Ken Skates: I thank David Rowlands for his question and also for his very generous and kind comments regarding staff of the development bank and Business Wales. They really do value kind comments such as those that you've made today. They're working in incredibly difficult circumstances, juggling the strains of working from home with the many demands of businesses, and so those generous comments really...
Ken Skates: David, you're muted.
Ken Skates: Well, I would agree entirely with Huw Irranca-Davies that there is an incredible opportunity to do as Andy Burnham has said, to build back better—he coined the phrase. I think it's entirely appropriate in terms of describing some of the ways that Welsh Government has been operating in recent times, including through the economic contract, how we've been promoting responsible business,...
Ken Skates: I'm not sure Huw can hear you, Dirprwy Lywydd. It's on mute.
Ken Skates: Russell George has asked a number of really significant questions there that I'll try my best to answer succinctly. First of all, the eligibility tool will be available before the scheme is open, so any business that is considering applying will be able to check whether they're going to be eligible. All the criteria will be available online. I will endeavour, as soon as possible, to launch...
Ken Skates: Yes, of course, Dirprwy Lywydd. And for those businesses, we're looking at the establishment of, as I said a little earlier, a hardship bursary, which will require the support of local authorities who'll be required to administer such a fund. That requires quite a considerable amount of administration, and that's why we need to make sure that systems that are robust are in place before we...
Ken Skates: I can give my assurance that I'll be publishing the criteria as soon as I possibly can—full criteria—and I'll be making a statement to Members. Can I say that we stand shoulder to shoulder with the tourism sector right now? It has never been through such uncertain times as it's going through right now, and we wish to support the sector in every way we can, alongside the UK Government, who...
Ken Skates: Dirprwy Lywydd, can I thank Helen Mary Jones not only for her questions, but also the ideas that she’s been able to offer me in recent times? I really do value them. They have helped to shape not just the second phase of the economic resilience fund, but other interventions. So, I’m very grateful indeed. We are looking to take advantage of the coming fortnight to be able to take stock of...
Ken Skates: But the conversation needs to begin with the UK Government now about the future, about how economic life will function after the job retention scheme and the self-employment income support scheme have been taken away. In Wales, our priority has not changed. Public health and the control of the pandemic remain our No. 1 priority. That's why, on 14 May, I issued an important reminder to anyone...
Ken Skates: Diolch, Llywydd. Last Friday, the First Minister set out the framework that will lead Wales out of the coronavirus pandemic. The document we published sets out how and when decisions on the easing of the lockdown will be made in our economy, in our communities and in our public services over the coming weeks and months. And as Ministers, we are supporting that work. My task is to ensure...
Ken Skates: Yes, of course, we'll do that. I can assure David Rees we will do that and, obviously, it's a pleasure to help the businesses that he has represented in recent weeks who have faced incredible difficulties. I do hope that we're helping as many businesses as we possibly can in his constituency and across Wales overcome the challenges of coronavirus. But I think, in terms of the support that's...
Ken Skates: Well, Joyce Watson is absolutely right—we've seen incredible innovation across Welsh businesses during the course of the crisis. We've seen distilleries turn their hands to making hand sanitiser, we've seen businesses in the aero sector produce ventilators, we've seen a huge number of businesses producing vital PPE, and I'm in no doubt that those efforts will continue for some weeks to...
Ken Skates: Can I thank Jack Sargeant for his question? I'm pleased to say that those companies that he's identified have benefited from direct Welsh Government support in recent times. It's absolutely vital that the support that is now being offered by UK Government in the form of the job retention scheme is lengthened. I've already mentioned in my answers to other Members how the aero-sector and,...
Ken Skates: I'll certainly make investigations and enquiries into this specific case. I can't comment on specific cases without having all of the detail to hand, but I'll certainly investigate this matter. It's vitally important that we all work together to overcome coronavirus, not just the public health consequences but the economic consequences as well. So, I'll ask officials to look into this...
Ken Skates: I couldn't agree more, Mike, and that's precisely why we've been able to identify £500 million for the economic resilience fund, which is specifically designed to plug those gaps, but I have to say again that our resources are finite and we need to retain fire power for the recovery. The UK Government's pockets are much deeper, obviously, but it's absolutely vital that we intervene in a way...
Ken Skates: They're right at the heart of current consideration and they will continue to be. We have not just sectoral analysis updated on a daily basis, but also regional and spatial analysis that forms part of the intervention service that we've been announcing and will form part of the interventions that come during the recovery period. And another reason why I'm keen to learn from other areas of the...
Ken Skates: Well, I'm really pleased that a number of discussions have already taken place within the network. Those discussions have been incredibly productive, in that we've been able to share many ideas. We've been able to offer up from Wales initiatives such as the implementation of an economic contract to drive fair growth. We've been able to share, obviously, details of the well-being of future...
Ken Skates: Thank you, Mohammad. Both myself and the Deputy Minister for Culture, Sport and Tourism engage very regularly with our UK counterparts, and indeed with counterparts from the other devolved administrations on the issue of support for the visitor economy. Wales relies incredibly heavily on the tourism sector, and particularly rural parts of Wales, so it's vital that support is forthcoming from...
Ken Skates: Alun Davies is absolutely right: social enterprises play an enormously important role across Wales, but particularly in areas where people are struggling to overcome the effects of heavy industry's decline. And I'm pleased to be able to tell Members today that, based on the latest figures, the proportion of ERF applications that have come from social enterprises is higher than the proportion...
Ken Skates: I'd like to thank Vikki for this question. The issue of skills is something that we in Welsh Government concern ourselves with very much right now. There is no doubt that skills have always played an important part in growing the economy in a sustainable and fair way and, as we emerge from coronavirus, investment in skills will become even more important in ensuring that people can get back...
