Russell George: Minister, the majority of additional funding to deal with homelessness seems to be targeted at Swansea, Cardiff, Newport and Wrexham. So, can I ask what additional money is going to be provided to support homelessness in rural local authorities in particular, for example Powys?
Russell George: EU structural funds are, of course, only available to certain parts of Wales, and given what you've just said in your previous answer in terms of being aware that money's being spent and being decided here in Wales, I wonder, First Minister, if you would agree with me that the shared prosperity fund provides a new opportunity to invest in parts of Wales outside of the Valleys and the west of...
Russell George: Yes, Mark.
Russell George: I take Mark Isherwood's point. This is a very complex area. What we were concerned about as a committee is that, although we saw the ambition of Banc Cambria, we were concerned about the consequences on credit unions and other organisations, in terms of having a negative impact, and perhaps the unintended consequences on other services. But it is a very hugely complex area, and the Welsh...
Russell George: Yes, David.
Russell George: Well, as a committee we certainly felt that the banks do have a social responsibility, and they should be playing that role. I'll come on perhaps to address that a little bit more as well. But there are some specific challenges in terms of the kind of resources that will be needed by Banc Cambria, and that was raised by a number of contributors—Bethan and Hefin I think made that point. So,...
Russell George: Thank you, Presiding Officer. I think our report last week on regional skills partnerships had a very different response, and we were quite, perhaps, critical of the Government's response to our work, but, on this piece of work, I very much welcome that the Minister obviously takes the issue very seriously, and I'm delighted that most of our recommendations have been accepted, and the...
Russell George: Yes, I do recall that and it's a valid point to make. I think that there are issues with the Post Office not being able to provide the full service for businesses that banks can, even if it's to access cash or change, for example, where notice has to be given in advance, amongst other issues as well. But, no, the point is well made by Hefin David. Our inquiry did also focus on the First...
Russell George: Yes, absolutely.
Russell George: Thank you, Deputy Presiding Officer. I move the motion in my name. This inquiry was partly prompted by the alarming figures from the consumer group Which? about the rate of bank closures, and the difficulties people have in accessing cash. There have been many questions and debates in this Chamber about bank closures, but we wanted to understand the impact on individual businesses and...
Russell George: Thank you for your answer, Minister. Hughes Architects is a business that operates across mid Wales, and they have said that the draft national development framework has little thought for mid Wales. They're talking about it being backward-looking with no real vision, and also that it resembles previous strategies, which they say have failed to deliver. Mr Hughes specifically goes on to talk...
Russell George: 2. Will the Minister make a statement on the Welsh Government’s support for the housing construction industry? OAQ54814
Russell George: First Minister, Powys County Council has had to reduce public transport networks considerably in recent years. With the continued strain on social care and the well-being agenda, I wonder if you recognise the importance of public transport especially in rural Wales. Can I ask what your Government is doing to support local authorities to ensure that all people in rural communities across mid...
Russell George: Thank you, acting Presiding Officer. Our recommendations and report were about re-energising the efforts, really, to tackle the low skill traps and give Wales the skills it needs. That was the purpose of our report, and my colleague Oscar Asghar highlighted the need to break those low skill traps. I think it's fundamental to increasing prosperity and creating high-quality jobs. That's what we...
Russell George: So, we agree on the challenges facing us, but it is completely evident that we do not agree on the way forward. In our recommendations, we focused on not only what needs to change but how that change should be delivered. We wanted practical solutions that offered the big changes needed if we are serious about breaking those low-skills traps. We set ourselves the ambition of being...
Russell George: Thank you, acting Presiding Officer. I move the motion in my name. High-quality skills matter. They help people get high-quality jobs and better pay, and they are absolutely vital if businesses and the Welsh economy are to innovate and thrive. They are one of the keys to increasing prosperity for all, which is why I am deeply disappointed, not only with the fact that the Welsh Government's...
Russell George: Thank you for the answer, Minister. I do appreciate it's a difficult job getting that risk right between risk and getting that balance right between the two, but, of course, the auditor general has said that 'The Welsh Government has not yet implemented an approach to balancing potential risks and benefits'. Of course, one area that we do need to focus on is in relation to our small and...
Russell George: Well, Minister, devolution was intended to significantly improve the economic performance of Wales, and yet when it comes to re-energising the Welsh economy, instead of taking that opportunity to proactively boost the economy, I would suggest that the Government has failed to create the right conditions to attract inward investment. In your response, Minister, you talked about offering grants...
Russell George: Thank you, Deputy Presiding Officer. Minister, according to the latest UK economic outlook from PricewaterhouseCoopers, the Welsh economy will grow by just 1 per cent this year and fall back slightly in 2020 with a small growth rate of just 0.8 per cent. Are you happy with the PwC analysis that the Welsh economy will grow at one of the slowest rates of any part of the UK next year? And in...
Russell George: I should confirm I was at the event last week. But what I will say is that, although I was there, I was very underwhelmed by what was said at that first annual report. It's taken the commission one year to find out that what they need to focus on is energy, digital connectivity, broadband and transport. Well, any of us in this Chamber could have told the commission just that. The only...
