Part of 1. 1. Questions to the Cabinet Secretary for Economy and Infrastructure – in the Senedd at 1:52 pm on 29 March 2017.
Cabinet Secretary, much has been made of the recent Demos report, which highlights the impact, of course, of Brexit on UK regions such as Wales. Now, on looking at the report in its entirety, a number of relevant and pertinent points are highlighted, including the potential for city deals and devolved administrations to look beyond the UK and the EU to attract foreign investment. In Wales there is still a very heavy reliance and strong reliance on exports, of course, to the EU. The latest figures suggest that 67 per cent of our exports go to the European Community, compared to just 44 per cent in 2012. So, can I ask you, Cabinet Secretary, what steps you have taken to ensure that local authorities involved in city deals are using their influence to help Welsh businesses look beyond Europe and prepare for new exporting markets?