Ministers from the Wales Department were answering questions in the
Commons. Subjects covered included...
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EU Trade Negotiations
(Glasgow
East) (SNP)
What recent discussions he has had with the devolved
Administrations on UK trade negotiations with the EU. [907294]
The Secretary of State for Wales ()
I have regular discussions with Welsh Ministers on a range of
issues, including EU negotiations. The Joint Ministerial
Committee on EU negotiations meets regularly. My Cabinet and
ministerial colleagues frequently meet Ministers from the
devolved Administrations.
Tomorrow is the day the Prime Minister has set as the deadline
for a trade deal with the EU. So far, the devolved
Administrations have been left out of the loop or deliberately
kept in the dark on some details. Does the Secretary of State
believe that withholding key information and detail at such a
stage as this shows respect or disrespect to the devolved
Administrations?
I do not recognise the hon. Gentleman’s accusation. Given the
number of meetings I have personally been in with Ministers from
the devolved nations, let alone other colleagues, it would be a
difficult charge to land to suggest that they have not been
closely involved with the process right from the beginning. I
suspect his comments are based on the fact that he does not like
the reality of what is going on, rather than being a legitimate
comment.
(Dwyfor Meirionnydd) (PC)
Last week, it was revealed that the Secretary of State’s
Government have actively sought to conceal information from the
Welsh Government. This information included the likelihood of
food shortages and their intention to grab new powers. That does
not sound like intergovernmental parity of esteem. Where does his
role to represent the Tory party in Wales stop and his role to
build trust and mutual respect start?
The first responsibility in this particular context is to respect
the fact that 55% of people in Wales voted to leave the European
Union, and it seems astonishing that the party of Wales,
represented by the right hon. Lady, is still so out of step with
the people of Wales when it comes to that. The clock is not being
turned back, and what we are attempting to do is to deliver a
deal that respects that decision and all the institutions in
Wales, which I thought we both valued.
Trust in politicians is sadly diminishing, because politicians
are not seen to answer the question at hand. Back to the matter
of trust, transmission rates indicate that Wales stands on the
brink of a circuit-break announcement. Businesses in Wales, and
people who need to self-isolate, seek assurance that they can
trust the Treasury to back up covid-19 control measures made in
Wales for Wales. Can the Secretary of State guarantee to the
people of Wales that they can, indeed, trust the Government to do
this?
Having seen the Chancellor ensure that the Welsh Government have
had £4.4 billion-worth of UK taxpayers’ money for exactly that
purpose, I hope the right hon. Lady would share my view that we
are looking at the UK in the round. Covid is an international
problem, and it does not respect political boundaries. The
Chancellor’s announcements make it very clear that he sees all
the UK as a priority, not just individual component parts, and I
would think the numbers speak for themselves.
Covid-19 Restrictions
(Clwyd South) (Con)
What recent discussions he has had with the Welsh Government on
covid-19 restrictions in Wales. [907295]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Wales ()
We have, of course, worked hand in hand with the Welsh Government
throughout the covid-19 pandemic. The Secretary of State and I
have regular discussions with Welsh Ministers about the ongoing
UK-wide response to covid-19, and those include discussions
between the Secretary of State and the First Minister and, of
course, meetings between the UK Government and all devolved
institutions.
Restricting the virus is vital, but the Welsh Government’s
lockdown measures in Clwyd South and the rest of north Wales need
reviewing. Given the difficulties they are causing, particularly
for hospitality, the wedding industry and leisure businesses, by
using county boundaries rather than being targeted on the
specific areas with high covid case numbers, is the Minister able
to outline how often the Welsh Government have invited the UK
Government to participate in their covid-19 planning meetings and
whether they have discussed using more detailed evidence by
community rather than just by county?
That is a very good question. Although the UK Government extend
an open invitation to the devolved Administrations to take part
in Cobra meetings and ministerial implementation groups, the same
spirit of co-operation has not thus far been forthcoming. I was
invited to one meeting by Welsh Government Ministers to discuss
parts that were reserved to the UK Government anyway. We stand
ready to accept the same level of co-operation from Welsh
Government as we have always extended to them.
