Asked by: Ed Davey (Liberal Democrat - Kingston and Surbiton)
Question to the Wales Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, when Ministers in the Wales Office last made a Ministerial visit to Wales.
Answered by Lord Hart of Tenby
Details of Ministerial visits and meetings are published on the Office of the Secretary of State for Wales’ website and in Quarterly Ministerial Transparency Returns. In addition, visits and meetings conducted in support of the Wales Office Business Plan are published in the Office of the Secretary of State for Wales Annual Report and Accounts.
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State and I both live in Wales and serve Welsh constituencies. We have conducted many virtual meetings with Welsh businesses throughout the lockdown period, as well as virtual visits. I have had two physical visits since the lockdown has allowed in Wales, on 10 and 17 of July. There is a further programme of Ministerial visits planned for the next few weeks and throughout Parliament’s Summer Recess.
Asked by: Ed Davey (Liberal Democrat - Kingston and Surbiton)
Question to the Wales Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, what assessment he has made of the effect of the covid-19 outbreak on farming in Wales; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Lord Hart of Tenby
The UK Government is acutely aware of the pressures facing Welsh farmers as a result of the Covid-19 crisis. We are hugely grateful for the hard work they have done – and continue to do – to maintain vital food supply chains, and we know how essential farming is to rural communities in Wales. Whilst we are pleased to see business now returning as shops and restaurants reopen, this has been a challenging period for many farmers who have seen a significant reduction in demand following the temporary closure of the food service sector.
We want a profitable and resilient farming sector and we will always champion our farmers by supporting them to provide a sustainable food supply to consumers. Although agriculture is a devolved matter in Wales, the UK Government took several specific measures to support our farmers through the Covid-19 outbreak. For instance, we have temporarily relaxed certain elements of competition law to support the farming sector and have worked with the industry on promotional campaigns for beef and dairy. This is in addition to the package of UK Government-backed financial support schemes, such as the Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme and the Bounce Back Loan Scheme, which have provided vital support to Welsh farmers.
I have had several meetings with Welsh farming unions and other key industry stakeholders in Wales throughout this crisis. We remain in regular contact with representatives from across the sectors to help us assess specific challenges and identify how best to support their economic recovery in the months ahead.
Asked by: Ed Davey (Liberal Democrat - Kingston and Surbiton)
Question to the Wales Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, what steps he is taking to help protect jobs in the Welsh media sector; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Lord Hart of Tenby
The UK Government recognises the impact of Covid-19 on the Welsh media sector and has taken unprecedented action to protect Welsh jobs, with 378,400 jobs supported by the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme and £289m provided to support 108,000 self-employed people.
The UK Government recognises the huge contribution that the media sector makes to the Welsh economy and cultural life, and the important role it has played throughout lockdown in providing an invaluable source of information and entertainment.
The Welsh Government will benefit from an extra £59m Barnett funding announced as part of the UK Government’s major £1.57 billion support package for the arts, museums, heritage sectors, music venues and independent cinemas to help them through the Coronavirus pandemic.
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Wales and I have been in regular contact with stakeholders across the media sector in Wales throughout the outbreak and will continue to engage closely as the sector helps lead Wales’ recovery.
Asked by: Ed Davey (Liberal Democrat - Kingston and Surbiton)
Question to the Wales Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, what estimate he has made of the effect on the Welsh economy of the reduction in income from tourism to Wales as a result of the covid-19 outbreak; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Lord Hart of Tenby
The UK Government recognises the challenges faced by businesses in the wake of Covid-19. This is why we acted quickly and decisively to provide an unprecedented level of support to protect businesses, jobs and incomes in the tourism industry in Wales.
By the end of June, the UK Government had supported 378,400 Welsh jobs through the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme and 108,000 self-employed people in Wales through the Self-Employed Income Support Scheme.
We have cut VAT by 15% for six months for the tourism and hospitality sectors to kick-start recovery and our Eat Out to Help Out scheme will help get those sectors back on their feet during August.
The Welsh Government has now heeded the call to plan for the full reopening of the tourism and hospitality sectors in Wales. The measures the UK Government has in place will help those sectors in Wales make the most of the remainder of the summer season.