Ken Skates: How will the £42 million of additional funding announced recently by the Welsh Government help social care settings in Clwyd South?
Ken Skates: Diolch, Dirprwy Lywydd. I move the Commission's budget for the 2022-23 financial year, and ask that it is incorporated into the annual budget motion. As you'll have seen in the budget document, the Commission is seeking a total budget of £62.942 million, comprising £41.175 million for Commission services, £17.552 million for the remuneration board's determination, £165,000 for the office...
Ken Skates: Can I thank Members for their contribution this afternoon? Firstly, I'd like to respond to the Chair of the Finance Committee. Peredur, I am very, very grateful, not just for your supportive comments this afternoon, but also the way that you chaired your committee and scrutinised both myself and Commission staff during the course of setting the budget. Of course, there were nine...
Ken Skates: Diolch, Dirprwy Lywydd. I was reaching my final point, and that is in relation to the service that Members receive from the Commission and its staff. We strive for excellence, and I'm pleased to be able to indicate to Mike Hedges that there is a service agreement in terms of the speed with which claims are processed. But I must say to Members and to citizens across our country that the work...
Ken Skates: 1. What is the Welsh Government doing to support major events in north Wales? OQ57277
Ken Skates: Thank you, Minister. Indeed, the Curtis Cup was a huge success, likewise Focus Wales, and of course we have some wonderful annual events that the Welsh Government supports in north Wales. And indeed, major events such as the Tour de France and the UEFA World Cup have the potential to hugely transform for the better communities in which they are located. Minister, what's your assessment of how...
Ken Skates: 5. What is the Welsh Government doing to help drive recruitment into the social care sector in north Wales? OQ57276
Ken Skates: Thank you, Minister, that's excellent to hear, and I'm sure you'd agree that throughout the pandemic, care homes in my constituency of Clwyd South have dealt incredibly well with the huge challenges that coronavirus has brought, often to the detriment of both the physical and the mental health of staff. On behalf of those care settings in my constituency, can I ask how the £42 million of...
Ken Skates: Diolch, Dirprwy Lywydd. Minister, thank you for your statement today. First of all, would you agree that the 22 local authorities across Wales have been absolutely incredible in supporting vulnerable people, communities and businesses during the whole pandemic, and that it demonstrates the value of public services at a very local level? Of course, reform of council tax is overdue, but there...
Ken Skates: 2. Will the First Minister provide an update on the functioning of the relationship between the Welsh Government and UK Government? OQ57472
Ken Skates: Diolch, First Minister. Like you, I welcome the agreements on the final outcome of the inter-governmental review, again, at long last, as you said. But of course, as you pointed to, governments can only operate effectively if they are stable and focused purely on serving the public good. It's been disturbing to read about the parties, the lockdown law breaking, and the Prime Minister's...
Ken Skates: 2. How does the economic resilience fund support Welsh businesses impacted by the pandemic? OQ57453
Ken Skates: Minister, can I thank you, first of all, for continuing to support countless businesses and a huge number of workers not just in my constituency but across Wales during the pandemic, whilst also providing essential leadership on the economic mission that the Government is embarked on? Now, there are two particular sectors that have been hard hit during the course of the pandemic and which...
Ken Skates: First Minister, I welcome the Welsh Government's recent announcement of a free tree for every household. Constituents have asked me to enquire whether it will be possible for households to join together and to plant their trees in communal spaces, to create mini forests and, in some cases, to help soak up surface water in communal areas that could possibly otherwise lead to the flooding of homes.
Ken Skates: Dirprwy Lywydd, it's absolutely essential that the system is reformed as soon as it possibly can be. I think passengers the length and breadth of Wales have waited far too long for reforms to a broken system to take place, and it is unfortunate that we were unable to pursue those reforms in the previous Senedd term. I very much welcome the motion as amended, if it will be amended by...
Ken Skates: First Minister, can I thank you for your answers to these important questions about rail infrastructure in north Wales? The most straightforward way to address historic underfunding would, of course, be to devolve responsibilities and appropriate funding to the Welsh Government, and we do still await UK Government funds to level up our railways in north Wales. But, First Minister, can you...
Ken Skates: Trefnydd, I'm sure you're aware that winning the UK City of Culture status would give Wrexham a huge boost in confidence and lead to enormous economic, social and cultural opportunities. I know that, as the local Member, you have been giving unwavering support, which is incredibly well valued. Could I ask for a formal message of best wishes from the Welsh Government as the bid reaches a...
Ken Skates: What assessment has the Welsh Government made of the UK Government's Levelling Up White Paper?
Ken Skates: 4. How is the Welsh Government helping young people into employment? OQ57632
Ken Skates: Well, thank you, Minister. It is hugely ambitious, not least the target of 125,000 apprenticeships to be created by the Welsh Labour Government during this Senedd term, but, of course, this programme relies on securing money that used to come from the European Union, and so could you provide an assessment of the impact that the lost EU funds could have on skills training here in Wales, and...
