Good afternoon and welcome to today's Plenary meeting. The first item this afternoon will be questions to the First Minister, and the first question is from Altaf Hussain.
Thank you, Altaf. Long waiting times have been falling over the past few months and more people are surviving heart disease. The women's health plan will be a real catalyst for change in Wales.
It is frustrating to see increased investment not translating into better outcomes. First Minister, despite millions poured into tackling NHS waiting lists, the numbers of people waiting for treatment continue to climb. It is clear that extra funding is not working. We are spending significantly more per person than other UK nations, yet our patient outcomes are worse, and every health board is struggling financially. First Minister, this is not about how much we put into the NHS, but how we spend it. Don’t you agree it is time to shift our focus to effectual spending? Thank you.
Well, thanks very much, Altaf. You understand this stuff—you worked very hard for the NHS over a long period of time, and you know better than anyone that, in Wales, we have an older, sicker and poorer population, and there are consequences to that. But for you to suggest that the extra funding isn’t making a difference, I think, is a travesty. The longest waits today, for example, are 86 per cent lower than they were at their peak. We are absolutely moving in the right direction. Do we have more work to do? Of course we do—of course we do—but we do have a situation where over 2.5 million people have appointments with the NHS in Wales every single month.
So, yes, we are making progress. Yes, we’ve got more to do. If you just look at things like mental health, and how that has been transformed in recent years because of an adapted and changed system, but also because of the additional money, things are improving. We’ve put a lot of money in. Can we get more efficiencies out of the system? Absolutely, and we need to, and we will do that with the hard-working NHS workers, as you were, and make sure that they all become as efficient as you were, doing as many operations as you did. And we need them all to make sure that they work efficiently, and I know that the health Secretary will be holding them to account for that.
Our Government invests in all parts of Wales. In Gwynedd, we delivered the Bontnewydd bypass, a scheme worth £199 million and where 93 per cent of the workforce were from north Wales. This year, Gwynedd has received £4.6 million in transport grants, and, in the next two years, the county will have access to £8 million to fix potholes, because I know that that's important to people in Gwynedd. It will also receive a share of regional transport grants worth £100 million over five years.
Thank you very much for that response. A fortnight ago, you were celebrating the fact that you’d asked for a specific amount of funding from the Westminster Government review, and that you’d received the money that you’d asked for. Last week, I asked the Cabinet Secretary for transport why a bid wasn’t made for funding for plans in north-west Wales, and the response I got was that it wasn’t that simple and that you need plans that are operational within three years, and that’s why bids hadn’t been made.
You will be aware of the Llanbedr bypass scheme. It was your Government that withdrew funding for the Llanbedr bypass originally, and, therefore, it’s your Government that has prevented the scheme from being developed. It was a plan, if implemented and if the funding was in place, that could be operational by 2027. There is no excuse as to why that cannot proceed, apart from the fact that you’re not funding it. So, will you make a commitment today that you support the Llanbedr bypass scheme, and that you’re willing to find the moneys in order to ensure that Cyngor Gwynedd can proceed with that programme as soon as possible?
Well, the Labour Government is eager to ensure that local leaders have a greater say on which roads, and so forth, should be developed. That's why we're going to ensure that financial allocations in the future are based on the decision made by the corporate joint committee. I think that it is important to note the fact that a working group has been established between Cyngor Gwynedd and the Welsh Government and Transport for Wales to consider the options that are available to deal with transport problems in Llambed. We've already given £0.5 million to Cyngor Gwynedd to continue with the design development. What will then need to be done is that they will need to convince and work with the CJC to make the case for that funding coming to Llambed.
Diolch, Llywydd. It is many years since the then transport Minister, now transport Secretary, first used the term 'north Wales metro', in response to a question from me. 'Metro is Go', Network North Wales's transport plan, finally published by the Welsh Government last month, included extending the Manchester airport service to Holyhead in place of Bangor—in place of Llandudno, should I say—and working with local authorities to develop plans for gateway multimodal interchanges at Bangor and Caernarfon in Gwynedd, and at Holyhead and Wrexham. However, although this was presented as a plan, the Welsh Government also described this as a 'vision', which is only hoping that something will happen. The only specific funding referred to was the £13 million already committed by the Welsh Government, contrasting with the £1 billion funding for the south Wales metro. Further, this should not be conflated with the separate local authority transport grants for 2025-26 announced by the Welsh Government, which included £4.6 million for Gwynedd. What specific commitment, including funding, are you therefore able to announce now, or would the people of Gwynedd and north Wales more widely be right to consider that the north Wales transport plan is an unresourced pre-election sweetener?
Well, I'll tell you who knows about those things, that's you, your party. Your party promised all kinds of things and delivered next to nothing when it came to rail in Wales. So, we've just had an announcement of over £450 million to start making up for the shortfall in funding as a result of your previous Government in Westminster.
But let me tell you about what is happening in north Wales. Now, we're bringing forward the introduction of 50 per cent more services across the north Wales main line from 26 December to next May. That's doubling train services between Wrexham and Chester within the next 12 months. On top of that, we're going to be introducing pay-as-you-go, tap-in, tap-out technology. We're also improving stations to Wrexham and Liverpool, and we're piloting a new bus service. So, you want real examples of what's happening—there are your real examples. It will make a difference to people in north Wales, and it will, I hope, encourage them to use the trains, which we have spent quite a lot of money on. They're brand-new, they're very fancy, and we'd encourage you all to use them because half of them were made in Wales.
First Minister, back in April 2022, as the then health Minister, you promised to eliminate two-year waiting times for NHS treatment by April 2023. You failed. In December, you promised to reduce the number of people waiting two years or more for treatment to 8,000 by the end of March. Yet, even against this poor target, and in spite of slapping your own backs with celebratory slaps and popping the champagne corks, you failed yet again. As if this was not bad enough, the figures actually show that the two-year waiting times actually got longer in terms of the number of people waiting in April, rising by 15 per cent in a single month. Instead of accepting responsibility for that failure, your health Secretary blamed the rise on Easter. Well, I've got news for you: the fact that around one in four people in Wales are now on an NHS waiting list and that you are 527 times more likely to wait two years or more for treatment here in Wales than if you live over the border in England has absolutely nothing to do with the resurrection of Jesus Christ. It is a scandal for which you and your Government are entirely responsible. So, can I ask you, First Minister, after 26 years of Labour Government here in Wales, are you proud of your party's record on the NHS?
What I know is it would be a lot worse if you'd had your way, which was to try and block the additional funding that we've just announced—you voted with Plaid Cymru to block that money—and it is making a difference. We have seen an 86 per cent fall in those long waiters, and it is making a difference. That situation, in relation to what happens at this particular time of year, is not something unique to Wales; it happens all over the country. What's happened since then is we've announced an extra £120 million to again bring down those waiting lists. We know that this is a No.1 priority. Let's be clear, it's only Welsh Labour that's going to protect and invest in the NHS. Both of your parties voted against that money coming in. Nigel Farage would wreck and ruin the NHS. He'd make sure that people pay for their healthcare through an insurance model. The NHS was born in Wales, and it's Welsh Labour who will always protect it. We give free prescriptions. We give free hospital parking. That is not something you get in every part of the United Kingdom. I do hope that people in Wales take note of that, because these are political choices that we have made.
They are political choices, and it's only the Labour Government in Wales that's ever cut an NHS budget. I think that's a terrible record of which you should not be proud at all.
Now, can I raise a very concerning issue with you? As you will know, Welsh coroners have repeatedly raised concerns about deaths following excessive delays with ambulance response times. They've published 25 health-related prevention of future death reports since you became First Minister in August of last year. As you will know, those reports are not just another piece of paperwork; they are important, formal, legal documents issued after an inquest to those people, like you, who are in a position to help prevent further needless deaths. Of those 25 issued since last August, five were directly linked to ambulance delays. They should have triggered an urgent response by your Government to improve performance and prevent further unnecessary deaths. First Minister, what action has your Welsh Government taken in response to these reports, and what urgent steps have you taken?
Thanks very much. We do take, obviously, these coroner reports extremely seriously. There's always an analysis done by our department and the relevant department, which, in this case, was the Welsh ambulance service. What you will know is that there has been a huge amount of work done to try and move forward with a programme of how we can speed up that response. I know that the health Secretary has been pressing the Welsh ambulance service hard, and invested, this week, more in ambulances to support that work. We know there's more work to do, but there are examples across the whole country where things are improving. We know that part of the problem is delayed transfers of care. What happened in the one instance where we spent slightly less on health is that we spent it on care. That's what happened. Everybody now agrees that that makes sense. If you want to fix the NHS, you have to make sure that you fix care. So, stop moaning, because that's the way that you actually fix things.
First Minister, the coroner will be taking notes of your response and, frankly, the glib statement 'stop moaning' is not the sort of response that he will find to be acceptable.
The reality is that your plan, in terms of reducing ambulance handover delays, isn't working. The south Wales central coroner disagrees that you're taking the action that is necessary to solve this crisis, because, in an unprecedented move, just last week, he issued a regulation 28 prevention of future death report directly to you as First Minister, the first of its kind in Welsh history. The case concerns an elderly lady, Valerie Hill, who lay on the floor for 14 hours waiting for an ambulance, following a fall in a care home. She later went on to die in hospital and the coroner concluded that that delay in the ambulance turning up likely contributed to her death.
But he made it clear, First Minister, that this is not an isolated case. He highlighted multiple similar reports in recent years, all painting the same grim picture: acutely unwell patients waiting hours for help, with ambulances unable to respond because crews were stuck outside hospitals unable to hand over patients. And tragically, the coroner cites the deputy chief executive of the NHS in Wales in his report admitting that what happened to Valerie Hill could still happen to other patients today.
The coroner also reported that, back in February of 2022, over three years ago, the chief executive of NHS Wales wrote to you, when you were the health Minister, regarding ambulance delays. She said, at that time, three years ago, that a health and social care system leadership response was required to current operational pressures on a par with the COVID-19 response. Effectively, First Minister, she was asking you to declare a health emergency, something that we have been calling for for months. You chose not to declare that health emergency. So, can I ask you again today: will you listen to the voices of those NHS professionals and the voices of those who have lost their loved ones needlessly and declare a health emergency here in Wales so that we can finally get to grips with the crisis engulfing our NHS that is costing people their lives?
Let me just be clear, under no circumstances have I said that the coroner is moaning. We take the coroner's advice very seriously. I've met the coroner in north Wales on a number of occasions because we do need to learn the lessons and protect people.
What I can tell you on the issue with ambulances, as you well know, is that a lot of it is related to delayed transfers of care. You talked specifically about this instance in terms of a failure to turn up at a care home for a while. I don't want to talk about individual cases, but what I can tell you is that there has been massive investment in support for care homes to make sure that they can respond well—investment including St John Ambulance as a first responder who can go in there. We've put in extra funding in order to make sure that people can be picked up.
And also, you talk about what happened a few years ago; there was a response to that, and the response was the six goals programme. So, let me just be clear, there was never a request by the director general of the NHS in Wales to declare an emergency. There was a request to do something in relation to the situation in emergency departments, and the response was the six goals programme, which has actually delivered transformative change, including same-day emergency care centres and urgent primary care centres. So, things are heading—. Imagine what would have happened if we hadn't introduced those. We would have been in a worse situation.
First Minister, poverty continues to blight the lives of far too many children in Wales. Last week, Policy in Practice published a report, funded by the Bevan Foundation, the Wales TUC, the Welsh Local Government Association and Community Housing Cymru, examining the impact of policy interventions designed to reduce poverty. Among all of the interventions modelled, the introduction of a Welsh child payment emerged as the most powerful and effective. It was predicted that it could reduce child poverty by nearly a quarter.
The policy has proved transformational in Scotland, which is expected, on current trends, to be the only nation that will succeed in reducing child poverty by 2029. In stark contrast, child poverty in Wales is set to rise from an already scandalously high level. Perhaps the FM can tell us when she plans to publish her assessment of Scotland's experience of the child payment, as the Welsh Government promised in 2023 it would do. But the evidence is unequivocal, and my question is a very straightforward one, therefore: will she back Plaid Cymru's pledge to introduce a direct child payment in Wales?
What we know is that the best way to support children living in poverty is to make sure that their parents have good jobs. We need to make sure that there are opportunities for them, which is why we've got a childcare support system that allows them to go back to work, which includes an allowance for people who are studying. That's not the case in England. On top of that, we of course, over the past few years, have given over £7 billion-worth of support to people who are living in poverty in Wales, including when it comes to children. We were the first country in the UK to introduce free school meals. We have free school breakfasts. We give support for people with school uniforms. And we've got the most generous education maintenance allowance in the United Kingdom. So, there's a whole raft of things that we are doing to support. We know that there are issues where it is the responsibility of the UK Government to step in, and we've been very clear, in relation to the two-child benefit cap, that that is something that needs to be changed.
Perhaps the First Minister didn't hear my question and hadn't understood my reference to that report and the finding of the report that the most effective means of tackling child poverty is through a direct child payment. The truth is that only Plaid Cymru is willing to make a serious commitment to tackle child poverty. As the Policy in Practice report says, we must prioritise interventions in a way that ensures real benefit. The Labour Government in Westminster, of course, is in no hurry to act. They are still committed to the two-child cap. But there is an opportunity for the Welsh Government to act.
We've been critical on these benches of the fact that there aren't targets in the Welsh Government's child poverty strategy, and I ask again for the introduction of such targets. But there's also an opportunity to look again at the strategy more broadly and to include a child payment as part of it. Plaid Cymru have shown in the past that we are willing to lead, and we succeeded in ensuring that this Government did introduce free school meals—the policy that the First Minister referred to. So, is the First Minister willing to show leadership herself, either on the introduction of targets or on the direct child payment, or will we have to wait for a change of Government in less than a year's time now to see a change of direction?
First of all, I think it's important to understand that it is not possible for us to address this on our own. There is a responsibility on the UK Government, especially when it comes to welfare reforms and all of those issues. That's where the support will come from. Because the question I would put to you is where does that money come from. Because we're clear that we don't want to cut what we already spend on health, nor do we want to cut what we spend on education. We do want to increase the number of jobs and support. So, there is a question—and this is something that I think the people of Wales will be watching very closely in the next few months—that this magic money tree that Plaid reaches for on every occasion is something that needs to be scrutinised. These promises are made, and when it came to the crunch, you didn't even vote for the additional money that came to Wales recently. That is what people need to note. They need to note that you say one thing and you do entirely the opposite.
I remind the First Minister again that, by her bizarre logic, Labour MPs from Wales have voted in the past to not give Wales a single penny, let alone increases, in the way that they have voted on the UK budget. Plaid Cymru has mapped out a route by which we can introduce a direct child payment, and I invite the First Minister to discuss with me how that could be put into practice.
But she mentioned the welfare reform. Finally, an issue of direct responsibility to her is the added pressure on Welsh budgets, including the scope to deal with poverty issues, because of disabled people requiring further support as they lose benefit payments. It seems there are now enough potential Labour rebels to stop the reforms when the welfare reform Bill is voted on next week, though despite Wales being hit disproportionately hard, it appears that only a handful of Labour MPs from Wales are on that list of rebels. As the Labour leader in Wales, will she urge her Members at Westminster to rebel, to protect disabled people in Wales and guard Welsh spending, or will she urge them to remain loyal to Keir Starmer?
I just think we've got to be very serious about this, because this is an issue that's causing concern to a lot of people in Wales. As you know, benefit reform is not devolved to Wales, but Welsh Labour will always be the party that wants to encourage and support people back into work. We are the Labour Party, and we're not going to apologise for that. But on the other hand, it is important that we have fairness in the system and that we protect the most vulnerable on every occasion. We have made the case very clearly to the Secretary of State responsible, in terms of the impact that we think it will have on people in Wales. We have urged her to consider the case we have made, and obviously it will be up to the MPs to determine how they vote.
After extensive discussions with Cabinet representatives, the Deputy First Minister and Cabinet Secretary for Climate Change and Rural Affairs has determined that Wales should continue in its successful efforts so far to try and stop bluetongue from taking hold and causing real harm to livestock and farmers. To that end, he's introduced restrictions on livestock movements from England to Wales. This policy, of course, will be kept under regular review.
