29 Ionawr 2026 , Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee
Cronfa Twf Lleol
One, very briefly. It's only a half‑hour session.
29 Ionawr 2026 , Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee
Cronfa Twf Lleol
I'm going to have to move it—
29 Ionawr 2026 , Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee
Cronfa Twf Lleol
Okay, thank you. Alun.
29 Ionawr 2026 , Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee
Cronfa Twf Lleol
You highlighted the point about the consultation, Cabinet Secretary. I appreciate you are digesting those consultation responses at the moment, but from your early analysis of the responses, is there anything that stands out in those responses that you might…
29 Ionawr 2026 , Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee
Cronfa Twf Lleol
Productivity is a line that you've looked at and wanting to improve and increase, and it's one thing that most economists point to as being one of the deficiencies of not just the Welsh economy but the UK economy. Can you give me an example of where you think…
29 Ionawr 2026 , Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee
Cronfa Twf Lleol
Thank you, all. Looking at the growth fund, the aspiration for the growth fund is to support productivity, growth and tackle issues leading to economic inequalities across Wales. No-one would disagree with those sentiments, but bear in mind the indices have…
29 Ionawr 2026 , Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee
Cronfa Twf Lleol
Welcome back to the third and final evidence session with the Cabinet Secretary for the economy and her officials, dealing with the local growth fund. I'll ask, as I've done in the previous two sessions, the Cabinet Secretary to introduce herself and her…
29 Ionawr 2026 , Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee
Dyfodol dur yng Nghymru
Of course, if we had the Secretary of State before us today, we'd get the answer to the question. Sadly, she's declined our numerous invitations to come and speak to us. So, we're grateful to you, Cabinet Secretary, for coming to speak to us, and in…
29 Ionawr 2026 , Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee
Dyfodol dur yng Nghymru
But do you, like the committee, not really understand why they're not included in the standing invitation to the transition board? Is that the case?
29 Ionawr 2026 , Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee
Dyfodol dur yng Nghymru
Just out of my own curiosity, you said about the unions doing good work, and I concur with that, but we've had representations from the local reps that they weren't invited to the transition board. When we queried this with the Secretary of State's office…
29 Ionawr 2026 , Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee
Dyfodol dur yng Nghymru
Hannah.
29 Ionawr 2026 , Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee
Dyfodol dur yng Nghymru
Luke.
29 Ionawr 2026 , Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee
Dyfodol dur yng Nghymru
Thank you. Alun.
29 Ionawr 2026 , Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee
Dyfodol dur yng Nghymru
A 'yes' or 'no' please, Cabinet Secretary, to that question: can you do it before dissolution?
29 Ionawr 2026 , Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee
Dyfodol dur yng Nghymru
This is the final question. We will have to move on.
29 Ionawr 2026 , Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee
Dyfodol dur yng Nghymru
It's in the record it is.
29 Ionawr 2026 , Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee
Dyfodol dur yng Nghymru
Do you recognise the figure that Community, the union, put to this committee, that public procurement now represented only a third of British steel, whereas, historically, it was as high as two thirds? So, do you see that, whilst we hear you saying about…
29 Ionawr 2026 , Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee
Dyfodol dur yng Nghymru
Does that address, that change in direction—? Does that address the issues that British Steel, for example, have been highlighting when it comes to green steel, and blast furnace steel meeting the green credentials on public procurement? I know they've…
29 Ionawr 2026 , Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee
Dyfodol dur yng Nghymru
Okay, thank you.
29 Ionawr 2026 , Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee
Dyfodol dur yng Nghymru
Just for clarity, there—. Sorry, that dropped off there. The write-around process hasn't even begun yet?
29 Ionawr 2026 , Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee
Dyfodol dur yng Nghymru
Okay. Jenny.
29 Ionawr 2026 , Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee
Dyfodol dur yng Nghymru
Tom.
29 Ionawr 2026 , Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee
Dyfodol dur yng Nghymru
Can I let Alun ask his supplementary, please?
29 Ionawr 2026 , Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee
Dyfodol dur yng Nghymru
Thank you, Cabinet Secretary. Tom.
29 Ionawr 2026 , Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee
Dyfodol dur yng Nghymru
I think, accept the point about way of life—. Such a massive change, with so many people losing their job at a certain particular moment in time, is going to be catastrophic for any community, it is. But when you get—and this is the outreach team doing this…
