7. 7. Debate by Individual Members under Standing Order 11.21(iv): The Fourth Industrial Revolution

Part of the debate – in the Senedd at 4:43 pm on 5 April 2017.

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Photo of Hefin David Hefin David Labour 4:43, 5 April 2017

I withdraw that, Deputy Presiding Officer. But I acknowledge David Melding’s contribution. The fact that Jeremy Miles made the point that we may be changing our working week—well, David Melding recognised it too. When Jeremy Miles made the point, I thought that it was quite a nice left-wing, social democratic idea, and then David Melding made a similar point, too, and I don’t think David Rowlands was very far away. So, maybe the fourth industrial revolution is also changing the nature of our politics, as well. Can we be—[Interruption.] Can we be that optimistic that such a thing will happen?

I think education is at the heart of this, and I would like to return to the argument that was advanced by Professor Tom Crick on Radio Wales this morning. He welcomes the development of the digital competency framework, as the result of some of the work that he has done with the Welsh Government. So, while we will need education and we will need to look at those things that are in the immediate gift of the Assembly, I think we also need to look at the long term. What further can we do? Let’s return to the wording of the motion, which says that the ‘Innovation Wales’ strategy and the Cabinet Secretary’s economic strategy need to be refreshed, looked at, and thinking about the potential market dominance and uniqueness that we can have in Wales. I was really pleased to see that I think we have got unanimous support for that in this Chamber, and I recommend the motion to the Senedd.