Diolch, First Minister. This is also an issue that's causing a lot of people a lot of concern across Wales. To be frank with you, a lot of farmers as well as livestock auctioneers and hauliers and the whole supply chain are scratching their heads at this Welsh Government decision on this, hitting our farmers hard once again. When I visited Monmouthshire livestock market with my leader Darren Millar and Samuel Kurtz last week, the frustration at your Government's knee-jerk move was palpable. Incredibly, no economic impact assessment has been carried out on this enormous unilateral decision. Will you now commit to undertaking one, so your Government can make informed decisions going forward? You can probably understand, First Minister, why some livestock farmers are wondering if this measure has something to do with the Climate Change Committee's target of reducing livestock numbers by 19 per cent by 2033 to meet net-zero targets. Has it?
I think this is really serious. Our job is to try and protect those animals in Wales and the people who look after those animals. The fact is we want to keep holding back the disease. We don't apologise for that. To suggest that we didn't consult experts I think is absolutely wrong. A round-table was held on 5 June, and they endorsed the promotion of vaccination as a measure to make sure that we can protect Wales for as long as possible. From 20 June, movements from restricted zones into Wales to live require a licence and a negative pre-movement test. But as we've said over and over again, it will be kept under review.
We know that vaccination is the long-term solution here, and through introducing movement restrictions, there is a risk that some people may think that that in and of itself will be adequate. So can I ask what the Government is doing to ensure an adequate supply of vaccine in the first instance, but that you're also promoting the need to vaccinate and that you are delivering a comprehensive vaccine programme? We have to think about ways of encouraging the sector to vaccinate, so will you, for example, be willing to allow vaccinated sheep to move without having a pre-movement test, as some sort of incentive to encourage people to use the vaccines available?
The vaccine manufacturers have given us assurances that they can meet the demand at present, and of course, we have to ensure as we proceed that that continues to be the case. But what's important is the fact that we do stick with the measures that the Deputy First Minister outlined last week. We will start along that track, and if we do need to change direction, then we will do so.
I just wanted to follow up from Llyr's question around vaccinations. I'm grateful for the technical briefing that we had this morning. I understood a lot more there around the concerns and potentially the impact that bluetongue could have on Wales if it's allowed to enter. But infected midges don't respect borders, and the vaccination route sounds like the most effective, but I also heard that there need to be two vaccinations, 21 days apart, and then a further 21 days in order to make sure it's effective. That's around 42 days. We are wasting time unless we quickly get on with this.
So, can I ask you specifically a question I asked again last week: what is stopping us from having an all-England-and-Wales zone and ensuring that vaccination is the route that starts right now? Unless we do it right now, we are actually wasting time in terms of making sure that all of our livestock is protected. Diolch yn fawr iawn.
Thanks very much. I think this is quite interesting, isn't it? It's taking us back to COVID times, and what we tried to do was to keep out COVID for as long as possible, and that allowed us the opportunity to vaccinate, to make sure that we had as much protection as possible. That's the approach that's being taken here in consultation with experts.
Now, we know that bluetongue is very vulnerable. We know that, once they snap that out to the border, it will make life very, very difficult for us, but in the meantime, let's take the opportunity to encourage farmers to vaccinate their animals to give the protection, because the consequences to those animals can be quite severe. If it's severe to the animals, we know that that will have an impact on the people who care for those animals, and I am worried about their mental health and their well-being, as well as the well-being of the animals.
Welsh Government recognises how important rugby is in Wales and has given substantial sums to clubs via Sport Wales, which has helped to improve club facilities, including those in Brecon and Builth Wells, and encourages people to become more active. Some of this money will be spent via the Welsh Rugby Union to drive the club investment model that they're promoting.
I'd like to thank you for your answer, First Minister. As you said, the Welsh Rugby Union unveiled its new community investment model, a significant cultural shift designed not just to reward on-field success, but also to champion clubs' off-field work, including governance, community engagement, volunteer development, facility improvement and inclusive practices. It's very interesting, First Minister, the money that the UK Government is putting into this scheme, and I know the Minister for social partnership and sport has also put money into the Football Association of Wales in this space. So, I'm just interested in how much more additional money can the Welsh Government put into the Welsh Rugby Union to make sure that rugby clubs can become those community hubs in our communities. They do an awful lot more than just producing fine rugby players of the future. They do an awfully great job as well of helping our communities to be more resilient, bringing people together and helping people get fit and healthier to address the obesity crisis that this country is facing.
Thanks very much, James. The WRU will receive £434,000—that's just in south Wales—via the new club investment model, and I think that's good news, because you're right, these are great facilities. They can reach into communities in a way that many other organisations can't, and I think it's important that clubs work closer with their communities to provide that welcoming and inclusive environment and that they are ready to serve the changing demographics of Wales. If they manage to do that, then they should be rewarded more.
A little over a month ago, I raised the issue of the role of hub officers the WRU provides us in assisting our schools in our communities, and the fact that the WRU had cut those posts, ninety of these core roles, across Wales. The people in these roles encourage people from all backgrounds to participate in rugby. The Cabinet Secretary for Education wasn't aware of these cuts at the time and neither was she aware of the impact of the cuts on the provision of physical education in schools. So, have you made an assessment of the impact of these cuts on the provision of PE in schools? What discussions has your Government had with the union to see what steps are to be taken in order to strengthen community rugby among children and in our schools?
Thank you very much. It's important that we do take advantage of these opportunities. What I'll be doing is I'll be asking the Minister responsible for education to see what outcomes she has had as a result of the question that you asked. But I think that there is an important role for the WRU and for the clubs. What’s happening, I think, is a situation where, sometimes, rugby happens outwith the schools, rather than within the schools. I don’t think it’s a bad thing, I think it’s important that both things happen, but it’s important that we know what’s happening and who is doing what.
I’m a member of lots of rugby clubs; I’m not going to name them all. [Laughter.] Junior rugby has lots of participants, both boys and girls, at the younger age groups, and many of the junior age groups, both boys and girls, play with and against each other. We know that, between the ages of 14 and 19, there’s a huge drop-off in participation by both boys and girls. With obesity expected to overtake smoking as a major cause of cancer, there’s a need to promote an active lifestyle. I want to see more young people being active in sport, because of not only the exercise, but the team building and the discipline are life skills that young people need. What discussion has the Welsh Government had with the WRU on how to reduce the drop-off in participation to benefit the future health and life prospects of young people?
Thanks very much. I think you’re right, I think we need to see far more people of all ages involved across all sport. And, of course, we’ve got that as a vision in our active nation statement, which is to promote a lifetime enjoyment of sport, and that is expressed in our remit letter to Sport Wales, and we set out our expectations there. You’re right, the number of people who participate in sport fluctuates across all sports, and as children grow and develop physically. The WRU is not aware of any significant drop-off within rugby between the ages of 14 and 19, and I was quite surprised by that, Mike, and certainly when it comes to women’s participation, but that is what they tell me, though. But I do think it’s important that we do all we can.
There’s an opportunity, more broadly, when it comes to sport, for us in particular to promote the girls' football team in the next couple of weeks, when we see those proud women from Wales who’ll be representing us in Switzerland very shortly.
Diolch yn fawr. We are driving ambitious woodland creation through our enhanced grant offers that will become a key part of the sustainable farming scheme and initiatives such as the national forest. Our woodland creation schemes empower landowners to plant more trees, boosting biodiversity, contributing to climate resilience and green jobs. There are also communities across Wales that are already benefiting from our national forest schemes, for example in the tiny forest in Llangors and Pontnewydd Primary School. And we should never forget the proud record we have in Uganda, where we've helped to plant 25 million trees.
Thank you, First Minister. The expansion of the national forest is a wonderful boost for our region, especially opening up more outdoor spaces for people to enjoy, and they're managed in a way that supports wildlife. Looking at the map, the expansion increases the opportunity to connect the dots. These new locations will create green corridors, enhancing wildlife movements and continuous habitats, and that is all crucial.
So, will your Government continue to prioritise joining up the forest network in this way, and can you update us on how schemes like community woodland and public purchase, can support those opportunities?
Thanks very much. Our expansion of the national forest is really important for this Government. Our ambition is that, in time, we will form a connected network of high-quality woodlands running throughout Wales, and that should bring social, economic and environmental benefits. Community engagement, I think, is a really key element of this.
Now, we're particularly keen to develop the connectivity of the national forest at a landscape scale, and last year a new landscape-scale approach to the national forest of Wales was tested through the local nature partnership challenge fund, and over £0.5 million was awarded to 12 collaborative landscape-scale pilot projects, and they met all six national forest outcomes. So, more of this is what I hope we'll be seeing in future.
In 2023 640 hectares of tree planting in Wales took place. That is just 12 per cent of the Welsh Government's target of 5,000 hectares annually. However, this year alone, over 90 hectares of young trees have been destroyed due to wildfires and 1,000 trees last year were lost to storms. Now, on Friday, I was in Bodnant Garden. They're fabulous gardens—I would urge anyone coming to Aberconwy to go to Bodnant Garden—but it's devastating to see that, in the last two storms, they themselves have lost over 1,000 trees.
Now, this Government has talked up trees—you know, you've upset farmers over the years with this 10 per cent of tree planting. But you're fundamentally failing in your duty to carry on the tree-planting scheme in general. These schemes potentially have had the—[Inaudible.]—to damage our agricultural sector. Will you, First Minister, commit to protecting prime agricultural land and ensure that these woodland-creation policies do not put food security at risk? But, genuinely, please ask your Cabinet Secretary to get on with planting trees elsewhere, where they're needed—the right tree, the right place.
Well, thanks very much. What we've got are new grants and planning tools to make it easier for farmers and landowners to apply. We'll be getting the final decisions in relation to the SFS in the summer, and there will be something in there in relation to trees. So, let's be clear, we're going to have an expectation in relation to trees. Where it lands, how it will work out, is still under negotiation. But you can't say on the one hand, 'Tell the farmers they don't have to plant trees', and then say, 'Plant more trees'. There is a role for agriculture here, and it is a role that many of them are very keen to take up as well. The good news is that 1,400 hectares of woodland plans have been verified under our new planning scheme. We know we've got a long way to go, but there's also a UK ministerial tree-planting taskforce, and it is important that we participate in that, and that's going to be co-chaired by Wales and Northern Ireland.
Wales is the only country in the UK to provide free school breakfasts and free school meals for all primary school children—that’s worth £764 a year per child. On top of this, we give support to parents to pay for school uniforms and equipment. Our educational maintenance allowance of £40 a week is the most generous in the UK. We know that the best way for children to escape poverty is to support their parents into work, and this is now easier as we've expanded our offer on childcare. We are also supporting them through our employability programmes.
First Minister, these are the words of Melanie Simmonds, head of Save the Children Wales, upon launching ‘Power of Voice’, new research on children's experiences of poverty:
‘When I first joined Save the Children Cymru nearly eighteen years ago, we had just launched a report based on research with children and young people about their experiences and what measures should be taken to end child poverty. Today, it is almost as if I’ve stepped into an echo chamber, with the voices of another generation of young people reverberating in my ears.’
Like the recent report by the Joseph Rowntree Foundation on poverty in Wales, it shows that nothing has changed in two decades, and that things are getting worse. That is certainly true in South Wales West, where data from Trussell shows that more emergency food parcels have been distributed than in any other region of Wales.
So, how do you intend to respond to what the young people of Wales have to say about the impact of poverty on them? Without measurable targets, how can you be confident that your child poverty strategy will create the change needed for the children in poverty whom I represent and those across Wales, bearing in mind that their life chances have not improved for more than 20 years?
Well, 14 years of austerity as a result of the Tory Government does have an impact. That's the truth of the matter: it has an impact on how much money is available to the Government to spend. At least now we are seeing an end to austerity, so, hopefully, there will be an opportunity to see improvement. The fact that we have seen programmes put in place when it comes to growing the economy, ensuring that we have a new industrial strategy, and that we have plans in place for the future that will generate funding, will mean that there is more money available to help children. I do hope that we'll see that happen.
What we've done in Wales is to provide a child poverty innovation grant, and we support communities—£1.5 million has been allocated this year for that. We also have emergency support through the discretionary assistance fund, and that has been allocated to over 3,000 applications for families in the south-east of Wales. So, we're doing what we can as a result of the powers and funding available to us, but this is an example of where we will need to work with the UK Government in order to do our best, and I do hope that they will actually remove that two-child cap.
Diolch yn fawr iawn, Llywydd. Good afternoon, again, Prif Weinidog. Will you commit to strengthening monitoring, data collection and enforcement to ensure all eligible care workers are receiving the real living wage, with transparent public reporting of progress?
As a weekend carer myself, I know how tough it can be—the emotional strain, the juggling act, the lack of time for yourself. So, I’m proud that the Welsh Labour Government is backing unpaid carers with real support. From 20,000 short breaks to emergency help for over 11,000 carers this year, we’re making a difference, and working with carers to shape a national strategy that truly reflects their needs.
You did ask your supplementary question, rather than the question on the order paper, so I will take that as the supplementary, and it's been responded to by the First Minister.
Question 8 [OQ62903] is withdrawn. Question 9, finally, Heledd Fychan.
Ambulance response times are improving in South Wales Central, and that’s down to investment from the Welsh Labour Government and the pressure that we put on health boards to do better. But let me be clear: we know that there's a lot more to do. We’re reforming handover systems, funding new clinical models and supporting social care to ease hospital pressures. The aim is to ensure that people receive support when and where they need it most.
Diolch, Prif Weinidog. I'm sure you'll know why this question has come up, because we heard from Darren Millar earlier about the very serious situation that was written to you by Graeme Hughes, senior coroner for South Wales Central, the regulation 28 report. I would like to hear what I didn't hear in response to Darren Millar, in terms of what steps you will now be taking following receiving that report last week, because I would like to quote from the report. He wrote:
'In the three years since Valerie’s death you have received multiple prevention of future death reports from myself and fellow coroners in Wales highlighting the devastating outcomes attributable to delays in conveying acutely unwell patients to hospital/ambulance handover delays. Those risks continue and are of acute concern to myself and my coronial colleagues throughout Wales.'
So, I'd like to hear not what's happened, but what will now happen, so that families like Valerie Hill's family won't have to suffer.
Thanks very much. We'll be implementing the recommendations of the taskforce that has been set up to improve patient handover. We will also make sure that the £30 million that's been allocated to local authorities to boost investment in community-based social care, will help to reduce delayed hospital discharges. That's an extra amount of funding that we have also put into the system.
On top of that, from July, the Welsh Ambulance Service is going to trial changes to its clinical response model for 12 months, and that will include a new rapid clinical screening process for 999 calls. And on top of that, we are allocating around £25 million in additional funding to support people's access in terms of the right care in the right place. I talked earlier about the six goals programme and the same-day care emergency centres. That has taken a lot of pressure off those emergency departments, so 80 per cent of those people are being discharged without needing a hospital stay. So, that's quite a lot in response to the kinds of issues that were brought up by the coroner.
The next item will be the business statement and announcement, and that statement will be made by the Trefnydd. The Trefnydd to make the business statement—Jane Hutt.
Cabinet Secretary for Social Justice, Trefnydd and Chief Whip
Thank you very much, Llywydd. There is one change to today's business. The oral statement on progress on the curriculum roll-out has been withdrawn. Business for the next three weeks is shown on the business statement, which is available to Members electronically.
Trefnydd, I'd be grateful if we could have an update from the Welsh Government in relation to the co-ordination of emergency services across Wales. This is an issue that I have raised in the past, but I have received representations that co-responders are not being fully utilised in emergency situations. The issue of ambulance waiting times, of course, was raised earlier in First Minister's questions.
Now, I recently met with off-duty firefighters to discuss the important role that co-responders can have in supporting the ambulance service across Wales. I understand that, in some cases, co-responders can provide quicker response times than standard ambulance vehicles in some emergency situations. However, it was made very clear to me that co-responders aren’t being fully utilised and that, in many cases, calls are not being put through to them at all. Given the pressures on the ambulance service and the fact that some people are having to wait hours for an ambulance to arrive, surely we should be using co-responders to help reach patients as quickly as possible. Therefore, I'd be grateful if we could have a statement from the Welsh Government about the important work of co-responders, so that Members can ask questions about why they're not being fully used to support our ambulance services across Wales.
