, Plenary
Statement by the Minister for Economy: Development Bank of Wales—Investing with ambition
It's not a specific objective of the development bank to increase food security in the country. It's not a specific objective that we've set. However, we have set objectives around helping to transition Wales to a more sustainable economy and plans around net…
, Plenary
Statement by the Minister for Economy: Development Bank of Wales—Investing with ambition
Thank you for the questions. You're right; growth from small to medium and then from medium to large is one of our big challenges in the economy. Actually, it is exactly part of what DBW can do, because, often, it is the access to finance that holds people…
, Plenary
Statement by the Minister for Economy: Development Bank of Wales—Investing with ambition
To start with, on your point about the individual courses available, I'm not in a position to answer that individual point now, but I will make sure I come back to you with the detail on that particular point. On your final point around net-zero investment…
, Plenary
Statement by the Minister for Economy: Development Bank of Wales—Investing with ambition
Thank you for the series of questions. It's a good place to be making a statement, five years after Ken Skates launched the development bank. It's fair to say that, at the time, not everyone was as optimistic that we'd be at this point celebrating its…
, Plenary
Statement by the Minister for Economy: Development Bank of Wales—Investing with ambition
Now, Wales possesses natural resilience. Welsh businesses have stepped up and developed a remarkable capacity to adapt to the toughest of challenges. It’s this spirit that has kept so many businesses afloat during the recent uncertainties. In stark contrast…
, Plenary
Statement by the Minister for Economy: Development Bank of Wales—Investing with ambition
Thank you, acting Presiding Officer. I know that businesses and workers are grappling with very real trauma all over again. From the many discussions that I have had with businesses in recent weeks, I recognise the enormous difficulties that they face. The…
, Plenary
Questions to the Minister for Economy
We are doing everything that we can with the levers that we have available to us to try to support businesses that find themselves in exactly this position. We know that there is a range of energy-intensive businesses, as I said earlier in response to your…
, Plenary
Questions to the Minister for Economy
The main levers to tackle cost increases on businesses, interest rates for borrowing, the tax of windfall profits and regulation of the energy market lie squarely with the UK Government. Our priority is to support businesses to decarbonise and to save, as…
, Plenary
Questions to the Minister for Economy
Yes, I'm more than happy to say that. It comes on the back of consistent work done across this Government in different iterations. You may or may not have heard the Deputy Minister talking earlier, but we've invested £200 million of Welsh Government funding…
, Plenary
Questions to the Minister for Economy
Thank you for the question. Telecommunications policy is not devolved to Wales, yet the economy of north Wales benefits directly from the £56 million broadband roll-out and our £4.2 million grant to the digital signal processing centre at Bangor University…
, Plenary
Questions to the Minister for Economy
Of course, I think this and our previous iterations of Welsh Labour-led Governments have a good record on promoting apprenticeships, not just on the numbers, but also on the quality and the completion stats. I remember Ken Skates, when he was an even younger…
, Plenary
Questions to the Minister for Economy
Thank you for the questions. We are certainly looking to improve employment prospects for people who are economically inactive, particularly those aged over 50. We have seen, particularly pronounced at the end and post pandemic, a number of people who have…
, Plenary
Questions to the Minister for Economy
I've set out action within the employability and skills plan to help everyone, particularly those furthest from the labour market, to navigate and respond to any work-related challenges they may face, whether that is through training, upskilling or changing…
, Plenary
Questions to the Minister for Economy
Actually, it goes back to some of the points I was making in response to earlier questions about what we're considering in terms of increasing our support for businesses to both decarbonise and also to de-risk their own energy supply with energy…
, Plenary
Questions to the Minister for Economy
You're right, we have some really big challenges. I know that the Member in his private time, as a dad, enjoys swimming, and I too have taken advantage of the opportunity to go and spend time with my own son, but I recognise that that activity is really…
, Plenary
Questions to the Minister for Economy
Public swimming pools are an important health and leisure resource, and, equally, an important part of our nation’s well-being. We know that many face unprecedented challenges. We don't have an exact assessment of the number that may have to close. We will…
, Plenary
Questions to the Minister for Economy
We're optimistic in our ambitions about our ability to both attract new businesses to come to Wales as well as businesses that were already founded here to grow and expand. A good example of that is in the compound semiconductor cluster. I recently attended…
, Plenary
Questions to the Minister for Economy
Thank you. So, there has been an uplift in QR funding that the education Minister provided to higher education institutions. You're right that we have a real challenge in the removal of structural funds and identifying a replacement. It is absolutely…
, Plenary
Questions to the Minister for Economy
Yes. The consultation closed at the end of September of this year, with over 150 written submissions being received. Analysis of consultation responses is now under way and we will continue to work with Plaid Cymru designated Members, in line with the…
, Plenary
Questions to the Minister for Economy
Yes. We'll continue to work with both the Friends of the Newport Ship and also the council, as they are committed to trying to find a permanent home for the ship, and it's a significant enterprise in conserving all 2,000 of the ship's timbers. The challenge…
, Plenary
Questions to the Minister for Economy
I completely agree, and I have been to Caerleon. I visited the amphitheatre and the barracks with my son and in-laws visiting from Ireland. They were very impressed and they would happily go back again at a future point. I'm quite excited about the recent…
, Plenary
Questions to the Minister for Economy
Thank you. Newport boasts heritage sites of international importance, from the Roman period through to our recent industrial past. The Welsh Government will continue to promote and enhance Newport's unique heritage for its residents and visitors from around…
, Plenary
Questions to the Minister for Economy
I just want to return to the end point you made about hospitality. I'm very well aware that the summer has been reasonable but not bumper. So, actually, right across hospitality, there are real challenges going into the autumn and the winter. It makes the…
, Plenary
Questions to the Minister for Economy
Interestingly, this is an area where I've already been considering what we might be able to do for some weeks, so it's not led by the question, but it is something that we're actively looking at—about how we can help people both to potentially decarbonise, as…
, Plenary
Questions to the Minister for Economy
I think there are a couple of things I'd say in response to the Member. A range of the statements I've made about the economy has certainly had a direct impact on some of the choices we're looking to make on promoting the visitor economy, which is a…
