, Plenary
Questions to the Minister for Economy
We will continue to work with our regional partners to invest in skills and business support and provide support for capital infrastructure projects through the mid Wales growth deal. Our aim is to help realise a shared ambition of delivering better jobs…
, Plenary
Questions to the Minister for Economy
There are a couple of things there. Let's just deal with the fake news about the Severn bridge. There are no proposals to reintroduce tolls on the Severn bridge—[Interruption.] Let's just deal with the fact that there are no proposals to reintroduce tolls on…
, Plenary
Questions to the Minister for Economy
Thank you for the question. I understand the Member's concern for the movement of employment as opposed to there not being a loss in head count, but the reality of both to local work and local spend and what that means. There are a number of businesses that…
, Plenary
Questions to the Minister for Economy
Thank you for the question. We continue to work with local authorities across the capital region to increase the economic prosperity of the area. Our regional economic framework for south-east Wales has identified the development of a number of growth…
, Plenary
Questions to the Minister for Economy
And to do that, you need to find the money to do so. And, again, I go back and I say that when there's £1.3 billion less in real terms, you cannot hide that or avoid that. If there are serious proposals for how to move money in real terms around, to identify…
, Plenary
Questions to the Minister for Economy
Well, there's a long-term need to reinvest in apprenticeships following the cliff edge, following the thievery of the former EU funds that have been taken from Wales. We are facing the undeniable consequences of that. And I know that Luke Fletcher doesn't…
, Plenary
Questions to the Minister for Economy
The Member started by talking about priorities; it's not a priority for the UK Government to put more money into apprenticeships. It's not a priority for the UK Government to properly and fairly fund Wales, which is why we are here in this Chamber with £1.3…
, Plenary
Questions to the Minister for Economy
There are a number of points to make there. The first is that, in the draft budget debate we had yesterday, there wasn't a dispute about the strategic direction of the budget in prioritising health and local government. In fact, we had a budget debate where…
, Plenary
Questions to the Minister for Economy
Well, I'll certainly have lots of positivity to talk about apprenticeships. The fact that we are going to see at least a 10 per cent increase in apprenticeship starts in this Senedd term, compared to the last Senedd term, is good news; the fact that we're in…
, Plenary
Questions to the Minister for Economy
Well, as the Member knows, the Welsh Government's budget has been significantly reduced—it's down £1.3 billion in real terms over the last two years. That's more than the size of a reasonably sized health board in Wales. That's a huge amount of spending…
, Plenary
Questions to the Minister for Economy
Thank you for the question and for the recognition of the value of small businesses and business start-ups, not just in the sense of the jobs and the employment, because we know that the economy here in Wales has an even greater proportion of small and medium…
, Plenary
Questions to the Minister for Economy
Thank you for the question. Business Wales helps unemployed people to start their own business in Wales through a range of business support initiatives. It is committed to helping individuals and young people furthest away from the labour market to overcome…
, Plenary
Debate: The Steel Industry in Wales
And indeed there should be a Welsh Minister in Mumbai in the coming weeks as well. As I said, nothing is ruled out. So, it does not mean that, in the future, a Minister, or even a future First Minister, would not go to Mumbai if there is a way to save jobs…
, Plenary
Debate: The Steel Industry in Wales
Yes.
, Plenary
Debate: The Steel Industry in Wales
Diolch, Llywydd, and thank you to all Members who have contributed in the debate. I won't be able to run through every single comment made, but I do want to draw out some of the points made in the debate to recognise all the people that represent steelworkers…
, Plenary
Debate: The Steel Industry in Wales
The third is that the consultation must be meaningful and it must not be curtailed by the legal minimum of 45 days. Any meaningful alternative plan should be properly and fully considered. I'm pleased to say that the company confirmed directly to me and to…
, Plenary
Debate: The Steel Industry in Wales
Diolch, Llywydd. I move the motion before us. Last Friday, Tata Steel began the formal legal consultation process for potential redundancies across its UK sites. We understand that there could be up to 2,800 redundancies, of which nearly 2,500 could take…
, Plenary
Motion to suspend Standing Orders
Formally.
, Plenary
Topical Questions
So, we had an outline business case about the proposals from Green Man. It's in line with the objectives of the mid Wales growth deal. I looked at the opportunities at the end of that year, with the ability to use capital and whether it could further secure…
, Plenary
Topical Questions
Thank you. With the potential for eco-tourism and conservation being a potential advantage, in addition to the farm business tenancy. So, we will carry on working with Talybont-on-Usk Community Council, with Powys County Council, who are wholly supportive of…
, Plenary
Topical Questions
There are several points in response. The first is that public money hasn't been wasted. We acquired an asset at slightly under market value. We have a commercial tenancy—a commercial farm business tenancy on the site. So, the site is in use. And, indeed, we…
, Plenary
Topical Questions
Thank you for the question. Ninety written questions is an extraordinary amount to devote to a single topic. I think it is important that all Members are clear about where they have an interest and, if they haven't done so, that they declare it promptly. It's…
, Plenary
Topical Questions
Since the written statement of 29 January 2024, my officials have met with Talybont-on-Usk Community Council to discuss the findings of the osprey conservation report. The community council are supportive of engaging on future plans for the site, which we…
, Plenary
Urgent Debate: Job losses at Tata Steel and the future of the steel industry in Wales
And it's not just around those three steel towns in addition to Port Talbot, it is also about the reality of the spread of employment. These aren't just workers in Neath Port Talbot, there are over 500 steelworkers who live in Bridgend, over 500 steelworkers…
, Plenary
Urgent Debate: Job losses at Tata Steel and the future of the steel industry in Wales
I was pleased to hear Paul Davies recognise the words of Professor David Worsley from Swansea University that, of the 2,800 jobs that could go within the next three years, with 2,500 potentially going within the next 18 months, there is a multiplier of at…