Thank you very much for that important question, Paul Davies, in terms of the co-ordination of emergency services. Certainly, the Welsh Government and indeed the health service is fully signed up to that, and indeed the important role of our fire and rescue services and our firefighters. I recall taking part, formerly, in a health ministerial role, in helping to bring together all of those, and it required a lot of communication, negotiation, support of all-workforce training et cetera. It is an important point and I will, obviously, be sharing this with the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care for any update. And of course, it does apply to engagement across the Cabinet, the Government, with our Cabinet Secretary for Housing and Local Government in relation to fire and rescue services. So, thank you for putting that on the agenda of the business statement today.
Trefnydd, I’d like to request two statements and updates from Welsh Government, please. The first follows the publication yesterday of the outline business case by Natural Resources Wales for Clydach Terrace in Ynysybwl. I've raised the issue of Clydach Terrace many a time on the floor of the Senedd. Residents have been told that they could die in their properties if we see another storm Dennis; you can just imagine the trauma they are under. Five years on, the report has said that nothing can be done from Natural Resources Wales. But, in the statement, it does state that Welsh Government and Rhondda Cynon Taf council will continue to explore options. Would those options be able to be shared with residents and with all of us who represent those residents? Because they are desperate to hear news.
Secondly, you will be aware, I am sure, that we have raised previously in the Senedd the issue of the University Hospital of Wales and the state of the building. Images released by a member of staff to the Western Mail and published show the horrendous state of the building, and the risks in terms of patient health then. Could we receive an update from the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care in terms of what's happening? Because I think the fact that even staff are releasing images to the press shows how much they're concerned about what's happening there.
Thank you very much for those questions, Heledd Fychan. I think, in terms of those flood defences for Clydach Terrace, there are very significant challenges as you've raised and raise again today. As you said, we have an outcome now of the NRW outline business case. I understand that the economic appraisal considered two options: construct a flood wall or purchase and demolish the properties. And neither option considered by NRW's business case was found to be cost effective, and wouldn't be eligible for funding through the flood and coastal risk management programme. But that's not the end of the process, I've been assured; nobody's walking away from Clydach Terrace, and we need to reassure the residents of that.
This is about the importance of Natural Resources Wales and Rhondda Cynon Taf council working together, as they explore all options available to them to make the community safe. In the short term, I understand both organisations will consider what improvement works they can carry out to manage the risks from the watercourse, and, crucially, working with impacted residents and elected representatives on all future options. It's crucial that these concerns and wishes of the community are at the forefront of all decision making.
I thank you for raising the issue about the University Hospital of Wales. Clearly, this is something where now, thanks to the uplift in funding that we've had from the UK Government, and the allocation of funding that has resulted in capital allocation as well as revenue allocation for our health service, of course, these issues in terms of the state of our hospital buildings are being addressed.
I would like to ask for two statements: firstly, an update on new railway stations planned for the Swansea bay city region. We had several new stations announced for the Cardiff/Newport area recently, but nothing for the Swansea bay city region. The First Minister, Eluned Morgan, said in November last year that she understood that Transport for Wales was developing a business case for the Swansea bay metro, which would see new stations on the Swansea and district line at Pontlliw, Felindre, Morriston, where I live, Llandarcy, Winch Wen and the reopening of Landore station. In addition, a new train station at Cockett is proposed on the Swansea to Pembrey and Burry Port line, which also serves Llanelli and Gowerton. Can we have an update on progress?
Secondly, can we have an update on community transport and how it will be affected by the Bus Services (Wales) Bill? There are nearly 100 community transport members in Wales delivering a variety of services and support, including community-owned buses. How will these be affected by the bus Bill?
Diolch yn fawr, Mike Hedges. Important questions, of course, relating to Swansea. As a backbone of the Swansea bay metro, we're funding Transport for Wales to do feasibility studies on up to seven new railway stations in the Swansea bay urban area, and I'm sure you will be pleased with that update. You know that we've been directly funding local authorities with over £6 million over the last three years to develop and deliver metro work. That includes bus priority infrastructure as well, but it is a programme of schemes. Swansea bay and west Wales metro, I can assure you, is a programme of schemes to improve transport in south-west Wales, the centre point being proposals for those new railway stations I've mentioned.
And your question about community transport is really important. It's such a huge contribution that community transport makes to the wider transport sector. Of course, the community transport services are important, and will continue to operate under the new local bus service regime. We've designed the Bill so that they're not subject to the restriction on providing local bus services.
Cabinet Secretary, can I please call for a statement from the Minister for Further and Higher Education on ongoing issues in relation to student finance? I've been contacted by several worried parents over the recent days whose children are due to go to university in the next 12 weeks. Despite having everything in place, including student finance, they have now been told that they're not eligible for funding due to Welsh Government changes. Numerous students were due to start courses with the dBs Institute in 12 weeks' time, but their plans are now hanging in the balance. dBs e-mailed the students recently informing them that the Welsh Government has confirmed funding is being pulled because the institute is not registered with the Office for Students. dBs, for everyone's knowledge, is indeed in the process of applying for specific designation funding, but this is likely to be a lengthy process and doesn’t change anything in the here and now for my constituents, who seem to be rising in numbers as the days go by.
Presiding Officer, I am conscious of time, but I do want to share the words of Ruby, one of the students who contacted me about this, as I feel it really encapsulates the situation. She said, and I quote,
'Just when everything had aligned, I found out my funding had been cut. It felt like my whole world had paused. After investing so much effort, telling my family, seeing how proud they were, it now feels like I’ve been let down, and worse, like I’m letting them down too. Without this financial support, my plans are effectively on hold and I might be forced to walk away from the best opportunity I’ve ever had. It’s devastating.'
I’ve raised this matter directly with the Minister, who was kind enough to answer a few of my questions. But, as this issue will undoubtedly impact students right across Wales, we need an urgent statement on this pressing topic. The Welsh Government must step in or instruct stakeholders, including Medr, to act, in order to ensure those students due to start university in September can continue to do so unimpeded, as originally planned. Thank you.
Thank you, Natasha Asghar. And, as you say, you have raised these questions, and I’m sure it’s been very specific in relation to case studies as well, cases that you’re dealing with. Because we want to ensure, through our youth guarantee, that 18 to 25-year-olds have a route to jobs, apprenticeships, further and higher education. So, I’m sure this—. Of course, this issue is being addressed in terms of student finance, Medr, and the Minister as well.
Could I ask for a statement from the Cabinet Secretary for Transport and North Wales, wearing both hats, as it happens, namely a statement on rail plans in the north-west, and plans to electrify the north Wales line? We had an opportunity to discuss some relevant issues in a debate on a petition about reopening railways in the west last week, but I do think that we need more details, in the form of a statement specifically—I think that would be very suitable—giving us an explanation of when the Government will introduce a plan to electrify the north Wales line, and when further studies will be commissioned, in accordance with the recommendation by Transport for Wales in its report on the Bangor to Afon-wen line.
I’d like to ask as well for a statement explaining what powers, if any, your Government can use if you consider that there's a need to review the way in which a body that’s independent of the Government deals with complaints about inappropriate behaviour and safeguarding concerns. I’m referring to allegations and reports about the situation in Bangor cathedral, and the diocese of Bangor, and I am happy to write to you with the specific details of that case. But, put simply, I’d like to know whether your Government has any way to act on behalf of my constituents who are concerned about the situation, or any way of enforcing an independent review on a body such as the Church in Wales, which is an entity that has governance that is separate from the Government. Thank you.
Diolch yn fawr, Siân Gwenllian. And thank you for drawing attention to those important issues in terms of provision, and particularly in relation to the provision of rail services in your constituency and in north-west Wales. I think it is important to recognise that the Welsh Government has prioritised high-quality, multimodal transport links across Wales, essential for linking communities, and support in principle—and I know this was raised in the debate last week—feasibility studies, for example, in terms of reopening closed lines. You’ve mentioned Bangor and Afon-wen, and the potential for that rail route for the future. But what’s good, I think, to see is that there’s a great deal of growth in passenger journeys for Transport for Wales services, and greater patronage than we’ve seen even before the pandemic. But this looks to opportunities for recovery and new ventures.
Your point about the situation that’s emerged in terms of Bangor cathedral is important—very important. We don’t have powers to compel the Church in Wales, or any other faith organisation, to commission an independent inquiry. I look forward to receiving correspondence from you on this point. But we have clear expectations of organisations in Wales that they will follow the Wales safeguarding procedures and report all allegations of abuse to appropriate authorities promptly. So, we do welcome the fact that there was an independent audit commissioned by the Church in Wales that was completed by Thirtyone:eight. Officials have met with Thirtyone:eight to discuss their findings and explore further work that can be done. But I look forward to hearing from you in terms of my ministerial responsibilities in terms of faith matters in Wales.
Last week was Clean Air Day and I have been given data by Healthy Air Cymru, which has looked at air quality around schools. This data shows that nitrogen oxide and particulate matter are too high for 65,000 pupils in Wales, and, in 20 schools in Newport, the World Health Organization's annual guidelines are exceeded, and this of course makes those environments unsafe for children to breathe. Even low-level long-term exposure can cause respiratory inflammation, exacerbate asthma and impair lung function, particularly in children and older adults. Exposure to it is also associated with increased hospital admissions for asthma. May we have a statement from the Welsh Government about how they plan to tackle this increasing problem, so that every school, and the areas in and around them, meet World Health Organization air quality guidelines?
Okay. It's in relation to the veterans world cup tournament in Japan in October. Four constituents have asked me if they might have financial help to compete in that prestigious tournament. Given the Wales and Japan 2025 initiative, I wonder if it might be explored in terms of what help might be available, particularly given the over-70s are the reigning world champions.
Diolch yn fawr, John Griffiths. It is crucial that we do everything we can to address the issue of air quality, particularly around our schools, and raise awareness of air pollution. We're doing everything we can to ensure everyone is aware of health impacts, particularly around schools. And, shortly, we're going to consult on a draft promoting awareness of air pollution delivery plan, which has to be developed with our stakeholders, and those, clearly, will be local authorities and our schools. So, it is the national air quality strategy for Wales, 'The Clean Air Plan for Wales', which is driving air quality improvements and duties on Welsh Ministers to set new national air quality targets. So, it is important that we get this right in terms of targets and opportunities, in terms of duties as well on Welsh Ministers. So, thank you for raising that in relation to schools, particularly, not just in your constituency, but across Wales.
On financial support, I think many of us have been approached often about financial support for those who are competing across the world. You have focused on the Wales-Japan link in terms of the world cup and those successful competitors. I would suggest this be perhaps directed to the Minister for Culture, Skills—sport, of course—and Social Partnership.FootnoteLink But it is true also that this is very much a Wales-Japan link, and I know that the First Minister and the Cabinet Secretary for economy have been engaging with those events and planning for them as well.
I would like to request a statement from you, please, in your role as Cabinet Secretary for Social Justice, on the role of inclusive disabled-led arts in Wales. Last Thursday, I had the privilege of attending Let Life Dance, the debut production by Humans Move, a professional disabled-led dance company founded by Brecon-based choreographer Jessie Brett. The performance held at Theatr Brycheiniog was deeply moving. It was a powerful celebration of creativity and resilience. Let Life Dance shows us what's possible when inclusion is at the heart of artistic expression. But this is about far more than performance, it's about employment, visibility and the message that we send about who belongs in public life and our culture. I'd therefore welcome a statement on what steps the Welsh Government is taking to support the growth of inclusive, disabled-led arts organisations, and create more diverse employment opportunities for disabled people, particularly in rural areas like Powys. Diolch yn fawr iawn.
Diolch yn fawr, Jane Dodds. Thank you for sharing that wonderful example of an inclusive, disabled-led arts activity in Wales from your constituency, with the performance you saw at Theatr Brycheiniog. It's great to see that Let Life Dance is very much linking to our plan that we've just launched for consultation, the disabled people's rights plan. So, I would like you to perhaps send that in as an example of how we should, across Government, be supporting these initiatives. It does relate to my portfolio, and I will very much welcome that and will include that as a response, with your support. But also I think this links to Creative Wales investments in terms of job opportunities, just to draw attention to the fact that Creative Wales is investing in valuable employment opportunities, but particularly looking towards ways in which it can support diverse creative activities as well. I will certainly be looking to that in terms of employment opportunities, because it will be a really important route for disabled people and young people into employment.
Can I lend voice to the calls that Heledd Fychan made earlier about the University Hospital of Wales, in particular the appalling state it finds itself in now with the roofs leaking there, and the recent report on the state of the theatres highlighting pigeons in those theatres and other maintenance issues? There were plans back in 2020 to bring forward proposals to upgrade the Heath hospital, indeed, build a new hospital, and the Welsh Government was integral in those proposals. In recent months, it's gone very quiet, these proposals have. So, it's important to try and understand what the Welsh Government, in conjunction with the health board, is doing to certainly patch up the hospital so it is a fit-for-purpose unit, but in the long term bring forward resourcing so that a new hospital and facilities can be adapted and delivered on that site.
Thank you very much, Andrew R.T. Davies. Of course, there have been reports, as you drew attention to, in terms of theatre provision and infrastructure and management. But, as I responded to the question from Heledd Fychan, this is all part of the opportunity we have now with our capital programme for health. It's very much for the health board, as you say, Cardiff and Vale University Health Board, to take this forward. But, inevitably, in terms of the huge project to actually replace or redevelop the University Hospital of Wales site, then work has to be done to make sure that the site and the hospital are fit for purpose, and recognising this is about staff and patients.
I'd like to ask for an update, please, from the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care on action to prevent cervical cancer. Cervical cancer remains one of the most common cancers among young women and people with a cervix under the age of 35 in Wales. Yet despite repeated calls from Plaid Cymru and cancer charities to roll out HPV self-screening kits—a proven method of screening that over half of eligible individuals prefer to the traditional smear test—we've seen no plans announced. We know that HPV is responsible for over 99 per cent of cervical cancer cases, and we know that early detection through screening can reduce that risk by up to 70 per cent. Last year, a successful pilot in Hywel Dda health board showed that HPV self-sampling can significantly improve uptake. Today, we've heard the health and social care Secretary in England announce that individuals who've delayed coming forward for screening will now be offered the option to test at home. Cervical cancer is preventable, and Wales now has the opportunity to make sure that we catch up with England on this. So, can we hear from the Cabinet Secretary what steps the Welsh Government is taking to introduce HPV self-sampling kits?
Diolch yn fawr, Sioned Williams. I think this is such an important point in terms of prevention and women's health. So, I look to the women's health plan—the 10-year plan—that's already got 60 actions, but I will ask the Cabinet Secretary and the Minister for Mental Health and Well-being to respond, to update us on where Wales is in relation to the outcome of the pilot, which was undertaken by Hywel Dda, and then the new announcements and developments that are coming through, as you said, today, from the UK Government. I will ask for that response to be shared with the Senedd.
John Griffiths has already raised the concerns about air pollution outside schools. I just wanted to follow up and ask when the Government is planning to publish the idling guidelines that are linked to the clean air and soundscapes Act, because, I'm afraid, in my constituency, huge numbers of people ignore the regulations that idling is a really dangerous activity. At the moment, there is no easy way to fine people for doing the wrong thing and get that change in attitude towards doing something that is completely pointless. So, I wondered if you could give us a date on when the idling regulations will be published, so we know who is going to be able to issue fines for that.
