Ken Skates: .... The economic action plan embodies three main strands of our approach to automation—firstly, the investment that's required in developing automation for its many benefits. Secondly, we need to educate and train the people for the jobs of the future, and, thirdly, we need to support workers in what will be, in many parts of the country, a difficult transition. We also need to empower...
Ken Skates: ...and the reality is, contrary to what we're constantly being told, which is that we all lead incredibly busy lives, that many of us can find that extra bit of time to cycle or to walk to work or to school, or to the services that we—[Interruption.] Yes, absolutely.
Ken Skates: ...authorities, we have carried out a comprehensive review of our trunk roads and as a consequence we've introduced our multi-year programme of establishing part-time 20-mph limits near nearly all schools on or close to our trunk roads. These operate at the start and at the end of the school day to create a safe environment for children travelling to and from school, and they also encourage...
Ken Skates: Indeed. Can I thank Suzy Davies for her questions? She makes a very important point about the collaboration that's taken place in Swansea bay between higher education and the steel making of the region, and also some of the spin-off companies and the supply chain companies as well. It's my understanding that that collaboration will be maintained. However, we will be seeking to engage with the...
Ken Skates: ...employed in the automotive industry. Very recently, the likes of BMW and other major employers have been talking about their concerns over Brexit. Now, we've been working with Cardiff Business School, as well as with the Welsh automotive forum, and with sector bodies across the UK, to assess the likely impact of Brexit scenarios on the automotive industry. There are some factors that we...
Ken Skates: ...think that we should believe that we can endure a 'no deal' scenario without the loss of significant jobs in the Welsh economy. I regularly speak, not just with my colleagues in the department for education, but I also speak with leaders in higher and further education and, again, their concerns are very real, and very grave indeed. I think it's fair to say that any deal that is reached...
Ken Skates: ...their communities. This Welsh Government is supportive of the implementation of 20 mph zones and, where appropriate, the reduction of speed limits from 30 mph to 20 mph, for example, outside of schools. Now, I am aware of the area that the Member refers to. I am aware of the variation in speed limits within a very close proximity. I'll take the matter up with the local authority, because...
Ken Skates: ...discussions with a national not-for-profit road safety organisation about the potential for their Two Wheels motor cycling courses to operate in Wales, and we're also looking at working with the education department on the potential to include road safety within the health and well-being area of learning and experience. It's vital that we don't just look at solving this problem today, but...
Ken Skates: ...that deliver against both walking and cycling objectives, but, in terms of the encouragement that the Member highlights as required for people to walk more, the active journeys scheme within schools will encourage young people to walk as well as to cycle. Likewise, the active journeys scheme that will be rolled out to include parents will equally encourage parents to walk and to cycle as...
Ken Skates: ...that a lot of people still have, and which particularly parents still have. The extra £60 million of capital funding will clearly assist in developing safer routes and particularly safer routes to schools for cycling and walking. The apparent reduction in the percentage of children in primary schools who usually walk to school is a deep cause of concern, and so I have extended the active...
Ken Skates: ...delighted that we're able to support the proposals with more than £300,000 of funding, and I'm also pleased to be able to say that we've allocated £119,000 of resource to help improve road safety education across the borough.
Ken Skates: ...—an extension of the training that's already provided—is absolutely essential to reduce those killed or seriously injured figures. And we're also working with colleagues in the department for education on the potential to include road safety content in the health and well-being area of the learning experience. I think, again, the sooner that we can introduce responsible methods,...
Ken Skates: ...to implement 20 mph zones, and 20 mph limits, through the road safety and Safe Routes in Communities grants, and we also, in addition to this, provide support for 20 mph reductions outside of schools on trunk road networks, and I think that's particularly important in urban areas.
Ken Skates: I do. I'd argue that now, more than ever before, businesses, and particularly higher education, are working more closely than they ever have done, and I'd point to an abundance of examples right across Wales where that is the case. Just today, I'm pleased to be able to share with Members the news that the advanced manufacturing research institute is being given planning permission in...
Ken Skates: I think it's fair to say that higher education gives us the strategic weapons for future economic growth in the fight for competitiveness, whereas further education gives us the tactical arsenal. In terms of FE, I think we have a very, very proud story to tell indeed. We have amongst Britain's best further education institutions based here in Wales. In terms of our higher education estate, I...
Ken Skates: ...trade policy, this will risk the imposition of non-tariff barriers and tariffs, which will be no doubt deeply damaging to the Welsh economy. Our trade paper, supported by a Cardiff Business School impact study shows that the Welsh economy is best protected by retaining full and unfettered access to the European single market, and membership of a customs union. Research confirms our...
Ken Skates: ...use for cycling. I've noticed in my constituency that upgrading the Llangollen canal towpath has proven to be incredibly important for cyclists to be able to access places of work and to get to school in Llangollen. I think also tunnels can play a very important role, whereas in more urban areas I think it's essential that dedicated cycle routes and cycle highways are considered. So,...
Ken Skates: ...I've recently agreed to extend the Active Journeys contract for another year up until July 2019 for the reasons that John Griffiths outlined? It's proven to be exceptionally successful in those schools that it's operated in. I think 88 per cent of respondents said that the number of pupils cycling to school had increased as a consequence of this programme, so I'm happy to extend it for a...
Ken Skates: ...work with partners in Sustrans and across local government and other third sector organisations to increase the availability of active travel. I think, again, the Member highlighted the role that education can play in this regard. If we can change the behaviour of children, we will also, in all probability, change the behaviour of their parents, as was the case with recycling. The...
Ken Skates: ...that are polluting the lungs of commuters, and in particular young people? The irony, of course, is that within those more intensely urbanised areas young people can most easily access places of education on foot. What's preventing them from doing that is either parental fear or their own fear of not being safe on the roads or on pavements, or indeed, I'm afraid, a lack of desire to...
