Adam Price: Will the Cabinet Secretary give way?
Adam Price: I was very pleased to hear this announcement about the PPIW report. When does he expect that report to be concluded, and will it be published, and can we have a statement for the Assembly?
Adam Price: Well, I was starting to be concerned that motions in this place didn’t have any effect at all, but I’m very pleased to hear at least that we are going to have an inquiry into this idea of alternative models and creating new institutions, including the possibility of a form of public bank or people’s bank—whatever you want to call it, the same principle applies. I’m sure that Members...
Adam Price: Of course.
Adam Price: Yes, certainly, and a number of those organisations are members of the new group that is considering a public bank for Wales. I’m also aware of the work of Robert Owen Community Banking and so on. So, yes, what we want, of course, is more variety in the financial sector and to build on what already exists, including credit unions, where they have a very important role, and we want to see...
Adam Price: What plans does the Cabinet Secretary have to commission a study of unregistered land as part of the Welsh Government's assessment of the scope for land value taxation?
Adam Price: A group of London-based investors, Accelerate Me, are looking to create a new fund with £4 million of their own money, hopefully backed by £6 million of Welsh Government money, to back Welsh start-ups and create a home-grown version of the highly successful Start-up Chile accelerator programme. Does the leader of the house agree that this kind of approach, supporting indigenous businesses...
Adam Price: I welcome the Cabinet Secretary’s statement, for the reasons he himself has referred to, namely, of course, the severe reduction in the amounts of capital funding available for investment because of the decline in the funds that we receive from London, and also, of course, the opportunity that capital expenditure on infrastructure represents for building the Wales we want, but also in...
Adam Price: Thank you, Llywydd.
Adam Price: Will the Cabinet Secretary give a statement on reports that Ford plans to cut over 1,000 jobs from its engine plant in Bridgend? EAQ(5)0140(EI)
Adam Price: I’m sure the Cabinet Secretary would agree that the loss of these jobs—over two thirds of the jobs—at our third largest manufacturing plant, would be terrible news for the workers, the families, the communities affected, but also for the whole of Wales, on this, our national day. He referred to the assurances that he has had previously, and had reiterated, until 2021. Can he say when...
Adam Price: I’d like to return, if I may, to the issue of inward investment and the role that it should play in our wider economic strategy. Assembly Members will be interested to know that in the last few minutes the First Minister has told the BBC that a trip to Detroit would be pointless, and given the gravity of the situation many observers would be forced to conclude that he’s a pretty pointless...
Adam Price: As a nation, of course, we will always have limited resources—indeed, scarcity, of course, is one of the fundamental principles within economics—so we need to be absolutely clear that we’re investing those scarce resources in the right areas, where they’re going to have the greatest impact. Can I invite the Cabinet Secretary, as he devises and refines his economic strategy, to look at...
Adam Price: The other variable identified as part of this study of global economic competitiveness is the level of business innovation—research and development. Over a year ago, his predecessor commissioned a second-stage report on creating a dedicated national innovation body for Wales, to drive up our level of R&D, both in the private sector and in higher education. Can he report on some progress on...
Adam Price: The agreement announced yesterday between the Welsh Government and Heathrow Airport is welcome. But, in stark contrast to that published in relation to Scotland, there are no concrete targets in the agreement, nothing on the amount of construction-related spend, nothing about the overall jobs target, nothing about landing charges or a development fund for flights. Is that because,...
Adam Price: One of the frustrations is that qualified students from Wales who want to be trained in Wales in our medical schools don’t have the opportunity to undertake that training. When we look at the percentages in England, 80 per cent of the students in medical schools are from England, 50 per cent in Scotland, for example, but only 20 per cent in Wales. Could we guarantee that all Welsh domiciled...
Adam Price: First of all, I would like to thank the Cabinet Secretary for his statement and also thank the Chair of the Finance Committee for sharing his committee’s comments on the second supplementary budget for this current financial year. Generally speaking, I would endorse the main recommendations made by the committee, outlined by my colleague Simon Thomas, and specifically emphasise the need to...
Adam Price: A point of order, Llywydd—
Adam Price: The Government has committed, from this April onwards, I believe, to ensuring that 100 per cent of energy in the public sector comes from renewable sources. Would it be possible to take a step further and have a target for the whole of Wales, and ensure that 100 per cent of all of our energy needs are provided from renewable sources within 20 years?
Adam Price: It’s a pleasure to follow the Member for Llanelli and I congratulate him and his colleagues for securing this important opportunity to create some space for new thinking, for the reasons that he has eloquently outlined—we certainly need them, don’t we? I think Karel Williams has said that there’s a word in Welsh for actually repeating the same mistake over and over again, it’s...
