Questions Without Notice from Party Spokespeople

Part of 2. Questions to the Cabinet Secretary for Economy and Transport – in the Senedd at 2:40 pm on 7 March 2018.

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Photo of Ken Skates Ken Skates Labour 2:40, 7 March 2018

I think it's fair to say that higher education gives us the strategic weapons for future economic growth in the fight for competitiveness, whereas further education gives us the tactical arsenal. In terms of FE, I think we have a very, very proud story to tell indeed. We have amongst Britain's best further education institutions based here in Wales. In terms of our higher education estate, I do think we have some world-class universities, and Cardiff amongst them, but Swansea as well, I think, in terms of research and development, in particular with regards to steel, can be counted as one of the world's best. The Member is right that, in driving up productivity, one of the key levers at our disposal is the improvement to the skills base and the pipeline of skilled people who are coming through to support business. But also we need to ensure that there is a greater degree of diffusion of innovation in Wales. We've been very clear that we expect, through the calls to action—the prisms through which we are going to be channelling and viewing investments in the future—that businesses innovate more and therefore work more closely, not just with higher education, but also with further education as well. I think in doing so, we will be able to improve our prospects and improve our productivity levels in years to come.