Joel James
Welsh Conservative · Wales
“Cabinet Secretary, according to StatsWales, as of September this year, there were 9,319 people waiting for audiology services in Wales, with 3,845—around 41 per cent—waiting over 14 weeks. Of this 9,319 figure, 1,027 are in Rhondda Cynon Taf.”
“Given that the Welsh Government has confirmed that an additional £50 million of funding will be made available to reduce the longest waiting times, can you please confirm if any of this funding will be used to pay for private commissioned, community-based audiology services to help reduce the backlog of appointments in NHS Wales?”
“In the review that followed that flooding, RCT council was praised as having been successful in progressing post-event actions and recommendations, but I think that this is misleading, given the events that we have witnessed over the weekend, and will provide little comfort to the residents and business owners who have had their homes and…”
“Trefnydd, I was very disappointed to see that the Welsh Government has pulled its statement next week on the United Nations International Day for Persons with Disabilities and instead will now provide a written statement, thus denying the opportunity for comment and questioning by Members of this Chamber.”
“First Minister, as you've just said and as you'll be aware, RCT council has recently published its formal response to all the consultation submissions it received about its proposed LDP strategy plan, and I'm happy to see that the council has responded positively to Welsh Government observations regarding one of its strategic sites and ha…”
“Council and national planning guidance is clear on this matter: you don't build residential developments on this classification of floodplain, which, as you can no doubt appreciate, First Minister, was under water over the weekend.”
The complete record
Every one of 54 lines we hold for Joel James, in date order, each linked to its source. Free to read, in full, without an account. Page 1 of 2.
“Given that the Welsh Government has confirmed that an additional £50 million of funding will be made available to reduce the longest waiting times, can you please confirm if any of this funding will be used to pay for private commissioned, community-based audiology services to help reduce the backlog of appointments in NHS Wales? Thank you.”
“Cabinet Secretary, according to StatsWales, as of September this year, there were 9,319 people waiting for audiology services in Wales, with 3,845—around 41 per cent—waiting over 14 weeks. Of this 9,319 figure, 1,027 are in Rhondda Cynon Taf. I’ve spoken numerous times in this Chamber asking whether the Welsh Government would consider utilising private, high-street audiologists to deliver audiology services in a more convenient and accessible setting, in the same way as it utilises GPs, dentists and pharmacists. Poor hearing is directly related to cognitive decline in older people, as well as speech and language issues in children, and longer waiting times for audiology services increases the likelihood of people accessing other healthcare services.”
“And do you agree that a literature review of local government section 19 and Natural Resources Wales's reports into extreme flooding in Wales, commissioned by the last Welsh Government, were not appropriate and that what was actually needed was a more comprehensive inquiry to establish how flood defences could have been improved? Thank you.”
“In the review that followed that flooding, RCT council was praised as having been successful in progressing post-event actions and recommendations, but I think that this is misleading, given the events that we have witnessed over the weekend, and will provide little comfort to the residents and business owners who have had their homes and shops ruined. Storm Dennis was categorised as a one in 100-year event and, since no flood defences had been found to have failed during that storm, it was therefore concluded that existing flood defence infrastructure at RCT11 remained in accordance with current indicative standards. Given that, in just four years, another storm has been equally as devastating, how will you now categorise storm Bert? Will you provide additional funding to upgrade flood defences in Pontypridd?”
“Sadly, I think we can all agree here that the flooding that we witnessed on the weekend has been particularly devastating, especially in my home town of Pontypridd, and I'd like to take this opportunity to express my heartfelt sympathies to all those families and businesses affected. I do not wish to make this political, and I am immensely impressed by the work that you have been doing, Cabinet Secretary, but it is now clear that the response from the Welsh Government after storm Dennis in 2020 was, indeed, inadequate and there has been very little learnt.”
“Trefnydd, I was very disappointed to see that the Welsh Government has pulled its statement next week on the United Nations International Day for Persons with Disabilities and instead will now provide a written statement, thus denying the opportunity for comment and questioning by Members of this Chamber. I believe that this is insensitive to those with disabilities, who already feel sidelined and ignored by this Government, and is ultimately a stark indication of what this Government actually thinks about them. As with everything, there are warm words but very little action. As you will know, I have had to ask several times in this Chamber for those with disabilities to even be mentioned in Government statements. So, I ask you if you can reconsider your decision and allow for an oral statement next week.”
