5. 5. Debate on the Economy, Infrastructure and Skills Committee Report on the National Infrastructure Commission for Wales

Part of the debate – in the Senedd at 3:50 pm on 15 March 2017.

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Photo of Hefin David Hefin David Labour 3:50, 15 March 2017

Let’s calm it down. I’d like to focus on recommendation 1 and recommendation 8 in my response, particularly recommendation 1:

‘the supply of land for strategically significant housing developments and related supporting infrastructure’.

This is a theme I spoke about on a number of occasions in the Chamber when I was first elected and, indeed, formed an unlikely double act with Neil McEvoy, talking about the need for joined-up—. [Interruption.] It’s a shame he’s not here today, because with his newly independent status perhaps we could have revived that double act. We spoke about the need for joined-up strategic development plans to address the cross-boundary challenges of housing particularly, but also employment and transport, as opposed to several competing local development plans in areas of close geographical proximity. This is something that was discussed at length in the committee, and it’s something I still don’t think we’ve quite got to grips with. I’m hoping that there may be a way for the commission to examine this, even if it isn’t part of its formal remit.

As the demand and supply of housing is intimately linked to the economy and the environment, to me, it makes sense to expand the commission’s remit in this regard. Mark Isherwood made that point, albeit in a slightly grumpy way. He’s not grumpy in real life, but I did agree with him. [Laughter.] I noted that the Cabinet Secretary has accepted the recommendation in principle, subject to a formal review. In his response he says that there are already existing mechanisms in place to consider this issue, and that there’s a need for regional development plans to bed down before extending the commission’s remit. I’d like to know more about what the Cabinet Secretary means by bedding down, and regional plans are needed sooner rather than later, in my view. I would expect the Welsh Government therefore to monitor that situation very closely. They’ve said ‘over the course of this Assembly term’. Could, therefore, the Cabinet Secretary clarify for me how strategically significant housing developments will informally be incorporated in the commission’s remit in order to take the holistic view that he refers to in his response to the report?

Finally, recommendation 8 says the commission’s board

‘should reflect the diverse communities of Wales to ensure an understanding of all parts of Wales.’

And that it should

‘consider establishing a forum to bring together and consider the work going on in each of the regions of Wales.’

That, of course, is directly related to the city deal in Cardiff—the Cardiff city deal. My constituents in Caerphilly would benefit from the Cardiff capital region deal and the associated south Wales metro. I’m pleased that the Cabinet Secretary has accepted this recommendation, but one of the concepts that I’ve tried to develop in the Chamber, and which other Members have made reference to today, is the concept of the northern Valleys, and the need for an economic strategy for these parts of Wales that don’t attract as much investment as the city hub. I’m concerned that the city deal serves the northern Valleys. With the interest in the northern Valleys, which are communities in their own right, would you then have representatives of that area on the commission’s board to ensure that this area is considered in the depth that it should be, now and in the future?