Thank you, Jenny Rathbone. Of course, as we have already discussed in answer to questions, air pollution continues to be the largest environmental risk to public health. Of course, road transport is a major source of air pollution in terms of harmful pollutants, such as nitrogen oxides and particulate matter. It is an offence—stationary idling, as you say—leaving an engine running whilst parked. It is an offence that can attract a fixed-penalty notice of £20 under the Road Traffic (Vehicle Emissions) (Fixed Penalty) Regulations 1997, but we don't think this is high enough to provide a strong deterrence. Section 24 of the Environment (Air Quality and Soundscapes) (Wales) Act 2024 does provide Ministers with powers to prescribe, through regulations, a penalty range for the existing offence of stationary idling. So, in terms of timings, it's next month that we are consulting on those regulations to introduce a new fixed-penalty range, potentially between £40 and £80, allowing for higher fines to be applied in high-risk areas, such as schools—responding to the earlier questions about air pollution around schools—but also to hospitals and care homes. So, that's the data, and I am sure, across this Chamber, we will get full response to that. I do think it was important for me to give that detail today, and thank you for raising this, so that Members can be ready and aware of the need to respond to those regulation consultations.
Trefnydd, many residents are increasingly concerned that public green spaces meant for the benefit of the community have been overused by councils for activities they weren't originally designed for, particularly festivals and live music events. These events not only restrict public access, especially for grass-roots sports clubs, but also bring large crowds that can damage the local environment and leave the area in a fragile state. A current example is Blackweir fields in Cardiff, a grade I listed public green space. Cardiff Council is using it to host a series of concerts from 27 June to 21 July, during a time when residents are most likely to use it. A 10-ft wall has also been erected around the site, making it feel more like a prison than a public park. In light of this, could the relevant Cabinet Secretary provide a statement on the appropriate use of public spaces for festivals and events? Thank you.
Thank you very much, Joel James. You do draw attention to events, many of which are sponsored, or organised or proposed, planned by external organisations in terms of the music industry, obviously attracting great public interest and visitor attraction. So, it is very important that local authorities are mindful of the impact and, of course, that they have the responsibilities and the regulations to guide them on these matters.
Trefnydd, under NHS plans for the next 10 years in England, and thanks to initial moves by David Cameron, back when he was Prime Minister, newborn babies will have their DNA mapped to assess their risk of hundreds of diseases. This will be transformative for diagnosing and responding to disease, and I know that you will agree that this is very exciting work. The project is backed by £650 million of investment in DNA research for all patients by 2030. So, I'd appreciate a statement from the health Secretary on what discussions he has had with his UK counterparts about rolling this out in Wales, too. Diolch.
Thank you very much, Laura Anne Jones. It is always interesting to hear of developments that may be starting in another part of the UK. Sometimes they start in Wales, sometimes in England or Scotland. The DNA research obviously has hit the headlines and the impact that that could have for newborn babies, so I know that the Cabinet Secretary will want to update and, of course, not just in his opportunities with his oral questions, but also I'm sure he will want to update, indeed, on this development.
Diolch, Dirprwy Lywydd. I'm seeking a response from the Welsh Government in a statement on recent developments from the National Crime Agency in terms of their work on a crackdown on illegal activity, mainly, in terms of headlines, in terms of pop-up barber shops within our communities across Wales. I'm seeking a statement within a devolved context from the Welsh Government as to whether they agree with making the planning system more robust around fair competition on our high streets to ensure that genuine barber shops that want to open on our high streets can indeed prosper if people want to do those things, but not be tied down by the same connotations as to what the National Crime Agency are currently investigating. So, I'm seeking a statement as to whether the Welsh Government agree with the work of the National Crime Agency, as members of your Government personally vilified me for raising this in the Senedd last year, but we've seen the progress on that in recent months, and also a statement from the Welsh Government as to whether they agree that changes within the planning process around fair competition amongst such shops should be apparent through the planning system and the guidance given from the Welsh Government to local authorities across Wales.
This is being handled very carefully by local authorities in terms of their planning powers and responsibilities, in terms of fairness and competition, and also regenerating the high street. But, clearly, they work very closely with their policing colleagues and, in this case, the National Crime Agency, who will be also advising local authorities at a strategic level as well as at a local level.
Cabinet Secretary for Economy, Energy and Planning
It's a pleasure to address Members today to reflect on the meaningful and tangible progress that this Welsh Government continues to make in driving a stronger, fairer and greener economy for Wales. Since the beginning of this Senedd term, Business Wales has dealt with 185,000 enquiries, demonstrating the scale of need and our commitment to meeting it. This has translated into direct support for 28,000 businesses and entrepreneurs. Evidence shows that businesses that engage with Business Wales have stronger survival rates. Alongside this, through co-ordinated support via Business Wales, the Development Bank of Wales and the economy futures fund, we have directly supported the creation or safeguarding of over 40,000 jobs. These are real opportunities in our communities and evidence of a Government determined not just to respond to economic challenges, but to shape the future in a way that works for people in every part of Wales.
Progress hasn’t been without difficulty. We continue to feel the enduring economic impacts of Brexit, the COVID-19 pandemic and the ongoing international pressures. Yet, despite these challenges, the Welsh economy is demonstrating remarkable resilience and renewed confidence. What we are seeing is not merely a recovery, it’s a transition to a more sustainable, inclusive and dynamic economic model. Our support is more than short-term intervention. This Government remains focused on long-term impact. It’s about creating the right conditions through infrastructure investment, strategic regional planning and strong social partnership to enable Welsh businesses not just to survive, but to thrive. We're building the foundations of a modern economy that reflects our values and our ambition. And our ambition is clear: that the economy delivers for all of Wales and ensures that opportunity, prosperity and decarbonisation go hand in hand.
Business Wales, working closely with our innovation and regional economy teams, and in partnership with local authorities and the wider ecosystem, remains well placed to support entrepreneurs and businesses at every stage of their journey. Together we're helping businesses to grow their exports, recruit talent, adopt fair work practices, decarbonise operations, and access the finance that they need to succeed. An example of this partnership is Newtown-based EvaBuild Limited, a civil engineering and groundworks business that supports projects across the public and private sectors throughout the UK. With support from Business Wales, the company has created 32 new jobs in the past year, demonstrating the real and local impact of our support services.
The Development Bank of Wales continues to play an increasingly important role in our economic strategy. This Senedd term, it has supported more than 18,000 jobs through over £512 million of investment, enabling businesses across Wales to grow, innovate, and create jobs by providing access to finance. This is critical in ensuring businesses have the tools that they need to succeed and remain rooted in their local communities. We have seen this in Rhondda Cynon Taf, where Mallows Beverages and Bottling, a family-run soft drinks manufacturer, has accessed support through Business Wales, investment from the development bank, and support from the Welsh Government property team, along with Rhondda Cynon Taf local authority. As a result, they've expanded into a larger facility, taken on significant UK contracts and created 40 jobs, boosting local employment and the regional economy.
As we look to the future, we must also back new and inclusive models of business ownership that keep value and decision making rooted in local communities. One inspiring example is Dafydd Hardy Estate Agents, which, with support from Social Business Wales, became employee owned. They have five offices in north Wales and employ 65 staff, and they're the first estate agency in Wales to introduce an employee-ownership trust. This means that jobs remain firmly in the local community. It gives employees a real stake in the future, and it shows how a business can innovate not just in products, but in ownership too.
Innovation, research and development is also central to our strategy. In Neath Port Talbot, Hexigone Inhibitors is developing groundbreaking anti-corrosion technology, with applications in aerospace, defence and renewables. Support from Business Wales has helped them expand internationally and created skilled manufacturing and research jobs in an area long marked by industrial decline. Through the north Wales regional team and economy futures fund, we have helped secure one of the most transformative inward investments in recent years. With Government support, Eren Paper is redeveloping the Shotton paper mill site into a major sustainable packaging facility. This £600 million investment is expected to create hundreds of new jobs, revitalising a former industrial site, and establishing Wales as a centre for sustainable manufacturing and the circular economy. These examples illustrate how we're supporting real economic growth today and actively shaping its future direction.
Thank you, Cabinet Secretary, for the statement. I welcome the opportunity to respond. But I must say, what we've heard today falls short of the urgency this moment demands. Because the reality is that both the Welsh and UK Governments are failing to understand the fundamentals of our economy, and it's the people of Wales who are being let down as a result. The Cabinet Secretary speaks of ambition, but ambition without delivery is meaningless.
The employment rate in Wales is 72.2 per cent—lower than the UK average; our unemployment rate is 4.7 per cent—higher than the UK average; and our economic inactivity stands at a staggering 24.2 per cent—the highest in Great Britain. These are not abstract figures. They are the daily experience of Welsh workers and families, people doing their best yet falling behind because of Labour.
While workers are struggling, businesses are being punished. From Labour in Westminster, a deeply damaging hike in employer national insurance, a tax on jobs, at a time when we should be backing employment. From Labour in Cardiff Bay, the highest business rates in Great Britain, an active disincentive to grow, invest or even survive as a business. So, has this Welsh Government called on the UK Government to do another u-turn, this time on national insurance contribution increases to support our job creators?
Thank you, Mike, for answering that question, because no, they haven't. This is what happens when two Governments of the same colour lose sight of economic reality: one loads costs onto the employers, while the other buries them under regulation. Neither seems to understand what it takes to build a thriving economy.
The Welsh Government statement today made reference to future opportunities, but where is the delivery? Take Wylfa, a project with the potential to be transformative not just for Anglesey and Ynys Môn, but for the entire Welsh economy. Yet we see delay, drift and a lack of co-ordination between the Governments. So, what concrete action is being taken to accelerate progress, and, crucially, to equip local people with the skills needed to benefit?
While we're talking about vital sectors, let's address the growing crisis in Welsh farming. Agriculture sustains communities, local economies and the food security of our country, yet the sustainable farming scheme, according to the Welsh Government's own previous impact assessment, is likely to result in job losses. That's before we even consider the UK Government's family farm tax, a deeply short-sighted move that risks penalising the very people who have kept our rural communities alive for generations. So, Cabinet Secretary, have you seen, or will you see, the economic impact assessment on the final SFS, and if it calculates job losses due to the SFS, will you oppose that scheme?
The same goes for tourism. In every corner of Wales, tourism underpins thousands of jobs, not just in hotels and B&Bs, but in retail, transport, food and hospitality. Businesses are telling me that they're on the edge. High costs, staff shortages and seasonal pressures are all taking their toll, and that's before the tourism tax comes in. So, what targeted support is the Welsh Government offering to ensure these vital employers can remain viable and provide secure, year-round work?
All of this connects to one central issue: skills. Labour shortages are holding our economy back across every sector: manufacturing, care, digital, renewables. Yet there is no clear national plan for skills. Apprenticeships are vital, yes, but so too is adult retraining, upskilling and real co-ordination between further education, higher education and industry. We don't need another document full of buzz words. We need a skills system built for the modern economy: flexible, responsive and aligned with real employer demand.
Dirprwy Lywydd, confidence is low, and why wouldn't it be? Tax rises from Labour in Westminster, bureaucracy from Labour in Cardiff Bay. Two Governments talking growth while choking it off in practice. We need to change course. We need a pro-growth, pro-enterprise Government. We need clarity, consistency, and, above all, leadership that puts the Welsh economy first, not as an afterthought, but as a real national priority. Because without that, our jobs, our industries and our communities will continue to suffer, not because of a lack of potential, but because of a failure of political will. For 26 years, Labour have had their opportunity in Wales, and have left us poorer. So finally, does the Cabinet Secretary agree with me that it's time for Labour to step aside, because they've clearly failed?
I'll begin by answering that last question. Clearly, the answer there is 'no'. That brings me back to the first contributions that the Member was making. I was really disappointed again this afternoon to hear from the Conservative benches the recitation of the figures around the labour market statistics on economic inactivity. The Office for National Statistics itself has said that those figures should be treated with absolute caution and that they are no longer official statistics—they are simply statistics in development. So, I think that we do need to be careful when using statistics, because people trust us to be open with them in terms of the information and the facts that sit behind the arguments that we make. I think the real story and the real important thing to think about when we're looking at economic inactivity is that, actually, one of the great stories of devolution has been the way in which that gap has been closed and is closing over time. That's one of the successes of the approaches that we've taken here.
The Member asked me lots of questions in relation to what we're asking the UK Government to do. I was trying to be very clear in my statement this afternoon that I focused on the action that we're taking here in Wales, the powers that we have here, the levers that we have here, specifically around the economic futures fund, the Development Bank of Wales and Business Wales, all of which, I think, have performed extremely well in terms of serving the needs of our communities in Wales.
Questions were asked around non-domestic rates. That is an area where we do have responsibility here in Wales. I think, again, it's really important to recognise the huge support that we've put into supporting businesses with their non-domestic rates. Around £0.33 billion pounds in support in this financial year is going to businesses, and around 85,000 properties in Wales are getting full or partial relief. To put it another way, less than a third of properties will attract the full rates. Our small business rates relief alone supports ratepayers of around 70,000 properties. Around 50,000 of those receive 100 per cent rates relief. So, those are all choices that we've made to invest in businesses by providing them with support through the non-domestic rates system.
One of the ways in which we're working really closely with the UK Government is around the industrial strategy, and colleagues will have had the chance to study that, since it was published earlier this week. We worked really hard to identify those sectors in Wales where we see there to be significant opportunity for growth, particularly around advanced manufacturing, defence, tech and artificial intelligence, and creative industries, for example—all of those we think that were already areas where we have particular strengths in Wales, but where we can grow. I was really pleased to see that the industrial strategy also included several specific actions for Wales where the UK Government will be investing here. We'll be working closely with the UK Government on the delivery of that industrial strategy, which I do think sets out a really strong vision for the future of industry in the whole of the UK, but also particularly so in Wales.
I thank the Cabinet Secretary for her statement today, which paints a picture of uniform success. Yet the lived reality in places like the Valleys, rural Wales and post-industrial communities tells a very different story. Our economic gaps are growing, not narrowing.
In her statement, the Cabinet Secretary referred to the growing interest in free port areas within Wales. Last week, I asked questions specifically around why the job projections that were first put out when it came to those free port bids had been downgraded by up to 30 per cent. We didn't get an answer last week. Perhaps we can get an answer today from the Cabinet Secretary.
But what I want to really focus on is the Cabinet Secretary's account of the work undertaken by Business Wales and the development bank, because while the figures presented in the statement might seem impressive on the surface, they in fact invite further scrutiny and raise deeper questions about the overall effectiveness of these institutions and how we measure their success.
For instance, the Cabinet Secretary points to Business Wales having provided direct support to 28,000 businesses, or the development bank supporting 18,800 jobs, but what remains entirely unclear is whether these figures reflect meaningful progress. Without clear targets, without clear success criteria, we simply don't know if the development bank or Business Wales are truly delivering against their potential, and that concern isn't new.
The Economy, Trade and Rural Affairs Committee report on the development bank, published nearly a year ago, made a series of constructive and detailed recommendations to improve its functions, governance and transparency. The Welsh Government accepted all but one of these recommendations either fully or in principle. So, what progress has the Cabinet Secretary made on actioning those recommendations?
The committee rightly highlighted the need for the development bank to play a more prominent role in succession planning and employee ownership, key to embedding long-term resilience and local value in our economy. So, what practical steps have been taken in response to that recommendation?
While I also acknowledge the Cabinet Secretary's mention of Dafydd Hardy Estate Agents transitioning to employee ownership, this should be more than just a passing anecdote; it should be a key pillar of our economic thinking. Employee ownership and buy-outs have been shown time and time again to improve business resilience, boost productivity and embed wealth within our communities. They are a proven way to protect jobs during generational business transfers and to ensure companies remain rooted in Wales, rather than being sold off to external buyers who may strip assets or relocate operations.
I'm very grateful for those questions this afternoon. I've actually just written to the economy committee to notify it that I am undertaking the piece of work that I referred to in one of the previous scrutiny sessions, which was essentially an internal review of our business support, so Business Wales and the development bank, just to check, really, that we are still fit for purpose, that we are recognising the changing nature of our economy, and that we're are ready to maximise the opportunities that lie ahead, both through the industrial strategy, but then also through the ways in which our society is changing around the use of AI, for example, making sure that businesses are able to use all of the benefits that that will bring.
So, that piece of work I will be sure to update colleagues on in due course, but I just want to really recognise that point, really: we don't stand still, we don't just assume that everything that we're doing should be done the same way forever, actually. We need to be adapting, because the economy is adapting, because business needs are adapting. So, I just want to satisfy myself that we are in the best place to meet all of those needs, and that all of those different forms of support are working in partnership as well as they should be.
