have a statement from the Welsh Government considering actions we can take to deliver on recommendations from that select committee report, to protect women experiencing domestic abuse?

Secondly, with regard to the Welsh transport appraisal guidance consultation on the proposed M4 and A48 link road, concerns have been raised with me about the proposed membership of the Vale of Glamorgan Council review group, due to meet on 2 October. My constituents feel that the current membership is not representative of the four aspects of well-being—social, cultural, environmental and economic interests—and I would welcome a response from the Cabinet Secretary for Economy and Transport on that point.

Thank you for those two important issues, Jane Hutt. With regard to the Welsh transport appraisal guidance, or WelTAG, on the M4 and A48 link road, concerns have been raised about the membership of the Vale of Glamorgan Council review group. The Cabinet Secretary is going to discuss the issue with the Vale of Glamorgan so that we can get a full understanding of quite where we are with that, and I am sure he will feed back the outcome of that to you in due course. Thank you for having raised it with him.

In terms of the domestic abuse and universal credit issue that you raise—a very fundamentally important issue—we know, Deputy Presiding Officer, that one of the main causes of domestic violence and domestic abuse is economic inequality in the home. We know that that's a continuing problem. And with the changes in the benefits system, which particularly affect the purse and not the wallet, to use that way of cutting it, we know that that circumstance will only get worse. We also know that the amount of money taken out of the Welsh economy is bound to have an effect on the most vulnerable in our society.

I am due to make a number of statements and also to have a debate on a number of issues around the violence against women, domestic violence and sexual violence agenda over the autumn. I look forward to having a robust discussion about some of the real issues affecting people fleeing domestic violence, as well as those currently experiencing it who have not yet found the wherewithal to flee, but in particular, as well, to continue our campaign to ensure that we have gender equality as part of the gender review, and that has to include a better financial settlement for women in the system as a whole, because we know that that sort of inequality leads to further violence in the home.

So, I look forward to a number—. I'm not going to bring a specific statement on that particular issue, but there will be plenty of opportunities, and I hope that we'll be able to have a robust discussion about exactly where we are. I think there are two, if not three, opportunities to do that over the coming term.

Can I call for, please, two Welsh Government statements? The first is on access to pulmonary rehabilitation for interstitial lung disease—or ILD—patients. Last week was IPF or idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis week, and, according to the British Lung Foundation, pulmonary fibrosis is a type of interstitial lung disease. Pulmonary rehabilitation has often focused on other conditions such as COPD—chronic obstructive pulmonary disease—due to its prevalence, with over 70,000 people in Wales—or 2.3 per cent of the population—affected. But there's a growing body of evidence that tailored pulmonary rehabilitation provision for ILD can contribute significantly to improve quality of life in accordance with NICE guidelines. Last week, the health secretary wrote to me that the respiratory health delivery plan for Wales, which is updated and published in January, includes a national work stream for interstitial lung disease and the establishment of regional specialist teams to support local care. Therefore, I call for a statement detailing what progress, if any, there has been in actually developing a pulmonary rehabilitation pathway for ILD patients and when the Welsh Government expects that to be in place. 

My second request for a statement is on the Wales for Africa Health Links network. During the summer, I had a very useful meeting with trustees of the registered charity Wales for Africa Health Links network, to discuss the various health links across north Wales. They told me about the links between Wrexham Maelor and Glan Clwyd hospitals and Ethiopia, and between Ysbyty Gwynedd and Lesotho. They told me that they were getting a big impact for a small input, because there were so many volunteers giving their time free, particularly health professionals who are, therefore, also able to develop their soft skills and benefiting the NHS with the Welsh Government getting great value for money in terms of global health, global responsibility, international links and soft diplomacy, as well as the soft skills they themselves were developing.

They told me that key commitments from the NHS for institutional international health links are represented by the charter for international health partnerships, but the NHS and health boards were being very slow in implementing their commitments, and that although the Welsh Government's Wales for Africa programme has been a success in having an impact for the benefit of communities in Wales and Africa, and being very good for the reputation of Wales as a country, the Welsh Government support for the programme has been static for years. Will you, therefore, consider providing a statement in this context, where there's evidence to show that doing a little bit more could have a massive further beneficial impact on both Wales and on particularly the communities in Africa that these professionals are giving their voluntary time to support? 

