James Evans says the Welsh Government is guilty of too many delays in getting things done. The Brecon and Radnorshire MS asked Counsel General, Julie James, at the Senedd to set out examples of how her role as Minister for Delivery has led to measurable outcomes in terms of the delivery of the Government’s priorities. Video from Senedd.tv
00:03Dale Depreside and Officer, will the Council General set out specific examples of how her role as Minister for Delivery has led to measurable outcomes in terms of delivery of the Government's priorities?
00:13Yes, the annual report we published last Friday sets out a comprehensive account of this Government's impressive record on delivery.
00:18As Minister for Delivery, I work with my colleagues across the Cabinet.
00:22My successes are their successes and together this Cabinet is delivering the things that matter most to the people of Wales.
00:27Yes. Council General, your job title says Minister of Delivery, yet it often feels to many of us in this Chamber like the Minister of Delays, whether that's in housing delivery, delivery in education, delivery in our NHS.
00:41You're meant to unblock legal and legislative knots, oversee delivery of the Government's programme, which we've heard from others is failing, ensure access to justice and the timetable for legislation.
00:51But time and time again, we've seen bills coming forward riddled with legal and grammatical errors, and we've also had calls from scrutiny committees here for greater transparency, which often go unheeded by the Government.
01:06So, can you talk us through some real-world examples of where your unblocking role has delivered measurable outcomes, where you've unjammed those legal blockages, accelerated legislation, improved court access or tightened up delivery of the Government's programme?
01:24Or should we start calling you the Minister for Apologies, not Delivery?
01:29Well, that was very poor, even for you, if I might say so.
01:34Even for you? Even for me?
01:35The entire Cabinet supports the priorities, and as Minister for Delivery, I provide support to the Cabinet's secretaries in whichever ways they need.
01:42You asked for some measurable outcomes, so let me provide you with just a few.
01:46Waiting lists slashed by 86% from the pandemic peak.
01:49Record-setting levels of affordable housing, directly supporting 40,000 jobs, on track to fix or prevent 200,000 potholes, more new trains than ever before, and over 77% of the fleet made up of new carriages, just to start.
02:03And you can shake your head as much as you like, but those are incontrovertible facts.
02:06I know you don't like those.
02:08I meet very regularly with every Cabinet Secretary to review progress on the programme for government.
02:12I would think you'd like to let the Cabinet Secretary respond to the question and not interrupt the response.
02:22Well, it is worth listening to.
02:25I think that is out of order.
02:28Every response is worth listening to, and should be listened to.
02:33The entire Cabinet meet twice a term to specifically review our progress against all the priorities,
02:38and to ensure that every part of the Government is driving forward the things that matter most.
02:41So, for example, just to give you one example, very recently we've unlocked a number of housing sites across Wales by getting the Cabinet Secretary for Climate Change
02:51and the Cabinet Secretary for Housing together with Welsh Water and a number of councils to unlock the phosphate issue
02:56and unlock sites for thousands of homes across Wales, and that's very demonstrable indeed.
03:02And, of course, we have a range of things set out in the annual report that we've also delivered.
