Ken Skates: Yes, I would. This was something, again, that we discussed on Monday, the First Minister and I, with Bimlendra Jha, the chief executive of Tata Steel. I think it’s absolutely essential that trust is rebuilt—that it’s not diminished further, but that it is rebuilt. That’s essential, not just for the company—that is absolutely essential for workers, the unions and the communities that...
Ken Skates: Indeed.
Ken Skates: No, it’s my understanding that Excalibur are still proposing what they were offering last year. But even for Excalibur, the steel pensions issue was a live one and a very serious one that they would have to contend with. There is not one single party that was interested in the steel operation that did not admit that the steel issue was a major problem to overcome. I think it’s worth...
Ken Skates: And jobs, livelihoods and the fate of the communities need our support.
Ken Skates: The national transport FINANCE Plan, published in July 2015, sets out investment for transport and infrastructure and services for 2015-20 across all parts of Wales.
Ken Skates: As set out in the national transport finance plan, we are making significant investments to modernise road and public transport infrastructure across North Wales and continue to press the UK Government for delivery of the schemes identified in the Network Rail’s Welsh route study in control period 6.
Ken Skates: Our tourism strategy sets out our priorities to support the tourism industry. South Wales West offers a wide range of heritage, landscapes, activities and tourism destinations. These are promoted and marketed through our Visit Wales website, with capital and revenue support available for business development and regional support.
Ken Skates: We recognise that prosperity brings security to individuals, families and communities and ‘Taking Wales Forward’ sets out our commitments to deliver prosperity for all.
Ken Skates: We are working with partners on a range of infrastructure improvements, including better quality transport and digital connectivity.
Ken Skates: Business support is available for entrepreneurs, micro, small and medium-sized businesses across Wales through our Business Wales service. Our focus remains on supporting innovation-driven entrepreneurs, jobs and the economy.
Ken Skates: Yes. A north Wales tidal lagoon has the potential to create considerable jobs in north Wales. And we have consistently stated our commitment, in principle, to supporting the development of a sustainable tidal lagoon industry right across Wales.
Ken Skates: Well, we are fully committed to this project, and I’ll be meeting with Charles Hendry later this afternoon to talk about the pathfinder project in particular, which would lead eventually to the creation of a tidal lagoon in north Wales. It’s a project that could potentially create 27,000 jobs for the north Wales economy. It would also, as the Member highlighted, contribute to the defence...
Ken Skates: I’d like to thank Jeremy Miles for his question, and also thank him for a very insightful piece on his website, concerning the blue economy. I think it’s very timely that we’re talking about this particular subject, as we start planning for 2018, which has been designated the Year of the Sea. And, for the purpose of growing visitor numbers, of course, the blue economy will be...
Ken Skates: This is a really important point the Member raises, and I’ve talked in the past about the need to have a constant pipeline of major infrastructure investments, but one that also mixes in smaller investments that can maintain people and employment whilst waiting or transitioning from one major project to the other. And for that reason, we’re working with local government, with skills...
Ken Skates: I meet regularly with the Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Local Government, and the wider Cabinet, to discuss a range of economy and infrastructure issues within my portfolio, including, of course, business growth.
Ken Skates: I’d like to thank Angela Burns for her question. Since I was appointed to this post, I’ve embarked on numerous engagement opportunities with the business community, and the points that the Member raises today have been relayed to me on numerous occasions. For that reason, I engaged directly and constructively with the Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Local Government in the drafting of...
Ken Skates: This is one of the points that has been raised by Chris Sutton on numerous occasions with me during, again, the engagement programme that I’ve had with businesses. It’s absolutely central that we recognise that many of the premises that were built to attract investors are now reaching a point where they require either major investment or replacement. So, it’s going to become an...
Ken Skates: Like the Member, I’m concerned that the circuit of Wales project has been publicly debated for many years without the team yet being able to raise the necessary private finance to bring the project to fruition. The proposals have changed, of course, over the years, since 2011. Last July, I made it clear what our position as a Welsh Government is. I stated clearly in this Chamber that we...
Ken Skates: I think the Member is right to say that workers should be concerned about the future of the steel industry, but it does nobody any favours to politicise what is an incredibly sensitive matter. It’s not often that I would agree with the leader of the opposition, but I do think that he was right to tweet that there was no place for political posturing in what is an incredibly important debate...
Ken Skates: I was pleased to be able to speak with Greg Clark at length on Monday ahead of the publication of the strategy. I agreed with the Secretary of State that joint chairmanship of the forum would be something that I would desire. I also spoke with him about a specific steel sector deal—this is something that we’re going to be discussing in the coming weeks. I was surprised how little...
