Ken Skates: Can you hear me now, Llywydd?
Ken Skates: Thank you. Apologies. I very much welcome the statement made by Jenny Rathbone, particularly her comments concerning biodiversity and air quality. On pages 79 and 80 of the report, some very strong statements are made concerning the benefits of implementing the recommendations in terms of air quality and biodiversity, in particular on page 80, and I'll quote: 'Our recommendations would assist...
Ken Skates: [Inaudible.]
Ken Skates: Llywydd, can I thank David Rowlands for his comments and his questions? I very much welcome what David has said about the report and the various recommendations contained within it and the need for the UK Government to play an active role and, indeed, the need for various groups, including the Magor action group, to be participants in designing transport solutions within the community. I said...
Ken Skates: Well, can I thank Jayne Bryant for her questions and for her comments regarding the report and the historic problems concerning her constituency and the challenges that her constituents face on a daily basis? Jayne Bryant has been a powerful advocate for greater investment in and around the Newport community, and I very much welcome her contribution today. I have to say that, in a very short...
Ken Skates: Can I thank Delyth Jewell for her questions? I'm very pleased indeed that the report by Lord Burns has been welcomed by the spokesperson and by Plaid Cymru. Obviously, when we look back at the debates that took place on numerous occasions in the Chamber concerning the proposals for a relief road, some parties supported the blue route, other parties supported a black route. I do hope now,...
Ken Skates: Can I really warmly thank Russell George not only for his contribution today, but also for his constructive participation in the process led by Lord Burns? And indeed, I'd like to thank every Member of the Senedd for being so constructive, willing and enthusiastic about speaking with Lord Burns and the commission, and I do hope that Members have felt well informed as a result of Lord Burns's...
Ken Skates: Diolch, Llywydd. The final report of the South East Wales Transport Commission was published on 26 November, completing their detailed and independent review into sustainable ways to tackle congestion on the M4 around Newport. I'd like to put on record my thanks to Lord Burns and his team of commissioners for preparing an excellent and evidenced piece of work. For those living locally...
Ken Skates: Can I thank Mick Antoniw for the points that he has raised and the questions that he's asked? He's absolutely right that we need to avoid any race to the bottom. In so doing, we have to ensure that those standards that I talked of earlier are of the highest quality, and ensure that we can compete with those new disruptive entrants into the market on the basis of standards and safety. It has...
Ken Skates: Can I thank Jenny Rathbone for the questions she's raised, and also for her wider contribution in terms of flagging up the disproportionate impact that coronavirus has had on some of the most vulnerable people in society, including, in terms of the taxi and private hire vehicle industry, members of the BAME community? We recognise that the industry has been severely impacted by the pandemic,...
Ken Skates: Can I also thank David Rowlands for his observations and recommendations in his constructive contribution today? Under the current legislation, as I've already outlined, we have 22 local authorities operating different licensing policies across Wales, and that includes, as I've outlined, in terms of the maximum age of the licensed vehicle, the licence duration, the licence insurance checks,...
Ken Skates: Can I thank Alun Davies for his contribution? Again, incredibly constructive—there is nothing I could disagree with with what Alun Davies has outlined. He made three really strong points. One, there is the need for short-term support to get the sector through the pandemic. Secondly, there's the need for transition support to make sure that we futureproof the industry, to make it...
Ken Skates: I'd agree entirely with Helen Mary Jones that many people rely incredibly heavily on taxis and private hire vehicles, particularly people who either don't have access to other forms of public transport in, for example, rural areas, and also, crucially, people who face disabling barriers in society. And yet also, alongside this, we know that, in some local authority areas, there are as few as...
Ken Skates: Can I thank Helen Mary Jones for her contribution, which, as always, was extremely constructive? I'm very pleased to answer the questions that she raised. I'll begin with that final question about the support that may be available for green taxis in the future. Of course, this is a pilot, first and foremost, that will enable taxi drivers, operators, to test green vehicles before they buy...
Ken Skates: Can I thank Russell George for his comments, his questions and say that I think his contribution points to the fact that there is general agreement across the Chamber that reform is required, that modernisation is required and that legislation is required? The framework currently is more than 150 years old; it was updated 44 years ago. It's high time that new legislation was introduced that...
Ken Skates: Last week, I met with trade unions who updated me on the current challenges faced by the taxi and private hire vehicle industry due to the pandemic. We've endeavoured to provide assistance throughout this period where possible. In addition to the UK Government's financial support schemes, I've made available funding through phase 3 of our £200 million economic resilience fund, which includes...
Ken Skates: Dirprwy Llywydd, I would first of all like to recognise the vitally important role that the taxi and private hire vehicle industry is playing during the COVID pandemic. Many have continued to work throughout and have provided transportation for key workers, as well as obviously providing services that have enabled the delivery of vital goods, food and medical supplies. We acknowledge that...
Ken Skates: Can I thank John Griffiths for his questions and also recognise the incredible interest that he has shown in steel-making facilities in the Newport area and the wider region over many, many years? He is a great supporter of the sector. Llanwern employs currently around 960 highly skilled individuals, providing steel for the automotive sector and, therefore, relying clearly on Port Talbot....
Ken Skates: Well, on that final point—and can I thank Mark Reckless for his questions—on that final point, the merger would not have addressed the challenge that UK steel operations currently face. They would have remained, and those challenges can only be answered through collaboration with UK Government. In terms of the tension that exists, I would acknowledge fully that that tension is there, it...
Ken Skates: Can I thank Jack Sargeant for his questions, and can I just recognise, put on record, my thanks to Jack Sargeant for the enormous amount of work that he's done in supporting the Shotton Tata facility in developing the plans for a logistics hub? And my officials have been working with Tata Shotton in developing that master plan, but I know how much work Jack has contributed to this particular...
