Ken Skates: Well, that's the test: whether they're willing to actually put money aside for something that they say they're open to consider. At the moment, they're open to proposals, and that's why I'm keen to make sure that the Growing Mid Wales partnership develops a set of proposals and an overarching vision that makes a compelling case for developing a subsequent growth deal bid. We are in...
Ken Skates: I thank the Member for his question. I am very pleased to be able to say that I have agreed to provide a match-funding contribution to enable the feasibility work that the Member has identified to take place. Can I thank the Member for the opportunity to attend the stakeholder meeting on 19 January? I will ask one of my officials to attend in my place, to be able to offer not just advice and...
Ken Skates: Yes. We have developed a strategic approach based on prosperity for all, enabling all parts of Wales to benefit from economic growth. The economic action plan launched in December will work with partners to reflect the very different needs of regions in Wales.
Ken Skates: To a degree, I think we were fortunate that the incident took place where it did. As the Member highlighted, it could have been far more devastating in terms of consequences. But, I would also like to place on record my thanks to the local authority, which did a sterling job in ensuring that the aftermath of the incident was properly dealt with. While we are responsible for trunk roads in...
Ken Skates: The A55 resilience study, which I commissioned, identifies many quick wins that can be delivered in the coming financial year. It is my intention to roll out those quick wins as soon as possible. We believe that most of them can be delivered in the space of six months. But, I have to say that, last week—as I live very close to the area where the A5/A483 was closed temporarily—it was...
Ken Skates: Yes. Over the winter period, several sections of trunk road network had temporary restrictions placed on them, or were closed due to high winds or flooding. Heavy snowfall also brought disruption to a number of routes during the weekend of 9 and 10 December, but every effort was made to respond to such incidents quickly.
Ken Skates: I can tell the Member that the Wales that we want, I think, is a Wales where nobody is left behind. The Member highlighted the challenge that many younger people have faced in recent years in accessing jobs. The Member wasn't a Member of the previous Assembly, where we took forward Jobs Growth Wales, but that is a particular programme that has led to 17,000 young people in Wales having an...
Ken Skates: Well, we should start talking up Wales and the Welsh economy, particularly in those areas where we're appreciating significant success. The Member who represents north Wales, next to David Rowlands, is laughing at this, but the Member lives in a county where we have record levels of employment, where the GVA of the county is higher than virtually any other county in Wales, and is near the...
Ken Skates: In many respects, as I outlined to Russell George, the approach that's been taken by this Government and that was taken by the previous Government has already led to a record level of low unemployment, record levels of employment, record low levels of inactivity, but what we need to do is make sure that more people get into work so that they're not caught in a poverty trap, a poverty trap...
Ken Skates: I think the Member, if he rereads it, will find that—it's possibly on page 18. It might not be, but I think it's on page 18 where we talk about disaggregating major contracts, and that's particularly important for smaller businesses. What we've found, in particular with regard to the construction sector, is that there's been a significant increase in Welsh-based companies that are able to...
Ken Skates: First of all, the action plan does contain—right at its heart is the economic contract and then the subsequent calls to action, the economic contract being the front door—get through that and then through the prism of the calls to action and you'll be able to draw down support that aligns with the main causes or the main factors that influence improvement in productivity. One of those is...
Ken Skates: Can I wish the Member a very happy new year, and say how pleased I am that my gift to him arrived safely and in time for him to read it over Christmas? [Laughter.] Look, let's just look at the facts concerning average full-time earnings. You're right, £484.40 a week is the average, but, between 2012 and 2017, that average increased by 10.1 per cent, compared to the average across the UK,...
Ken Skates: Can I thank the Member for her question and welcome her to the Assembly Chamber? As somebody who lives not too far from myself, we last debated at Penley high school, I believe it was, in the election of 2015. I must say that I've been incredibly impressed as well by the speed at which the Menai Science Park is being developed. It wasn't long ago that we cut the sod on that particular...
Ken Skates: I think it's fair to say that Anglesey is home to some of the most exciting infrastructure projects anywhere in the UK in the coming years, and some of the biggest as well. It's essential that all partners—UK Government, Welsh Government, local authorities across north Wales—work together to maximise the opportunities for growth in terms of jobs, work experience and training for people...
Ken Skates: Can I thank the Member again for his question? He makes a really important point and I'd support it wholeheartedly. WEFO are supporting the Morlais demonstration zone and gaining the consents that will attract marine energy developers. The Member highlights the support that has been attracted from Europe. It amounts to more than £4 million in funding. It's absolutely essential that this work...
Ken Skates: Thank you very much, Rhun ap Iorwerth.
Ken Skates: We are working with a range of project developers, as well as local stakeholders, including the Isle of Anglesey Council, to facilitate the delivery of a number of significant infrastructure projects that will benefit the island’s economy by providing opportunities for skilled employment and training.
Ken Skates: Well, can I thank Mick Antoniw for his question? Proposals to include that particular service in the metro is something that will be assessed further as part of the future extendibility of the network under future metro phases. But development of projects to be taken forward under future metro phases cannot be taken further until we've evaluated our operator and development partners'...
Ken Skates: Well, indeed. Maslow's hierarchy of needs states that we need to feel connected to one another, and it's not just during weekdays that we should be connected to one another with public transport. Actually, the pilot scheme that we've been running using TrawsCymru's free means of transport on weekends has proven to be incredibly successful. We're still monitoring the performance of that...
Ken Skates: Yes, indeed, I will. I welcomed the decision by Arriva to extend services on Sundays. A lack of appropriate, reliable and affordable transport still remains as one of the biggest barriers that people face in trying to access work and stay in work. So, I was very pleased that Arriva Trains Wales decided to put on these additional services, and I would hope that the pilot scheme was a great...