(Merthyr Tydfil and Rhymney) (Lab)
With cases rising across the UK, the First Minister has called
for an extraordinary meeting of Cobra to discuss plans for a
so-called circuit-break lockdown. The measures are already under
active consideration in Wales and would be implemented by the
Welsh Government if they need to be, but of course, any such
measures are more effective if we apply them with a four-nation
approach across the whole UK. Will the Government now listen to
their own scientific advisers and the Opposition and agree to
meet the devolved nations to discuss these specific proposals?
Throughout this pandemic, the Government have listened to a wide
range of scientific advisers, some of whom will be advising
circuit breakers, whereas others will be suggesting that measures
are too strict. The Government have listened to all and tried to
steer a course through the middle of this. They have listened to
Welsh Government Ministers on numerous occasions, with more than
100 such meetings having taken place. We will continue to listen
with an open mind and to follow the evidence.
(Cardiff North) (Lab)
Unlike this Tory Government in England, our Labour Government in
Wales do follow the science. The rules in Wales have stopped
people taking the virus with them from high-prevalence to
low-prevalence areas, thus protecting people’s lives. We want the
same for visitors to Wales from across the rest of the UK, where
rates are even higher, so why are this Tory Government ignoring
the First Minister yet again, failing to stand up for the people
of Wales and playing politics with people’s lives?
We certainly are not playing politics with people’s lives. The
hon. Lady will be aware that 25% of the workforce of Wales travel
over to England to work there, and playing politics with people’s
lives potentially means looking at livelihoods as well. The
reality is that we have followed the science all the way through
this process and, more or less, the Welsh Government have
followed exactly what the UK Government are doing.
(Delyn) (Con)
The hon. Member for Cardiff North () says we should follow the science, but 10 minutes
ago, Public Health Wales told me that it did not even carry out a
community-level analysis prior to instigating these lockdown
measures. Does my hon. Friend agree that this virus does not
respect county borders and that, once again, all the Labour Welsh
Government are doing is throttling businesses and letting down
the people of north Wales?
First, let me wish my hon. Friend penblwydd hapus for tomorrow.
It is the case, of course, that this virus does not respect
boundaries, but the UK Government do. Although I fully accept
that some people may have concerns about the slightly different
approach the Welsh Government sometimes adopt in this matter, the
UK Government respect devolution and the reality of Welsh
government, and my role as a Minister is to work constructively
with Welsh Government Ministers. At this moment, I do not wish to
start playing politics and criticising them.
Storm Dennis
(Rhondda) (Lab)
What additional funding the Government have provided to
communities in Wales affected by Storm Dennis. [907296]
The Secretary of State for Wales ()
The Chief Secretary to the Treasury wrote to the hon. Gentleman
last week to confirm that he is expecting to provide £2.5 million
needed for the tip repairs in Tylorstown, in the hon. Gentleman’s
constituency. The letter also clarifies that the Chief Secretary
is waiting to hear further from the Welsh Government on an
additional request to access the reserve.
That was useless yet again. I have been asking for the money for
the Rhondda for months. The Prime Minister wrote to me in June
saying that he recognised that Wales had been particularly badly
hit by Storm Dennis and that the UK Government would look
seriously at any requests for funding. I am delighted that we
have got the £2.5 million for the Tylorstown tip, but we need £60
million to mend culverts and drains and to make people’s houses
secure in Pontypridd, the Rhondda and across the whole of Rhondda
Cynon Taf. Make sure you earn your money by getting us the money
in the Rhondda.
What a contrast with the conversation the hon. Gentleman and I
had last when I reported this news to him; he was charm and
diplomacy itself then, yet when he gets in the Chamber with an
audience, he becomes a different personality. I will remind him,
just in case he has forgotten, what the Chief Secretary’s letter
actually says. Among other things, he says, “I am expecting to
provide the required funding.” That is in relation to the Welsh
Government confirming they will make a reserve claim for 2020-21.
So this process is under way. It does require the Welsh
Government to come to the party, too, but they have not yet done
so. Of course a lot of this is in the devolved space, so the hon.
Gentleman cannot just pick and choose which bits of devolution
suit his desire to make a statement in the Chamber.
Covid-19: Financial Support
(Gower) (Lab)
What recent discussions he has had with the Chancellor of the
Exchequer on financial support for people in Wales affected by
the covid-19 outbreak. [907297]
(Newport East) (Lab)
What recent discussions he has had with the Chancellor of the
Exchequer on financial support for people in Wales affected by
the covid-19 outbreak. [907301]
The Secretary of State for Wales ()
I have regular discussions with the Chancellor, and we spoke only
last week. He has since announced a significant package of
further job support and an additional £400 million of funding for
the Welsh Government.
