, Plenary
Plaid Cymru Debate: Bus services
—have been taken since a £2 cap on fares in England was introduced—[Interruption.]
, Plenary
Plaid Cymru Debate: Bus services
I'd like to be able to continue if that's okay. Thank you. When the transition fund ends, between 15 and 25 per cent of all bus routes in Wales remain at the risk of cuts or major changes. One industry leader told me, and I quote: 'The clock is ticking in…
, Plenary
Plaid Cymru Debate: Bus services
There's no denying that our bus network is in a dire state, with routes being cut and operators facing an extremely uncertain future. And the blame for this calamity can be laid firmly at the door of this Welsh Labour Government, and we've already heard—…
, Plenary
Topical Questions
Today, we saw bold and decisive action taken by the Prime Minister, which will lead to major benefits for Wales. For far too long, the people of Wales have been let down by this incompetent Labour administration, particularly in the areas of transport, but…
, Plenary
Questions to the Minister for Rural Affairs and North Wales, and Trefnydd
Minister, it has been absolutely heartbreaking to see a big rise in the number of horrific dog attacks taking place in South Wales East, my region, alone. We've seen two young boys attacked by a dog, a five-month old baby was rushed to hospital after being…
, Plenary
Questions to the Minister for Finance and Local Government
Thank you for your answer, Minister. A huge cloud of mystery is hanging over Newport City Council following its recent appointment of a city manager. The main aim of the role is to be the first point of contact and liaison for businesses in Newport, yet…
, Plenary
Questions to the Minister for Finance and Local Government
4. How does the Welsh Government ensure that local authorities are open and transparent with residents? OQ60011
, Plenary
Statement by the Deputy Minister for Climate Change: Update on the Taxi and Private Hire Vehicle (Wales) Bill
I welcome the Deputy Minister's update on the White Paper, as well as his recognition of the need to modernise the sector. It's clear that passenger safety is essential, and I'm glad that there will be enhanced DBS checks and more safeguarding for adults and…
, Plenary
Questions to the First Minister
Thank you for your response, First Minister. I recently met with Young Lives vs Cancer to find out more about the work that they do. They explained that children and young people with cancer, and their families, often have to travel great lengths to attend…
, Plenary
Questions to the First Minister
2. What is the Welsh Government doing to support cancer patients? OQ60008
, Public Accounts and Public Administration Committee
Life Sciences Investment Fund
Okay.
, Public Accounts and Public Administration Committee
Life Sciences Investment Fund
So, you assess every single scheme, every single group, organisation or business that comes to you on an individual basis; it's not a set process. Because I think all of us, many of us who've come from financial backgrounds, we have certain measures that you…
, Public Accounts and Public Administration Committee
Life Sciences Investment Fund
So, also with regard to the range in the cost per job, as I just asked, the individual investments, what benchmarks do the Welsh Government and also the development bank typically use to assess value for money from a cost-per-job perspective?
, Public Accounts and Public Administration Committee
Life Sciences Investment Fund
We wouldn't be doing our job if we weren't asking you these questions, because it is public money that we're dealing with here. So, we have a responsibility to ask the questions, hence I'm asking.
, Public Accounts and Public Administration Committee
Life Sciences Investment Fund
I totally agree with you, Mr Slade, but we have to look at it also from a cost perspective—that's our job here.
, Public Accounts and Public Administration Committee
Life Sciences Investment Fund
Yes, thank you so much. Just relating to the Regeneris report, it highlighted that even the apparent original target of 750 jobs for a £50 million public investment offered actually relatively poor public value for money, based on a gross public sector unit…
, Public Accounts and Public Administration Committee
Life Sciences Investment Fund
I agree. Thank you.
, Public Accounts and Public Administration Committee
Life Sciences Investment Fund
But I'm just asking, in relation of having a fund manager in place—. Yes, of course, the element of investing the money, putting it into the business, I completely accept and respect that. But if, for example, a fund manager is made aware that this business…
, Public Accounts and Public Administration Committee
Life Sciences Investment Fund
So, let me just follow up. You mentioned Rutherford as the most recent example, which we're all aware of. Rutherford, obviously, is dissolved now, or what have you. But I just wanted to ask you at what point did you know that this was going down the wrong…
, Public Accounts and Public Administration Committee
Life Sciences Investment Fund
Thank you so much, Chair, for allowing me to ask a question. Gentlemen, I'm 100 per cent behind what my colleagues Rhianon and Mike Hedges, have said—we are all genuine supporters of this industry, going forward, developing and thriving in Wales. But the one…
, Public Accounts and Public Administration Committee
Life Sciences Investment Fund
Okay. Thank you, Chair. I'm done.
, Public Accounts and Public Administration Committee
Life Sciences Investment Fund
Okay. My final question is: building on the written evidence about the fund's structure, can you explain the implications of changes following Arix's £5 million investment into the fund after it acquired the original fund manager and the base of the…
, Public Accounts and Public Administration Committee
Life Sciences Investment Fund
That's fine, that's okay, not a problem. Thank you so much for that. Talking about the written evidence that you sent previously, it suggests that the fee structure changed in line with down-valuations of investments, following a fund report in 2017, I…
, Public Accounts and Public Administration Committee
Life Sciences Investment Fund
What was the actual—?
, Public Accounts and Public Administration Committee
Life Sciences Investment Fund
So, that was actually the—
