8. Urgent Question: Tata

Part of the debate – in the Senedd at 6:41 pm on 15 February 2017.

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Photo of Ken Skates Ken Skates Labour 6:41, 15 February 2017

I’d like to thank John Griffiths for his contribution and I agree entirely. I’d like to thank him for his consistent and passionate commitment to the plant in his constituency, as I’d like to thank all Members who represent areas that have steelworks within them. I do believe that we’ve only just scratched the surface of the potential of steel as a material. The amount of research and development and innovation that can and, I’m sure, will take place in the coming years will mean that the material plays a more significant role in the future than it does today.

The aim for Welsh Government is to place Welsh steel at the very forefront of research and development and, for that reason, we’re not just looking to invest in R&D and innovation within Welsh steel and within the Tata facilities, we’re also looking to the UK Government to do likewise. So, I do expect, as I’ve said already, a very fair share of that chunk of £2 billion of research and development money to come here to Wales for the Welsh steelworks.