I will say that businesses across the border are actually quite envious of the service that businesses have here through Business Wales and the development bank. These are additional things that aren't available to businesses across the border, and I do think that the feedback that we have from businesses who have had support is really, really good. So, I'm not undertaking this review out of concern for what I am hearing from businesses. I'm actually undertaking this review to ensure that we are in the best possible place and that those organisations are best placed to meet the needs of the future as well. But as I say, I will keep colleagues up to date on that.
Since the start of the Senedd term, Business Wales has created almost 13,000 new jobs and safeguarded over 6,500 jobs. But I think that one of the facts that excites me the most is that of those jobs that have been created, 22 per cent have gone to people who were otherwise unemployed, and I think that that really is a measure of success in the sense that it is creating jobs for people who were previously outside of the workforce, and I think that the more we can do in that space, the better.
Another part of their offer as well that I am really proud of is the accelerated growth programme, so that's tailored support for individual businesses to explore how they can grow and expand their operations, and for every £1 that we invest in that, we get £18 back. I think that's a really, really good return on investment. So, I think there are some really excellent examples of things which are happening.
I very much welcome the statement. We do not discuss employment often enough in the Senedd. Employment used to be the route out of poverty. Unfortunately, the growth of exploitative, low-hours employment at the minimum wage has stopped that being true. Our economy is strong in low-paid economic sectors, whilst weak in the higher paid sectors. Innovation, research and quality education are essential to creating well-paid jobs.
Successful economies are built on key industrial sectors. When you look at places such as Cambridge, Silicon Valley and Mannheim in Germany, their economies are based on high-pay, high-growth areas such as information and communications technology, life sciences, pharmaceuticals. Will the Welsh Government produce an ICT and life science growth strategy, working alongside universities to build a high-wage economy?
I'm really grateful for those questions and absolutely share Mike Hedges's recognition of the importance of ICT and life sciences in terms of the economy. Life sciences is one of the key areas that were identified in the UK Government's industrial strategy, and we identified it here as an area for potential growth. We're really pleased with the work that the life sciences hub is doing, for example, to support us in thinking about how we can target our investments in future and also transform the care that people receive as well.
I think that the work that's happening through the investment zones will also be really important as well. So, we've used those investment zones to target and identify priority economic sectors where we'll be looking to do exactly what Mike Hedges suggested, really, in terms of investing in innovation, increasing productivity and helping, then, to address those economic disparities between and within regions. So, that's something that we're jointly delivering with the UK Government.
We have two investment zones. One is the Cardiff and Newport investment zone and the other being the Flintshire and Wrexham travel-to-work areas. I think that the fact that, again, those areas are built around specific industries is really important, and we're really keen to explore what more we can do to support some of those key industries of the future. Compound semiconductors, for example—that's something that we are really excelling in. We're making a name for ourselves on the world stage in that particular area. We would want to do the same in a whole range of other areas as well, not least floating offshore wind, which we'll have a statement on later on this afternoon.
Decarbonisation is central to the economy of the north-west of Wales, and it is a sector that should provide a foundation for economic growth in future. I was delighted earlier today to host a session that looked at Tŷ Gwyrddfai, which is the innovative decarbonisation centre in Penygroes, the first of its kind in the UK. We need innovation in the Welsh economy, and it's innovation that truly drives the developments in Tŷ Gwyrddfai. This is a collaboration between the Adra housing association, Grŵp Llandrillo Menai and Bangor University. Bangor University brings first-rate research and development facilities, piloting and testing new technologies and materials that align with the decarbonisation agenda.
Cabinet Secretary, do you agree with me that this is exactly the kind of initiative that the Welsh economy needs, encouraging the development of skills and innovation that can provide high-quality jobs across Wales, including in our rural communities and our post-industrial communities? Tŷ Gwyrddfai is already home to the Trwsio headquarters that employs over 150 staff, and Travis Perkins has also established a depot on site to provide supplies and materials—
—for Adra and its contractors. So, I just wanted to know how your Government will encourage the development of more centres such as Tŷ Gwyrddfai across Wales, using the need to decarbonise to strengthen local economies?
Tŷ Gwyrddfai sounds exactly the kind of thing that we were thinking about when we introduced the 'Wales innovates' strategy, and that really is about ensuring that research, development and innovation aren't about simply creating jobs, but actually about leading to new products, new processes, new services, including around decarbonisation, with the aim of improving productivity, but then, ultimately, creating and safeguarding jobs as well. So, I think that sounds like something I need to find out definitely more about, but it sounds like something that we would want to be supporting through our innovation strategy.
We’re working really closely with the UK Government, so we support applications, for example, for Innovate UK funding. Over £66 million was awarded to businesses in the last financial year, for which we have information. That’s an increase of over £5 million from the year before, so I want to see the figures improve year on year. Also, I know that colleagues will be keen to ensure that we take our approach to research and innovation in the international context, so that’s why I’m really pleased that we’re members, in Wales, of Vanguard Initiative, through which we’ve jointly developed the VInnovate international collaboration programme, and that sees us collaborate with people from across the globe. And decarbonisation and addressing the impacts of climate change are a shared challenge for all of us, which is why it’s so important that we look beyond Wales and collaborate with colleagues in the UK but also across the world on this really, really vital agenda.
In October 2024 Kellanova, or Kellogg’s, as it’s more commonly known, announced a £75 million investment to transform the Wrexham plant into Europe’s largest cereal factory. This investment was Kellanova’s largest single investment in British cereal production in more than 30 years, and it will create about 130 new jobs. Andrew Ranger, the Member of Parliament for Wrexham and myself recently had the pleasure of visiting the site on the Wrexham industrial estate to see how that investment is directly leading to new jobs, and that includes new apprenticeships too. So far, they’ve received over 1,000 job applications for operational, maintenance and functional support roles. It’s also increased the number of engineering apprentices within the company, and that’s part of their long-term strategy.
Kellogg’s has been a cornerstone of the local economy for decades and it’s really good to see a major employer investing in Wrexham’s future. So, I’m sure that the Cabinet Secretary welcomes this substantial investment and I’d be grateful if you could outline the work that the Welsh Government is doing to ensure that Wrexham remains an attractive place to do business in order for my constituency to secure even greater investment and further job creation.
I’m really grateful to hear about the investment from Kellogg’s. I know that the First Minister also really welcomed that and also visited the site shortly after the announcement. And I think the way that Lesley Griffiths has set out the benefits in terms of the scale of the job opportunities available locally, but then also the important investment in apprenticeships, really, really sets out how important and very welcome that particular investment is.
We have to look, as well, to the north Wales growth deal in terms of the opportunity for nearly £1 billion of investment over 15 years, including £120 million each from the Welsh Government and the UK Government. It is currently creating jobs, but we know that it aims to create over 4,000 jobs over its lifetime. So, that is an area that we’re focused on. And then I’ve also mentioned the Wrexham and Flintshire investment zone. That’s really a collaborative effort, including the corporate joint committee, local authorities, both Governments and businesses, so they’re getting to the final stage of the overall business case at the moment. Again, this could attract £1 billion of investment and create over 6,000 jobs in the advanced manufacturing sector. So, that’s tremendously exciting as well.
And then I know lots of work is happening also through the north Wales regional skills partnership, with Wrexham University, the Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre Cymru and Coleg Cambria, shaping proposals as well. So, I think there’s an awful lot to be excited about in Wrexham. I was there myself fairly recently, again looking at these sites and the potential for providing new property for business as well, because that’s one of the things that businesses talk to me most about in terms of what they need, and it is about commercial properties for rent or support to build those as well. So, again, that’s something I’m really mindful of being a particular thing that we’d like to address in the Wrexham area.
Diolch yn fawr iawn, Dirprwy Lywydd. Good afternoon, Cabinet Secretary. Thank you very much for your statement. As we know, infrastructure is key to economic growth for us here in Wales. But it was a little bit disturbing to hear, last week, the MP for Brecon, Radnor and Cwm Tawe raising important concerns in Parliament about rail funding here in Wales. In response, the Chief Secretary to the Treasury remarked that we
'might want to be a little bit more grateful’
—grateful for the £445 million allocated over the next 10 years. Obviously, a really distressing and disturbing comment to make there. We know that Wales has faced chronic underinvestment for years. While we receive £445 million, Manchester, a region with fewer people, has been awarded £2.5 billion, and, elsewhere, Network Rail is spending £2.6 billion in Kent, and the Lower Thames crossing is projected to cost £9 billion.
It's great to hear you talking about how the Governments are working together, but I’d welcome, if I may, your reflections on what was said last week in Parliament and whether you’re continuing to lobby for Wales to actually receive its fair share in infrastructure funding. Diolch yn fawr iawn.
So, this Welsh Government has always prioritised rail. Colleagues will remember those difficult times that we had a couple of years ago now, when we had that £900 million pressure on the Welsh Government’s budget as a result of the impacts of inflation, and the impact that was having on our rail sector here in Wales. And we did have to look very carefully at our budgets right across Government to be able to provide additional funding, both for rail, and, of course, for the NHS, as our priority areas in relation to the impact of inflation. So, I think that we can definitely be proud of the priority that we’ve put on rail, and we are seeing, as the First Minister set out in First Minister’s questions this afternoon, the real impact and the real change that that investment has made.
I think what we really need is a Barnett formula that works, a fiscal framework that works, so that it should be quite as simple as that, when you put the numbers in, the right number comes out. And then you don’t need to be grateful; you just need a calculator. So, I think that’s the space that I’m in.
So, we will move on to item 5, a statement by the Cabinet Secretary for Transport and North Wales, support for the Armed Forces Community. And I call on the Cabinet Secretary, Ken Skates.
Diolch, Dirprwy Lywydd. This week is Armed Forces Week, when we show our support for the armed forces community here in Wales. This community covers those who are serving across our armed services, regular and reserve, past and present. And families are also important in this community.
Wales Armed Forces Day is on Saturday. This is an event that, as a Government, we are pleased to support, and I’m grateful to Monmouthshire County Council, this year’s hosts, for all that they have done to bring what I’m sure will be a fantastic day together at Caldicot castle.
Now, earlier in the month we saw the publication of the strategic defence review. It set out a frank assessment of the threats that we face, the measures needed to deter and defend to keep our country safe. Service personnel are central to the defence of our nation and to this review.
This is the first review for over 30 years that hasn’t been one of cuts and reductions. It seeks to maintain numbers of service personnel in the immediate term, with a recommendation that more will be needed. It identifies the need for public engagement, to raise awareness of the armed forces, particularly with young people. It also identifies how accommodation, pay and equipment are key if recruitment and retention is to be successful. It calls for flexibility in allowing people to move seamlessly in and out of the armed services.
Now, traditionally, Wales has provided a significant share of the armed forces strength—some 6 to 7 per cent from 5 per cent of the UK population—and this is expected to continue. Most regular service is spent away from Wales. We have a role in working with the armed forces on transitions to and from the military, particularly in bringing the skills and values of the armed services, which we celebrate today, back into Wales, into our communities and civilian roles.
For those serving in Wales, life doesn’t take place within a bubble, particularly for service families. These are families where regular upheaval and deployment create unique challenges. Local education, employment, healthcare, sporting, cultural and community interactions are areas where I want us to be making a posting to Wales a welcome one.
We have continued our support for Supporting Service Children in Education Cymru. Working with the armed services and other partners, we provide an online guide providing information and advice for the armed forces community in Wales. And our careers events, which we run with the Reserve Forces' and Cadets' Associations and the Ministry of Defence’s career transition partnership, continue. We have events planned for Cardiff in November, and Wrexham in December, where service leavers, veterans and family members can engage with employers who are keen to utilise the skills and experiences of our armed forces community. At these events, we will also host employer conferences, engaging the private, public and charity sectors with the armed forces covenant. Through our employment action group, we have also promoted the Forces Families Jobs website, which provides links to employment and training specifically for armed forces family members. We have Welsh local authorities, local health boards and private companies now listing jobs directly there.
I know both Government and Senedd Members have a close relationship with the armed services in Wales, with regional headquarters and commanders. There is regular ministerial interaction, including through the armed forces expert group, which I chair. Their advocacy for those who are serving in Wales is vitally important. That advocacy may develop further in the future, with the UK Government’s intention to establish the role of an armed forces commissioner, working across the United Kingdom. I welcome that appointment and the potential for engagement if there are issues relating to service life in Wales.
Now, this week is also an opportunity to thank veterans for their service. We thank all veterans, but remembering within that our very eldest, as we mark the eightieth anniversaries of VE Day and VJ Day this year. These are people to celebrate. Their experience of having served is overwhelmingly positive—most veterans I meet talk fondly of their time, and would do it all again if they could. Health, housing and other outcomes are very much in line with wider society, and we should remember that. That said, we do also need to be able to support those who need it. We continue our 15 years of support for our specialist mental health service, Veterans' NHS Wales. And I would like to put on record my gratitude to the Veterans' Commissioner for Wales for his advocacy for veterans here.
If we are to deliver for our armed forces community, serving and veterans, the relationship with Whitehall is an important one. I've met the Minister for Veterans and People on three occasions now. I welcomed his plans for VALOUR, committing more investment across the UK to support veterans. This should complement what we are already doing here—for example, through our continuing support for our armed forces liaison officers, or AFLOs—and, hopefully, bolster an incredibly committed third sector, drawing on their expertise and their local knowledge. I have also welcomed plans to broaden the armed forces covenant and the reach of the legal duty of due regard, a manifesto commitment by the UK Government. We are already committed to the covenant; the prospect of a broader legal duty is one that I am confident we will be able to respond to positively, though, of course, Government and Senedd Members will need to see the detail.
Finally, I'd like to reference the role of the Army Cadet Force as a youth organisation in Wales and as a source of opportunity for young people. Time as a cadet can help gain an edge in all sectors of employment, and we look forward to understanding how the recommendation to expand cadet numbers in the strategic defence review might offer opportunity here in Wales. Diolch.
Thank you for your statement, Cabinet Secretary. On this, the Armed Forces Week, we Welsh Conservatives honour the brave men and women who serve and have served our great country with courage and dedication. Your sacrifices keep us safe and your commitment inspires us all. As shadow Minister for the armed forces, I would like to say a massive 'diolch' to every service member, veteran, and all their families, who you state, quite rightly, in your statement as also very important.
There are 115,000 veterans living in Wales. As you said, despite having 5 per cent of the population, Wales provides 7 per cent of the armed forces' strength. Our armed forces presence means that Wales punches way beyond its weight, and we want to see the Welsh Government punching above its weight too in supporting our armed forces and veterans, making Wales what we want to see—the most veteran-friendly nation in the world, especially given the world becoming an increasingly dangerous place, with the war in Ukraine, and, of course, the situation currently in the middle east.
We welcome the action the Welsh Government has taken in funding armed forces liaison officers, and I hope to perhaps see in the future a programme manager for them, to share that best practice across Wales. Because I know first-hand, from working with Lisa Rawlings, who used to be the liaison officer in my patch, and now Karin Spencer, the fantastic work being done in the Gwent area.
And of course, the ongoing support for SSCE is also welcome, but it's essential that their funding is on a more permanent basis, and they shouldn't have to keep reapplying for it. I attended recently a fantastic screening of a film about the challenges that armed forces children face at Raglan Primary School recently, made by the armed forces children themselves. Present at the premiere of the film made by Monmouthshire schoolchildren were the parents as well who have served in the armed forces. I tell you, there wasn't a dry eye in the house by the time that film had ended, because it relayed their experiences of being an armed forces child in Wales, the good things and the bad things: their being away from their families for long periods of time; other children in their class not understanding what they're going through; and of course all the bad things and dangerous things that come with parents being in the armed forces.
I think there's an awful lot more that we can do to make people understand, and other children understand, the challenges that they face. So, a film of that sort will go an awfully long way towards other children in the class and in schools across Monmouthshire understanding the plight of those children. I do hope that something similar—perhaps that one, because it was very, very good—could be rolled out across Wales. As it stands, I believe that only 60 per cent of schools submit data to SSCE, meaning we're very likely to be underestimating the number of armed forces children in Wales. So, accurate data is absolutely key, Minister. So, I hope you will look to improve data collection.
