Part of 4. Questions to the Minister for Finance and Trefnydd – in the Senedd at 1:09 pm on 1 July 2020.
We all support the furlough, job retention scheme, at least as it has operated to date. Can I ask the finance Minister to clarify the Welsh Government's position on any potential continuance? The scheme was brought in initially for a few months to ensure people didn't lose jobs, remained in contact with their employer in that contractual relationship, so that the economy could quickly restart, hopefully with a v-shaped recovery. The First Minister earlier, though, I think in the context of Airbus in Broughton—. I see that Ryanair is being told that it shouldn't be flying out of Cardiff today, although I think because it uses only Boeing aircraft, perhaps that not's an issue. But, if the air industry is going to take many years to recover and demand is going to be greatly lower not for months, but for years, is it not inevitable that output of aircraft is going to fall sharply and remain lower for a long period? And in those circumstances, do we need to be looking at another purpose for the furlough scheme, and if there is any extension, are you suggesting that that should be to keep people in most affected industries furloughed for a period of years? Or do you recognise that for people in industries unfortunately affected very badly for a long period, or for at least some of those people, it may be better to retrain and take opportunities and look to develop their careers elsewhere if the impact is going to be so severe and so long term?