“Council and national planning guidance is clear on this matter: you don't build residential developments on this classification of floodplain, which, as you can no doubt appreciate, First Minister, was under water over the weekend. I am conscious that you cannot talk about individual planning matters, but why can allocations such as these continue to be promoted by RCT council, when there is so much local and Government opposition to it? It not only undermines public trust and confidence in the planning system, but they are a substantial waste of taxpayers' money. Thank you.”
“First Minister, as you've just said and as you'll be aware, RCT council has recently published its formal response to all the consultation submissions it received about its proposed LDP strategy plan, and I'm happy to see that the council has responded positively to Welsh Government observations regarding one of its strategic sites and has completely removed it. However, it is disconcerting to see that the council is still considering residential development on the Ystrad Barwig site in Llantwit Fardre, which has been continually refused by this Welsh Government due to it being classified as a C2 flood zone, the worst classification there is.”
“3. A wnaiff y Prif Weinidog ddatganiad am gynllun datblygu lleol diwygiedig Cyngor Bwrdeistref Sirol Rhondda Cynon Taf ar gyfer 2022-2037? OQ61956”
“However, I do still think that it is disappointing that we are missing a great opportunity to engage with charities and organisations, to engage with the work that they do, and ultimately raise awareness of their causes. You mentioned there that you were looking to publish your internal procedure, and I welcome that really wholeheartedly actually, but I was wondering if there's scope to expand that procedure to link up with these charities and organisations, because it would be good then to show that the Senedd fully supports the work that they do. Thank you.”
“Thank you, Llywydd. And I'm grateful that, earlier this year, you allowed bowel cancer awareness posters to be placed in the Senedd, and I know how valued and appreciated this action was. However, I was disappointed that we were not able to get the Senedd lit up to recognise Ostomy Awareness Day, which falls on the first Saturday of every October. From the discussions I had with your office and from your response today, I've understood that the reason as to why the Senedd could not be lit up was because of concerns that if it was done for one awareness day, then it sets a precedent to do it for all awareness days, which would not be possible, and I understand that argument.”
“3. Pa weithdrefnau sydd ar waith ar gyfer penderfynu pryd y caiff y Senedd ei goleuo i gefnogi gwahanol achosion? OQ61877”
“Cabinet Secretary, the additional support you've provided for the warm hubs scheme will undoubtedly make a difference to communities, and particularly isolated ones this winter. I think we can all agree that any initiative that helps bring communities together is one worth investing in. How do you see the warm hubs scheme expanding in the long term? Considering that this initiative is probably most likely accessed by the elderly and vulnerable, do you see potential for warm hubs to link up with other basic health services, using it as an opportunity to do routine health checks, for example? If so, what needs to be put into place to make this happen? Thank you.”
“It also frequently leads to a breakdown in relationships with the police and local authorities, due to a distrust of those in positions of authority. In order to tackle this, research shows that communities that have lots of activities for younger people, places for them to go and have worthwhile experiences, and where they can have the support of community mentors, tend to have fewer instances of anti-social behaviour. With this in mind, what actions are the Welsh Government taking to improve the number and variety of activities for younger people in deprived communities? Thank you.”
“Thank you, Cabinet Secretary. As you know, there is a clear trend towards increased community cohesion and deprivation in an area. One of the reasons why this is the case is because people feel safer in their homes and safer travelling and walking around their area. Evidence shows that 72 per cent of people who live in the least deprived areas feel safe in all situations, compared with just 54 per cent of people who live in the most deprived areas. Sadly, one of the other reasons is that more deprived areas have more community tensions, which, as we have seen this year, can lead to anti-social behaviour in public spaces, hate crimes, intimidation, harassment and so forth, and this increases anxiety and fear within the community, especially between different generations.”
“We know that there are challenges in recruiting and retaining volunteers, and this, I believe, comes from a misplaced sense that volunteering, whilst starting as a willingness to help and to be involved, often ends up becoming a burden, in particular an administrative one. Cabinet Secretary, what initiatives have you taken to promote the benefits of volunteering to communities, and what action do you think could be taken to reduce administrative burdens on volunteers? Thank you.”
