Ken Skates: Yes, I would, and, taking up the first point that the Member made, there is a very great need to rebalance the economy of the United Kingdom. Again, that is touched upon in the UK industrial strategy and it's at the very heart of the economic action plan with our commitment to empowering the regions of Wales. But each of those factors that the Member has just outlined that contribute...
Ken Skates: We're making sure that our indicators are consistent across Government. So, the well-being indicators will be applied to our interventions in economic development, but, as I've already said in this Chamber, I'm also keen to have a good degree of international challenge applied to the actions of this Government. Therefore, we've opened up discussions with the Organisation for Economic...
Ken Skates: Yes, absolutely. The productivity challenge is something that this Government and the UK Government have made critical parts of our respective industrial and economic strategies. Insofar as our actions are concerned, we're looking at the factors that contribute to making an economy more productive. In Wales, we've analysed those factors and found that driving up skills levels...
Ken Skates: May I thank the Member for his question, and add that I've been inspired by his sartorial elegance in the Chamber over many years? The Member is absolutely right that people can be inspired by elite sportspeople, particularly in those sports that can influence behavioural change in everyday life, such as cycling, swimming, walking and running. We're keen, through programmes that are...
Ken Skates: Well, I'd very much agree with the Member. Wales has an abundance of fantastic rail tunnels that could be utilised for the purpose of cycling and walking, particularly for the tourism sector, and I'm pleased to confirm that we have awarded Merthyr Tydfil council up to £25,000 in local transport funding for the current financial year in order to undertake Welsh transport appraisal guidance...
Ken Skates: Yes. Our active travel promotional programme, Active Journeys, is delivered to schools right across the length and breadth of Wales, including to schools in Cynon Valley. Local authorities also have a duty to promote active travel in their community, and I'll be delivering an oral statement on active travel this month, I believe on 27 February.
Ken Skates: Our economic action plan sets out our approach to enable all parts of Wales to benefit from economic growth. We will continue to invest in infrastructure improvements, skills and the general environment for business across Wales including south-west Wales.
Ken Skates: The £1.5 million will support our work on foundation sectors as set out in the economic action plan and 'Our Valleys, Our Future'.
Ken Skates: Our priority is to ensure that ports policy is part of an integrated approach to achieving the strategic outcomes of 'Prosperity for All'. This approach is reflected in our draft national marine plan, the national transport finance plan and will be further strengthened through the upcoming Welsh transport strategy.
Ken Skates: Ministers have agreed a sum of £2 million in the draft budget for 2019-20 for removal of the tolls. Officials have met, and are working with Pembrokeshire County Council, the bridge owners, to establish the ongoing cost of maintaining the bridge and the potential next steps in removing the tolls.
Ken Skates: The 'Prosperity for All' national strategy and economic action plan set out the actions we are taking to improve the economy and business environment across Wales.
Ken Skates: We provide funding to local authorities through the local transport fund, Safe Routes in Communities scheme and road safety grant for active travel. We will also plan active travel improvements as part of our trunk road walking and cycling programme and build these into all our major projects.
Ken Skates: Yes, of course.
Ken Skates: Oh, absolutely. It's not just about turning up and being trained. It's about making sure that you apply what you are trained to do on a daily basis and that we actually use training as a means of delivering a cultural change in the way that transport is accessed and the way that transport is provided. But, the objectives that I've outlined in December, and also the actions underpinning...
Ken Skates: Thank you, Deputy Presiding Officer. I'd, first of all, like to thank the Chair and the members of the Petitions Committee for their report, and on behalf of the Welsh Government, I am delighted to accept all 12 recommendations put forward by the committee in today's debate. The way that the debate has been conducted reflects the way that the committee behaved during the course of its...
Ken Skates: First of all, I've been very clear in conveying the national well-being indicators as a consistent approach for us to adopt across Government. But I've said on numerous occasions as well that setting targets can lead to perverse incentives, and can consequently lead to uneven economic growth. Setting targets for employment, for example, where you don't recognise the inequalities across...
Ken Skates: I think the Member should look at the statistics, again, that I've just outlined and also the fact that the employment rate in Wales now stands at 72.7 per cent. That is 0.2 per cent up on the quarter and 0.3 per cent up on the year. I'm sure that the Conservatives in Westminster would wish to claim success each month when the statistics show that there are improvements, but today I noticed...
Ken Skates: I shall in a moment. During that period, the employment rate in Wales has increased more quickly than in the UK, since devolution again: 6.5 per cent up compared to 3.1 per cent across the UK as a whole. The economic inactivity rate since devolution has fallen more quickly in Wales than the UK as a whole: down 4.5 per cent compared to 1.9 per cent across the UK. In terms of workforce jobs,...
Ken Skates: Diolch, Llywydd. It's a pleasure to respond to Members in this debate today and I'd like to thank everybody for their contribution. I'd particularly like to thank Mick Antoniw for occupying the moral summit and for taking some of the heat out of what has been a lively debate and drawing attention to some of the realities that many people in our communities face. Before I address some of the...
Ken Skates: Formally.
