Part of 1. 1. Questions to the Cabinet Secretary for Economy and Infrastructure – in the Senedd at 1:50 pm on 9 November 2016.
Well, my latest discussions took place yesterday. The Member will be aware from my committee appearance last week—and this actually relates to the questions and the points that Adam Price has just made—that I do have concerns about ensuring that national institutions such as the National Assembly for Wales and Welsh Government have a presence right across Wales, and that no part of Wales feels excluded. And, in carrying out a mapping exercise, it was found that there are part of Wales where there is less presence, and I think it’s essential that we do what we can to make Government and to make this national institution relevant to all people equally. And for that reason, I think it makes sense that we do decentralise whenever and wherever possible. For the same reason, I’ve said that, with Transport for Wales, my intention for that body is that that will be headquartered in the Valleys as well.
We need to learn from yesterday’s result in the United States and from the referendum that many people in many communities feel that national institutions, national polities, are too far removed from their communities. It’s essential, therefore, that what we do becomes more relevant, more apparent and more accessible to them.