4. Will the First Minister make a statement on the Welsh Government’s input into the Wylfa Newydd development? OAQ(5)0013(FM) [W]

The Welsh Government is fully committed to this significantly important project. We expect that this year, 2016, will be a significant year for this £12 billion project, not least marked by Horizon’s announcement last week of a new delivery team for Wylfa Newydd.

Thank you. The term of the fifth Assembly is going to be crucial, of course, in the development of Wylfa Newydd. The Welsh Government won’t decide whether the development proceeds, although everything does seem to be moving in that direction at present, but the Welsh Government does have a very important role to play in terms of ensuring that the development brings the greatest benefits possible to Ynys Môn—in terms of local jobs, skills development and so on, but also in terms of pressing for mitigation measures in many areas, for example tourism and pressures on the housing system, and public services more generally. So, can the First Minister give a commitment to increasing the capacity of the department within Government that is involved with this development, to ensure that the interests of Ynys Môn and north Wales more widely are protected through this development period?

Well, this has already happened. A nuclear programme board has already been established under the auspices of Welsh Government, and the aim of that board is to secure the maximum economic benefit for the island, and also to Wales as a whole. That board has a number of work streams that they’re considering at present, considering things such as skills, business development, marketing, education and also economic benefits. So, that work has already begun in order to ensure that the island itself can get the optimum benefit out of this development.

The North Wales Economic Ambition Board was established to maximise the opportunities presented by several large-scale projects in the north Wales pipeline, Wylfa Newydd being the largest. The North Wales Economic Ambition Board, including all six county councils, the north Wales business council and the third sector, has welcomed the UK Government offer of a north Wales growth deal and additional funding, but that requires delivery in partnership with the Welsh Government. How has, or will, your Welsh Government respond to that offer?

Well, given the fact that it was already there in the first place, positively. He will know, the Member, that we have put in place plans for the north-east of Wales—that’s not to exclude the north-west; we know how important the north-west is—because, at one point, the Northern Powerhouse, as it's called, in the north-west of England, was being presented as a competitor. Now, we see a number of opportunities for co-operative working across the border to ensure prosperity across the border, and that's what we'll be looking to do. It’s not exclusive to the north-east; we want to see that prosperity extend all the way across the north of our country.

First Minister, the economic impact of Wylfa Newydd will see about 6,800 workers at the height of construction. Now, many of these people will travel along the north Wales corridor. What is your Government going to do with regard to the bottleneck that we already have with the Britannia bridge?

We've already examined the options for a third crossing on the Menai, and that’s something that we want to take forward. We've examined whether it's possible, for example, to extend—or widen, rather—the Britannia bridge. That's tricky, but, nevertheless, this is work in progress. We know how important it is—I mean, the A55 is not a dual carriageway across its entire length, because of the bridge. We already, of course, are beginning work to remove the roundabouts in Llanfairfechan and Penmaenmawr, which will help hugely, and, of course, at the eastern end of the A55, looking at improving the gateway to Wales at Drome Corner. But, yes, the Member is right; ensuring that there is a proper four-lane crossing over the Menai will be important work for the next few years.