Carl Sargeant: Indeed, I think giving people opportunity and ambition is something that the Government is keen to support, and that’s why our 100,000 apprenticeship programme will be rolled out from the skills department of this Government. The issues around supporting people back into work are something that I concentrate on in my department, too. There are things that we often disagree on, but I think...
Carl Sargeant: Interestingly, I had discussions this morning about that very issue. But, the primary concern about this was about the financial settlement that we have to receive from the UK Government. Of course, to date, we haven’t had much luck with the agreement of a financial settlement that is the right and appropriate amount for Wales, whereas Scotland have had a different agreement. I’m sure,...
Carl Sargeant: I thank the Member for Torfaen. The most recent research undertaken by the Institute for Fiscal Studies on the impact of welfare reform and changes to personal taxes estimates the overall annual loss in Wales to be around £600 million.
Carl Sargeant: I thank the Member for her question and, of course, I pay tribute to the many support services for people suffering from domestic violence, and other causes are supported through Wales and across the UK. I’m very concerned that supported accommodation, including women’s refuges, is not exempt from the local housing allowance cap. We have made representations to the Department for Work and...
Carl Sargeant: I’m grateful for the Member’s question. We have seen a small, 2 per cent reduction in child poverty here in Wales. I believe that is partly due to the economics of Wales, with more jobs and young people living less in workless households. It’s something that the Cabinet Secretary for the economy leads on in terms of poverty strategy, but we work very closely together to ensure that we...
Carl Sargeant: Well, the asks that the JRF report responds to are very closely aligned to the policy development of this Welsh Government. I agree supporting parents is a priority, and I’ve taken a decision to refocus the Families First programme to ensure it develops services that address identified gaps in service provision for parents. That will link in very strongly to the work that we are doing...
Carl Sargeant: I thank Jenny for her question. The Welsh Government’s strategy for tackling child poverty remains focused on building a strong economy, increasing skills, reducing worklessness, reducing inequalities in education and health outcomes, and addressing the poverty premium. These priorities are closely aligned with the elements of the Joseph Rowntree Foundation’s anti-poverty strategy.
Carl Sargeant: I haven’t had any specific meetings with any Minister regarding this, but the First Minister and the team have. The lead Ministers for European discussions is the First Minister and the finance Minister, and there have been many discussions over the summer months.
Carl Sargeant: This is really a very difficult piece of work, and if we were to believe the Brexiteers, then we shouldn’t be worried too much about the amount of funding that we should get back into Wales, but I’ve got some doubts about that in terms of the amount of money that we may receive. This work is continuing to be led by the First Minister and the Cabinet sub-committee in terms of how and what...
Carl Sargeant: I don’t have those numbers, but I’m very grateful for the Member reiterating our very positively received manifesto commitment. We will be delivering that in this term of Government and, as I indicated earlier on, we are seeking to start the pilot programmes in the autumn of next year It is a very complex programme, but we will be delivering for the people of Wales, as they voted for.
Carl Sargeant: Communities across Wales have benefited greatly from European funding. Through discussions led by the First Minister and the Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Local Government, the Welsh Government has ensured the current allocation of regeneration funding is available up until 2020.
Carl Sargeant: I’m grateful for the Member’s ability to jump to question 15 in this supplementary question that he’s asked today. But, the 10-year draft plan sets out the ambitious plans to develop early years childcare. Work is currently under way to assess the impact of a number of policy developments before finalising the workforce plan. I think, actually, one of the issues now is about the...
Carl Sargeant: Welsh Government provides funding for local authorities to deliver early education for all three and four-year-olds in Wales. How this provision is delivered is a matter for the local authority, which can choose to deliver it in schools or private and voluntary sector nurseries.
Carl Sargeant: Indeed, we have given further consideration to the issue of delivering childcare, and the Member will be aware that our manifesto commitment to provide quality childcare will be brought forward and we will start that programme by the end of next year across Wales. This is about delivering services for young people across the whole of Wales.
Carl Sargeant: The Member is right to raise this issue and it does concern me also. I’ve asked my team to look at the implications of that report and how much more we can do, not with just this department, but also through educational support within the school setting and in third sector organisations in relation to how we engage with young people and listen to their views. Often, the older generation do...
Carl Sargeant: I’m grateful for the Member’s comments and questions. Of course, the Member will be aware of the First Minister’s announcement of a Cabinet sub-committee to look at the implications of Brexit and what that means to Welsh Government, and the discussions through the UK, which has already had its first meeting. I haven’t had a direct meeting regarding the research finances with my...
Carl Sargeant: The numbers that the Member raised there are troubling to me, too, but they are very fortunate in that they have got a fantastic Assembly Member in Dai Rees in the Aberavon area. He raises these issues with me on a regular basis, and I’m committed to ensuring that we tackle the issues that the Member raised and which are raised in the report. Indeed, I will be coming to the Chamber to issue...
Carl Sargeant: I thank the Member for her question. Our commitment to children and young people is enshrined in legislation and Brexit doesn’t change this directly. Investing in children and young people is intrinsically a good thing to do. It makes sense for the good of society and for the long-term benefit of the economy.
Carl Sargeant: I think the Member’s right and what we have to do and what we have done in many areas around the Families First programme is look at the wraparound provision of the family—not just children, but parents and guardians—and about what are its actual needs. I’ve recently been criticised about some action I’d taken on Families First regarding some of the more direct work about how we...
Carl Sargeant: I think we’ve had great success with Jobs Growth Wales and our manifesto commitment to improve and increase to 100,000 apprenticeships across Wales of any age is something that I’m sure the Member would support. There are many things, as the Member recognises, that have an effect on community resilience and family resilience: education, jobs and skills and well-being all being part of...