“Thank you, Cabinet Secretary. Volunteering has been shown to be an aspect of social interaction that has proven positive benefits, both in terms of health and well-being. Moreover, there is what is called a virtuous cycle between volunteering and social cohesion, whereby contributing to the benefit of the community provides a sense of solidarity and a connection with other people and their area. Not only does it help people to get to know others in the community, but research has shown that it also helps increase a sense of trust, pride in the place you live, and a connection between people from different backgrounds, thus building an overall resilience within the community in the face of potential division and challenging times. Therefore, encouraging volunteering is of huge benefit to communities.”
“The most recent data published by the national survey has revealed that only about 30 per cent of people in Wales feel that they’re able to influence decisions at a local level. We also know that there is an increased apathy towards voting in general, with voter turnout, on the whole, decreasing at nearly every election. With this in mind, Cabinet Secretary, and for the purposes of improving community cohesion, what current initiatives do you have to improve and encourage interest in local politics and the work of locally elected representatives? Thank you.”
“Thank you, Llywydd. Cabinet Secretary, Wales's communities are becoming increasingly diverse and face many challenges, due to economic migration, deprivation, poverty, intergenerational differences, and, worryingly, the rise of hate crime and the threat of extremism. Community cohesion is therefore essential in helping to reduce potential problems and help resolve issues before they occur. As you are well aware, there's also a direct correlation between community cohesion and a person's view as to whether or not they can influence local decisions. Higher levels of community cohesion are reported by people who feel that they understand local politics, for example, where they have a good grasp of the work done by their local councillors, and where there is a close working relationship between elected officials and their community.”
“You mentioned the creative skills fund project, which looks very promising, particularly the Hijinx Creative Enablers project, which supports the disabled, learning disabled and those with ASD. However, I did not see any projects that create the skills needed to support the creative industry, such as stage management, human resources, facilities management, electrical engineering and carpentry, as mentioned. Do you think that there is the potential to fund projects that facilitate the skills needed to support the industry? Thank you.”
“You'll be well aware, Minister, of the protests held on the Senedd steps earlier this year. While we've seen extraordinary growth in the creative industry in Wales, this growth seems to be concentrated in tv, film, digital and publishing. What opportunities have you identified to improve funding for the whole of the arts sector? Finally, I want to briefly mention an issue in the tv and film sector in Wales. It appears that there's a shortage of skilled workers, such as carpenters, to build sets quickly enough, leading to expensive delays in projects and filming. It is evident that the supporting industries have not grown as rapidly as the expansion of filming. How might you now use the expansion of the creative sector to support other jobs in Wales?”
“The Music Venue Trust has reported a 35 per cent decline in available venues over the last 20 years, and noted that, in 2023 alone, 125 venues across the UK ceased hosting live music, with half shutting their doors permanently. This led to a loss of 4,000 jobs in the sector. Given that so many venues are struggling, what action is the Welsh Government taking to provide capital funding to them? In June research commissioned by the performing arts union, Equity, revealed that, in real terms, overall arts funding in Wales has dropped by 30 per cent since 2017, compared with a drop of 11 per cent in England, 16 per cent in Northern Ireland and an increase of 2 per cent in Scotland. The chief executive of the Arts Council of Wales has warned that there will be no professional sector in 10 years if funding does not improve.”
“The Society of London Theatre and UK Theatre have warned that, without significant capital investment over the next five years, nearly 40 per cent of venues across the UK will be at risk of closing, and another 40 per cent will become too unsafe to use. The previous Conservative Government's spring budget provided dedicated funding for upgrades to facilities such as Wales's Theatr Clwyd, and despite many individual appeals for capital funding, the UK Labour Government has not allocated funding for crucial repairs. In fact, the creative industries were largely unmentioned, aside from additional tax relief for visual effects in tv and film. Within the creative sector, you will well understand, Minister, that there is a reliance on performers having a variety of venues in which to perform.”
