3. Statement by the Cabinet Secretary for Local Government and Public Services: Update on the Our Valleys, Our Future Delivery Plan

Part of the debate – in the Senedd at 3:01 pm on 27 November 2018.

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Photo of Alun Davies Alun Davies Labour 3:01, 27 November 2018

I will say to the Member that I listened to her questions, and perhaps she might listen to my answers. 

In terms of the childcare offer, it is a manifesto commitment and a commitment of the programme for government for this Government, and it will be delivered in the way that is being described, and it will continue to be delivered in the way that's described. It is, I believe, one of the most ambitious and generous childcare offers anywhere in the United Kingdom, and I make no apology for investing in childcare. And as a Minister at the beginning of this Government, I played my part in developing the opportunities for the childcare offer, and I saw the difference that it was making to people's lives up and down the Valleys and elsewhere.

Let me also say this to the Member: if she's read the updated delivery plan, she will know that we're also going further than simply offering childcare facilities and opportunities. We're also addressing the adverse childhood experiences that many children growing up in the Valleys will face in their lives. We're also talking to the police about how we can ensure that it's done in a holistic way, and we're looking at addressing the experiences of children growing up in, sometimes, some very difficult households. So, we are investing not simply in the childcare offer—and I reject her criticisms of it—but we're actually investing in a more holistic approach to the early years as well. So, we're going further than the suggestion she has made.

She criticises us for adopting the target of 7,000 people into work, rather than, I think, the point that she was making was this, creating a job creation target. What this target does is very, very clear. It ensures that the Valleys have the same economic profile and social profile as other parts of the country. I've said, Deputy Presiding Officer, in my answer to the Conservative spokesperson that the reason we established this taskforce is to address the poverty that exists in the Valleys of south Wales, and it is people who are affected by that poverty, and it is people who we are seeking to ensure are able to get back into work, and to have the sort of work that we want them to have.

I recognise very well—I recognise from my own constituency and I recognise from this work—the impact of underemployment in the Valleys, and the impact of poorly paid employment in the Valleys. We recognise that. We recognise—and that is why this Government is committed to creating Wales as a fair work nation so that we do work with business, and we do work with all sectors of the economy, and we invest in the foundational economy to actually create the work for people. But I defend us having a target of 7,000 people becoming economically active in this way, because that is what we've been advised will do most to invest in the people and the communities of the Valleys of south Wales. 

We do have the funding in place for this, and we do have the funding in place for the training opportunities and for the metro. But let me say this—let me be absolutely clear in doing this—what we've been trying to do over the last year has been to ensure that we not only hardwire accountability into what we do, but we actually hardwire our targets into that as well so that Members are able to come here to question me on what we're doing and what we're achieving. But that has to be done on the basis of the plans that we are publishing and the targets that we are setting. I believe that the targets are ambitious, visionary and demonstrate that it is this Government and Welsh Labour that have a very real, ambitious vision for the Valleys of south Wales.