Tourism and hospitality is the backbone of the economy of the
Gower peninsula. My constituent Lara Joslin runs the Kings Head
in Llangennith. She is fighting to keep her family businesses
alive. Lara runs a popular rural pub with accommodation, which,
like many others in Gower, provides vital part-time jobs for
local people. Why is the Secretary of State not banging on the
door of the Treasury to right the wrong of the job support scheme
failing to support independent hospitality businesses such as
Lara’s?
The hon. Lady and I have a similar dependence on tourism in our
constituencies, so I understand absolutely the argument she makes
about its value, but I remind her that so far UK taxpayers have
contributed £1.1 billion by way of bounce back loans; £490
million in self-employed income support; £303 million in
coronavirus business interruption loans; £30 million-worth of eat
out to help out; future funding of £7 million—I would carry on,
Mr Speaker, if only you would let me—and that is not to mention
the 401,000 employees on furlough. The Treasury has gone above
and beyond the international average and tried to get to every
single business in every single area of the UK, and that includes
Gower just as much as anywhere else.
For those who are able to access the Government’s new job support
scheme—many are locked out or deemed by the Government to be in
unviable jobs—a cut of a third of wages for the low paid makes it
extremely hard to pay bills and feed families. Does the Secretary
of State really get this? If so, will Wales Office Ministers
fight to get a better scheme?
Often in this questions session we have talked about the fact
that there will always be those in all our constituencies who do
not quite fit every single one of the intervention measures that
the Chancellor has announced over the past few months. In those
circumstances, of course we want to be as flexible as possible
and to try to find ways, through either the intervention schemes
or universal credit, to support the hardest-hit families as best
we can. If the hon. Lady brings to my attention individual
examples of those gaps, I will of course do my best to address
them.
(Llanelli) (Lab)
Throughout this pandemic, Welsh businesses have done all they can
to stay open and stay trading, with so many drawing on the
support grants and loans that have been so important in keeping
them afloat. But as more areas of the country come under local
restrictions, with trading halted or severely limited, and amid
fears about public confidence, many businesses feel that they
have absolutely maxed out on their borrowing and are worried
about the future. What plan do the Government have to support
businesses that are now heavily in debt, to make sure that the
burden of repayments in the coming months does not mean that they
go under?
I start by expressing some confusion: on the one hand, Opposition
Members are articulating a Welsh Government view that the
existing interventions are not strict enough, but on the other,
the hon. Lady gets to her feet and says that the interventions
are almost imposing undue hardship. It is quite difficult to know
exactly where the Opposition stand on getting the balance right
between disease control and the maintaining of a vibrant economy.
At each and every stage of this process, the Chancellor has been
flexible and adaptable and has recognised that the situation is
changing, often by the hour, let alone by the day or week. The
financial interventions, which up to now have been about £4.4
billion by way of Barnettised contributions to the Welsh
Government—and we could probably double that for the other
interventions, which are more direct—have supported business in
Wales. But of course, as the circumstances change and our
reaction changes, so we will remain flexible.
Indeed, we have always said that any restrictions need to be
backed up with proper financial support measures for business. To
reduce the spread of the virus it is also vital that workers who
are unwell or asked to self-isolate do actually stay off work,
but as hours are reduced in sectors such as hospitality, an
increasing number of Welsh workers will find themselves falling
below the minimum weekly earnings threshold needed to qualify for
statutory sick pay. To expect them to live off nothing for a
fortnight is totally unacceptable. Will the Secretary of State
urge the Chancellor to do the decent thing and extend the
statutory sick pay scheme to all workers?
I know from my personal contact with the Chancellor over the past
few weeks that he is looking at all these options. That is why
the winter resilience measures were brought in a week or so ago,
on top of all the other measures he has introduced, which
recognise the very difficult situation in which so many people
find themselves. I am not going to stand here and say that we are
never going to consider another option; of course we will. We
will always look at the individual circumstances, particularly of
those who are hardest hit.
(Arfon) (PC) [V]
Further to our recent meeting, with the various covid funding
measures being announced by the Government sometimes seeming
haphazardly and causing some confusion—the bid for football here,
the bid for the arts there and now, apparently, Department for
Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy funding for universities
in Wales even though the matter is devolved—will the Minister
consider publishing a regular simple table of the Government’s
covid funding with the consequential amounts for Wales if there
are such?
