, Culture, Communications, Welsh Language, Sport, and International Relations Committee
Scrutiny of the Welsh Government Draft Budget 2025-26: Evidence session with the Minister for Culture, Skills and Social Partnership
I'm setting out the budget in front of you for this year, which is an increase. I think I've said already that that gives you and this committee a sense of direction in terms of where we want to support the arts sector.
, Culture, Communications, Welsh Language, Sport, and International Relations Committee
Scrutiny of the Welsh Government Draft Budget 2025-26: Evidence session with the Minister for Culture, Skills and Social Partnership
Well, there's a context, isn't there, to all of that: 14 years of austerity—we said this just yesterday—a COVID pandemic to deal with, all of the pressures with inflation. We went on supporting the arts sector in the way that we did. We have provided…
, Culture, Communications, Welsh Language, Sport, and International Relations Committee
Scrutiny of the Welsh Government Draft Budget 2025-26: Evidence session with the Minister for Culture, Skills and Social Partnership
As everyone knows in this committee, all the challenges that public services have faced, all the challenges that the Welsh Government has faced, over a sustained period of 14 years of a Conservative Government, a Conservative Government that blew up the…
, Culture, Communications, Welsh Language, Sport, and International Relations Committee
Scrutiny of the Welsh Government Draft Budget 2025-26: Evidence session with the Minister for Culture, Skills and Social Partnership
Well, it's a step in the right direction, isn't it, and it's the first step in the right direction. I'm not prepared to sit here today and announce budgets for additional years ahead when we don't know what the settlement will be for the Welsh Government…
, Culture, Communications, Welsh Language, Sport, and International Relations Committee
Scrutiny of the Welsh Government Draft Budget 2025-26: Evidence session with the Minister for Culture, Skills and Social Partnership
Thanks for that question, Alun. As I said in response to the Chair, I think this budget sets the right direction. It's an increase in budget for all across the portfolio—
, Culture, Communications, Welsh Language, Sport, and International Relations Committee
Scrutiny of the Welsh Government Draft Budget 2025-26: Evidence session with the Minister for Culture, Skills and Social Partnership
Diolch, Cadeirydd, for your starting question. In this budget, there is an additional £5 million-worth of revenue. I think it's worth starting the committee in the context of where we are now and where, perhaps, we have been in the past. This is a budget that…
, Culture, Communications, Welsh Language, Sport, and International Relations Committee
Scrutiny of the Welsh Government Draft Budget 2025-26: Evidence session with the Minister for Culture, Skills and Social Partnership
Yes, Cadeirydd. Apologies. The Children, Young People and Education Committee, as you know, is overrunning, so Ruth Meadows, who is the director for culture and tertiary education, will be joining us in due course. Apologies for the inconvenience.
, Culture, Communications, Welsh Language, Sport, and International Relations Committee
Scrutiny of the Welsh Government Draft Budget 2025-26: Evidence session with the Minister for Culture, Skills and Social Partnership
Thank you. Diolch yn fawr, Chair. Jack Sargeant, Minister for Culture, Skills and Social Partnership. I'll ask the officials to introduce themselves, starting with Jason, and then we'll go to the screen.
, Plenary
Questions to the Cabinet Secretary for Economy, Energy and Planning
Diolch, Delyth, for the supplementary question, and for the work that you do in chairing the culture committee here in the Senedd. I'm grateful for the opportunity to be in front of you tomorrow and look forward to that scrutiny session that, no doubt, we…
, Plenary
Questions to the Cabinet Secretary for Economy, Energy and Planning
The Welsh Government will continue to work closely with the culture and arts sectors in Wales to ensure that they receive sufficient funding.