Can I thank Laura Jones for her very, very welcome comments? I won't repeat all of what Laura has already spoken about, but I would particularly like to welcome her comments in relation to the value of AFLOs. This year, for the first time, we now have a dedicated budget line for armed forces and veterans matters within Welsh Government, and that budget line has seen an increase in funding of 30 per cent. I know that the overall quantum is not huge, but it is demonstrating that we take this area of Government policy very seriously indeed. Right across Wales, the value of AFLOs has been quite astonishing.
I note and agree with the Member in regard to the value of SSCE, and I know that discussions have taken place at the armed forces expert group concerning definition, concerning the support given to service children. The points that have been raised by the Member will form the basis of further discussions that I have with the Minister for Education. Peer mentoring is something that is regularly discussed at the armed forces expert group. I know that the Minister for mental health recently attended the expert group, where this was discussed, and I believe that she is actually speaking at the moment with individual local health boards, to ensure that there is consistent and high-quality provision right across Wales.
I think the UK, right now, is very fortunate to have a Minister for veterans who is himself one of the most decorated Members of Parliament in recent memory. He recently, and quite astonishingly, spent just five days in climbing to the top of Everest, a remarkable feat. I don't think kryptonite could touch that Minister, and he did it all in the name of charity, and I believe that he is also a reservist as well. On the numerous occasions that I have now met with him, it has become abundantly clear that he is somebody who is deeply passionate about veterans' affairs, about ensuring that there is what the UK Government is increasingly calling a 'zig-zag' opportunity for careers, so that once you are out of the armed forces, you don't need to consider your career in the armed forces over, that the access point will be open to you again. This is something that is particularly valuable. I know from personal experience, with a nephew who has served in the armed forces, who left the armed forces, who may one day return to the armed forces, having that option open to service leavers is vitally important.
I would agree with the Member as well regarding the value of cadets. Cadets provide an opportunity to acquire invaluable skills. Again, from personal experience, I probably picked up more valuable skills within the officer training corps than I did whilst I was at university. It does provide incredible life skills and also provides an opportunity to gain confidence as well. A lot of young people lack confidence, and the cadet service can install the confidence necessary to be successful in life. I think that the new curriculum offers an opportunity for areas of discussion to be raised regarding opportunities in cadet services and the armed forces as a whole. One of the objectives of the new curriculum is to make sure that young people are world-wise, that they're global citizens, that they recognize the opportunities and the threats. At the moment, we know that there are numerous threats facing the international community. It therefore stands to reason that young people should know about the opportunities to serve with the cadets or to serve in the armed forces. So, I do hope that the new curriculum will provide that opportunity.
As we speak to support the armed forces community today, I'm compelled to note that the world feels like an increasingly unstable and fearful place, and how worried many of my constituents are about that. The conflict in the middle east is escalating, and there are legitimate fears that the UK is being dragged into another foreign intervention. Plaid Cymru have been very clear: Parliament must have a veto before any UK military involvement. We cannot afford another war where Welsh service personnel pay the price for decisions made in Washington and London. Against that backdrop, we must remember that military action leaves a lasting impact, not just on global politics, but on the lives of the men and women who serve. As you said in your statement, here in Wales, over 115,000 people, nearly 5 per cent of the adult population, are veterans, a higher percentage than in England. These are our neighbours, our friends, our family members, and they deserve more than just thanks. They deserve support that's meaningful and enduring.
I'd like to use my time today to encourage the Welsh Government and their Labour colleagues in Westminster to reflect on whether their actions match their words, because the reality is that veterans are facing hardship in Wales. It's a national shame that those who sacrifice so much return to a society that fails them. For example, in Wales, we require patients to deregister from their current GP before registering with a new one. This means that anyone posted to an armed forces base in England would struggle to access healthcare swiftly upon returning home for an extended period or leaving the armed forces altogether. I heard first-hand from Colonel Sion Walker at the headquarters of the 160th (Welsh) Brigade in Brecon how this restriction is hampering armed forces personnel's transition from military life to civilian life. By way of contrast, NHS England has introduced a flexibility that allows armed forces personnel to remain registered with their military GP and also be registered as a temporary or dual patient with a civilian GP when posted elsewhere or during resettlement. Obviously, this system is much better for continuity of care, especially for those with ongoing mental health or rehabilitation needs.
Someone who is actively involved in championing the cause of veterans and their well-being told my office that a young soldier leaving the army after a medical discharge didn't register with a GP for over a year, as he didn't realise that he had to switch and was too embarrassed to ask for help. This, in turn, led to worsening anxiety and alcohol misuse for this vulnerable person. I would like to see this Government respond to the GP situation and change the rules as soon as possible to prevent more suffering for our active armed service personnel and for veterans.
Well, can I thank Peredur Owen Griffiths for his contribution as well? I think it's important to recognise both where we are leading in terms of our support for veterans, but also where we need to do more. The Veterans’ Commissioner for Wales, James Phillips, has been a fantastic partner to Welsh Government and an incredible advocate for veterans across Wales. I know that he has concerns about how we match up across borders in terms of mental health provision and orthopaedic waiting lists, and this is something that, as a Government, we can take on board and consider how to address. But I'm also pleased that James highlights where Wales is leading the way, of course, with the armed forces liaison officers and our prosthetics provision for amputee veterans as examples.
Now, I would agree with Peredur that there is considerable anxiety over geopolitical uncertainty at this moment in time, but he invites me to state whether Welsh Government and UK Government can match words with actions. Well, first of all, with the support that we're offering through a 30 per cent increase in budgets this year, I think that that demonstrates our commitment to this subject area and to supporting the armed forces and veterans and service leavers. In regard to the UK Government's actions, we've had, as I said in my statement, the first strategic defence review in three decades that isn't based on cuts and withdrawing services, withdrawing support. Instead, it recognises the very severe threats that we face. There are, to borrow a phrase, known knowns in the form of Russian aggression against Ukraine, in the form of cyber attacks, in the form of Iran wishing to develop a nuclear weapon, in terms of the terrible loss of life that we have witnessed in the middle east. And there are, of course, known unknowns relating to new and emerging technology, disruptive technology, biological warfare. We have to be cognisant of this and prepare for it, and the strategic defence review lays out how we are going to do just that, not just in terms of actions, but in terms of investment, with a very considerable increase in investment over the years to come.
And it's not just in terms of weapons and in terms of combat that we will see greater investment; it's also, crucially, in my view, greater investment in housing stock—housing stock for our armed forces; also, greater investment in terms of transitions for service leavers and for veterans, because that's vitally important if we are to have the support that the veterans’ commissioner here in Wales has identified we need, and I'm very pleased that the UK Government has recognised that. And, of course, we're hearing that the investment will increase to around 5 per cent, or there is a stated ambition to increase the investment to around 5 per cent of gross domestic product in the years to come.
Thank you for your statement. If we do not learn from the mistakes of the past, we are destined to repeat them. So, 43 years ago this month, the bombing of the Sir Galahad led to the biggest one-day loss of life in military action since the second world war. As I'm sure you are aware, most of the dead, the wounded and the traumatised survivors were Welsh Guards, and they and their families are still waiting for an explanation as to why they or their loved ones were trapped on a ship for over five hours in full view of the enemy, with no air cover and only one landing craft packed with ammunition to get them off the ship.
The naval inquiry into the loss of the Sir Galahad back in 1982 was a whitewash. During all this time, the Welsh Guards have had to put up with being blamed for their own tragedy, contrary to having been completely exonerated at the time. The strategic defence review highlights the need to recruit and retain more military personnel, yet the survivors of this Falklands disaster, and the families of those who died or were permanently scarred, have yet to receive an explanation for this avoidable tragedy, and are being cynically told it will be 2065 before key documents will be released. So, will the Cabinet Secretary join the demand for a court martial and a full release of the documents that will reveal what went wrong, not least to inform what the needs of the military will be in any future involvement in wars?
I thank Jenny Rathbone for her contribution today. Jenny was herself, I believe, a journalist at the time of this terrible tragedy in 1982, and what happened to the Sir Galahad remains of very, very considerable concern. I will take up this matter again with UK Ministers—I have done in the past, and I will do so again on behalf of not just the Member, but on behalf of those who still require justice. I think the Member makes a really vital point that we have to have transparency, openness and truth in respect of all of what we do as a Government, and that includes in relation to defence matters.
I'd like to thank the Cabinet Secretary for your statement today, marking the start of Armed Forces Week. I want to add my voice to those of people in this Chamber for the incredible work that our armed forces and our serving personnel, and those who have served, do in keeping our country safe. They do an absolutely phenomenal job, as do the families that support them in the job they do. As I say, they're keeping our country safe, the first job of any Government.
Cabinet Secretary, something that I've been pushing on since I arrived here was actually to make sure that we get armed forces-friendly sports clubs. I'm very pleased that the work I did with the previous Minister, Lesley Griffiths, and the current Minister Jack Sargeant, actually delivered Sport Wales signing the armed forces covenant. But there are plenty more sports bodies out there that haven't signed the armed forces covenant. If we are going to make veterans and our serving personnel have that easier rehabilitation back into our communities, we need to make sure that our sports clubs are inclusive and understand the needs of the veterans community. So, I'm just interested in what work you are currently doing with the Minister to make sure that we can push this out further, to get more of our sports governing bodies to sign that armed forces covenant to show their commitment to our armed forces across Wales.
Can I thank James Evans for his question? I think he raises a vital point—that of inclusivity within our society for members of the armed forces, whether they're existing members, reservists, service leavers, veterans, cadets. I know that Jack Sargeant and Lesley Griffiths are both passionate about this area in relation to sports clubs. I'll ensure that discussions continue with Sport Wales to get as many governing bodies as possible to sign up to this particular covenant and to ensure that they welcome as many armed forces personnel as possible.
I'm grateful for the opportunity to speak in my capacity as Commissioner with responsibility for equality to update the Senedd on the Commission's work to support the armed forces community. This institution has a proud history of demonstrating our gratitude to the armed forces community for their sacrifice and service. During the last year, the Senedd has hosted Member-sponsored events to mark the annual service of remembrance, the annual royal gun salute, the royal merchant navy memorial service, amongst others.
Commissioners have unanimously agreed that the Commission should become a signatory to the armed forces covenant, the official pledge that ensures that those who serve or have served in the armed forces are treated fairly. The signing of the covenant shows a strong commitment to the welfare of service members. This supports employee well-being and can have a positive impact on recruitment and retention, as it helps attract and retain veterans and reservists.
The covenant also reflects the aims of the Commission's diversity and inclusion strategy to be an inclusive organisation, where our employment opportunities are open to all, and where staff have opportunity to thrive. I hope all Members will welcome the signing of the covenant as a positive step and take an interest in the relevant information that will be published later this week.
Joyce Watson, that's a delight to hear. I am really impressed and incredibly grateful. I know that the Commission has been a consistent and dedicated ally of the armed forces community. To hear that the Commission will become a signatory of the armed forces covenant is really very welcome news. Certainly, if the Serjeant at Arms at Westminster hasn't already signed up to the covenant, I think your actions as a Commission will ensure that that happens in the not-too-distant future.
I'd like to thank Commissioner Watson and the Commissioner team for acting on our request as a group to sign the armed forces covenant. I think it's a real statement of intent from this institution and our role in supporting those who've served in our armed forces. I am entirely grateful to the Commission for that.
Cabinet Secretary, you will be aware that, during business statements, I've repeatedly asked now—twice—for a statement from the First Minister around ensuring how we in Wales get the best investment in our defence infrastructure that we currently have, be that Castlemartin firing range, be that Cawdor barracks or elsewhere, RAF Valley for instance, given that we are in a very different world than where we were only, say, two years ago—ensuring that we celebrate and mark this Armed Forces Week by understanding the sacrifices gone before us, but those sacrifices that may need to be done in the future.
We don't wish those sacrifices to be made, but we understand that this world is a very different world to the one that we wish to live in that is peaceful. How are you working with UK counterparts to ensure investment in defence infrastructure and personnel is equitable here in Wales, given our contribution to the armed forces?
Can I thank Samuel Kurtz for his question? As I said to Joyce Watson, I think it's fantastic news that our Parliament has signed the armed forces covenant, just as our Government has signed the covenant. It really is very welcome today.
Of course, we are working with the UK Government, and in particular the Ministry of Defence, to seek opportunities for investment in the defence sector in Wales and to ensure that the economy in Wales benefits from the future investment that has been announced as part of the strategic defence review. This is work that my friend and colleague Rebecca Evans, the Minister for economy, is leading on. But I think it's also really important to recognise what the strategic defence review outlined in terms of the whole-society approach. This is vitally important in protecting all households, all citizens, because much of the threats now can penetrate right into our homes, into our everyday lives.
With the threat from technology, cyber security is a major issue, and it can't be overlooked. That whole-of-society approach, which was confirmed in the strategic defence review, aligns completely with the approach to emergency preparedness set out in the Wales resilience framework. The review also references the need to give consideration to defence industries across the devolved nations, and I certainly welcome that. As I say, this is a piece of work that I'm assisting the Minister with, but Rebecca Evans is leading on this and is determined to make sure that we gain maximum benefit from the review.
Diolch, Llywydd. We owe a great debt of gratitude to our armed forces community, those still serving, their families, and of course our veterans. We recognise as well the immensely valuable ongoing contribution made by members of the armed forces community in every city, town and village right across Wales.
My constituency of Wrexham is of course a proud military city, and I look forward to once again being part of Wrexham's remembrance of the 1982 Falklands campaign this coming Saturday in a service to which all are welcome, taking place at St Giles’s parish church.
I'm grateful to the Cabinet Secretary for setting out the support the Welsh Government is providing to our forces personnel, families and veterans, and I wonder if he could outline the discussions he's having with the UK Government on extending the footprint of the armed forces in Wales, mindful of the imminent increase in defence spending.
Absolutely. Lesley Griffiths, I know, is a passionate advocate for the armed forces and for veterans, service leavers and cadets across Wales, and in particular in her constituency of Wrexham, which does have a proud history in this area.
In regard to the question asked, yes, we are seeking discussions on a very regular basis, and we are securing those discussions with MOD Ministers, including, as I've already mentioned, the veterans Minister, but more broadly with other Ministers within the department, and indeed the Secretary of State, to ascertain how we can gain maximum benefit from the investment that has been outlined as part of the strategic defence review, and significantly, given our historical commitment to armed forces personnel in Wales, comprising around 6 to 7 per cent of the overall armed forces family, how we can ensure that that figure isn't just maintained, but potentially how it can be grown in the future, both in terms of direct armed forces personnel and also the reservists. We're also keen to understand how we can utilise additional investment to support the cadet service and potentially as well reintroduce some officer training corps provision that was lost during the years of austerity.
The next item, therefore, will be a statement by the Cabinet Secretary for Economy, Energy and Planning on the offshore wind task and finish group. I call on Rebecca Evans, the Cabinet Secretary, to make the statement.
Cabinet Secretary for Economy, Energy and Planning
Last week we welcomed the announcement that offshore wind in the Celtic sea was moving from planning into development and delivery. With two successful bidders announced to develop 3 GW of clean energy, and a clear commitment from the Crown Estate to deliver the full 4.5 GW, we see the start of billions of pounds of investment and thousands of jobs.
Wales has been at the forefront of offshore wind, hosting the first fixed offshore wind project developments in north Wales. The Celtic sea maintains Wales at the leading edge of offshore wind through the first commercial-scale FLOW projects. Wales has a significant pipeline of more than 15 GW of offshore wind projects around our coastline in Welsh, English and Irish waters. I also want Wales to play our part in the wider export opportunities as our European neighbours also invest in offshore wind.
Last week, I attended Global Offshore Wind 2025 in London, showcasing Wales to developers and international investors. During that conference there was a flurry of publications and announcements, all with the key aspiration of ensuring that we maintain the value from the investment in offshore wind. This included £1 billion of new investment for the supply chain. I will be ensuring that businesses in Wales are best placed to secure as much of that as possible.
