Eight stage process is making ProAct a SloAct - Kirsty (Clwyd West Liberal Democrats)

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Clwyd West Liberal Democrats <info@libdems.org.uk>

Eight stage process is making ProAct a SloAct - Kirsty

January 13, 2009 12:00 AM
Originally published by Welsh Liberal Democrats

Kirsty Williams has challenged Wales' First Minister to speed up his government's flagship response to the economic crisis.

At the first Question Time of the new year, Kirsty challenged the government's record on unemployment, and the lack of concrete action to help people at risk of losing their jobs.

Kirsty said: "People need help and support now. People are losing their jobs now, and when they go to business advisers to look for practical help they are being told that it simply isn't there.

"I'm very supportive of the government's proposals for a ProAct scheme - to support companies to provide training for employees during the downturn, rather than laying them off. But it was announced in December, and we still haven't seen a single bid approved.

"Your government is in danger of turning ProAct in to a Slow Act.

"The scheme is only a three month pilot, yet the approval process for businesses to get on the scheme consists of eight stages! Even the Wales Millennium Centre doesn't have eight stages.

"The team have not even met yet to approve any projects, and won't until next week!"

Mr Morgan argued that the government's scheme was being set up pretty rapidly, by the standard of government.

Kirsty added: "Government help needs to be much more rapid, and much simpler. My fear is that the government is taking so long, that companies will just find it easier to lay people off."

Notes:

The eight stages a company would need to go through before receiving support from the proposed ProAct scheme.

1. Produce business case;

2-5. Four separate approvals from different departments/bodies;

6. Produce training plan;

7. Approval of training plan;

8. Formal bid approval.