“Although workers can remain on zero-hours contracts if they prefer, this move by the UK Labour Government reflects a lack of understanding of the creative industries. Policy designed to limit zero-hours contract opportunities means that new entrants into the industry will lose the flexibility that they need. Considering that the majority of performers in the creative sector are freelancers, this is concerning. Moreover, there is an increased financial burden on theatres and producers who are already grappling with rising costs and the challenges of sustaining their businesses. This change in employment law is likely to have a negative consequence for both workers and performance venues. So, with this in mind, what assessment has been made of the impact that scrapping zero-hours contracts will have on venues in Wales?”
“There's also genuine concern that a crackdown on zero-hours contracts is short-sighted, as it fails to recognise how these contracts function, particularly for small venues and performers. In the theatre industry, for instance, a significant proportion of creative talent, such as performers, work second jobs front of house, in the box office or at the bar. This flexibility complements their performance work. Many theatre workers also appreciate the flexibility that zero-hours contracts provide, especially for those with caring responsibilities. Reducing this flexibility could negatively impact performers, as they may no longer be able to balance their work and personal commitments effectively.”
“Thank you for your statement today, Minister. While it is encouraging to hear about the growth of certain sectors of the creative sector in Wales, such as tv, film, digital animation and publishing, it is clear that other areas have faced significant challenges in recent years and require substantial support. Research published by the Senedd earlier this year has shown a substantial decrease in attendance at art events, theatre, dance and live music venues. The impact of COVID-19, coupled with high inflation resulting from the war in Ukraine and the subsequent surge in energy prices has hit venues hard; their only option has been to increase ticket prices, which has led to fewer ticket sales. On top of this, venues and many lesser known performers in the creative sector now face further challenges from the UK Labour Government.”
“The previous Conservative UK Government offered to do this, with an additional sum of money provided for its future maintenance, but this was refused as the Welsh Government felt that this sum was insufficient. What discussions has the Welsh Government now had with the new UK Labour Government to revisit this, transfer the Rhondda tunnel over to the Welsh Government, and take this wonderful project forward? Thank you.”
“First Minister, as you will know, I've spoken many times in this Chamber about the potential benefits of reopening the Rhondda tunnel, which connects Blaencwm in the Rhondda to Blaengwynfi in the Afan valley, and, for the record, I'm a proud member of the Rhondda Tunnel Society and it was great to see my colleague Natasha Asghar recently visit. If this tunnel was reopened it would create a two-mile long tunnel for walking and cycling, it would provide much-needed tourism for the Rhondda, and it would provide a unique repurposing of our industrial heritage. First Minister, you will know that the tunnel is owned by the UK Government, who are only willing to transfer ownership to either the Welsh Government or to another public body.”
“But it is undeniable that the resources available to them are already spread thinly and the employer national insurance increase imposed by the new UK Labour Government is going to have an impact on them, either through fewer funds available for care or by reducing staff. What action is the Welsh Government prepared to take to ensure that pet rescue centres are properly resourced? Thank you.”
“First Minister, I would like to begin by thanking Carolyn for highlighting this crucial yet often overlooked issue. These charitable organisations have been under immense pressure, not only due to the sheer volume of animals that they must care for, but also because many of these animals have challenging behavioural problems as a result of mistreatment or abuse. Additionally, the surge in cross-breeding, especially among dogs, without proper consideration of their breed compatibility, has intensified the problem. Like many here, I have visited several pet rescue charities over the years, and I'm genuinely in awe of the care and dedication of the staff.”
“Cabinet Secretary, as we have heard, flooding is becoming a more frequent occurrence in Cardiff, and the council has stated that the issue is caused in part by blocked drains, which they aim to rectify as quickly as possible, but also by the sewer system, which is unable to cope with the sheer amount of water that falls in our capital city. Worryingly, the situation is only going to get worse, as heavier rainfall continues to be predicted for this country. What conversations have you had, or what conversations have you and the Welsh Government had, with Welsh Water, to address this and increase the city's sewage capacity? Thank you.”
“The marine plan area around Wales is 32,000 sq km, of which 50 per cent is suitable for cultivating kelp, and there is enormous potential for us to develop seaweed cultivation commercial ventures, which has been estimated to be worth over £100 million a year to the Welsh economy. I recognise that work is being done to help generate this industry, however the pace is far too slow and we need to act. We need you, Cabinet Secretary, to set out a robust and forward-thinking plan for growing this industry in Wales. When can we expect to see such a plan being brought forward? Thank you.”
