, Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee
Development Bank of Wales - Annual Report scrutiny
Thanks very much. Back to you, Chair.
, Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee
Development Bank of Wales - Annual Report scrutiny
Thank you. Just one final question, really, to sort of sum up, I think, the entire line of questioning around the employee-owned business section. Are you confident that the Welsh Government can meet its target of doubling employee-owned businesses in Wales?
, Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee
Development Bank of Wales - Annual Report scrutiny
Okay. I suppose a follow-on from that then would be whether or not the development bank expects to receive any additional funding from Welsh Government to support the delivery of this commitment, and, if it were to receive that additional funding, if it would…
, Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee
Development Bank of Wales - Annual Report scrutiny
Great. Great, thank you. You mentioned, of course, that there are multiple avenues of support for buy-outs in answer to the first question, but I was wondering if there would be any further measures, really, that the development bank could take to support the…
, Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee
Development Bank of Wales - Annual Report scrutiny
Thank you. Just to be clear, sorry, the 57 buy-outs figure, is that the total across the board, so including the 12 buy-outs from the succession fund? Just to be clear.
, Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee
Development Bank of Wales - Annual Report scrutiny
Thank you. If I could move on to employee-owned businesses now. Of course, the development bank manages the Wales management succession fund, which is worth roughly £25 million. I'd be interested to know how many employee buy-outs have been supported in…
, Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee
Development Bank of Wales - Annual Report scrutiny
Thank you. And just a final question on capital specifically, and I'll have a few other questions on employee-owned businesses to follow after this. We know that the UK Government provided £130 million to the British Business Bank to establish a fund in…
, Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee
Development Bank of Wales - Annual Report scrutiny
Thank you. Also, in the remit letter, the Minister invites the development bank, and I quote here, 'to actively work to identify solutions which create the potential to increase the flow of funds into Wales'. How will the development bank be taking this…
, Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee
Development Bank of Wales - Annual Report scrutiny
Great, thank you for that. Looking at the remit letter, the Minister for Economy stated that he wants the development bank 'to continue to work with, and support the Welsh Government as it seeks to shape policy related to the replacement for European Regional…
, Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee
Development Bank of Wales - Annual Report scrutiny
Diolch, Cadeirydd, and I'll go straight in and ask how big a challenge does the loss of EU funding present to the development bank.
, Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee
Joint Fisheries Statement - Environmental Groups
Back to you, Chair.
, Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee
Joint Fisheries Statement - Environmental Groups
Thank you, both. Very useful.
, Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee
Joint Fisheries Statement - Environmental Groups
Thank you, Gareth. Emily.
, Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee
Joint Fisheries Statement - Environmental Groups
Diolch, Gadeirydd. Just one question from me, and apologies if it's a bit of a low-ball question, but it strikes me, from my own interest in marine conservation and my own interest as well in the sector, that sometimes there are different visions for what a…
, Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee
Joint Fisheries Statement - Environmental Groups
Thank you for that, Emily. As the species champion for the basking shark, I'd also like to know how it will affect them in the future as well. But, no further questions, Chair. Thank you.
, Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee
Joint Fisheries Statement - Environmental Groups
Thank you. I tend to agree with the point that you made there, in terms of how does the fishing sector interact with the environment. I think it's something that we really need to look into in more detail, especially given the fact that we know there's a…
, Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee
Joint Fisheries Statement - Environmental Groups
Brilliant. Thank you. On the JFS specifically now, I'd be interested to know, in your opinion, to what extent the JFS is taking an ecosystem-based approach. We know that sea bed abrasion, for example, can release carbon in itself. We know the important role…
, Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee
Joint Fisheries Statement - Environmental Groups
Thank you for that, Emily. That was a point that I was about to come on to, actually; a witness in the previous session mentioned exactly that issue with smaller vessels. I was just wondering, before I move on to a question on the JFS specifically, if you…
, Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee
Joint Fisheries Statement - Environmental Groups
Thank you for that, Gareth. Those are really interesting points there. Emily, I can see you want to come in.
, Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee
Joint Fisheries Statement - Environmental Groups
Diolch, Gadeirydd. You touched there on the data collection element. I suppose I would just like to see if there are any additional comments you have, really, on that co-ordinated programme of data collection, and, of course, this is including the planned use…
, Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee
Joint Fisheries Statement - Fisheries sector
I would tend to agree with a lot of thinking there. I can see Trevor wants to come in, and then I'll hand back to the Chair.
, Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee
Joint Fisheries Statement - Fisheries sector
Diolch, Gadeirydd. I'm conscious of time and I don't want to eat too much into my colleagues' time, so, hopefully, the question will be fairly straightforward to answer. But, in the first instance, just as an observation, I'd be keen to understand in the…
, Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee
Joint Fisheries Statement - Fisheries sector
Brilliant. Thank you for that. Diolch, Gadeirydd.
, Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee
Joint Fisheries Statement - Fisheries sector
Thank you, Jim. Trevor, any additional comments?
, Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee
Joint Fisheries Statement - Fisheries sector
Yes, that was directed to you, Jim, sorry.
