Questions Without Notice from Party Spokespeople

Part of 1. Questions to the Cabinet Secretary for Economy and Transport – in the Senedd at 1:52 pm on 10 January 2018.

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Photo of Russell George Russell George Conservative 1:52, 10 January 2018

Thank you, Cabinet Secretary, for your answer. Of course, my question was why there wasn't anything mentioned, and no targets mentioned, in the economic action plan. 

I've got here a copy of the PricewaterhouseCoopers report from last year—another item on my Christmas reading list. Now, this states that a huge number of jobs are at immediate risk due to automation. This, of course, makes Wales particularly vulnerable because two of our largest areas are heavily reliant here in Wales on retail and manufacturing—an area that is, of course, at a high risk of automation. Now, equipping Wales to cope with the opportunities that exist, as well as the challenges of automation over the next 10 years, I think is critical to support the Welsh economy, and I think we should be taking advantage of this with new technology and to protect Welsh jobs. 

But can I ask why doesn't the economic action plan contain any effective target-led strategy whatsoever to ensure that the Welsh economy takes full advantage of opportunities presented by automation, and why doesn't it contain any targets whatsoever for protecting Welsh jobs from the challenges of technological innovation?