I would call for a single statement on the north Wales growth deal. Shortly before recess, your colleague to your right, the Cabinet Secretary for Economy and Infrastructure, replied to me in the Chamber that

‘We very much hope that the growth deal bid will be submitted in full as a proposal to the Chancellor of the Exchequer by the end of this month.’

That is, July. In response to the UK Government announcement in March—it was opening the door to a growth deal for north Wales, and it would be looking to the next Welsh Government to devolve powers to the region as part of any future deal—you’ll be aware that a growth vision report, signed by all six north Wales council leaders, its university leaders, its college leaders and its business leaders, has been submitted to both the UK and the Welsh Governments, beginning with a single, joined-up vision for economic and employment growth for north Wales. They say in their accompanying letter they are keen to pursue the invitation of the UK Government for north Wales to open discussions over a growth bid for the region, and the formal presentation of the vision is the first major step towards making a growth bid, which, again, needs clarification, given the Minister’s referral to a bid by the end of July, before the end of Plenary. This report says that devolving powers over employment, taxes, skills and transport to north Wales would boost the economy, jobs and productivity, create at least 120,000 jobs, and boost the value of the local economy from £12.8 billion to £20 billion by 2035. This is big, and north Wales needs to hear from the Welsh Government how it proposes to respond and take this forward. Thank you.