, Plenary
Topical Questions
Well, as you know, in 2016, I was busy with other matters as the health Minister. In 2016—
, Plenary
Topical Questions
When Mrs Hart created the fund in 2012, we were in a different environment to the one we are now, and it's always the case to look back and have wisdom after the event, and to learn things deliberately as opposed to saying, 'Everything that has happened is…
, Plenary
Topical Questions
We regularly have conversations in this place, and in committees, indeed, about the risk appetite of the Government to do things where you can make a difference, and part of the reason Governments often take lower risk approaches is exactly because of the…
, Plenary
Topical Questions
I should say it was issued at 10 a.m. because the first statement on a topical question was issued at 09:30, and we're told that there's guidance about issuing them enough time apart so people can see them. I'm certainly not interested in avoiding scrutiny…
, Plenary
Topical Questions
Again, the Post Office and its regulation isn't something that is devolved to us. You'll see from my statement, which all Members have had a chance to look at, that not only do we welcome the actions that Link and the Post Office are taking together, but also…
, Plenary
Topical Questions
On the timing, far from avoiding scrutiny, we actually had meetings on Monday and Tuesday, and I wasn’t in a position to finalise a written statement until later on yesterday at the earliest. I needed to check that the detail was right. So, actually, instead…
, Plenary
Topical Questions
Despite the fact that this is an area that isn't devolved, it's a direct impact in communities. We don't control the regulatory element of it. We can't direct banks. But I do talk to banks and have talked to them from both their retail perspective but also…
, Plenary
Topical Questions
Yes, I'm happy to do that and to recognise the continuing cross-party interest and support for the delivery of a community bank here in Wales. I can't promise that the first branch of the community bank will be in Buckley, but I can promise that the Welsh…
, Plenary
Topical Questions
Thank you. It is disappointing that due to a changed economic environment, Monmouthshire Building Society is halting its community bank project. The road to establishing a community bank is not straightforward, but our vision remains unchanged. I will…
, Plenary
Topical Questions
Thank you, and thank you for the way you engaged with both Sarah Murphy and others, including Unite the Union, around the announcement, and in the public statements that you and Sarah Murphy continue to make. I think it is helpful to be clear about the view…
, Plenary
Topical Questions
On the first point, I had direct contact collectively from the leader of the council, elected Members and Unite the Union, seeking a meeting immediately. I will deal with the Member's correspondence, and when I provide further updates, I'll make sure regional…
, Plenary
Topical Questions
Thank you for the offer. When it comes to Zimmer Biomet's activities within the health service, which I'm aware of—I actually visited the site myself when I was the Minister for health after the previous economy Minister had invested money in the future of…
, Plenary
Topical Questions
Thank you for the follow-up question. I'm grateful to Sarah Murphy and Huw Irranca-Davies as the constituency Members who have the majority of the Zimmer Biomet workforce within their constituencies, as well as the physical location of the site. We had an…
, Plenary
Topical Questions
Thank you for the question. This is extremely disappointing news and will be deeply concerning for staff, their families, and the wider community. We are attempting to engage with the company to understand the rationale for this decision and to explore any…
, Children, Young People, and Education Committee
Joint ministerial scrutiny session on post-16 education and skills
Diolch yn fawr iawn.
, Children, Young People, and Education Committee
Joint ministerial scrutiny session on post-16 education and skills
I think it's fair to say that, yes, it is possible. The challenge is that it's not certain. Again, I don't normally go out of my way to be positive about Conservative politicians, but George Freeman, the UK Minister of State for Science, Innovation and…
, Children, Young People, and Education Committee
Joint ministerial scrutiny session on post-16 education and skills
Thank you. So, we deliberately consulted with learners and young people, and, yes, we have deliberately consulted with the post-16 sector as well. Actually, we had a good and understandably engaged response from further and higher education when we consulted…
, Children, Young People, and Education Committee
Joint ministerial scrutiny session on post-16 education and skills
Jeremy, I'm sure, will talk about what happens within the school setting, but we have deliberately funded and put more into work-related experience at school. Careers Wales, we funded them recently to do more of that and to look at how they can do that, to…
, Children, Young People, and Education Committee
Joint ministerial scrutiny session on post-16 education and skills
Big Ideas Wales, yes.
, Children, Young People, and Education Committee
Joint ministerial scrutiny session on post-16 education and skills
Oh, sorry, yes, the targets for starts. So, the target is for 125,000 starts, and we've already announced—and I had scrutiny by the Economy, Trade and Rural Affairs Committee on this—that the target is moving from the five years to an extra year, to get to…
, Children, Young People, and Education Committee
Joint ministerial scrutiny session on post-16 education and skills
We do listen to learners and we do engage with them about why, when they're prepared to tell us, they don't complete. Our completion rates have, for a significant amount of time, been better than over the border in England, but we're concerned about the…
, Children, Young People, and Education Committee
Joint ministerial scrutiny session on post-16 education and skills
Diolch am y cwestiwn, Heledd.
, Children, Young People, and Education Committee
Joint ministerial scrutiny session on post-16 education and skills
We haven't seen large-scale evidence. I'd be interested if the committee has seen other evidence that is beyond anecdotal. I wouldn't be at all surprised if every Member around this table could give an example of somebody who'd approached them. And I do…
, Children, Young People, and Education Committee
Joint ministerial scrutiny session on post-16 education and skills
Again, with the young person's guarantee, we've had, deliberately from the outset, a national conversation, and a series of surveys and focus groups to try to directly understand from young people their experiences of what's happening, how useful it is, if…
, Children, Young People, and Education Committee
Joint ministerial scrutiny session on post-16 education and skills
We've expanded the flexibility in our programmes. So, for example, in June last year, we made ReAct Plus available to young people who are aged 18 to 24 and not in education, employment or training. That's a demand-led programme, as you know, so we're looking…
