, Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee
General Ministerial Scrutiny: Minister for Economy
Yes, we already have a range of infrastructure projects that are part of the infrastructure investment plan that we have, where you would need more steel to deliver those. Our challenge will be—. And you might be aware there's likely to be a reset and renewal…
, Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee
General Ministerial Scrutiny: Minister for Economy
So, there are two points I'd make. The first is that the floating offshore wind pipeline is significant here. Understanding the first signal for the Celtic sea—about 4.5 GW—is important, but, actually, to unlock the significant investment we'd want, we need…
, Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee
General Ministerial Scrutiny: Minister for Economy
So, the First Minister and I will meet the chief exec of Tata global in Wales again next week—and you'll know that Eluned Morgan raised our view, our consistent view, directly with Tata when she was in Mumbai for the recent engagement around Wales in India…
, Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee
General Ministerial Scrutiny: Minister for Economy
The headline that the pathway is clearer in some than others is not a surprise. In transport, we talk about having zero emissions from the tailpipe. So, that's easier to understand. There's a challenge there about the net zero mandate changes made by the UK…
, Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee
General Ministerial Scrutiny: Minister for Economy
The challenge is for all of our partners: for businesses themselves, trade unions and workers, education and training providers and, indeed, for Governments and the wider public. We talked a bit more about the wider public understanding, or not getting drawn…
, Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee
General Ministerial Scrutiny: Minister for Economy
I did warn against using anecdotes to try to set policy, but I think they can be useful in highlighting one of those things, and plumbing is a good example. I met people at a European skills homecoming where, in a range of those, one of the winners was a…
, Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee
General Ministerial Scrutiny: Minister for Economy
I'll see if Jo wants to tell you some of the early insights, but in terms of publication, I'm expecting to publish the outcome of the consultation at the end of March in terms of the summary of the responses and what we've got from that. That's a standard…
, Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee
General Ministerial Scrutiny: Minister for Economy
On gender, there's a recognition from a range of employers and providers about what they need to do to make sure that there is a greater take-up of apprenticeships in a range of areas. We talked earlier about areas of tech as well as engineering, the broader…
, Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee
General Ministerial Scrutiny: Minister for Economy
I'll pass you on to Jo to talk about how we monitor, but the ambition in the statement, I think, is important. Regardless of the resource that we have, and it should surprise no-one that we would like to be able to put more resources into apprenticeships…
, Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee
General Ministerial Scrutiny: Minister for Economy
Well, I can never give you a cast-iron guarantee about the future, but it's our ambition to be able to do that. But within this Senedd term, we think we'll get to a 10 per cent increase. I'd like us to do more, but a 10 per cent increase compared with the…
, Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee
General Ministerial Scrutiny: Minister for Economy
We may still be able to do that. That depends on take-up, and it depends on whether there is more funding uncertainty. We—
, Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee
General Ministerial Scrutiny: Minister for Economy
The undeniable truth is though that the ending of European run-off means that there is a real reduction in terms of what our providers will have to use, and that's undeniable. I think I've been entirely upfront about that. In fact, previously, we've been…
, Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee
General Ministerial Scrutiny: Minister for Economy
At that point, that was about take-up.
, Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee
General Ministerial Scrutiny: Minister for Economy
I think, in October, we recognised that we were going to move money that was unlikely to be used in year. So, that was part of the in-year challenge that we had, rather than deliberately cutting the budget. We have got real challenges now, and I recognise…
, Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee
General Ministerial Scrutiny: Minister for Economy
I think we've done as much as we can do with the resources we have. When you look at the opportunities that exist, we do have really strong relationships with all of our partners here in Wales. Actually, some of that was stronger than it had been before…
, Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee
General Ministerial Scrutiny: Minister for Economy
I didn't realise this was going to be a valedictory session. I think one of the things that we have done, when you think about the last couple of years, is manage all of the incredible change that's taken place. If we go back to May 2021, when we were coming…
, Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee
General Ministerial Scrutiny: Minister for Economy
Good morning, Chair. I am the Minister for Economy, Vaughan Gething.
, Plenary
Statement by the Minister for Economy: Policy Statement on Apprenticeships
Indeed. I may be able to secure the attendance of a different member of the Government depending on the circumstances in coming weeks. But I'll be very happy to make sure we continue to engage properly with the cross-party group, because I actually think a…
, Plenary
Statement by the Minister for Economy: Policy Statement on Apprenticeships
I think it's important to recognise the £5.25 million is only possible since we've published the draft budget, and I'm very pleased we're able to restore that money, but there is an overall challenge, because of the cliff edge in European funds. I've never…
, Plenary
Statement by the Minister for Economy: Policy Statement on Apprenticeships
Thank you for the two broad points. To start with, it's a matter of fact, not opinion, that the apprenticeship levy is a UK tax on apprenticeships; it takes money out of public services in Wales, where the money can't go back and it looks to redistribute…
, Plenary
Statement by the Minister for Economy: Policy Statement on Apprenticeships
When you look at comparative funding, actually, we still do much better than England across the border. I'm confused about why the Member can think that black is really white on this issue. The truth is that taking money out in the apprenticeship levy and…
, Plenary
Statement by the Minister for Economy: Policy Statement on Apprenticeships
Well, thank you for the comment. I'm glad the Member thinks I'm well dressed. But actually, when it comes to what we're looking to do in this area, it is undeniably the case that we have seen cuts to apprenticeship funding here in Wales as a direct result of…
, Plenary
Statement by the Minister for Economy: Policy Statement on Apprenticeships
Thank you very much for the question. I hadn't appreciated that the Member had been an apprentice in a former life; I've learned something. [Laughter.] But it is important, and I think that it's part of the diversity that we get in the Senedd, with different…
, Plenary
Statement by the Minister for Economy: Policy Statement on Apprenticeships
I thank the Member for his questions. As ever, I think he's not as positive as I would be about the future. And I think it's unnecessarily so as well. There is a positive future for apprenticeships here in Wales. We're investing £143 million of the Welsh…
, Plenary
Statement by the Minister for Economy: Policy Statement on Apprenticeships
If you remember the draft budget debate we had, virtually every Conservative speaker demanded extra spending in every area across the Welsh Government's budget line: in the third sector, in museums, in apprenticeships, in health, in education and local…
