, Plenary
Questions to the Cabinet Secretary for Economy, Energy and Planning
I'm really grateful for the question. I do think we need to recognise that the Welsh Government does provide significant rates relief for businesses in the hospitality, retail and leisure sector, but, of course, across the economy as well. We are providing a…
, Plenary
Questions to the Cabinet Secretary for Economy, Energy and Planning
Increased costs are challenging, but we're backing tourism in Wales with a £50 million Wales tourism investment fund, and our brilliant basics and weatherproofing grants. We provide year-round marketing alongside work to improve skills and to help the sector…
, Plenary
Questions to the Cabinet Secretary for Economy, Energy and Planning
The Perthyn project is something that the Welsh Government was very proud of introducing in 2022. Initially, it was providing that early-stage support to Welsh-speaking communities in north and west Wales. In November, the latest round of the Perthyn grant…
, Plenary
Questions to the Cabinet Secretary for Economy, Energy and Planning
Well, I'd start by agreeing that that spirit of co-operation is absolutely intrinsic. When we in the Welsh Government talk about doing things the Welsh way, it is very much about that co-operation and partnership working. And, actually, many of us in the…
, Plenary
Questions to the Cabinet Secretary for Economy, Energy and Planning
There are 533 co‑operative enterprises operating across Wales, and, of these, 92 are based in South Wales East, reflecting the region’s strong tradition of community-led economic activity. Co-operatives and social businesses are central to creating an…
, Plenary
Legislative Consent Motion: The Sustainable Aviation Fuel Bill
Diolch, Llywydd. In closing the debate, I would like to thank the committees and the Chair for the contribution to today's debate. I note that the CCEI committee issued its report yesterday, following the scrutiny of the legislative consent memorandum for the…
, Plenary
Legislative Consent Motion: The Sustainable Aviation Fuel Bill
Diolch, Llywydd. I move the motion and recommend the Senedd consents to the relevant provisions in the Sustainable Aviation Fuel Bill as set out in the legislative consent memorandum laid on this Bill. The Bill introduces a new revenue certainty mechanism to…
, Plenary
Statement by the Cabinet Secretary for Economy, Energy and Planning: Progress and future delivery of the Welsh Economy
I'm really grateful for those points, and as the Member was speaking, I was hearing the Conservative spokesperson shouting, as they always do, about leaving Government with the highest growth in the G7. But actually the International Monetary Fund data shows…
, Plenary
Statement by the Cabinet Secretary for Economy, Energy and Planning: Progress and future delivery of the Welsh Economy
Thank you for those questions. Whenever the First Minister talks about economic growth and jobs, she always talks about good jobs and growth with purpose. So, it is about socially responsible growth. It's about making sure that, when we grow the economy…
, Plenary
Statement by the Cabinet Secretary for Economy, Energy and Planning: Progress and future delivery of the Welsh Economy
I absolutely want to see that strong future for Llanwern, and am really interested to hear about the relatively young age of people working there as well. I think that that is really exciting, and those young people should be able to work with confidence that…
, Plenary
Statement by the Cabinet Secretary for Economy, Energy and Planning: Progress and future delivery of the Welsh Economy
I would begin by acknowledging that, absolutely, there are deep-rooted issues facing the economy here in Wales, one of which is productivity, and it gives me the opportunity to clarify some of the statistics I used in response to the previous contribution…
, Plenary
Statement by the Cabinet Secretary for Economy, Energy and Planning: Progress and future delivery of the Welsh Economy
We had talk of GDP this afternoon. So, in historical terms, GDP per person between 2010 and mid-2024 saw the worst performance in GDP per person since records began in 1955 on the watch of the UK Government, which was the Tory Government at that time. And if…
, Plenary
Statement by the Cabinet Secretary for Economy, Energy and Planning: Progress and future delivery of the Welsh Economy
I'd like to reply nonetheless, because there are several things, I think, in that statement that I think do deserve a response, not least my offer to the Member to have a session sitting down with the chief economist, the chief statistician and a…
, Plenary
Statement by the Cabinet Secretary for Economy, Energy and Planning: Progress and future delivery of the Welsh Economy
Our second national priority area is a platform for young people, fair work, skills and success. We've delivered on our commitment to create employment, self-employment and training opportunities for young people in Wales, ensuring that they have clear…
, Plenary
Statement by the Cabinet Secretary for Economy, Energy and Planning: Progress and future delivery of the Welsh Economy
Diolch. Wales is emerging from an unprecedented period of challenges, from Brexit and the aftermath of COVID to the chaos and the austerity of 14 years of a Conversative Government. But even in the face of these pressures, this Welsh Labour Government has…
, Plenary
Plaid Cymru Debate: Brexit and the future relationship with the EU
We want to work closely with our friends and our neighbours to address those global challenges, including economic challenges, geopolitical, competition, irregular migration, climate change and energy prices, which pose fundamental challenges to the shared…
, Plenary
Plaid Cymru Debate: Brexit and the future relationship with the EU
Diolch. Wales is an outward looking, European nation, and we place great value on our relationships with our European partners, and we want to continue our constructive, positive and successful relationships for years to come. It's this principle of mutual…
, Plenary
Plaid Cymru Debate: Brexit and the future relationship with the EU
Formally—I was stunned, sorry.
, Plenary
Welsh Conservatives Debate: Employment
Because we're a Government—we're not stakeholders—so we work in partnership Government to Government, rather than sitting as stakeholders on groups. Just to finish, then, in parallel, we're working with the UK Government on the AI opportunities plan, where…
, Plenary
Welsh Conservatives Debate: Employment
Just a second—leads the world through investment in clean hydrogen, tidal energy, and carbon capture and storage, for example.
, Plenary
Welsh Conservatives Debate: Employment
I've said before, and again we're repeating ourselves over and over in this Chamber, but I've said before that the UK Government—even at the start of my speech today—was set a really incredibly difficult task, and they've had to take choices that they…
, Plenary
Welsh Conservatives Debate: Employment
I will do.
, Plenary
Welsh Conservatives Debate: Employment
Well, I thank the Welsh Conservatives for the opportunity this afternoon to remind the Senedd of the absolutely dire situation that the UK Labour Government faced on coming into power: the highest level of debt since the 1960s, and a £22 billion black hole in…
, Plenary
Welsh Conservatives Debate: Employment
Yes, moved.
, Plenary
Questions to the Cabinet Secretary for Economy, Energy and Planning
I'm very grateful for the question. I really enjoyed the visit that we had to Pembrokeshire College, alongside Vikki Howells. The enthusiasm of everybody involved, the young people and the tutors and others in the college, was really palpable. We've been…
