Vaughan Gething: Yes. On your first point, about making sure that we do have a proper view of the quality of jobs and the wages that are being paid and what it means for people going into the world of work, that's part of the point I was trying to make in response to Luke Fletcher as well, about the fact that we do take an interest in the quality of what we provide. This can't simply be about funnelling...
Vaughan Gething: It is one of our big challenges. I remember well talking to Ministers who've moved on to different parts of Government about the challenge it is in how we resource Careers Wales, and the really big budget challenges we've had. That's part of the reason why when it comes to the next budget round, we need to see a range of these services in their whole Government impact. And when I went to...
Vaughan Gething: I thank the Member for his comments and questions. On your first broad point about the quality of opportunities that are provided, we've been through some of this before, both in the creation of Jobs Growth Wales, about the rates of pay that are available, and about the quality of the work provided, but also in what we already do to monitor the outcomes in apprenticeships. We've actually had...
Vaughan Gething: Thank you for the series of questions. I'm sure the Member will understand that, given the number of questions he's asked, I won't be able to deal with them all in one sitting, otherwise no other speaker will have an opportunity to contribute, and I will try the patience of the Chair. On your broader points about—[Interruption.] On your broader points about stakeholders and stakeholders'...
Vaughan Gething: Thank you, Deputy Presiding Officer. People and businesses across Wales have faced one of the most difficult years in peacetime. As the economy Minister for Wales, my priority is to ensure that in the recovery we provide the right support to both individuals and businesses to help all of us to build a fairer, greener and more prosperous Wales. Within that, we need to give young people hope...
Vaughan Gething: Thank you, Llywydd. I'll try to run through some of the comments in the debate before concluding. I think it's fair to say that the debate's highlighted very clearly how people feel both about the current UK Government and the reality of what is happening, not just from the comments made by the Plaid Cymru economy spokesperson about the challenges over the prioritisation criteria and the lack...
Vaughan Gething: The impact of this deliberate, brutish attack on Welsh devolution is not even softened by an offer of new additional money for Wales. Last month, the UK Minister for Regional Growth and Local Government in England, Luke Hall, stated that the shared prosperity fund alone will replace EU structural funds at previous levels for Wales. However, the community renewal fund is only worth £220...
Vaughan Gething: Thank you, Llywydd. And I welcome this opportunity to bring forward today's debate on the UK Government's levelling-up fund and the future shared prosperity fund. These UK proposals represent a new era of aggressive centralisation, one that delivers a very clear message to Wales: 'You'll get what you're given.' It's an approach that provokes division based on an economic rationale that is...
Vaughan Gething: Yes, I'm happy to say that we're very positive about a range of areas in the Valleys taskforce work. I've recently spoken with the leader of RCT about continuing our work on the empty homes scheme, where bringing those homes back into beneficial use has proven to be more effective and cheaper than building new properties. So, we're looking to see what's worked already in the legacy report...
Vaughan Gething: Thank you for the question. We are currently considering how best to further develop economic, social and environmental action within this area, particularly in the Heads of the Valleys area. Over £19 million has already been approved for projects benefiting our south Wales Valleys towns through the Transforming Towns programme, which includes an allocation of over £1.5 million for each...
Vaughan Gething: The Member is quite right to highlight the key challenges of the customs reality that faces a range of goods going in and out of Great Britain and the island of Ireland. I've mentioned several times before the impact that is having on our ports, but it's going to have a significant and continuing impact on producers themselves. And this is an area where Wales has done particularly well. We...
Vaughan Gething: Thank you for the question. We have a comprehensive programme to support businesses through Brexit and COVID disruption. That includes technical advice, financial support and promotional work. This support and leadership will help to sustain the sector through challenging times to stay on the long-term path of success and growth that it has achieved in recent years.
Vaughan Gething: We have a constructive relationship with not just the council, but with a range of stakeholders in Pembrokeshire, and, in fact, the development you speak of is something I know that Joyce Watson the regional Member for Mid and West Wales has mentioned to me in the past as well. So, I'm very keen to look at what we can do to work alongside businesses in Pembrokeshire and beyond to see that...
Vaughan Gething: Yes. Our economic resilience and reconstruction mission sets out our plan for the economy and will be vital to support individuals, businesses and communities to succeed, flourish and recover. We continue to support new and existing businesses in Pembrokeshire through Business Wales and our regional team. We have provided extensive support through the pandemic and the post-Brexit reality that...
Vaughan Gething: Thank you for the question. I'm familiar with the Caswell Bay project that the Member references, because the Welsh Government provided £68,000 of the £85,000 project cost to enable the change he refers to. And there's more, of course, within Caswell Bay in particular, but we are looking at how we make it easier for people to understand how they can have genuinely accessible engagement in...
Vaughan Gething: Yes, I'd be very happy to do so—[Laughter.]—and welcome the Member to the Chamber. Our strategy, 'Welcome to Wales: Priorities for the Visitor Economy 2020-2025', published in January, emphasises accessibility and inclusivity in all our activities. We will continue to engage and work closely with Disability Wales to support the delivery of our work, and I look forward to the Member's...
Vaughan Gething: I'll be happy to consider all ideas, as well as the approach we're already taking. And the Member will know, from his time when he was still the leader of Monmouthshire, the over £0.5 million in Transforming Towns placemaking grant that's been made to Monmouthshire County Council for this year. So, there are practical steps that are being taken to help support businesses in the here and...
Vaughan Gething: I welcome Peter Fox to his new role, and, again, I have seen him in his former role; now he is a bright young man here in the Senedd. Since April 2020, Monmouthshire businesses have received over £50 million in grant support, safeguarding over 1,300 jobs. This is in addition to the year-long non-domestic business rates holiday for retail, leisure and hospitality, and the Member will of...
Vaughan Gething: I think there is—. It's often the case that there are positive signals given, as in this case—and I welcome the Member to the Chamber and to questions; I look forward to working with him in this role, as indeed moving on from his time as the leader of Conwy County Borough Council. Look, I welcome the fact that if the single enforcement body is going to be effective, that will be a good...
Vaughan Gething: Yes, and I recognise the point the Member makes. I remember as a backbencher raising issues about the construction workers' blacklist and the direct impact that had on the lives of workers in Wales and beyond. So, we are going to look to use the levers, both practical that we have and influential, to try to move employers in Wales to a position where they understand the view of the Welsh...
