Ken Skates: Can I thank the Member for her questions, and begin by saying that my party here, and in the UK as a whole, couldn't have demonstrated a greater commitment to sustaining steel making in the UK? We've been absolutely determined to influence the UK Government, and to influence the company in terms of long-term investment, and the work that we've invested in this area, I think, has paid...
Ken Skates: Diolch, Dirprwy Lywydd. I'd like to thank the Member for North Wales for highlighting this most important of issues today. I'm pleased to respond on behalf of the whole of Government. Our tackling poverty programme is something that all Ministers are responsible for. However, I'm delighted to be able to respond on behalf of each of the Ministers in this debate. I'll begin by saying that...
Ken Skates: Diolch, Llywydd. I am very grateful to Members for the report by the Public Accounts Committee and, in particular, can I thank the committee's Chair, Nick Ramsay, for providing an opportunity for me to respond to the recommendations? I think it's fair to say that, despite a huge amount of effort and work on all sides, the Welsh Government was not in a position to support the Circuit of Wales...
Ken Skates: Now, we have accepted all of the committee's recommendations on the initial funding of the Circuit of Wales, and hopefully I can demonstrate to the Chair today that I take those recommendations very seriously indeed. I'll identify a number of the recommendations that the Members have already touched on, and hopefully I can offer some further assurance. First of all, the Chair pointed to...
Ken Skates: Thank you, Deputy Presiding Officer, and can I thank Members for the opportunity to respond to this important debate today? I'd like to thank the committee for its report into enterprise zones. I was pleased to be able to assist the committee in its inquiry, as were the enterprise zone advisory board chairs. I was particularly pleased to see that the work of the enterprise zone advisory...
Ken Skates: My written response to the committee's report sets out my detailed reply to the report recommendations. I have accepted, in full or in principle, the 10 recommendations and I'm pleased to report that good progress is being made against each of them. Specifically, I've already written to the Treasury to request the extension of enhanced capital allowances in Wales for a further five years...
Ken Skates: Diolch, Llywydd. In May, I set out my ambitions for the Great Western and north Wales main lines, and announced that Professor Mark Barry would be leading the development of the case for investment in rail infrastructure in Wales, against the backdrop of the UK Government’s £50 billion investment in HS2. I continue to support HS2, and call once again on the UK Government to make the right...
Ken Skates: The House of Commons Transport Committee has recently concluded that the Department for Transport’s current decision-making processes and existing systems for scheme appraisal currently work against regions outside the south-east as they are weighted heavily towards the reduction of existing congestion. It is important, I think, for all governments, including here in Wales, to ensure that...
Ken Skates: Can I thank Russell George for his contribution and questions? First of all, I'd say, with regard to the devolution of funding for rail infrastructure, that of course, we are severely constrained by our inability at present to be able to direct Network Rail, and that has resulted in a number of projects being delivered beyond their predicted time frame and over budget. In order for us to be...
Ken Skates: Can I thank Adam Price for his contribution and for his questions? I'd agree, people in Wales would be right to be not just cross, but absolutely livid with the historic underfunding of rail investment in infrastructure in Wales over many years. I think it's worth saying that we're not alone, though, in terms of finding the position totally unacceptable. I've been working closely with some of...
Ken Skates: Can I thank David Rowlands for his contribution, for his questions and for his observations? First of all, I should say that complaints concerning rail services are due to many factors, and whilst I would agree that many of those factors relate to the network, they also relate to the management of services as well, and I don't think poor performance should be attributed solely to...
Ken Skates: Well, I think the important point here is that you've combined the franchise investment with the investment that is allocated for infrastructure. The figures that we have, which are very robust figures, are also supported by the data that I've highlighted from the Institute for Public Policy Research, which shows a huge, huge gap between per capita spending in London and per capita spending...
Ken Skates: Diolch, Llywydd, and can I start by expressing my appreciation to all Members who have spoken today, and to all members of the committee for an insightful report? In particular, can I thank the Chair for leading on the work of the committee? I think it rightly notes that whilst not all the levers to bring about any significant change in levels of poverty sit with the Welsh Government,...
Ken Skates: Can I thank John Griffiths for raising this important matter for debate today? I know that it's an issue that he has felt strongly about for many years, and I'm very pleased to be able to respond to his and other Members' comments. Our new powers over national speed limits offer us opportunities to explore how they may be useful to help us meet our well-being goals in making Wales a more...
Ken Skates: Thank you, Deputy Presiding Officer. Diolch, Dirprwy Lywydd. I'm also looking forward to greeting the cyclists to the Senedd when they visit shortly. I'm looking forward to meeting with a delegation of them. I do hope that they arrive safely and do as Geraint Thomas and many others urge, which is to wear a helmet. Talking about safety, though, the reality is that, as David Melding said, it's...
Ken Skates: Yes, absolutely. The Member I couldn't agree more with. There are specific issues that are particularly relevant to and particularly problematic for women and girls. I think I'd also include the elderly in that same bracket and it's something that I'm acutely aware of. But it is difficult sometimes to push back against the huge amounts of money that are spent encouraging us to feel less...
Ken Skates: It's my firm belief that the active travel Act is a great success. It's something that I am particularly proud of and I don’t think we should underestimate the impact that the Act has already had. It's achieved something that was never done before in Wales. And since its commencement four years ago, the Act has led to the systematic development of plans for safe walking and cycling networks...
Ken Skates: I have, and will continue to, set out a broad vision for a successful rail network in north Wales—one that helps us to meet our obligations to the environment, responsibilities for well-being and future generations and delivers the goals of the economic action plan.
Ken Skates: Our economic and industrial strategies are set out in 'Prosperity for All' and the economic action plan. We continue to provide a wide range of support to businesses in Wales through, for example, Business Wales and the development bank. We also provide infrastructure investment and actions that improve business conditions.
Ken Skates: The development of the new Wales transport strategy, now under way, will look at the potential to reopen railway lines across Wales.
