Vaughan Gething: I want to be clear, as the First Minister was yesterday, that the Welsh Government condemns the use of fire and rehire as a negotiating tactic and employment practice. The threat of redundancy to impose inferior pay, terms and conditions on workers does not accord our fair work and social partnership values, and is inconsistent with the ethos of the economic contract.
Vaughan Gething: There is a range of factors, as I indicated to Paul Davies, where the Welsh Government certainly has a role in creating those conditions, and others where we need to work alongside the UK Government. The continuing trading relationships with the European Union are a key factor for us. If we were talking about ports, we'd have a particular challenge about ports in Pembrokeshire and in...
Vaughan Gething: The Member highlights one of the conundra: that when people are asked about their business, they're confident, but when they're asked more generally, they have less confidence. It's exactly the same in a number of other areas: where people have personal experience, they feel they have more control, and less confidence when they think about a broader perspective. So, some of this is, actually,...
Vaughan Gething: Thank you for the kind words of introduction. I look forward to working with him across the Chamber, in the Chamber and outside it as well. In terms of your point about legislation, I think the challenge is whether legislation will make a difference. That's the real test, surely; not just that we have the powers, but that the powers to legislate can be used in a meaningful way. If you look at...
Vaughan Gething: That's exactly what we will do. I look forward to providing a statement to Members and the public on how we are taking forward the youth guarantee. I note what the Member had to say about the withdrawal of support for industry. As the furlough scheme starts to phase out, businesses will make choices in advance of that and there is a risk that, as the UK Government support is phased down, some...
Vaughan Gething: There are two particular parts to that question. The first is the publication of business support already provided. We've already published some of that information on previous support we provided earlier in the pandemic. I won't give an indication now, because I need to check, but I'm happy to make sure that all Members are aware when we will, not if we will, publish that. So, there is...
Vaughan Gething: It's a matter of fact, not opinion, that we have provided £2.3 billion of support for business and the economy here in Wales, following a consequential of £1.9 billion from the UK Government. The additional £400 million is a choice that we have made to further support businesses here in Wales. The Member will know that, for example, small business rate relief is carrying on for a full year...
Vaughan Gething: Thank you for the question. I can reiterate that this Government places a high value on the future of the steel industry as it moves to transition to become a decarbonised steel industry. One of my first external ministerial engagements was the UK Steel Council, engaging with the UK Government and other Governments within the United Kingdom, together with the industry, represented by UK...
Vaughan Gething: Well, I'm still open to ideas about how we successfully see the economy of Wales and all its parts rebound. I had the pleasure to be in the Llŷn peninsula visiting a range of seaside towns with my family during half term, and I can see that there are lots of people returning to those areas and, broadly, being very respectful of the need to behave sensibly. We do need to understand what's...
Vaughan Gething: Yes, thank you. A new programme for government will be laid before the Senedd within the coming weeks. This will outline how we plan to take forward our economic resilience and reconstruction mission for Wales and reiterate our commitment to develop a new young person’s guarantee, giving everyone under the age of 25 the offer of work, education or training.
Vaughan Gething: Whilst some of the applications from tourism businesses under the current round of the Welsh Government’s economic resilience fund are still being processed, the amount paid out so far in total from ERF to the tourism industry in Mid and West Wales totals £20.5 million.
Vaughan Gething: Through our published economic resilience and reconstruction mission for Wales, we will continue our collaborative approach of working to mitigate the economic impact, whilst supporting business and workers across Wales. We will ensure that we use creative opportunities to bring new economic opportunity and employment back to the centre of our towns.
Vaughan Gething: We have published our economic resilience and reconstruction mission underpinned by the pursuit of three outcomes: a prosperous economy, a fair economy, and a green economy. Our programme for government will further outline where we will create new jobs for Wales, in particular, through a low-carbon house building revolution, building 20,000 new low-carbon social homes for rent.
Vaughan Gething: SA1 continues to progress well with all development land either sold or under offer. Work has commenced on forming the estate management company that will take responsibly for the future management of the estate. We continue to work with the highway authority to complete the adoption of the estate roads.
Vaughan Gething: The Welsh Government is committed to continually improving both adult and paediatric palliative and end-of-life care. We will continue to work with hospices to ensure that they are able to access the support and funding that they need. We currently invest £8.4 million annually to support specialist palliative care services. Much of this, of course, goes to support adult and children's...
Vaughan Gething: Thank you, Llywydd. I want to thank Mark Isherwood for bringing this important debate to the Chamber and to Dawn Bowden and Rhun ap Iorwerth for their contributions that I have listened to. And I recognise the stories that each of them have told about the direct impact that children's hospices have, not just on the children, but on their wider families and carers as well. I recognise, and I...
Vaughan Gething: Well, the Member will be able to see the additional post that we funded, and that we've secured people to come and undertake training in through the diagnostic workforce across Wales. We are in a strong position with our vacancies and recruiting people into those to train another generation. You'll also recall the investment that I've made in the diagnostic workforce and in the training of...
Vaughan Gething: We're working together with the health board, and Hywel Dda University Health Board is planning for the continued provision of essential and key services, alongside caring for patients affected by COVID-19, as well, of course, as working towards the delivery of wider, more routine services, where and when it is safe to do so.
Vaughan Gething: You'll be pleased to know that I've discussed all these issues with the constituency Member Dawn Bowden and the concerns about how the community is supported to make the right choice, but then actually how you try to persuade people to be honest if they have acquired COVID and they recognise themselves they've been acting outside the rules. That's part of the key role that our test, trace,...
Vaughan Gething: Yes. There has been a gradual decrease across South Wales East in both infection and test-positivity rates. Continued support for the restrictions in place is essential if we are to maintain this broad downward trend.