The hon. Gentleman makes a good point about universities. Of
course, that is a devolved matter and yet hugely dependent on the
Union effort. In answer to his very direct question, I can give
him a very direct yes.
City and Growth Deals
(Arundel and
South Downs) (Con)
What steps he is taking to help implement (a) city and (b) growth
deals in Wales. [907298]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Wales ()
I am committed to driving forward each of the growth deals in
Wales and, since March, have taken part in 24 meetings with
representatives of Wales city and growth deals. I recently
visited Carmarthen West and South Pembrokeshire constituency
after approving the Pembroke Dock marine development, one of the
many growth deal projects that will be contributing to levelling
up in Wales.
Last week, the Prime Minister outlined how we can build back
better by investing in areas such as hydrogen, green energy and
electric mobility. Does the Minister agree that, while it is an
opportunity for the whole United Kingdom, we should particularly
put Wales at the heart of that green revolution?
I am very happy to agree with that. The Prime Minister’s
commitment last week was a game changer, quadrupling offshore
wind energy by 2030, doubling the amount of support for
renewables projects and providing £160 million to support
infrastructure and one gigawatt of new floating wind projects.
That is all clear evidence of this Government’s commitment to a
green and resilient economic recovery from the coronavirus.
UK Internal Market Bill
(Newcastle-under-Lyme) (Con)
What assessment he has made of the potential economic effect on
Wales of the provisions in the UK Internal Market Bill. [907299]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Wales ()
The United Kingdom Internal Market Bill will protect seamless
trade across the United Kingdom, which will benefit people in all
corners of the UK and, indeed, of this House. Our market access
guarantee will provide certainty for Welsh businesses as the
transition period ends and provide a firm foundation upon which
businesses may flourish.
Obviously, in Newcastle-under-Lyme, the whole of Staffordshire,
and indeed the whole of the west midlands, there are a number of
businesses that both source from and supply to Wales. Those
businesses need the certainty that standards will be observed and
that what they produce will be able to be sold into different
markets around the United Kingdom, and particularly in Wales.
Will my hon. Friend confirm that the United Kingdom Internal
Market Bill will deliver on that?
I can absolutely confirm that. I hope all Members of this House
are listening to the wise words of my hon. Friend. The Bill
provides a vital guarantee that businesses in his constituency,
and in all constituencies across the UK, will be able to continue
to trade confidently within our internal market as the transition
period ends.
Covid-19: Economic Recovery
(Beaconsfield) (Con)
What steps his Department is taking to support Wales’s economic
recovery from the covid-19 outbreak. [907300]
The Secretary of State for Wales ()
The UK Government have provided a support package for Welsh
businesses and communities in recent weeks, including the
Government’s £30 billion plan for jobs. Our ambition remains to
secure jobs, stimulate growth and provide opportunities to level
up Wales.
I thank the Secretary of State for his financial support for
Wales and for the devolved Welsh Government. Does he agree that,
if the Welsh Government want to trigger further restrictions and
go beyond Government measures, which should ultimately be used as
a last resort, they need to provide plans for how they will
financially support the industries that will be hit as a result?
My hon. Friend makes a very good point. The Barnettised numbers,
which total £4.4 billion so far, do give the Welsh Government a
degree of flexibility in addressing issues if the evidence
supports doing it in a slightly different way. There are one or
two examples of where they have introduced their own
interventions, courtesy of money provided by UK taxpayers, but
the overriding point is that there does need to be a degree of
collaboration and co-operation that straddles all the countries
of the UK, because this is an international and a national
challenge.
(Preseli
Pembrokeshire) (Con)
Like me, the Secretary of State will have welcomed the vision set
out by the Prime Minister last week for expanding renewable
energy and, importantly, the commitment to boosting floating
offshore wind power, which represents such a big opportunity for
us in Wales. May I ask him if he would use his good offices to
ensure that all the relevant players in this—the private sector
developers that have projects ready to go, the Department for
Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy and the Crown Estate,
which owns the seabed—are all on the same page, working towards a
shared goal so that we get decisions made in a timely way?
Absolutely. I agree with my right hon. Friend and neighbour’s
assessment of the situation. We were all encouraged by my hon.
