Vaughan Gething: I actually think that we're in a very good position in our relationship with a range of stakeholders. I'm meeting trade union groups next week. I met with Community, a largely steel-based trade union, to talk about the future of the sector yesterday. And I met with the Federation of Small Businesses, the Confederation of British Industry and Chambers Wales this week as well. Actually, it's...
Vaughan Gething: Yes, I take on board the preamble stuff about the reality that nuclear will be a part of our future energy mix. If you look at what the alternative is, Germany, for example, having moved away from nuclear, is now having to restart and reinvest in coal and that has real and significant unavoidable consequences for the whole planet and not just Germany itself. So, we are very clear that we want...
Vaughan Gething: Well, I don't think it's fair to say that the First Minister denied that that factual trend is taking place. It was more about the narrative and the tone of what we are trying to do in recognising that that's taking place. In fact, it was part of the refreshed economic mission that I set out in October last year. It forms the work that was done in advance in recognising that this isn’t just...
Vaughan Gething: Diolch for the question. We are actively working with our regional partners, including Ambition North Wales, to maximise opportunities for the region. The collaboratively produced regional economic framework for north Wales was published last December. This sets out our shared priorities for the region and will form the basis of an agreed delivery plan.
Vaughan Gething: We are engaging with a wide range of partners to understand the impact of a visitor levy. Two pieces of publishable independent economic research are under way. This work is reviewing the impact of price on visitor demand and comparing taxation systems across areas that use a visitor levy.
Vaughan Gething: Our strategy, 'Welcome to Wales: Priorities for the visitor economy 2020-2025', sets our vision and ambition for the sector. The budget for 2022-23, published on 1 March, provides an allocation of £47 million over three years to deliver on those priorities.
Vaughan Gething: I can't give you a figure for your last question, Jenny, about the number of people who have started a course for a retrofit programme, but this is an active not just topic of debate but practical delivery from myself and the climate change Minister. The optimised retrofit programme should mean that we improve the quality of housing stock, make it more sustainable and actually end up giving...
Vaughan Gething: Thank you for the series of questions. I think it might be helpful to say that a number of the questions you asked were really about how effective will the support and guidance aspects of the variety of programmes we've put in place be. On the point about knowing your rights, about understanding what you're entitled to in a workplace on a basic level when it comes to pay, but then you get...
Vaughan Gething: I thank the Member for his series of questions, and the constructive nature of the tone and content of them. On the start-up grant, it's worth mentioning that, today, the application window's gone live on the Big Ideas Wales website. So, if there are young people who are watching these proceedings, there may well not be, but, if there are, then they can go onto the Big Ideas Wales website to...
Vaughan Gething: There is wide-ranging evidence that the disruption that the pandemic has caused has particularly affected young people from disadvantaged backgrounds. The young person's guarantee will help us to prevent inequalities widening further, as a new generation moves towards the labour market. By focusing on people who are under-represented, on those young people who face disadvantage and inequality...
Vaughan Gething: Thank you, Deputy Presiding Officer. We launched our ambitious young person's guarantee in November last year, with the aim of supporting 16 to 24-year-olds to access work, education, training or business start-up support. We made this commitment so that no-one would be left behind, and have committed £1.4 billion a year to support young people across Wales. And the need for the young...
Vaughan Gething: So, when the Foreign Secretary tells us that she defends a Northern Ireland Bill, as a patriot, with the obvious implication that this carries, we can see, yet again, the depths that what is left of the UK Government will sink to. Now, while we differ on a motion that stirs strongly held views, and mine as much as any other, I'd hope that all Members here would recognise just how dangerous it...
Vaughan Gething: Diolch, Llywydd. I'd like to begin by recognising that, despite the contributions made, there are significant areas of agreement between us, Plaid Cymru and the Welsh Liberal Democrats. We believe that a positive partnership with the EU, based on mutual trust and shared values, could and should reduce trade barriers, unlock investments and help to protect jobs. These shared aims are based on...
Vaughan Gething: Formally, Llywydd.
Vaughan Gething: Well, you'll recall, as I do, that the Welsh Government had a jointly authored White Paper with Plaid Cymru on what a least harmful Brexit could look like in economic terms. And we also had our position on wanting to make sure that there was an engagement with and membership of the customs union and the single market, and it would undoubtedly have avoided all the challenges that we are...
Vaughan Gething: On that second point, I know the Member has corresponded with the Deputy Minister for Climate Change, with his responsibilities, but I'll make sure the point is made when it comes to the implementation of permanent facilities that are going to be required, and the Member has, to be fair, been entirely consistent in her interest on this point. I'll also make sure there's a joined-up...
Vaughan Gething: So, on your second point first, yes, we are engaging on how to look at a longer term arrangement for HGV facilities, and that is not as straightforward as I would wish it to be, but I'll happily keep the Member updated on the progress we're making and on the cost. The design cost will be not quite £1 million—that's my expectation. It's around about that figure, and that will be in...
Vaughan Gething: The inter-ministerial machinery we've agreed is what should take place, and it's consistently not taking place on significant issues. We have the Northern Ireland Protocol Bill introduced without there being any engagement with us. We should have early engagement on Bills that affect devolved competence; it simply isn't happening. The most egregious breach is the one announcing in the...
Vaughan Gething: Thank you for the series of questions. I'll start with your point about Wales's voice in shaping the new UK border controls. I think that I have been pretty clear in my engagement, both at committee and in the Chamber, and I have been open with Members around the Chamber in all parties about the very real sense of frustration about the lack of early engagement. To be fair, Welsh Conservative...
Vaughan Gething: Thank you for the questions and the comments, and in particular the broadly constructive nature of both the comments and the questions. If I deal with the points around Pembrokeshire first, and then I'll come to Ynys Môn and the port at Holyhead, and the broader questions that were asked. So, in respect of Holyhead, my officials continue to work with the county council and the port to...
