5. Will the First Minister make a statement on the future of remote working in Wales? OQ57142

I thank the Member for that. Llywydd, Welsh Government’s remote working policy aims to secure 30 per cent of the workforce working remotely on a regular basis during this Senedd term. There are many environmental and economic benefits to remote working, which only gain in significance in the context of climate change.

Thank you, First Minister. Now, in a recent freedom of information reply your officials detailed that in spite of the fact that just over 390 people are presently contracted to work at the Welsh Government buildings in Llandudno Junction, the average daily attendance level for September was recorded as just 18 employees. This is unsustainable given the size and scope of that building. Now, policy 30 of the Net Zero Wales carbon budget 2 reiterates your long-term ambition to enable around 30 per cent of Welsh workers to work remotely beyond COVID-19, with £0.5 million going to be invested in six flexible working sites on locations in the Welsh Valleys. But First Minister, I'm concerned that no sites in north Wales have yet been earmarked to support similar working. So, with a wish to see taxpayers' money used more wisely, and in recognising that around £23 million was spent on this iconic building in Llandudno Junction, and £1 million on maintenance and repairs since, I was just wondering whether you would be so kind as to conduct a review and explain why we do not have any flexible working hubs, and whether you could actually look at this building to repurpose it and partially convert its use to become a flexible working hub for businesses and even entrepreneurs in north Wales, who may wish to have a set-up as working from home. I'm very keen to see this building better used. Thank you. 

Llywydd, I thank the Member for drawing attention to the success of the Welsh Government's policy of minimising the number of people who need to be in the workplace during a global pandemic. Personally, I think it is a terrific achievement that Welsh Government has been able to go on providing all the services we do while keeping our staff safe, with only essential people being brought together with the increased risk that people congregating inevitably means in a COVID context. I'm glad as well to be able to help the Member by letting her know that there are three remote working hubs planned for north Wales, in Colwyn Bay, in Rhyl and in the M-SParc space on Ynys Môn. I thank her for the constructive suggestion she made towards the end of her supplementary question about alternative uses that could be thought of for the Llandudno Junction building. She's right—it is an iconic building and it was a considerable investment by a Welsh Labour Government to make sure that the Government of Wales is represented in all parts of our nation. In a post-COVID world and in the context of climate change, we do need to look at the future use of those buildings, and I'll make sure that the suggestions the Member made are taken into account in that consideration.