“Cabinet Secretary, as you are aware, the global seaweed market is valued at over £7 billion and has an annual growth rate of around 12 per cent. It is increasingly used in food products, animal feed, cosmetics, biofuels, bioplastics and fertiliser, but despite our potential in the UK to grow and harvest seaweed, we are heavily reliant on imported seaweed from Asia, which accounts for up to 95 per cent of all total supplies. Seaweed farming is hampered in the UK by insufficient seeding supplies, logistical issues and a lack of processing facilities, which prevents the potential growth of the industry.”
“Thank you, Llywydd. Indeed, for example, in England, Scape, which was established almost 20 years ago, has developed a social partnership portal for the construction industry, which allows buyers, suppliers and customers to quickly and easily see their local and national supply chains and brings forward a greater diversity of suppliers, as well as providing an opportunity to source contracts with social enterprises right across the country. So, as you can see, First Minister, we are lagging far behind. I'm not aware that any such similar portal exists in Wales, created by the Welsh Government, but I am aware of the great deal of time and expense that has been spent on having meetings and creating this legislation. Is there a social partnership portal in Wales, First Minister, such as the one developed by Scape, and if not, why not?”
“For the record, I receive no donations from the trade unions. First Minister, you will be aware, I'm sure, that, despite recent attempts by this Government to sell social partnership as a unique Welsh way of working, it has been a cornerstone of European economies since the second world war, without the need for legislation to enforce it. Indeed, for example, in England, Scape, which was established almost—”
“—that if the Labour Party were to get re-elected, their cuts would be worse than Thatcher's. And the Liberal Democrats at the time were promising swingeing cuts if they were the Government. So, to say George Osborne, and that it was his policy, again is factually incorrect.”
“I'm grateful for that. You said at the start that it was George Osborne who was the architect of austerity. That is factually incorrect. Alistair Darling set the first austerity budget. Would you amend your statement?”
“There's always more that can be done and we need to be ever vigilant, but at the moment, it looks like the Welsh Government is making good progress. Thank you.”
“It is mentioned that there are people who have been in the UK for some time that should have been granted settled status, but have been granted pre-settled status on the account that they have very little footprint to show they have been here. I believe we need to continually ask why this is the case. Whilst it is shown that digital skills is one major barrier, we can nonetheless expect that, as time goes on, this will become less of a case and therefore we need to keep on top of and better understand the ever-changing new barriers that could arise. In a past life, when I was a local councillor, I held advice surgeries specifically to help EU citizens understand the process, and I have seen at first-hand some of the difficulties and concerns that they had.”
“Finally, acting Presiding Officer, I'd like to highlight the issue of the lack of awareness and the fact that it is predicted that we may not know for maybe a generation who hasn't actually applied to the scheme yet. The UK officially left the EU over four years ago, and I find it very hard to believe that any EU citizen would not be aware of this and not have been aware that they needed to review their immigration status. But as the report highlights, we need to be asking what are the barriers, and even more troubling, are there people being forcibly stopped in making applications? Sadly, acting Presiding Officer, human trafficking is a huge issue, and the more data that we can obtain will certainly help in identifying individuals who might be victims of this.”
“And whilst I accept that an influx of applications is going to push up waiting times, I would argue that there might well have been issues in obtaining data from the country of origin and a greater need for enhanced scrutiny that would have substantially contributed to this, which is something I think we should try to find out. The IMA has previously expressed concerns over the accurate record keeping, data capture and storage of applications, particularly for those cases relating to children and care leavers, as we have heard, and that whilst this has started to improve, it nonetheless means that there are lessons to be learnt as to why these new standards weren't enforced from the outset.”
“I am surprised that there are still so many late applications. I know, Cabinet Secretary, that these are mainly repeat applications and not new, and that there are concerns that these are increasingly complex. However, given the impact on people's lives, I believe that it would be very beneficial to understand the predominant reasons for refusal in the first instance. Obtaining that data would certainly help with the guidance that could be given and the steps that could be taken by the Welsh Government to support applicants. I note in the report that it is highlighted that almost 425,000 people had to wait for longer than six months and almost 65,000 people had to wait for more than a year to get their status.”
