, Plenary
Questions to the Cabinet Secretary for Economy, Energy and Welsh Language
Well, Welsh Government officials work with the ONS, but this is a challenge that is, as the former First Minister way saying, the product of resource pressures on the ONS, which I'm sure all of us would have an incredible amount of sympathy with. But we need…
, Plenary
Questions to the Cabinet Secretary for Economy, Energy and Welsh Language
I think that the Member is absolutely right to say that, if you look at the situation that the ONS finds itself in over recent years, for each of the last two years, its cash funding has fallen, and it looks to a further reduction, in nominal terms, in its…
, Plenary
Questions to the Cabinet Secretary for Economy, Energy and Welsh Language
May I just agree with what the Member said at the beginning of his question? At this current time, we must ensure, as a Government, as all governments are duty-bound to do, that we understand exactly what the impact of all the things we seek to do is, so that…
, Plenary
Questions to the Cabinet Secretary for Economy, Energy and Welsh Language
The Welsh Government has raised concerns about the quality of the survey in terms of data for Wales for some time. The ONS has introduced some improvements over recent months, but data should be used alongside the trends in other measures to gain a clearer…
, Plenary
Questions to the Cabinet Secretary for Economy, Energy and Welsh Language
I thank the Member for his question. I do agree with the point that it is important that we make available, through the medium of Welsh, the full range of educational opportunities for our young people, including work-based learning, apprenticeships and…
, Plenary
Questions to the Cabinet Secretary for Economy, Energy and Welsh Language
Well, I thank the Member for that supplementary question. I have to say that I was disappointed that she didn't offer me a flower as part of the question. [Laughter.] But the point that the Member makes is entirely proper and the progress and the enthusiasm…
, Plenary
Questions to the Cabinet Secretary for Economy, Energy and Welsh Language
I have met the Cabinet Secretary for Education and she is supportive of the great work that has already taken place through the Welsh in education strategic plans, and she is eager to build on this good work. Local councils will submit their annual reports to…
, Plenary
Statement by the Cabinet Secretary for Economy, Energy and Welsh Language: Tata Steel
This is not something that is within the Welsh Government's capacity to deliver, as the Member I think accepts in her question. Obviously, we've seen Governments take public stakes in the banking sector, and it's certainly under discussion in the nuclear…
, Plenary
Statement by the Cabinet Secretary for Economy, Energy and Welsh Language: Tata Steel
Well, the Member is right to point out the importance of steel production to the security of the nation, as well as the economic health of the nation. She's absolutely right to say that. That's the case that we've made consistently as the Welsh Government…
, Plenary
Statement by the Cabinet Secretary for Economy, Energy and Welsh Language: Tata Steel
What we want to see is a Labour Government later this year, which will have a clear plan for steel right across the UK, a commitment to invest, and a commitment to invest in the infrastructure that we need for the sustainable future of our economy in Wales…
, Plenary
Statement by the Cabinet Secretary for Economy, Energy and Welsh Language: Tata Steel
I thank Jack Sargeant for that important point. I've had assurances from the company that its downstream operations, including the site at Shotton, will continue to operate at planned levels, and that the substrate will be secured from Tata's other…
, Plenary
Statement by the Cabinet Secretary for Economy, Energy and Welsh Language: Tata Steel
I think the Member puts quite an extraordinary point to me—that I should have advocated for the UK Government to nationalise steel production in Wales—when this is a Government that has failed to engage for 14 years on the need to deliver a sustainable future…
, Plenary
Statement by the Cabinet Secretary for Economy, Energy and Welsh Language: Tata Steel
I thank Jane Dodds for that statement and questions. Our view as a Government is that a better deal, both for steel and for the workforce, is available and should have been the kind of deal negotiated between the UK Government and Tata—one that provides for a…
, Plenary
Statement by the Cabinet Secretary for Economy, Energy and Welsh Language: Tata Steel
I thank John Griffiths for those questions. He's right to say that there are steelworkers right across Wales who will be looking at the announcement last week and thinking what this means for them and for their work. In relation to the two points that he…
, Plenary
Statement by the Cabinet Secretary for Economy, Energy and Welsh Language: Tata Steel
We share with you the anxiety on behalf of the communities that are affected. I represent many, many families who have people working at the steelworks, and I know from the discussions that I've had in my own surgeries just what this means for those families…
, Plenary
Statement by the Cabinet Secretary for Economy, Energy and Welsh Language: Tata Steel
Just to address the point that Tom Giffard made, I do think he overestimates the extent to which workers want to hear political point scoring in relation to this. I think what people want to hear is a recognition of the reality of the situation on the ground…
, Plenary
Statement by the Cabinet Secretary for Economy, Energy and Welsh Language: Tata Steel
Well, I thank David Rees for his questions, and I associate myself with all that he has said, and acknowledge his championing of the steel sector in his own community and right across Wales. And I know how hard he works for his communities who are facing an…
, Plenary
Statement by the Cabinet Secretary for Economy, Energy and Welsh Language: Tata Steel
I thank Luke Fletcher for the comments that he has made and the passion that we will all feel in the way he's put his case. I absolutely agree with him: primary steel making capacity is a strategic resource for the Welsh economy, for the entire UK economy…
, Plenary
Statement by the Cabinet Secretary for Economy, Energy and Welsh Language: Tata Steel
I thank Sam Kurtz for his observations and his questions. The Welsh Government support that will be made available is an extensive range of interventions, which match the scale of the challenge that the workforce and those in the supply chain face. So, he…
, Plenary
Statement by the Cabinet Secretary for Economy, Energy and Welsh Language: Tata Steel
Since Tata’s proposals were originally announced last year, Ministers have raised concerns about the speed of the proposed transition. Consultation between the company and unions could have secured a longer, fairer transition that minimised job losses. With…
, Plenary
Statement by the Cabinet Secretary for Economy, Energy and Welsh Language: Tata Steel
Thank you, Llywydd. Tata Steel announced on Thursday that it will proceed with its plans for Port Talbot, which will see the closure of two blast furnaces to be replaced with an electric arc furnace. The announcement follows seven months of discussions…
, Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee
Development Bank of Wales inquiry: Panel 5 - Cabinet Secretary for Economy, Energy and Welsh Language
Diolch yn fawr.
, Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee
Development Bank of Wales inquiry: Panel 5 - Cabinet Secretary for Economy, Energy and Welsh Language
I think Baden-Württemberg is quite a good example, actually, because there's a very strategic approach there, which is around aligning the work of the Government with investors, with higher education institutions and their development bank, which I think is a…
, Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee
Development Bank of Wales inquiry: Panel 5 - Cabinet Secretary for Economy, Energy and Welsh Language
Well, I think Scotland is a little bit behind us, as it happens, but I think there are some interesting things we can learn from Northern Ireland, who have a development bank. In particular—I touched on the equity point earlier; I think there are some things…
, Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee
Development Bank of Wales inquiry: Panel 5 - Cabinet Secretary for Economy, Energy and Welsh Language
Yes. Well, I think that's really important. And I do think that the bank's success in taking on part of the British Business Bank investment in Wales is an important way of bringing funding into Wales as well, which is part of that. But I think, on the point…