Starting with that one, obviously we're very proud of the Wales for Africa scheme. The Member has outlined, I think, very ably the fact that it benefits both Wales itself and the professionals and, well, everyone who volunteers on the programme. And, of course, it benefits the African countries that take part in it. Without wanting to take anything away from that, obviously we have very difficult budget decisions to be making. Would that we could put more money into such a scheme. I only wish that were possible, but, unfortunately, in the face of the budget that the Welsh Government has at the moment, that's not going to be able to be a priority and I very much regret, Deputy Presiding Officer, that the austerity agenda that we face is driving us to some very difficult decisions. I'm afraid that's not going to be able to be one of the priorities, and that's a matter of some regret, as are a number of other schemes that will face those kinds of funding-static situations over the coming years.

In terms of the pulmonary issue, the Member indicates he's already in correspondence with the Cabinet Secretary, and he's pointed out himself that the respiratory health plan recognises the importance of timely and expert care, and that the national plan includes a work stream to improve ILD care across Wales, and that the NHS in Wales has established the two specialist services to support the local management of conditions. I'm not sure, at this point, the Government has much to add to that in a statement. The Member obviously will have opportunities to question the Cabinet Secretary further on that in due course.

I'd like to ask Welsh Government for a statement on the consultation currently under way in Caerphilly on the potential closure of up to seven leisure facilities in the county borough. I think a statement is appropriate for two primary reasons. Firstly, I know that a number of members of the public have tried to engage with the consultation process and they found it very rigid. They would have liked an opportunity to elaborate further on their views, and some of the multi-option questions being asked are not particularly broad in their range, and so that really raises questions about the confidence local people can have in the consultation and that their views are being taken seriously. Secondly, of course, as we approach a health ticking time bomb in terms of lack of physical activity and obesity, is it really appropriate that, at this point, we make it harder for citizens in Caerphilly to be physically active, especially given the provisions of the Well-being of Future Generations (Wales) Act 2015? One of the leisure centres has a record attendance rate in the recent financial year—Pontllanfraith—and more than 80 clubs and groups rely on its facilities. So, I would really be grateful for a Welsh Government statement on the plight of leisure facilities in Caerphilly.

Leisure centres, as the Member knows, is a matter for the local authority, but I share his concern that the austerity agenda drives some decisions around upstream healthcare, if you like—the sorts of leisure, and, actually, community cohesion-type facilities that those sorts of decisions make. It's not a matter for us how Caerphilly conducts its consultations on these matters, but I'm sure if he writes in to the Cabinet Secretary with his concerns, we can look at it further.

I'm sure the leader of the house will be aware that many families from Wales went up to London yesterday for the opening of the public inquiry into contaminated blood, and as the leader of the house will know, over 70 people from Wales lost their lives through this scandal, and many others have had their lives ruined. So, this is a moment of huge importance to Welsh families, and last week I met the families and their barristers to listen to the evidence that they were preparing for the public inquiry. It seems that each individual person has to request their case notes individually from the local health boards, but also the local health boards have to produce general information from the 1970s, and of course there have been lots of changes of organisations in Wales. So, I wondered whether it would be possible to have information from the Government about any role it may play during this long process, which is likely to last maybe three years at the most optimistic, and whether there's likely to be any help for health authorities in what is going to be a fairly major task.

I know the Member has campaigned long and hard for this, and we're all absolutely delighted to see the inquiry finally start. I hope very much that some of the very understandable concerns of some of the people who we've seen having interviews on tv and so on as to the efficacy of the inquiry can be assuaged by having a full judicial inquiry. We've made sure that all health boards and trusts in Wales have confirmed that they will comply with rule 9 of the Inquiries Act 2005 and provide information when and as required by the inquiry. We agree that the inquiry will take approximately until July/August 2020 before likely reports will take place.

We've also had confirmation from all of our health boards and trusts that no charge will be made for those affected by access to or copying of medical records, should those be required, and the Cabinet Secretary, I know, has made enquiries as to making sure that we can do that with some dispatch. If there does seem to be any kind of problem with that, I'm sure the Member will raise that with us, but we have made proactive enquiries to ensure that that process can be as smooth as possible. She's pointed out, rightly, that, of course, some of this stuff goes back a long way, but the health boards have all confirmed that they will stand ready and are waiting to comply as ably as possible, and that no charge will be made for any of the access or copying that might be required as a result of that.

As I say, we hope that the inquiry can go swiftly and smoothly and get the right conclusion and, you know, the sense of closure and justice that the campaigners have long fought for, and rightly so.

