Vaughan Gething: Thank you. I think there's a couple of points to respond to there from the Member for Ogmore, and I certainly do agree—that's why it's in the statement. We do share values with European countries across the European Union: our democratic values; the fact that we accept election results, whether we like them or not; the fact that we have free and fair elections; the fact that all of us,...
Vaughan Gething: Thank you for the two questions. I think I have outlined before the reality that agriculture has been used as a makeweight in new international trade agreements. And I don't think that's a fringe view; I think it's pretty impossible to look at the deals that have been done and not to come to those conclusions. That's a clear risk for the future of agriculture in every part of the UK, and that...
Vaughan Gething: Thank you. We have constructive conversations between officials and, indeed, with Ministers in the Department for International Trade. You may not have been listening, but I actually recounted, in answer to the first set of questions from Paul Davies, the constructive conversations we had at the ministerial forum for trade, and actually our desire to have further constructive conversations...
Vaughan Gething: Thank you for the comments. I think there are two aspects. The first is Derek Vaughan is well respected across Europe, so it's a good appointment for us after an open and proper civil service appropriate recruitment exercise.
Vaughan Gething: As I was saying, Derek Vaughan was recruited properly and in line with civil service recruitment procedures, and I always say that the Welsh Government could do with a bit more Vaughan to make it more effective. On your broader point, though, about what has happened, I take the view that it doesn't matter how you voted now, the referendum happened and we've left the European Union. What does...
Vaughan Gething: Well, you may have seen that the Financial Times today, again—not noted for being common travellers with the Labour Party—have done their own investigation into what's been happening with replacement European Union funds. There was a very clear pledge in the 2019 Conservative manifesto—I think it was page 44—that the nations of the UK would have at least as much in replacement funds...
Vaughan Gething: On inward investment, we continue to see inward investment as a balanced part of our approach to the future of the economy, together with growing Welsh firms and businesses that don't rely on foreign direct investment. I think, on your comments about regaining freedoms, it isn't that our freedoms were ever taken away from us; we were in a different trading relationship and one that worked...
Vaughan Gething: 'Yes' is the very clear answer. It's a key priority for the Welsh Government in terms of our continuing relationships with the European Union. We've made this point very clearly in our conversations with the UK Government around this. It's a vision shared by other parts of the UK as well. There's an awful lot to be gained from being able to do this not just with continental Europe, but also,...
Vaughan Gething: Thank you for the series of comments and questions and, again, for your good wishes for a recovery, I hope within the new isolation period. Look, on your points around the JMC and how inter-governmental relations are supposed to work, I think this shows the difference that the leadership at the UK level makes. I certainly had more than my fair share of disagreements with the Government led by...
Vaughan Gething: I also recently met with a group of stakeholders last week, discussing some of the changes following the change in trading relationships. I've previously met Stena as well, to discuss some of the impacts on the port of Holyhead in particular. It's estimated that we could see—and this is direct from stakeholders involved in running ports and the logistics industry—. There could be 100,000...
Vaughan Gething: I'm normally used to people hearing me when they shouldn't. [Laughter.] Thank you for your good wishes for what I hope will be a swift recovery through COVID. I actually feel fine, it's just a bit frustrating, but we should all be following the rules. Look, on—. Just to start, you made a statement that trade is, of course, reserved, and it isn't—what is reserved is the ability to...
Vaughan Gething: Thank you, Deputy Presiding Officer. It is now two years since the UK left the European Union, and 13 months since the end of the transition period, when our relationships with the European Union changed radically. Today I want to give an update with my assessment of the current impact on Wales, as our relationship with what remains our closest and most important trading partner moves into a...
Vaughan Gething: Well, there's an honest challenge there, and I know that the Member won't like it, but it comes back to some of the reasons why we've talked so much about former European funds. A lot of the support that we provided has actually come come from the former European funds that we used to receive. Not having those means that we're compromised in our ability to do that; we have to direct resources...
Vaughan Gething: Thank you. We work closely with the social enterprise sector, and finance has been raised as a key barrier for social enterprises to start up. That's why, through WEFO, our Welsh European Funding Office, the New Start programme pilot was approved in 2020. I've also committed a further £235,000 to support the creation of social enterprises, targeting climate change, to help the sector deliver...
Vaughan Gething: Yes. I actually think that, for that group of young people, it's where our traineeship programme should be able to help, and we're looking at how to refine those interventions. The traineeship programme was aimed at helping young people aged 16 to 18 in Wales, and to give those young people the skills they need to progress further, either in further education and apprenticeships or...
Vaughan Gething: Thank you. The young person's guarantee has, of course, commenced, and I'll have more to say on the young person's guarantee, moving forward, and its component parts, in the coming months. We're also reviewing our employability strategy as well. We would, of course, be better able to meet the predicted employability needs of young people if we were in a position to have guarantees around...
Vaughan Gething: Actually, I think your characterisation that tourism and leisure have been disastrous in the last two years doesn't quite accord with the reality of what's happened. Some businesses really have suffered, but a range of others in the tourism sector have actually done extraordinarily well, and that's because many people have taken their holidays and more time visiting other parts of the UK. And...
Vaughan Gething: Thank you. As the Member knows, we are providing significant resources to help recover. We are providing almost £140 million, when you take into account of the £120 million economic resilience fund, the £15.4 million cultural recovery fund, and the initial £3 million put into the spectator sports fund. That's the emergency business support that we've provided. Since April 2020, the Member...
Vaughan Gething: [Inaudible.]—investment project that has been landed by the Welsh Government, working alongside other partners. And again, going back to the previous tenure of Ken Skates, where I think a significant amount was done to gain high-value inward investment with a company that's now committed to a Welsh footprint. I've visited the CAF site as well in your constituency. As you know, I'm impressed...
Vaughan Gething: Well, as ever, a certain view on the past that isn't fully reflective of what happened is something that I've come to expect. I just don't accept the entirely rose-tinted view on where the WDA was compared to where things are now. And actually, last year, Wales saw an increase in inward investment, the only UK country to do so. And you'll have seen—or if you haven't, you may want to look at...
