, Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee
Future of Welsh Steel
Can I stop you there, please? So, how—? I don't know which UK Minister you were speaking to in that conversation, but what was the response to that remark?
, Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee
Future of Welsh Steel
All of this is taking place in a rumbustious international situation, of course. So, I'm just interested to understand where you think we are in terms of the overall trade context for these conversations. I know whatever you say today in terms of the United…
, Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee
Future of Welsh Steel
When I look at events in Port Talbot, I look at them through the lens of Ebbw Vale, clearly, and I still see the impact of the closure of Ebbw Vale steelworks in the constituency today, 20 years later. And I'm concerned about the human impact of the changes…
, Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee
Inward investment: Panel 5
As we write our manifestos. Thank you.
, Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee
Inward investment: Panel 5
But they're not Alun's plans, are they? They are the criticisms of almost every witness we've had in front of us.
, Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee
Inward investment: Panel 5
I'm sure we'll have a conversation.
, Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee
Inward investment: Panel 5
I defer to nobody in my criticism of austerity, let me tell you this, but I don't think you can just walk away from these really significant challenges either.
, Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee
Inward investment: Panel 5
That's not austerity, it's governance. I'm not going to let you get away with that. It's not austerity; it's about the structure of governance as well.
, Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee
Inward investment: Panel 5
Yes, I recognise that.
, Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee
Inward investment: Panel 5
The fact that you've got to do all of this—and I recognise that you have been doing this, by the way, Cabinet Secretary—the fact that you've got to do all of this demonstrates to me that there's something fundamentally broken in the governance of this…
, Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee
Inward investment: Panel 5
Brexit was a part of it, I accept that. But, even without Brexit, there was a significant failure from the Welsh public sector to deliver the sort of enabling environment that the company probably required.
, Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee
Inward investment: Panel 5
I'm grateful to the Chair for that intervention. In terms of the evidence we've received over recent months, the conclusion that I'm reaching—and I want to challenge you on this, Cabinet Secretary—is that Welsh Government does a great job in bringing people…
, Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee
Inward investment: Panel 5
But you need to do it, and that's my frustration. I accept your words, but where's the action? That's really where I am. But we are here to talk about the—
, Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee
Inward investment: Panel 5
There's only a year or two left of it in terms of its original—
, Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee
Inward investment: Panel 5
You haven't spent the budget for the Tech Valleys; that's my real frustration. These are the poorest parts of the country, with the highest levels of deprivation, some of the lowest levels of economic activity, and the Welsh Government's failed to spend £10…
, Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee
Inward investment: Panel 5
But you haven't, have you? That's my frustration, Cabinet Secretary, because the completion of the A465 wasn't a surprise to the Welsh Government. It managed it for two decades. And the delivery of that road, which was a great achievement for Welsh…
, Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee
Inward investment: Panel 5
We'll come to that later.
, Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee
Inward investment: Panel 5
You shouldn't tempt me. But there is a failure, isn't there, of strategic vision. That's absolutely clear. And it's not just a failure in Welsh Government; UK Government has failed more comprehensively, if you like, because where you've got these growth zones…
, Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee
Inward investment: Panel 5
Sorry, I'm a member of the culture committee and it was an issue about the accountability of the First Minister that we were addressing; it wasn't simply about the office structure.
, Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee
Inward investment: Panel 5
Methodology.
, Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee
Inward investment: Panel 5
Thank you.
, Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee
Inward investment: Panel 5
It would be useful, then, if the Cabinet Secretary could write to us with some urgency on this matter so that we can return to this next week.
, Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee
Inward investment: Panel 5
You don't know if there's anybody from Wales on that mission.
, Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee
Inward investment: Panel 5
I certainly see no reason why key performance indicators shouldn't be published. You're subject to democratic accountability and holding you to account is what this committee does, so certainly that sort of information is essential to that. But I was…
, Plenary
Debate: The Final Budget 2026-27
How do I follow that, Llywydd? I’ve seen some things in this place in my time, but my God. All Governments need oppositions, and I think we need an opposition, because it isn’t good enough, bluntly, to come here to read a speech for the first time, listing…