Leader of the house, the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Services published a written statement on 25 September concerning the doctors and dentists review body and their pay recommendations. Whilst it was good news to see that there's going to be an increase across this portion of the NHS and that, also, I was delighted to read the written statement, I do believe that we need a full oral statement from the Cabinet Secretary on this matter. There are potential effects on agency and locum spend. There are question marks also to understand and get to grips with in terms of specialist and associate specialist staff. And I'd also like to understand how the Cabinet Secretary for health flexed his figures so that, when he says that this deal goes beyond what was agreed for doctors and dentists over the border—and by which I assume he's referring to England—you know, as we know, in England, they made a statement in June and July of this year of a 2 per cent base increase for salaried doctors and dentists, salaried general medical practitioners, and independent contractor GMPs and general dental practitioners, which is exactly the same as the figures here. So, I'd like to have a really clear understanding of what the Cabinet Secretary is saying, and I think it would be very useful for us to be able to flesh this out so that we are all singing off the same hymn sheet.

Yes, we very much welcome the health Secretary's announcement of a new pay deal for doctors and dentists in Wales, which indeed includes a higher salary increase than the deal agreed in England. We've committed additional funding to fulfil those recommendations. Of course, the reality is that our budgets are limited, so there are other consequences. We're very happy that BMA Cymru Wales have agreed to work in partnership with us and NHS employers to deliver the ambition set out in 'A Healthier Wales' around the long-term sustainability of the workforce and delivery of the primary care model for Wales. And our recent agreement on the pay rise for the rest of the NHS Wales workforce shows that we are committed to investing in the staff to ensure they can continue to deliver excellent health and social care. Together, Deputy Presiding Officer, with recruitment campaigns like 'Train. Work. Live.' this will help us to create a workforce that can deliver a long-term vision for the NHS in Wales, and we very much welcome that.

Leader of the house, I was delighted to see the news from the Labour Party conference yesterday that this Government intends to ratify the Istanbul convention on combating violence against women and girls. The convention is a hugely important and comprehensive legal framework for countries to adhere to in combating gender-based violence. Twenty-six countries have ratified it so far, including Germany, France and Italy, but the UK has not. More than a million women experience domestic abuse in England and Wales each year. Two women a week are killed by partners or ex-partners. We must be at the forefront of combating what is an evil in our society, and we would do well to remember that 101 women in Wales alone lost their lives as a consequence of violence against them by a partner or ex-partner last year.

So, we cannot afford to fall behind, and that is why I welcome that statement yesterday. But what I would like, Cabinet Secretary, is a Government statement outlining the process and the timescale for ratification, and time to discuss the implications for Welsh policy, legislation and also the support services that we will need, perhaps, to re-evaluate in terms of that ratification.

The Member's complete commitment to this over a long term is well known, and I very much welcome the First Minister's commitment to us ratifying, as far as we can, the elements of the Istanbul convention. Obviously, it has to be ratified at state level and, unfortunately, we can't do that all by ourselves. But we've been working very closely with the UK Government and we will commit and have already committed, as far as possible, to incorporating all the elements of the Istanbul convention that apply to us as a devolved administration into Welsh legislation.

As the Member points out, the purposes of the Violence against Women, Domestic Abuse and Sexual Violence (Wales) Act 2015 were to prevent violence against women, gender-based violence and domestic abuse and sexual violence, and to support and protect victims and survivors. In fairness, the UK has already some of the most robust protections in the world against violence against women. There are some extra-territorial jurisdiction matters that are not yet incorporated into domestic law at UK level. They require primary legislation to be introduced across the UK for us to be able to fully ratify those elements as the United Kingdom. They don't apply here in Wales. The Domestic Abuse Bill that the United Kingdom legislature has set out will include the necessary provisions on extra-territorial jurisdiction to incorporate those currently overseen by the European Court of Justice into domestic law, so that we can be assured that, even in leaving the European Union, we will not be deprived of those protections against sexual violence, which are so necessary in the world that Joyce Watson so ably set out.

Thank you. And finally, Nick Ramsay.

Diolch, Dirprwy Lywydd. I will be brief; I know time is pressing.

Leader of the house, I recently met with representatives of Moncare, a Big Lottery and Disability Wales-supported initiative to improve social care in towns and villages across Wales though a co-operative, co-production type model. It seems to me it's the type of project that ticks the Welsh Government's boxes, ticks local authorities' boxes, ticks the co-production box. But they would like a bit more support in terms of raising the profile of what they're trying to achieve in Monmouthshire and also in terms of rolling out their model more widely across Wales.

They want to put the citizen at the centre, put the patient at the centre of their care. As I say, I was very impressed by what they had to offer and what they were talking to me about, so I wonder if we could have a statement from the Welsh Government or if you could have a discussion with your colleagues about how this project could be supported.

Yes, if the Member wants to write to me with some of the details, we can certainly look into that. Anything that is done via co-production and puts the citizen at the centre and in control of their own personal circumstances and care is very much to be welcomed. So, if you want to write to me with details, I'll make sure that we can look into it.

Thank you very much, leader of the house.