4. Will the Minister make a statement on the tourism investment support scheme? OAQ(5)0057(EI)

Yes. The tourism investment support scheme is a fund that Members are aware supports the tourism industry. From 2013, the value of offers totals £5.5 million, together with an additional £11.3 million for strategic tourism projects, such as the Royal Mint Experience and Surf Snowdonia. In total, the fund has helped to create 1,087 jobs and includes a further £40 million of investments being levered in.

Thank you very much for that update, Cabinet Secretary—I should’ve said that earlier. But, in 2012 the Government did give the Ruthin Castle Hotel £0.5 million, more than three times higher than any other TISS grant in that year, and just £5,000 of this has been recovered for the Welsh taxpayer after the company failed to meet the TISS criteria. I appreciate in this specific example that there were difficulties recovering moneys because the company’s gone into administration. But, that in itself raises questions about the safeguards on which the Welsh Government insists when giving the TISS grant. The lost money, that’s something other businesses could have used. So, will you be recalibrating the rules for TISS grants in order to have a wider geographic spread for job creation, or are you looking for different ways of reducing the risk to the Welsh taxpayer?

I can confirm the latter. In fact, I’ll write to Members with an update on the tourism investment support scheme, because the criteria for support were changed. I think I’ve highlighted this in a previous session here in Plenary, or in a committee, but the criteria changed so that there was a minimum of 30 per cent repayment allocated within the award process.

In terms of Ruthin Castle Hotel, I think, first of all, it’s essential that Members do not talk down that particular hotel, because it is still open, it’s operating very successfully and it provides employment opportunities for many people. I would not wish Members in this Chamber to convey the impression that Ruthin Castle Hotel has closed or that it is in trouble. Indeed, my officials met with the new owners back in April of this year to discuss the expansion plans that the hotel has. The hotel has also undergone change insofar as separating some of the assets that have a greater liability are concerned, so there is now a trust that’s been established to look after parts of the historic environment that the castle includes. In terms of that specific case, I’m happy to write to Members with a full account of what happened and the reason why the project encountered problems. In terms of that project, yes, only approximately £5,000 was recovered, but the hotel is still operating. It is still employing people and it is retaining four-star standard.

I’ll happily update Members in terms of the changes to TISS, and I’ll also provide a more detailed account of what happened with Ruthin Castle Hotel and the due diligence that it was subject to. I can confirm that, as part of the TISS programme for 2017, there will be two major attractions that will be delivered: one in the north that will be an alpine coaster, and one in the south, in Pembrokeshire, which will be a wakeboard park, which will be a key feature of 2018’s Year of the Sea.

Cabinet Secretary, from previous contributions I’ve made on this subject you’ll know of my personal interest in raising awareness of the industrial and social heritage of Merthyr Tydfil, in particular, and I’ve been working with the council, discussing options for developing these into significant tourism opportunities. Indeed, last week I was pleased to address Merthyr’s heritage and regeneration conference, when I focused specifically on what Merthyr has to offer in that regard. Apart from questioning whether we always do everything we can to preserve or to renovate sites and buildings that have a significant story to tell in respect of our local heritage, I spoke specifically about how we could learn from places like Ironbridge in delivering a whole-town experience. I also suggested to them the possibility of developing the Dic Penderyn trail, which I know I’ve spoken to you about, which would tell the story of the people of Merthyr around the time of the rising. That seemed to be welcomed by the council and by a number of the heritage volunteers in the town. The reason I raise this is that Merthyr Tydfil County Borough Council and the heritage organisations have considerable ambition for the town—there’s no doubt about that—but, of course, the barrier to developing many projects is generally a financial one. Now, I realise that TISS—

You do need to come to a question now, please.

Yes, I’m coming to the question. I realise that TISS is a scheme based on the funder of last resort and, you know, after all others have been exhausted, and I know that it’s only limited to £0.5 million and it mostly covers projects around accommodation, activity and restaurants and so on—

A question, please.

The question is: can the Cabinet Secretary advise me whether there is flexibility within the rules governing the scheme that would allow access to funding that could assist with some minor heritage projects that couldn’t attract any other funding, but which, if developed, could help to draw people into the town?

I’d like to thank Dawn Bowden for her question. A number of Members have, in recent weeks, raised with me questions about whether the Government could support certain projects and certain installations in their constituencies and regions. I know Neil McEvoy has recently raised the same question. What I’ll undertake to do is to write to Members with details of TISS—the criteria—but also, if I may, I’ll include details of destination managers within the respective parts of regions of Wales, and the contact details, because I think it would be valuable for Members to be able to liaise with them or, at least, to be able to refer groups to the destination managers because they then have details about two other important funding programmes—the regional tourism innovation fund, which may be relevant to the point that Dawn Bowden raises, and also the regional tourism engagement fund. In addition, there are funding opportunities that are provided through the Heritage Lottery Fund. Presiding Officer, if I may, I’ll try to capture all of this detail in a letter and circulate it to Members so that everybody is equipped with the relevant detail to be able to advise on any projects that constituents bring forward.