Recognising the significance of these opportunities, in January this year I announced the details of the offshore wind task and finish group. I appointed sector leads with expertise to help inform me of the actions that we need to take to maximise the opportunities for Wales. During Wind Week, and following last week's announcements, I'm launching the offshore wind task and finish group action plan. The work of the task and finish group has brought together the collective effort of sector leads across Wales, covering developers, ports, manufacturing and skills. The sole aim is to identify what we need to do, working in partnership with the UK Government, the Crown Estate, Great British Energy, industry and our social partners to secure lasting economic and social value to Wales.
All the evidence shows the strategic importance of local ports to the developers of offshore wind projects. We simply must have new offshore wind projects using ports in the UK. For westward facing developments, this means ports in Wales. I am delighted that in the UK spending review, the UK Government confirmed that up to £80 million will be available to kick-start the investment in the port at Port Talbot. This truly is a once-in-a-generation opportunity for our ports, and it will be a catalyst for economic regeneration in our coastal communities.
We have already invested in our ports in Wales, and jointly agreed the creation of two free ports. The ports have worked together to start providing a clear strategy to allow the offshore wind industry to have even greater certainty in our capability and capacity. As part of their work, the task and finish group is creating a ports prospectus. This will promote our ports to developers and investors, and I look forward to launching the prospectus later in the year.
Wales has a proven and successful supply chain base, building on our industrial strengths and driving forward growth across advanced manufacturing sectors. The action plan identifies our sector strengths, and sets out actions that we can take with our partners to ensure that this grows.
On skills, Wales has a world-leading offer. Across further and higher education, we're working with industry on bespoke packages to support the offshore wind sector. This includes innovative partnerships with developers, successful apprenticeship programmes, and the recent establishment of specialist infrastructure such as the centre of excellence for offshore wind in Rhyl, and investment across south Wales in Pembrokeshire and Neath Port Talbot.
These, together with our flexible skills programme, create a strong skills foundation. The actions on skills will allow us to strengthen this again, to create a flexible workforce that will be agile and able to meet the needs of the offshore industry, as well as others. We have a strong track record in Wales in terms of academia as well.
Our ambitious goals are backed by robust policies, strategic investments and a consenting framework that will give confidence to the industry and a shared vision of a sustainable future. Together, we will continue to drive forward the renewable revolution, ensuring that Wales remains at the forefront of this vital sector. I want to continue to work with industry to ensure the vision for offshore wind is one that supports our economy, communities and our future generations.
I would like to thank all of the members of the task and finish group for their commitment and their hard work over the past six months. We have asked a significant amount from our sector leads and the members, and I look forward to continuing to work in partnership as we implement the plan.
Thank you, Cabinet Secretary, for the statement. Offshore wind is, of course, a technology that Wales, with its rich coastline, and, let's be honest, a fairly reliable supply of wind, is ideally placed to harness. We have the natural resources, we have the locations and now we have a chance to lead in a sector that could deliver long-term benefits for our economy, our communities and our energy security.
I very much welcome the recent announcement that both Equinor and EDF Gwynt Glas have been awarded seabed rights to develop floating offshore wind projects in the Celtic sea. It's a positive step forward and one I've long championed. In fact, one of my very first contributions in the Senedd Chamber after being elected was on the very subject of floating offshore wind.
But we must be honest about the wider picture. Progress in offshore wind in Wales has been slow. Between 2016 and 2020, operational offshore wind capacity flatlined and, despite the Welsh Government's target of 15 GW by the 2030s, the current trajectory shows we are at serious risk of falling short. There is no doubt that the recent leasing announcements mark a turning point. These floating projects could power many, many homes, but they also represent a critical economic opportunity for Welsh ports, and I want to emphasise that.
The Celtic Freeport is uniquely placed to capitalise on this, covering both Port Talbot and Milford Haven, including the port of Pembroke. Port Talbot, with its heavy industrial background, is ideally suited to be a site for turbine construction and assembly. Pembroke port and the port of Milford Haven are well positioned for operations and maintenance. These ports should be at the beating heart of a new industry, not just a staging post. But to make this happen, we need a robust Welsh-based supply chain. Floating wind requires specialised infrastructure, floating foundations, cables, turbine blades, moorings. If these are sourced from overseas, we will lose the benefits that we seek to capture. So, I ask, Cabinet Secretary, what is the Welsh Government doing to ensure these key components are manufactured, assembled and deployed from Welsh ports and not simply imported from abroad? It would be ironic if the infrastructure designed to increase our energy output and prosperity end up creating jobs elsewhere.
In areas like mine, we already have the industrial base. Ledwood Mechanical Engineering, Jenkins and Davies Engineering, Austwel Ltd and others, including Simon Safety Ltd, are firms with proven capability and deep local roots. They need to be part of this journey, not just left on the sidelines. So, how do we ensure that we are integrating these into the builds of the future?
The other key piece, then, is skills. We won't see long-term success or the economic renewal unless we have the skilled workforce to support it. That means making floating offshore wind real and visible to our young people. School pupils and college students need to see these projects as an opportunity, as a future that they can work on, which is often the feedback I have from speaking to students in west Wales. So, Cabinet Secretary, will you (a) commit to a national skills audit, to understand Wales's current skills offering, and (b) a co-ordinated national skills plan, one that includes the needs of both current and future industries, as well as the future needs, to ensure companies like those I've mentioned have the workforce needed to deliver these projects? Also, what work is the Welsh Government undertaking with the UK Government, Ofgem and the National Energy System Operator to address the barriers to ensure projects don't get stuck in red tape? We know how long sometimes these projects take to get online. Any way of expediting that is to be welcomed.
I'm really grateful for those questions and for recognising the real benefits that can be brought to Wales as a result of offshore wind. And it really is hard not to overstate the importance of the announcements that we've just had in the last couple of weeks, particularly the investment by the UK Government in Port Talbot, the provision of funding up to £80 million, to unlock, essentially, the benefits and the opportunities, but then also the decisions that the Crown Estate has made in terms of the opportunities within the Celtic sea.
I think it's really important that we remember that one of the key objectives of leasing round 5 was about establishing that new market in floating offshore wind, and recognising that bidders were asked to detail how they would ensure that these new social and economic benefits that we're so keen to see happen are actually realised as a result of their bids. So, there'll be some further detail to come now in the months ahead, as those points get firmed up and further developed. Bidders were also asked to set out their plans for working with the ports to support the final assembly of the products, with specialist infrastructure needed to mount the turbines on floating platforms before being towed out to the final project sites. As part of their submissions, the preferred bidders have identified Port Talbot and also Bristol as potential locations for this activity. So, our focus here now in Wales is absolutely on ensuring that we maximise those benefits. But the announcements over the last couple of weeks, I think, really do put us in a fantastic place to make those benefits real.
I think the points about the ports were really, really important. We know that to unlock the additional high-value employment opportunities we do have to have the port infrastructure fit for purpose and able to offer that end-to-end solution for developers. So, we've specifically discussed the types of high-value manufacturing technical services and operation maintenance activities that could be undertaken across all of the ports and the surrounding areas through the task and finish group.
I think that it's also recognised that a multiport strategy will be required for the delivery of offshore wind around the Welsh coastline. We do have our marine energy programme. That's a cross-Government initiative, working closely with our major port operators and project developers to fully understand what is required, and importantly where we can make a difference as Welsh Government. So, I think that the discussions that we're having are the right ones, and the ports are very, very much involved and they played an absolutely critical role in the development of the action plan that we have before us today.
Again, those points about the supply chain are absolutely critical in terms of ensuring that we maintain as much of the value as possible here in Wales. So, as part of our manufacturing action plan, we're currently undertaking that supply chain mapping exercise of this important sector, particularly looking at the capacity, the capability and the resilience of our existing supply chains and identifying where we can take advantage of opportunities that are ahead of us.
I think we are seeing some progress, and the Cabinet Secretary is right to point that out, but I think, actually, in this instance, the opposition parties are in agreement: progress is quite slow. That is also shared by the sector. Practical action and investment in infrastructure is simply not keeping pace with the stated ambition.
Now, on the issue of port readiness, I raised this a number of times with the Cabinet Secretary, including earlier this month. Then we heard about the UK Government's national wealth fund, the existence of partnerships and the idea that things are now starting to motor forward. But the reality on the ground is that without clear, urgent action, we risk losing out on the full economic benefits of offshore wind. We know the ports on the continent are investing; we've known this for months now. And closer to home, other parts of the UK are already investing in port infrastructure to prepare for turbine assembly and deployment.
So, as things currently stand, Wales will be bypassed, quite literally, as turbines are manufactured and towed from places like Bristol instead of Port Talbot. Now, if that were to happen, that's another slap in the face of Port Talbot and its people. Tom Sawyer, chief executive officer of Port of Milford Haven, and Ben Cottam, the head of the Federation of Small Businesses Cymru, have both called for a clearer timeline for businesses and education providers, so that they can be ready to capitalise on opportunities created by renewable energy schemes. So, when can the Cabinet Secretary provide firm investment timelines and delivery milestones? I mean, it's welcome that the task and finish group is working, but we're already starting from a secondary position. We're already way behind some of the other ports, who are already ploughing ahead with that investment. Right now, the fear is twofold—what I mentioned earlier, about Wales missing out, but also our young people actually being sold a future that never then materialises.
On the Crown Estate, we now have every local authority in Wales backing the devolution of the Crown Estate. The Cabinet Secretary has said that this task and finish group is about creating lasting economic value for Wales. My question would be: well, how can we do that if the very ownership of so much of our sea bed lies with another Government? In Scotland the devolution of the Crown Estate has not hindered offshore wind development. In fact, they're moving ahead with 19 projects under a devolved structure. Wales deserves the same opportunity.
The Secretary of State says 5,300 jobs could be created from the new Crown Estate development off the Welsh coastline. Well, how many of those jobs will actually be based in Wales? How will the Government, for example, be ensuring that, at a minimum, we manage to retain the benefits of high-skilled work here in Wales? None of this is clear at all.
I'm very grateful for those comments. One of the things that we did ask the task and finish group to do was not just to provide us with an action plan, but to provide us with actions linked to timescales as well. So, you'll see some really important points within the plan as to when the task and finish group believes we should hit certain critical milestones.
I would have liked to have had that certainty around the FLOWMIS funding earlier. It's something I've been raising with the UK Government, certainly since the new UK Government came into position, and it's something that we raised with the Government prior to that as well. But now we do have that certainty. I think that is really, really good. That's really positive and it does give confidence to move forward.
When you look at the action plan, there are two, I think, really important critical actions and dependencies—the first being around market certainty. So, this is about a long-term pipeline of projects and ongoing adequate revenue support mechanisms to make those projects bankable and investable. And then the second is around stability, and that's the ongoing political support and enabling a policy environment that allows projects to be developed through streamlined, well-resourced regulatory processes. I think both of those things will be absolutely critical. And there's a really important role, I think, in the Crown Estate here, and that is about setting out, in more detail now, what future leasing rounds will look like. And I think that that is probably the key thing that I'm asking from the Crown Estate at the moment. We've had the debates, many times in the Chamber, in terms of the devolution of the Crown Estate. The Welsh Government's position hasn't changed at all on that, but I don't want that debate, important as it is, to mean that we lose sight of the important practical things that we need from the Crown Estate.
I was at Global Offshore Wind last week, and I had the opportunity to meet with the Crown Estate, and I set out those priorities, in terms of the practical actions that we need. And it is about setting out where the future leasing rounds will be, where the future opportunities lie, so that businesses and developers are able to start developing their proposals.
The points about ports, as I say, are really well made. We do have that certainty on funding now, but within the action plan itself, the recommendation is that, by the summer, we develop and finalise the Welsh ports prospectus, which I referred to. That considers both fixed and floating market needs, and that would be for publication and launch by the Welsh Government. And then autumn 2025 to summer 2026—it would be about supporting test-and-demonstration projects, and local ports should be in discussion to enable developers to undertake integration at a Welsh port. So, the action plan itself, I think, is really helpful, in terms of setting out the timescales.
Cabinet Secretary, I very much welcome your statement this afternoon, and very much following on from last week's announcements of the £80 million for Port Talbot infrastructure, of the Crown Estate announcing the two preferred bidders for those sites, with a third site still to be considered, and the future yet to come for us, I'm more on Sam Kurtz's agenda here of being on the positivity side than Luke's—sorry Luke—in the more negative concerns, because this is a positive message. I was there last week with the Secretary of State for Wales, the UK Minister, with Jack Sargeant, the Minister for Culture, Skills and Social Partnership, to actually look at what was there and what could be there for the future. It is the future. It's the future we're looking to. It's important, therefore, that we get there.
Now can I ask the questions—? I think we need to ask the questions. The skills agenda is critical. So, are you talking to the colleges, but also are you talking to the other areas as to what skills they need? Are you talking to the developers as to what skills they need? What discussions are you having with them? But also what discussions are you having with the Crown Estate to ensure that the supply chain will be local, and as such that they put in their bids that they require local supply chains, and that we get the businesses here in Wales? Because I believe Port Talbot is the best harbour: it's the deepest one available, and it's the closest one to the Celtic sea as well, so it's the real one to be at, but we need all those things in place. This is down the line, because the technology for floating offshore wind isn't fully there yet—they were saying that last week—but we need to get it ready. So, what discussions are you having to get it ready?
Again, I'm really pleased to hear the welcome, as I would expect from David Rees. I know that he's been absolutely involved in discussions and has been making the case for progress on this for a long time. I'm really pleased as well to see that David Rees recognises that the Crown Estate is committed to that third site as well, so releasing that full 4.5 GW, and I know that they'll intend to say more about that later in the year, so we'll be watching that very closely.
I think the points around skills are absolutely critical, and there's a chapter on skills within our task and finish group's report. The work that I referred to in response to Samuel Kurtz earlier on, around the sector skills work and the road maps that we've done, has strengthened our understanding of the current skills position and also the skills challenges for each of the sectors in terms of renewable energy, including offshore wind. So, that does provide some new evidence now for Medr, as it's considering its role in terms of making sure that the education system meets employers' needs, offering provision that addresses the specific gaps and the skills shortages of labour, which have also been identified. That work is ongoing at the moment.
We also have the draft clean energy sector skills road maps, which include key projects, skills requirements and workforce size forecasts for sectors associated with clean energy. They've been developed. They're subject to some data verification at the moment, but we will be providing a date for publication shortly. And of course, in the academic year 2024-25, we allocated over £70 million to further education colleges for part-time course provision, which will play a really key role in upskilling individuals to make sure that they can make the most of all of these opportunities too.
And on supply chains, we've also provided Marine Energy Wales with £150,000—that was in 2023-24—and an additional £150,000 for this financial year. That's providing funding for sector engagement, signposting and advice to businesses and awareness raising of opportunities across wave, tidal and floating offshore wind technologies. That's really an important part of the work that we're doing to support and develop the offshore marine energy sector in Wales, again to ensure that the supply chain is ready to access all of those opportunities. And of course, the Crown Estate has announced funding available for supply chains, specifically to allow them to gear themselves up to make the most of those opportunities. And that's something I think that we should do everything that we can to promote and raise awareness of amongst supply chains in Wales, so that they can access that funding to potentially pivot their work towards servicing the floating offshore wind industry, or providing critical parts to that industry.
What a difference: while some parties want us to go backwards and go down the mines, we have a Labour Party that wants us to go forward, committing to securing a future for communities. We have a history in Pembrokeshire of energy investment and delivery, and that serves us really well to take and grasp these opportunities and run with them. and we've seen the new facility in Pembrokeshire College that's supported by Shell, and it's going to train or upskill 600 individuals by July 2026. That's tapping into a pool of knowledge and talent that's already there, but also training the next generation so they can take the opportunities that are being offered and discussed here today, alongside local businesses that now have security and can start to invest in those secure propositions. And of course, the planning Bill that's going through will be essential to that. So, Cabinet Secretary, my question to you is that we see a just transition in Pembrokeshire, because that is critical to those people who are currently engaged in the employment, and that we can secure a future for those people currently engaged in employment in the oil industry to make a nice, smooth transition into the new emerging technologies.
