3. What is the Welsh Government doing to promote Pembrokeshire as a tourist destination? OAQ(5)0658(FM)

The Year of Legends 2017 provides an opportunity for us to build on the essential role of tourism in Pembrokeshire, and the Welsh Government tourism strategy sets out our priorities for all of Wales.

The Welsh Government has earmarked this year as the Year of Legends, and certainly Pembrokeshire has its fair share of cultural history, which includes assets such as St David’s cathedral and Castell Henllys et cetera. It’s extremely important that every part of Wales receives a fair share of funding in order to celebrate the Year of Legends. So, can you tell us how you, as a Government, have supported every part of Wales and ensured that every part of Wales is treated equitably? For example, how much support have you given to Pembrokeshire in the light of this particular initiative?

Well, first of all, in terms of the tourism fund for 2017, funding has been provided for a pollinator trail at Dr Beynon’s Bug Farm; funding has been given to TYF Group Ltd for the SUP Kids Wales project; and funding has been allocated to Seren Collection in relation to the Welsh roots project in the Narberth area. More broadly, there’s been funding for the wildlife trusts in terms of their projects, and of course other projects in Pembrokeshire. We’re also very supportive of the bid by St David’s in terms of the UK city of culture in 2021. We’re very supportive of that bid, as we are supportive of the Swansea bid. It’s true to say that the response to the St David’s bid has been very positive indeed.

I saw that the town of Pembroke had erected a new statue for Henry VII, in an attempt to attract tourism and to reflect the close relationship of that family with Pembroke. Today, I have hosted an exhibition in the Assembly of another statue that it is hoped will be established in Pembrokeshire—a statue of Chelsea Manning, another character that was raised and educated in Pembrokeshire, and that has had a great influence on the world in which we live at present.

Can the First Minister tell us what the Government are doing to promote public art generally and empathy with public art as part of tourism, reflecting all our history as a nation? Can the Government look at the intention to erect a statue to Chelsea Manning in order to support her in Pembrokeshire?

Well, we receive a number of applications in terms of supporting the erection of statues across Wales and it’s important that any statue has sufficient local support so that that project can move forward. We do understand, of course, how important the visual arts are in terms of conveying a message to people, and that was true of the exhibition at Caernarfon castle, ‘The Weeping Window’, which conveyed very powerfully the impact of the first world war not only on local communities, but also on those who were killed in battle.

I too visited the exhibition of the proposed sculpture of Chelsea Manning. Would the First Minister agree with me that a sculpture of Chelsea Manning, who must be one of the most famous sons and daughters of Haverfordwest, would indeed increase tourism in Pembrokeshire?

These are matters, ultimately, for the community and town councils, and for the local authority, to determine whether they’d want to give support to this sculpture, or any other.