Baroness Mair Eluned Morgan: We are closely monitoring the impact of coronavirus on the events sector, and we are working with colleagues across Welsh Government and UK Government to take appropriate measures in response to the unfolding situation. We're also keeping in close contact with organisations such as the Urdd.
Baroness Mair Eluned Morgan: Thank you very much. And I think you're absolutely right: if ever there was evidence that we are an inter-connected world, then this is it. And I think that anybody who thinks that they can isolate themselves in this global society is clearly mistaken now. Just in terms of Uganda, and the situation with Africa, we are of course extremely concerned about when and how this coronavirus is going...
Baroness Mair Eluned Morgan: In January, I published the Welsh Government's international strategy, which clearly sets out the actions we will take over the next five years, not only to strengthen our international relationships, but to raise our profile, grow the economy, and establish Wales as a globally responsible nation.
Baroness Mair Eluned Morgan: We’ve been in discussions with the arts sector and, of course, the sector that’s in charge of major events. A lot of money comes into the country because of major events. I have been having detailed discussions with representatives from the Urdd over the weekend, but all kinds of other activities and other organisations are in the same situation as them. Certainly, we’ve seen that Big...
Baroness Mair Eluned Morgan: One of the things that we’ve done is to ensure that those people who do work for us overseas are not having too much contact with too many people. There are lots of activities that were in the pipeline that have been cancelled; a lot of export missions have been cancelled; people who were supposed to come to Wales, those have cancelled their trips as well. And, so, we’re trying to ensure...
Baroness Mair Eluned Morgan: Thank you very much. Of course, it's very interesting to hear that Swansea is twinned with Wuhan. That's one of the reasons why I've written to local government exactly to find out who is twinned with who. In terms of trade, you’re right to emphasise the importance of trying to see where we can have this equipment. What we have to note is that all of these countries are eager to keep their...
Baroness Mair Eluned Morgan: Thank you. You're absolutely right in identifying the importance of trade. Trade contributes about 22 per cent of the GDP to the economy of Wales, so it is something that we have to take very, very seriously. Obviously, we are particularly concerned about the trade negotiations that should be ongoing with the European Union in relation to Brexit, knowing that that deadline is coming up. We of...
Baroness Mair Eluned Morgan: We're in constant touch, obviously, with the 21 offices that the Welsh Government has around the world. The representatives based in the three cities in China have been working from home for an extensive period of time now. Most of our offices are situated within the FCO departments, so, along with the UK Government, obviously, they are following the advice that is coming from them, but there...
Baroness Mair Eluned Morgan: So, we don't have the exact figures of the number of people who are stranded overseas at the moment. Obviously, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office is taking a lead on that, but we obviously are encouraging people to come home, if it is possible for them, now. That is the advice that has come from the FCO.
Baroness Mair Eluned Morgan: Thank you very much. Can I just say how delighted I was to see that link between Abergavenny town and Chinamhora in Zimbabwe? Certainly, the inspirational leadership of Martha and David has been something to behold. I do think that it is something that we'd like to encourage from a Welsh Government point of view, but as I say, this is something very much that should be led at the local...
Baroness Mair Eluned Morgan: Welsh Government has no formal role in the process for twinning towns, cities and regions, but we do recognise the benefit of town-twinning arrangements and what they can bring. I've written to the Welsh Local Government Association requesting an update on twinning arrangements, but given the current situation, I'm not expecting an imminent response on this matter.
Baroness Mair Eluned Morgan: Thank you. Certainly, we are extremely aware that the people who are significantly under threat here are the SMEs, and they may be averse to borrowing. There are opportunities for them to borrow through the Development Bank of Wales, but obviously some of those are averse to taking that out. So, what we do know now is that we will have consequential funding as a result of the Chancellor's...
Baroness Mair Eluned Morgan: Thank you, Caroline Jones. I think you're absolutely right to underline the seriousness of the situation for this particular sector. We know that there are about 11,700 tourism enterprises in Wales, and they employ about 135,000 people. So, this is huge, and we are taking it very, very seriously. Certainly, we hope that some of the measures that we've already put in place will help some of...
Baroness Mair Eluned Morgan: This is a developing situation. I want to reassure the sector that we're continually monitoring the impact of coronavirus on tourism and working with colleagues across the Welsh Government and the UK Government to take appropriate measures in response to the unfolding situation.
Baroness Mair Eluned Morgan: Thank you, Deputy Presiding Officer. Some people will remember that we discussed the Birmingham Commonwealth Games Bill in a Plenary meeting on 8 October last year, and that we passed the motion in the Senedd. But we had to reintroduce the Bill to the Westminster Parliament on 7 January because it didn't finish its parliamentary passage before that Parliament was dissolved on 6 November, in...
Baroness Mair Eluned Morgan: Well, Wales and Africa is certainly a key part of our programme, and so there will be opportunities for Love Zimbabwe to get involved in that programme through that mechanism. Certainly, we're hoping that that platform, that diaspora platform that we'll be creating, will be a place where we can talk about some of those great characters in the past that so many of you talked about—about Evan...
Baroness Mair Eluned Morgan: Yes.
Baroness Mair Eluned Morgan: That's right, which is why one of the priorities we've said is to strengthen our relationship with the European Union. So, that is absolutely clearly in the strategy, along with the fact that we want to raise our profile internationally. We want to grow the economy by exporting and by getting inward investment, and we want to establish Wales as a globally responsible nation. Now, a clear...
Baroness Mair Eluned Morgan: Thank you very much, Deputy Presiding Officer. I want to start by thanking members of the committee for their work in helping us to shape our international strategy. Along with other stakeholders across Wales and worldwide, the committee has helped us to develop the strategy. Now, I am aware that the committee won't be content to wait for five years to see what will be achieved, and I am also...
Baroness Mair Eluned Morgan: Thank you very much, Siân. Can I say I would have a great interest in seeing a copy of that report, and seeing how that can be interwoven or what we can learn from that? I think that setting targets is important but difficult, so we have to do that in the right context, but certainly in terms of reaching 1 million Welsh speakers, transmission is vital in terms of what our expectations are....