“I'd like to start by thanking the Chair for opening the debate and the clerking team for compiling such a comprehensive report. As you can see from the European Union settlement scheme and citizens' rights after Brexit report, it is quite encouraging, the Welsh Government's actions in addressing the issues that have been raised and that its recommendations are fair and realistic. And I'm delighted that the proactive measures taken by Welsh local authorities have been rightly recognised, with all 22 being graded green. I also know that the Cabinet Secretary works very hard on these matters and is a passionate advocate, which comes over in many of the positive aspects of this report. That said, I would like to pick up a few points, which are more areas to think about rather than criticisms.”
“With this in mind, what action will you take to recognise that racism and inequality exists towards white Welsh and English people, and accept that measures need to be put into place to help stop this as well? Thank you.”
“We only have to see the statistics regarding white working-class boys. Sadly, also—and this is something that is expressed to me quite regularly, and we see it covered quite regularly in the media—in some areas across Wales, there's a fundamental dislike towards English people, who are seen as foreigners and outsiders, and that it is culturally unacceptable to exclude them or to make racist remarks about them. You make no mention of this in your action plan, which, in my mind, shows that you have completely ignored this as something that exists. Until this is addressed, you won't make the strides in making Wales the anti-racist nation we would all like to see.”
“Moreover, we have to accept that there's an inherent bias towards the types of jobs that different ethnic groups and different genders will seek out and, therefore, if you're going to aim to improve ethnic diversity among the public sector, I believe that you would need to look at this on the whole and look carefully at the nuances of the types of employment areas that groups gravitate towards, and not have targets for every department. Do you accept, Cabinet Secretary, that this 20 per cent target can in itself encourage racism, and will you look to amend it accordingly? Finally, Cabinet Secretary, I'd like to pick up a point about racism and xenophobia towards white people. You have said that inequality and racism continues to be felt very deeply by ethnic minority communities in Wales, and I believe this is true for all communities.”
“You have talked about improving social cohesion, but I think this 20 per cent target decreases it. I believe, Cabinet Secretary, that it would be better to implement a system whereby job applications are completely anonymous until the final stages, and that recruitment panels could be ethnically diverse to ensure impartiality with regards to race or ethnicity. This would ensure that the best candidates are picked for roles and that there's a fair recruitment process. It would also mean that anyone who is employed from an ethnic minority background is seen, without question, to be the best person for that job.”
“Firstly, you have aspirations of a recruitment target of 20 per cent of all successful candidates recruited externally to be from an ethnic minority background, in order to reflect the 6 per cent of the population in Wales that are from a minority ethnic background. The issue with this, as I see it, is that this creates a bias in the recruitment system, and, whilst I see what you are trying to achieve, I don't think it actually stops racism. If anything, I think it can actually contribute to it, because it can easily create a sense that ethnic minority communities have been given jobs to meet a Welsh Government target rather than their ability to do the job, and this further creates the public impression that ethnic minorities do not need to work as hard as others to get public sector jobs.”
“But I hope you see my point: you have to see how the lack of any substantial action towards people in the Labour Party, like Dawn Butler and others, for comments they choose to share, is a slap in the face to you and the work you're trying to do here, because it says to ethnic minorities and people of colour that if you have a voice or an opinion that differs to what people believe you should conform to, then you're not only racist but a race traitor. This, Cabinet Secretary, should not be tolerated whatsoever. Therefore, will you take this opportunity to publicly recognise the negative consequences of Dawn Butler's actions to our desire to end racism, and publicly call for her to be stripped of the Labour Party whip because of her comments? With that said, I would like to pick up a few things from the anti-racist action plan.”
“In reality, Cabinet Secretary, the Welsh Government, as part of your anti-racist plan, should be showing leadership on this and publicly calling out any acts of racism, and, in this case, using any influence you have to put pressure on Sir Keir Starmer to put a stop to the racial hate that exists amongst some Labour Party politicians. You should be publicly voicing your concerns that Dawn Butler has not been suspended from the Labour Party, because, Cabinet Secretary—and I'm not making this as a political point—the truth is if the Labour Party are not going to take action against racism in its ranks, then you lose credibility and people are going to see your plan as not worth the paper it is printed on. I am not blaming you in any way, and I'm sure that you were just as shocked as anyone else here.”