Globalisation And Its Impact On Wales Oral And Written Evidence

Incorporating HC 34 i-xii, session 2007-08 and HC 281 i-xvii, session 2006-07

This Welsh Affairs Committee report, "Globalisation and its impact on Wales" (HC 184-I, ISBN 9780215526373), examines the effects of global trade on a variety of economic sectors, including employment and skills, broadcasting, and food supply and production. The Committee found evidence of existing skills gaps in Wales, for example in specialist areas such as science, and recommends that to avoid dependence on low skilled, low paid jobs, the UK and Welsh Assembly Governments work with the higher education sector to raise the skills base. Universities are the drivers of the knowledge economy, which is key to success in the global marketplace. The Committee believes it is imperative that the UK and Welsh Assembly Governments fully integrate the commercial potential of higher education into their policies. Welsh companies can increase their value and stimulate the local economy by exploiting a strong local identity and values, and by making use of higher level and specialist skills to offer premium goods and services that cannot be sourced abroad, particularly in the farming and food production industries, where Wales is developing a global reputation for excellence. Also in the report, the Committee: welcomes the use of innovative methods of broadcasting used by S4C to engage with audiences outside Wales; recommends the commissioning of more programmes reflective of Welsh identity; supports initiatives helping Welsh companies to exploit their global potential in the creative industries.

The Wales Office and the Welsh Assembly Government must ensure UK digital inclusion initiatives meet Welsh needs and build on existing good work to deliver on Welsh digital ambitions, says the Welsh Affairs Committee in a report published today. This report "Digital Inclusion in Wales", examines the use of digital technologies in Wales, highlights the urgent need for the eradication of broadband ’notspots' - areas with limited or no access to high speed internet connections - and says this issue must continue to receive priority attention. There should be more support to help a wider range of people use technology effectively. Employers told the Committee they need staff with better IT skills and more training opportunities. The Committee recommends the Welsh Assembly Government explicitly includes this issue in its digital inclusion strategy. The digital inclusion agenda is a complex mix of reserved and devolved matters. This brings a risk that key issues can be overlooked, for example no account has been taken of Welsh language speakers' needs in the Government's Digital Inclusion Action Plan. The Secretary of State for Wales must ensure that bodies in Wales across all sectors are fully engaged with initiatives and that the next stage of Digital Britain adequately reflects Welsh needs. Higher education institutions also have a vital role to play and should be involved in any new research opportunities. The Welsh Assembly already has successful digital inclusion projects in Wales and it should find a way to become fully involved with the UK digital inclusion and Digital Britain work so it does not miss out on policy developments and funding opportunities. The Committee also recommends the creation of a one-stop shop providing advice on the risks for young people using technology, and commends the Assembly's work tackling internet related crimes which it says should be promoted as part of the economic development strategy in Wales.

This inquiry arose from the Committee's belief that any benefits of the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games should be felt in Wales and not only in London and the South East of England. The Committee cannot yet conclude whether Wales will benefit from the 2012 Games. Few events will be held in Wales and it is not predicted that Wales will benefit greatly from tourism generated by the Games. An opportunity was missed in the original bid to locate events in Wales particularly in respect of mountain biking and canoeing. In retrospect, it now seems misguided to build expensive new venues when such facilities exist in Wales. Lottery funding will be diverted from Wales to fund the Games, with a loss of an estimated £100 million, which will have a long-term effect on grassroots projects with a reduction in the number of new facilities built and possible problems in maintaining current structures. The Government has launched the London 2012 Business Network and CompeteFor, but there Welsh companies currently only account for 2 per cent of all the total number of registrations on the CompeteFor network. The most obvious benefit to Wales arises from the fact that the Olympic and Paralympic Games in London provide a unique opportunity to generate interest in sport amongst children and young people. Disability sports is a great success story for Wales and the community programme ensures that there are opportunities for children and young people with disabilities. It is important that all sections of Welsh society are engaged with the Olympics and Paralympics and its ideals.

Working practices between the UK and Welsh Assembly governments in relation to cross-border policies appear much improved since the Committee's earlier reports on this subject. But a number of outstanding issues remain in transport, health and further and higher education. On transport the Committee welcomes the planned electrification of the Great Western Main Line. However, the Department for Transport appears to have washed its hands of any strategic responsibility for cross-border roads. The A483 is the clearest example of a road vital for travel within Wales but which is not important to the English region in which it is located, and as a result loses out on funding. The Committee stresses the need for comparative data on which to build solid research comparing NHS performance in the devolved nations. More needs to be done to raise public awareness of the differences in services people can expect to receive on both sides of the border. Transparency of information is vital. Research proposals in the UK Government's Higher Ambitions strategy for higher education make no reference to nations other than England, despite the UK-wide research remit of the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills. The Committee calls for details about how research funding proposals apply to all four nations.

There is a pressing need for more prison places in Wales. There are only four prisons in Wales, all of which are in South Wales. The Committee urges the Government to be flexible in its approach, which would be consistent with the considered views expressed in recent reports by the Justice Select Committee.

The proposed National Assembly for Wales (Legislative Competence) (Local Government) Order 2009 is the twelfth Legislative Competence Order on which the Welsh Affairs Committee has reported. The Order will give the Assembly powers in respect of the structures and work of local government in Wales at all levels. The Welsh Assembly Government has requested this power because it wishes to develop and strengthen the role of community councils and councillors in Wales. The proposed Order will allow the Welsh Assembly Government to fulfil its commitment to seek legislation to address issues identified in the 2003 'Aberystwyth Report'. The Committee agrees that a clear need for the proposed LCO has been identified and is consistent with the Government's commitment to build up the capacity of town and community councils. The proposed Order is drafted in broad and accessible terms with the minimum of exceptions and interpretation. The Committee is concerned, however, that there are now many terms used to describe the various tiers of local government in Wales and agree with the suggestions put forward that the Minister should speedily undertake a review of terminology relating to local government. Specifically the term 'community' is cited as having various meanings dependent on context. Furthermore, given that there have already been several LCO proposals identified in terms of local government, to call this the National Assembly for Wales (Legislative Competence) (Local Government) Order introduces the potential for confusion. A title such as 'National Assembly for Wale (Legislative Competence) (Community Councils) Order or similar is suggested