Friend the Under-Secretary’s comments just now in that respect. I
can, I hope, encourage my right hon. Friend by saying that I am
meeting the Crown Estate the day after tomorrow, I think, to
discuss the potential delays, which at the moment look like being
its problem, and we need to unblock that.
Covid-19: Employment Support
(West Lancashire) (Lab)
What recent discussions he has had with the Secretary of State
for Work and Pensions on support for people in Wales whose
employment has been adversely affected by the covid-19 outbreak.
[907302]
The Secretary of State for Wales ()
I have frequent discussions with the Secretary of State for Work
and Pensions. At least 510,000 people in Wales have been directly
supported by the measures we have so far put in place. However,
the best possible support we can provide is to get behind the
national effort and public health guidelines to ensure that we
overcome this crisis sooner rather than later.
[V]
With the UK’s unemployment rate at its highest level in three
years, it is clear that many workers in Wales will need to rely
on social security in order to get back on their feet. Does the
Secretary of State agree that it is only fair to update legacy
benefits such as jobseeker’s allowance and employment and support
allowance to match the increase in universal credit that was
announced earlier this year?
I thank the hon. Lady for her comments. Conversations I have had
with the Department for Work and Pensions, and indeed the
Chancellor, have touched on this very issue. This is why the
arrangements on universal credit have been as flexible as they
can be. The Department is making an effort to ensure that
everybody is accounted for and that those who might fall into the
gaps we referred to earlier are properly looked after. That is
very much uppermost in the minds of Cabinet and ministerial
colleagues. I can give her that assurance.
Full-fibre Broadband Network
(Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross) (LD)
What progress has been made on expanding Wales’s full-fibre
broadband network. [907303]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Wales ()
The Government are committed to rolling out broadband across the
United Kingdom, although we have much work to do. I am pleased
that 50% of premises in Wales have access to full-fibre
broadband, compared with only 14% in the UK as a whole. Only a
fortnight ago, I was able to go out with the innovative Welsh SME
Beacons Telecom, which is helping to deliver broadband in remote
and rural parts of Wales—the parts of Wales that Openreach
seemingly cannot reach.
[V]
I suspect that my question will come as no surprise. I represent
one of the most remote parts of the UK, and far too many of my
constituents simply cannot get decent connectivity. Could the
Minister please share his experience and his know-how with the
Scottish Government so that we can get this problem sorted out?
If the Scottish Government care to issue me with an invitation, I
stand ready to serve and offer advice such as I can. Actually, I
think my advice is that are innovative small companies out there
that are able to do things that Openreach apparently cannot do. I
saw an example of that in Wales, and I am sure there must be many
others. I assure the hon. Gentleman that as a Government who are
committed to the Union, our broadband ambitions span not just
Wales but the whole of the United Kingdom, from the tip of
Penzance right up to the coast of Caithness and beyond.
Strengthening the Union
(Dudley North) (Con)
What steps his Department is taking to strengthen the Union.
[907304]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Wales ()
The Government are fully committed to the constitutional
integrity of the United Kingdom. Our response to the covid-19
outbreak has clearly demonstrated the value of Wales being a part
of the Union, with a package of UK Government support that
frankly goes well beyond anything that the Welsh Government could
offer alone. It is clear that our four nations are safer and more
prosperous when we stand together.
It is very good news that the Government have appointed Sir Peter
Hendy to undertake a detailed review as to how the quality and
availability of transport infrastructure can support economic
growth, as well the quality of life, across the UK. Will the
Minister advise on what his Department’s priorities are for this
review in Wales?
Our priorities, clearly, will be better transport links, ensuring
that Wales is better connected to the rest of the Union, but the
Government’s ambitions go well beyond transport infrastructure.
We believe that Wales is an integral part of the United Kingdom
and we want to see not just good transport links but our
historical links and cultural links, because we believe that one
is quite easily able to be proud to be Welsh and proud to be
British in this Union.
[V]
From Ilfracombe to Exmoor in my North Devon constituency, it is
possible to see south Wales. Does my hon. Friend agree that we
should look at the options for better connecting the two areas to
strengthen the links between our economies and, ultimately, the
Union?
I entirely agree with what my hon. Friend has said. The
Government are going to strengthen all links within the United
Kingdom. We are a Conservative and Unionist Government, and I
look forward to support from all sides of the House.