, Plenary
Questions to the Cabinet Secretary for Economy, Energy and Planning
Diolch, Buffy Williams. Presiding Officer, Buffy Williams is very clearly leading the charge in the fight against climate change and all of the challenges that that presents for her and her constituents, but also in championing the jobs and green growth…
, Plenary
Questions to the Cabinet Secretary for Economy, Energy and Planning
We are delivering our 'Net Zero Skills Action Plan' across Wales. Progress includes the introduction of green personal learning accounts, new net-zero skills-related funding streams under our flexible skills programme and a new apprenticeship pathway in…
, Plenary
Questions to the Cabinet Secretary for Economy, Energy and Planning
Diolch, Heledd, for that. I'll just take the first point first, on the involvement of Government. Well, I'm sure the Member would be very pleased about the announcement and story that was out very recently, Presiding Officer, that because of money announced…
, Plenary
Questions to the Cabinet Secretary for Economy, Energy and Planning
Well, Presiding Officer, I think, it’s important isn‘t it to reflect on the context where all of these decisions have been made and where we are today. We talk about a decade ago, well, we’ve all endured 14 years of a Conservative Government and their…
, Plenary
Questions to the Cabinet Secretary for Economy, Energy and Planning
Well, diolch yn fawr, Heledd, for that question. I think the First Minister is absolutely right, and we’re proud to support the arts and culture sector in Wales. We should be proud of the nation’s culture. When it comes to Michael Sheen, I think it’s…
, Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee
Welsh Government Draft Budget 2025-26: Cabinet Secretary for Economy, Energy and Planning and the Minister for Culture, Skills and Social Partnership
We can consider writing to you, Chair.
, Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee
Welsh Government Draft Budget 2025-26: Cabinet Secretary for Economy, Energy and Planning and the Minister for Culture, Skills and Social Partnership
I think we've raised a few of the points on the skills sector already. We're putting £144 million into apprenticeships. I'll just choose one example that's recent. RWE have announced their technician apprenticeship for the wind energy space. The flexible…
, Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee
Welsh Government Draft Budget 2025-26: Cabinet Secretary for Economy, Energy and Planning and the Minister for Culture, Skills and Social Partnership
Yes, sure. And it's the opportunities there, isn't it? We have a commitment in the Government to jobs and green growth, and the Cabinet Secretary is very much leading on that work. I think the Swansea bay area will want to capitalise on some of that as well…
, Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee
Welsh Government Draft Budget 2025-26: Cabinet Secretary for Economy, Energy and Planning and the Minister for Culture, Skills and Social Partnership
So, there's a lot of opportunity for those types of discussions. The UK Government's growth and skills levy, which will replace the apprenticeship levy in England, is the opportunity for us to do that. We'll be having those discussions with ourselves. We want…
, Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee
Welsh Government Draft Budget 2025-26: Cabinet Secretary for Economy, Energy and Planning and the Minister for Culture, Skills and Social Partnership
Thank you for that, Luke. I think the first thing to say is I'm grateful for anyone who takes an interest in the apprenticeship delivery and the offer that we provide, and ColegauCymru and NTFW are really key stakeholders in that, and you'll know that from…
, Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee
Welsh Government Draft Budget 2025-26: Cabinet Secretary for Economy, Energy and Planning and the Minister for Culture, Skills and Social Partnership
Your technical answer, Luke.
, Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee
Welsh Government Draft Budget 2025-26: Cabinet Secretary for Economy, Energy and Planning and the Minister for Culture, Skills and Social Partnership
So, the apprenticeship budget's ring-fenced, isn't it? It's the significant sum of £144 million, which is ring-fenced over to Medr. If there are issues that arise, then we would look to respond in a way that we could, but the budget is the £144 million, and…
, Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee
Welsh Government Draft Budget 2025-26: Cabinet Secretary for Economy, Energy and Planning and the Minister for Culture, Skills and Social Partnership
So, the strategic priorities when it comes to apprenticeships and the policy direction of apprenticeships is set by the Welsh Government and, ultimately, me as the Minister responsible. Medr's responsibilities are really the delivery for the contract and…
, Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee
Welsh Government Draft Budget 2025-26: Cabinet Secretary for Economy, Energy and Planning and the Minister for Culture, Skills and Social Partnership
Thank you, Luke, and I'm grateful for the technical question. Jo and I have had many technical chats around this and I'm sure Jo may want to come in with some more technicalities later on. But the direct question on whether the money will be ring-fenced in…
, Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee
Welsh Government Draft Budget 2025-26: Cabinet Secretary for Economy, Energy and Planning and the Minister for Culture, Skills and Social Partnership
Sure, thanks for that. Just a point of clarity: we will write, Chair, on the other points, but I think it's supported, since 2022, 14,000 young people, but we'll write in more detail for the committee. So, Hannah's right, there's no dedicated budget for…
