Ken Skates: Diolch, Dirprwy Llywydd. I really am grateful for all Members' contributions this afternoon, especially to those Members who are supporting our motion, and to those Members on the Conservative benches who are now backing the Welsh Government position against UK Government policy. I do feel that it is most important that we recognise that it's our collective responsibility to support and...
Ken Skates: Yes, of course.
Ken Skates: I think it's really important. Helen Mary Jones makes a really important point about the human impact of Flybe's collapse, and I am pleased to say that, as a consequence of Loganair intervening and taking up the Cardiff to Edinburgh route, they have prioritised jobs for Flybe staff and this includes at Cardiff Airport. I am also encouraged by very recent discussions that the airport is having...
Ken Skates: Yes, of course. First of all, Tata Steel did not make an announcement yesterday. However, the news articles did report on questions that were asked of staff and an internal memo from Tata Steel. I can assure the Member that we continue to engage with Tata Steel about how their transformation programme will impact on operations in Wales and, indeed, we continue to impress upon them the...
Ken Skates: Can I thank Dai Rees for his questions and the points that he's made, which are absolutely right? After I repeatedly called for a UK steel round-table to be convened, one was convened on 5 February. There were two major issues raised at that round-table: one concerned procurement and the need to ensure that we use steel produced in the UK on UK infrastructure projects, and then the second...
Ken Skates: Can I thank Helen Mary Jones for her question and her contribution this afternoon? I promise I will raise concerns about the numbers that could be lost from Trostre and every other steel site in the Tata family in Wales. The Member is absolutely right that the transformation planning is seeking to identify primarily white collar jobs that could be cut rather than blue collar. The numbers, as...
Ken Skates: Can I thank Suzy Davies for her questions and the points that she made? Again, really important points, and I'd agree with pretty much everything that she's said. In particular, if I could just touch on the issue of coronavirus. Discussions are already under way with BEIS in relation to the impact that coronavirus could have on the economy, and particularly in those areas of the economy where...
Ken Skates: I can assure the Member that Newport steel has been right there, right at the forefront of my mind, whenever I've spoken with Tata, whenever I've discussed these issues with counterparts in the UK Government. That will go on. I'm determined to ensure that as many jobs as possible within the steel sector in the Newport area are retained, and that we can actually build on the strength of the...
Ken Skates: Diolch, Llywydd. There is no doubt whatsoever that we are facing unprecedented pressures on our economy as a result of the coronavirus outbreak. There will be many companies in Wales, small and large, dealing with the fallout of this virus. From contract cancellations to increasing staff sickness rates, from major supply chain disruptions to significant cash flow challenges, this crisis will...
Ken Skates: Now, the Welsh economy could be particularly affected because of the prevalence of manufacturing and the prominence of the automotive, aviation and tourism sectors. As well as this, workers will be affected in many respects, ranging from employee illness and isolation to looking after children who may not be able to attend school. Areas of the economy where home-working is not possible will...
Ken Skates: Can I thank Russell George for not just his questions, but his enormously constructive contribution this afternoon? Russell George is absolutely right that we have to work collaboratively together in order to overcome the challenges that we face. Reflecting on something that Dr Dai Lloyd said a little earlier, I do believe that this is the greatest threat of our times. We are effectively on a...
Ken Skates: I'm pleased to say that as a result of the extensive work that was conducted within Government to plan for a 'no deal' Brexit, we have been able to model various scenarios in terms of being able to deploy people to front-line services, and Russell George is absolutely right about the need to reflect in Business Wales the demand that will be coming in the weeks ahead, and the capacity,...
Ken Skates: Can I thank Helen Mary Jones for the questions that she's raised this afternoon and for another constructive contribution to this discussion and this debate? Helen Mary Jones made comparisons with the war effort, and I think she's absolutely right: this requires a concerted effort across society, and just as we rebuilt the country in the aftermath of the second world war, we will have an...
Ken Skates: In terms of the timeline for getting the £100 million out to businesses, I can assure all Members that we are endeavouring to do this as fast as we possibly can do. The meeting on Thursday will be crucially important with the council for economic development. I wish to gain approval from the council, our social partners, for the purpose of the £100 million and the criteria that will be set...
Ken Skates: Well, the Member makes some very powerful points about the need to support those individuals who are self-employed. As I said in response to Helen Mary Jones, we're looking specifically at the £100 million that was announced and how it can be used to support self-employed individuals at the moment. I also outlined to Helen Mary Jones how we're looking specifically at fixed costs and cash...
Ken Skates: Can I thank Angela Burns for the question concerning business interruption insurance? It's actually helpful that the Member suggests that we do with this on a four-nation basis, because it is exactly the point that I was going to be raising, amongst many other points, with my counterpart in the Scottish Government when I speak with her this afternoon. It's also something that we've been...
Ken Skates: Can I thank Rhun ap Iorwerth for his questions? He's absolutely right, there are businesses within Wales that have shown remarkable resilience in dealing with not just this challenge, but also, very recently, flooding in many parts of Wales and, of course, the uncertainty caused by Brexit. In terms of Business Wales, Business Wales were offering advice as the main point of contact with regard...
Ken Skates: Can I thank Alun Davies for his contribution and for his questions? And he's absolutely right in that a four-nation approach will be needed, not just in terms of ensuring as many businesses as possible can survive, but also to plan for the period afterwards, to plan for the recovery of the economy. And I'm already giving thought to how we can form, as the Member put it, a form of taskforce,...
Ken Skates: Can I thank the Member for his questions? And of course I'd be more than willing to receive any advice that reflects on his own personal experience of overcoming the beef crisis, and in particular in terms of how he and the sector that he is part of ensured that there was a viable future at some of the darkest times that the sector faced back in the 1990s. In terms of the £100 billion that...
Ken Skates: Can I thank Mick Antoniw for the hugely significant points that he makes regarding the potential of a guaranteed minimum income right now and in the weeks and the months to come? It would also enable a more rapid recovery to take place, because you would be providing money to those individuals who would be most likely to use it, supporting our high streets, supporting the foundational...