I'm really grateful for those points, and the initial point made by Joyce Watson is absolutely critical because we have heard Reform, for example, suggesting that we need to be reopening the coal mines and that this is the aspiration of our young people in Wales. We know it's absolutely not, but, actually, it's even more dangerous than that, because one of the key things that our task and finish group explored was the need for certainty within the renewable sector and stability, and, as I said at the start, the need, really, for ongoing political support and an enabling policy environment.
Now, we will provide that here in Wales, but should Reform find themselves in a position where they are leading, there would be absolutely no confidence whatsoever in the sector, and you could be in a position where all of these potential gains—billions of pounds of investment, thousands of jobs—are put at risk because there's no confidence in a party like that to deliver.
So, I think that the point made there was absolutely critical, and the people who Joyce Watson and I met when we visited the Shell facility in Pembrokeshire, they will be exactly those young people who will be benefiting from long, rewarding careers in renewable energy, particularly and potentially around floating offshore wind, but other forms as well, and to see and meet those young people was an absolute privilege. They were so enthused and excited about what the future held for them. I just can't imagine what they would make of the suggestion that they should be working in a mine instead.
Good afternoon, again, Cabinet Secretary. This statement is to be welcomed on a number of fronts, but particularly if we think about the fact that the world is on fire. This is about addressing climate change in the production of more renewable energy. It also addresses the need and the ambition for economic growth here in Wales, and we've heard across the Siambr how important skills are, how important that we have to be looking at our future generation, and how we can bring those two together to make sure there is this just transition, to make sure that those people working in our carbon-heavy industries have the opportunity to move now into the green industries.
I don't want to be a complete negative Nina here, but I do want to say that there is concern around the timeline; you know, there is urgency in this, both for the climate and for economic growth and jobs here in Wales. And there is the question that has been raised, and I think it's a valid question, around the devolution of the Crown Estate, and where the money will actually go from the offshore leases. We know that Scotland has control over its Crown Estate—it's had that since 2017—generating over £100 million for public finances, so this isn't just about us making a political point, this is about saying, 'Actually, we need those powers in order to bring the money here into Wales.' So, can I ask you specifically what is the action that you're taking—you talked about discussions—in order to make sure that your colleagues in Westminster hear loud and clear that we want the devolution of the Crown Estate here in Wales? Diolch yn fawr iawn.
I'm really grateful for those points, and the point about a just transition is absolutely critical. We've seen in Wales, perhaps more than in many other parts of the world, what an unjust transition looks like, so we need to make sure that we do transition in that just way towards green energies. I'm confident that we can do that with our focus on skills and making sure that there are opportunities in all parts of Wales in terms of renewable energies.
In terms of the devolution of the Crown Estate, we've been really clear that Welsh Government's position hasn't changed. I don't think there's any ambiguity about that message in Westminster. What I will say is one of the things that are important to us is that the Crown Estate's stated purpose, essentially, is to raise money for HM Treasury, which is a noble act, but we think that there is an important role also in terms of ensuring that there are opportunities to address economic disparities, that there are opportunities to contribute to social and cultural ambitions as well. So, we should be looking at the Crown Estate within the context of our Well-being of Future Generations (Wales) Act 2015, not just simply about raising money for Treasury. So, that's something that is very much on our minds when we think about what we would do should the Crown Estate be devolved. So, our position hasn't changed at all, but, equally, I don't want us to miss those opportunities to provide what our task and finish group tells us that the sector needs and developers need and that is certainty on what the opportunities are in the future as well.
Cabinet Secretary, the Severn estuary offers great potential for renewable energy, including offshore floating wind platforms. So, could you confirm that that area of Wales's coast is in your thoughts and work as Cabinet Secretary in engaging with key partners to take forward offshore floating wind platforms off the Welsh coast?
I'm really grateful for that, and, actually, there's a specific chapter again in our report that relates to the foundations and the substructures that will be needed. There are some really important actions and dependencies within that part of the report as well. It does refer to the importance of the UK Government's steel strategy. So, again, that's something that will be really important in terms of ensuring that we are able to manufacture those structures, because there are opportunities not just within the port itself, but much wider across Wales to be part of that vital supply chain.
Item 7 is next, the motion to vary the order of consideration of Stage 3 amendments to the Visitor Accommodation (Register and Levy) Etc. (Wales) Bill. I call on the Cabinet Secretary for finance to move the motion. Mark Drakeford.
Diolch yn fawr, Llywydd. At the Stage 2 proceedings for this Bill, the Finance Committee took the decision to vary the order of consideration of amendments. The approach worked well in terms of the grouping and discussion of the amendments in front of the committee. The order proposed by this motion would mean that we would take the same approach at Stage 3 consideration as was successfully discharged at Stage 2, and I ask Members to support the motion.
I have no speakers to this motion, so I assume that the Cabinet Secretary has nothing to add. The proposal, therefore, is to agree the motion. Does any Member object? No. The motion is therefore agreed.
Our approach remains firmly future focused, rooted in sustainability and designed to deliver tangible benefits for people and places across Wales. This vision is further strengthened through our commitment to city and growth deals in the Cardiff capital region, Swansea, north Wales and mid Wales. These regionally led partnerships are driving long-term integrated investments in skills, infrastructure and business innovation, underpinned by close collaboration between the UK and Welsh Governments, local authorities, businesses and our higher and further education sectors. Working in partnership with the UK Government on the industrial strategy, we have built a shared understanding of our strengths, our challenges and opportunities, and we will work together to deliver against the priorities in our economic mission to drive productivity, to boost innovation, economic growth and job opportunities. This includes ensuring initiatives such as free ports and investment zones align with our Welsh priorities and deliver lasting benefits for our communities. The Celtic Freeport and Anglesey Freeport are already generating strong interest from companies operating in marine, energy and advanced manufacturing sectors, key industries that will underpin both Wales's economic future and our transition to net zero.
Our ambition is clear: to build a resilient, inclusive and sustainable economy that works for all parts of Wales and for generations to come. We should be proud of supporting 40,000 jobs during this Government term, and we remain committed to a Wales where good jobs, strong businesses and thriving communities are not just possible, but expected.
I'm also really proud of the work that we've been doing to support the food sector. There were several questions in relation to agriculture. Certainly, through the levers that we have within the economy department, and also through my colleague Huw Irranca-Davies's work, we’ve been supporting capital investment schemes in the food sector, so the food business innovation scheme, and then its successor, the food business accelerator scheme. That safeguarded over 3,000 jobs and created over 1,800 jobs, providing investments to food manufacturers since those schemes were introduced.
Since 2023, we've had the strategic innovation scheme, which supports the HELIX programme; Enterprise for Success, which is Cywain; the cluster programme; and skills and Scale-Up for Success programmes. They've created over 225 jobs and safeguarded over 7,000 jobs, supporting the development of over 550 new products, and assisting over 650 food and drink businesses. Colleagues will be familiar with the cluster programme, which has over 100 members within the food sector. Again, all of that is working really hard to ensure that that sector thrives. I think most colleagues will agree that our food and drink sector is one of the jewels in the crown of our economy, and particularly so when we look at the work we do to support those businesses with their exports.
I also want to touch on tourism. There was a specific request for information about what direct support we provide to the tourism sector. Visit Wales supports job creation through the £50 million Wales tourism investment fund. That's done in partnership with the Development Bank of Wales, and that provides loan and grant packages to tourism businesses. By the end of last year, £27 million of funding was committed to the sector, so there are further opportunities for the sector to access that funding.
There was a question on targeted support. We listened carefully to the sector. What did tourism tell us they needed? Tourism attractions talked about the impact of the weather on their businesses, so we introduced a specific weatherproofing fund for those businesses, which, again, I have to say, was well received.
As of 2023, there had been a total of 44 employee buy-outs completed in Wales, of which the development bank had directly supported only three. These have a key but currently underdeveloped role in Wales, and I would be keen to hear the Cabinet Secretary's thoughts regarding a more proactive intervention from the Welsh Government to support them.
Dirprwy Lywydd, to close and to be very clear, none of these questions are there to question the need for or the value of institutions like Business Wales or the development bank, but it is to say that if we are to place such central importance on these tools, we also need to demand clarity. We need to demand rigour and we need to demand evidence that they are genuinely delivering for Wales, not just in headlines or individual case studies, but across the board and in line with our strategic economic ambitions—in this instance, in relation to safeguarding and creating meaningful employment.
I'll still continue to unlock the potential of businesses through the development bank. That's helping the businesses get the support that they need to start or strengthen and grow. Colleagues will be familiar with the portfolio of funds relevant to businesses at different stages of their development and growth. And I think, as I mentioned in my statement, since the start of the Senedd term, the development bank has supported over 18,800 jobs, with an investment of over £512 million. Again, I think that's really significant, and the sheer range of types of support that is available from the development bank is really important. But again, the development bank is always considering its offer and considering if it needs to amend and adapt what it's able to offer in the face of the challenges within the economy. And I'll certainly explore what more we can do to provide an update in terms of how the development bank itself has responded to committee recommendations, because I know there's a lot of detail in that that we'll want to go into in due course.
I absolutely share that enthusiasm about employee ownership. Most of the support that we provide for employee ownership goes through Business Wales, but particularly Social Business Wales, and that service is there to provide that specialist support, in particular in relation to employee buy-outs. It does provide fully funded and bespoke help for business owners to help them decide if employee ownership and share schemes are right for their particular businesses.
We made a commitment in our programme for government to double the number of employee-owned businesses in Wales from 37 to 74 by 2026. Well, we've actually smashed that, and there are now 94 employee-owned businesses located across Wales. So, it is a model that we are really enthusiastic about. It's a growing model in every part of Wales and across all types of different businesses as well, but I'm always keen to explore what more we can do to highlight the benefits of employee ownership. It's certainly something that we're supporting businesses to think about when they're thinking about their succession plans and their future plans.
We'd also like to see a broadening of the definition of an armed forces child. As it stands, the Welsh Government's definition restricts the definition to children of current personnel or children of someone who has served within the last two years. I know you'll agree the challenges forces families face can stretch well beyond two years, so we should be looking at expanding that definition so children don't face that cliff edge.
One thing I'd be doing as armed forces Minister is to put extra cash on the table to fund more peer mentoring services within our Veterans' NHS Wales, particularly for women, which is lacking, because it's important to increase that capacity to support veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder and other mental health struggles from situations that they've been through, particularly specific to women. We need to see that tangible agreement for a female veteran peer mentor, please.
Another important aspect to our ambitions for veterans is to teach new generations about what our armed forces have achieved for Wales and the UK. This is why we'd establish a national military museum for Wales, where our armed forces history can be preserved, researched and observed. I hope this is something that perhaps the Welsh Government will support as a way of educating our young people in our military history.
I know that, in your statement, you say that, in the strategic defence review, it states in there that there needs to be more engagement with young people. One of the things I know that was happening in England, that I raised in the Chamber a while ago, was that young people in England would be taught about the armed forces within school time at all ages. I think that's something we'd like to take forward.
As I end now, Deputy Presiding Officer, can I just say that my son's a cadet, and how fantastic that is? I look forward to you pushing that great movement forward.
I'd just like to close by thanking our armed forces community—our veterans, our families—for the sacrifices they make to keep us safe. Armed Forces Day on Saturday, hosted in Monmouthshire at Caldicot Castle, will be a fantastic day out, and it'll give a greater understanding of what our armed forces do.
As we see concerning events across the world, it should never leave our minds that these people stand ready, have stood ready, to put themselves between us and those who wish us harm, and we all thank them, I'm sure. Diolch.
Of course, with us today in the Chamber is Jack Sargeant, who is, I know, passionate about the museums that we have in Wales. We have three regimental museums in Wales. All are absolutely superb. I was recently at the regimental museum at Caernarfon castle for a new exhibition. We were hosting an international community as well. It's a major draw for tourists, but it's also a fitting reminder of the losses that we have incurred in the service of our armed forces veterans and personnel.
The Veterans' Commissioner for Wales, Colonel James Phillips, recently spoke of veterans in Wales living in their cars, of those placed into crisis housing that's completely unsuitable and of those feeling forgotten by the system. We must do better. Plaid Cymru has long criticised Labour's record on the NHS in Wales, and for veterans it isn't just a health crisis, it's a breach of the armed forces covenant. The covenant promises priority care for service-related conditions. But what does 'priority' mean when everyone is waiting for over two years? Colonel Phillips rightly asks, 'How do we tell an elderly veteran that his knee injury from national service isn't service-related enough?' These are decisions that clinicians shouldn't be forced to make and veterans shouldn't be asked to justify their pain just to jump a long queue that shouldn't exist in the first place.
As Plaid Cymru's spokesperson on the armed forces communities, I want to ensure that Wales has a comprehensive offer for veterans in Wales. We cannot fail this community any longer. I want to build on and renew our previous pledge for veterans, which called for mental health support, specialist courts, resettlement services and greater data on veterans in the justice and welfare system. So, today, I'd like to finish by offering an open invitation: if you work with or represent veterans, please get in touch with me and my office. Let's build something together that delivers real change for veterans and service personnel. Diolch yn fawr.
So, I would say, yes, there are challenges that we need to face for service leavers; there are challenges that we need to face for veterans, as outlined by the veterans’ commissioner, but there are also areas in Wales where we are leading the way. I think expanding the duty of the armed forces covenant will be something that benefits the community, not just here in Wales, but equally across the United Kingdom.
Finally, it was clear from a recent visit that I had to Valero Pembroke refinery that the oil and gas industry is here to stay for decades to come. And I know we're talking about floating offshore wind and wind more broadly, but their contribution to powering our country—the oil and gas sector, that is—must not be dismissed or forgotten about. So, how is the Welsh Government ensuring that there's a suite of energy options and mix that includes FLOW and hydrocarbon amongst other energy creation?
Llywydd, the opportunity in front of us is huge. I'm genuinely really excited by these recent announcements, but it's not guaranteed. Offshore wind could transform Wales's economic landscape, especially in areas like Pembrokeshire and Neath Port Talbot, but we need urgency and accuracy. So, let's get this right, not just for ourselves, but for our ports, for our communities and the next generation of Welsh workers, who can really benefit from this, as prosperity is brought back to parts of Wales. Diolch, Llywydd.
We're also working with the Celtic sea cluster to mobilise local supply chains across Wales and the south-west of England to ensure that they're in a position to successfully bid for contracts. And, of course, the Welsh Government is a founding member of the Celtic sea cluster, alongside Marine Energy Wales, Offshore Renewable Energy Catapult, Celtic Sea Power and Cornwall Council. So, we're very mindful of and focused on the importance of supply chains.
But, of course, the most important thing here, really, is about making sure that our people benefit through those opportunities for well-paid, skilled employment. And, again, this is something that the action plan really does help us with in terms of setting a course of action.
So, we are progressing the delivery of the actions that had been previously identified in our net-zero skills action plan of 2030, and they did include exactly the net-zero sector skills consultation, which last summer saw us publish a summary of responses, alongside an emission sector skills summary and a draft emission sector skills road map. So, I think that all of those things have been really helping us to understand what the sector looks like at the moment, but crucially what the needs are for the future.
So, I will take this opportunity to say, again, a huge thank you to everybody who's helped us with this action plan. We've been really, really fortunate to benefit from some real expertise and experience, and I think that the recommendations around ports, supply chains, skills and elsewhere in the report have really benefited from that.
Now, if this really is a once-in-a-generation opportunity, then we need to make sure that the generation that follows us sees the full benefits, not just from clean energy, but from fair economic returns, quality jobs and the just transition that puts Welsh communities first. Right now, we're not seeing that happening; we're none the wiser as to what the trajectory is.
Then there was an important point around consenting and the important role there. And again, I think that that was one of those critical actions and dependencies that I referred to. And, certainly, we'll do everything that we can to provide certainty into the system there. So, this, again, is really fortuitous—lots of important things coming together at the same time, one of which being the implementation of the Infrastructure (Wales) Act 2024. That very much has at its heart streamlining the consenting process and making things simpler and providing more clarity for developers, and speeding up the process as well. So, I think this, the FLOWMIS funding, the decisions around the Crown Estate in its most recent leasing round, all bode really well, and the fact now that we've got an action plan, with milestones and times attached to that, I think will take us on that journey to maximise the opportunities.