Ken Skates: I think there possibly is a need for revision, and I think manufacturers themselves are rightly looking at ways, because of the lack of sound, of course—and a lot of pedestrians, particularly pedestrians who will perhaps be using their phones, inappropriately it has to be said, because we should all pay due attention to what's happening around us when we're walking on the roadside—....
Ken Skates: I think Julie Morgan raises a really important point. Although I consider myself something of a competent cyclist, one of the things that I worry about most when I'm cycling in an urban environment, or indeed when I'm running where there are no pavements, is the possibility that somebody will open a car door, particularly when I'm cycling. And this is something of a constant concern. Now, if...
Ken Skates: I'm sure the Member will appreciate that the highway code is not devolved and it is, of course, still the responsibility of the UK Government. But my officials do meet regularly with the Department for Transport's officials on road safety and active travel matters, and they'll look to work with them on their review of the highway code.
Ken Skates: Well, I'm delighted to be able to announce that we have allocated funding for the creation of a new enterprise hub, which will be based at M-SParc. There will also be a spoke from that enterprise hub located in Llangefni. The Member is aware of the enterprise hub that's been operational now for approximately a year in Wrexham. That is aiming to create 100 new businesses, and progress is quite...
Ken Skates: Well, can I thank the Member for his question? I'd agree entirely that it's incumbent upon us all to use small businesses, particularly in the retail sector, in our town centres and on our high streets, as much of the time as we can, and not just at Christmas. But I would encourage people to take advantage of Small Business Saturday and, of course, to promote the day as well in advance. Now,...
Ken Skates: Diolch yn fawr iawn. In line with our economic action plan, we remain committed to supporting small businesses through the Business Wales service, which of course offers bilingual advice and support to start and to grow businesses. And, in addition, we are providing help for small businesses to get ready for Brexit, with a dedicated £7.5 million Brexit business resilience package.
Ken Skates: The construction sector makes a critically important contribution to the Welsh economy, sustaining, as it does approximately 14,000 businesses and employing around 109,000 individuals. The Construction Skills Network in their latest forecasts predicts that Wales will see unprecedented growth in construction in the period up to 2021.
Ken Skates: Our approach to economic development is set out in the economic action plan and our national strategy, 'Prosperity for All'.
Ken Skates: Since 2013, the Welsh Government has provided local authorities with £25 million a year to support local bus and community transport services across Wales. Towards the end of 2017-18, we provided an additional £3 million to support the bus network, in addition to other specific grants allocated to support public transport services.
Ken Skates: In line with our economic action plan, we remain committed to supporting small businesses through Business Wales, which offers bilingual advice and support to start and grow enterprises. Additionally, we are providing help for small business to get ready for Brexit with a £7.5 million Brexit business resilience package.
Ken Skates: Our current focus is to use £750 million of investment to deliver the south Wales metro. The metro is designed to enable it to be extended in future. Transport for Wales will be reviewing the options to extend, which will be dependent on the business justification and availability of funding.
Ken Skates: Diolch, Dirprwy Lywydd. I'd like to start by thanking Rhianon Passmore for raising this important debate today, and I'd like to thank her for her comments and also for recognising the huge change that is to come to rail services across the length and breadth of Wales and, of course, to her own constituency of Islwyn. I believe 14 October of this year was a historic day for rail transport in...
Ken Skates: First of all, in terms of apologies, there should have been an apology long ago for the under-investment—terrible and historic under-investment—in rail infrastructure in Wales; 1 per cent of funding for what amounts to a double-digit percentage of rail track. It has to be said that we haven’t yet found categoric evidence that it’s the tracks that have been the problem, but it could...
Ken Skates: Well, I think Joyce Watson touches on a very important point concerning the integration of various forms of public transport. Joyce talks about the need to ensure that replacement bus services are adequate. Well, I think once I'm able to outline reform to public local bus services, and proposals for future legislation, Members will be able to appreciate how we'll go about better integrating...
Ken Skates: Can I thank the Member for his question and assure him that there is no loss of ambition as far as the Transport for Wales rail franchise is concerned. There still will be £800 million spent on new rolling stock, £194 million on station investment—contrast that with just £600,000 that was spent over the last 15 years—an extra 285 services, 600 new jobs, a 25 per cent reduction in...
Ken Skates: Can I thank the Member for his question? First of all, he makes the assertion that services have gone backwards. In fact, despite the recent difficulties, this first four-week period of the operation of the new franchise and the new contract has seen higher levels of performance than the equivalent period last year, including punctuality. Now, some Conservatives are, I hear, laughing. The...
Ken Skates: Yes. Storm Callum, autumn conditions and the dreadful quality of the rolling stock we inherited from Arriva Trains Wales have impacted the operation of rail services. Transport for Wales is implementing a recovery plan and passengers will see consequential service improvements each day over the next few weeks.
Ken Skates: It's very interesting—Jane Hutt makes a really important point about the role that air passenger duty could play in assisting and making Flybe more competitive, because it's my understanding that something in the region of 80 per cent of Flybe's flights are subject to the double whammy of domestic route APD. Clearly, if that were to be devolved and we could either abandon it or...
Ken Skates: Well, can I thank the Member for his question? It's very timely, actually, because it's my intention to announce shortly the outcome of the tendering process for that particular air link. The Member is absolutely right: we have seen great success since the route has been operated by Eastern Airways. I believe that passenger numbers have increased by something in the order of 40 per cent,...
Ken Skates: I can assure the Member that whilst, on the one side, the loan with Cardiff international airport is, of course, commercially sensitive, the airport is currently within its terms of the loan agreement, and that money is secure. But I think it's important that we don't talk down—and the Member is right to state that we should not talk down—the prospects for Flybe. It's been an incredibly...
