Part of the debate – in the Senedd at 4:22 pm on 27 June 2017.
Thank you, Cabinet Secretary, for your statement. I would like to take this opportunity to place on record my deep disappointment at this decision today. As the Cabinet Secretary is aware, I’ve been a supporter of this project, as has my local authority in Torfaen, believing that it would be a transformative thing for the Heads of the Valleys area, particularly with our strong record of automotive manufacturing in Torfaen. I, too, am puzzled that we could hit such a major stumbling block at such a very late stage after seven years of consideration of this project. I do think there are very serious questions that need to be answered and I will look forward to seeing the information on the due diligence that you’ve committed to publishing.
I would like to press you on this issue of the 50 per cent risk not having been met, because it remains the contention of the developers that they have provided the appropriate money and that they met the criteria on it being less than 50 per cent risk falling to Welsh Government. Your statement refers to the way that that has been structured and I would be grateful for more clarity on that. It does seem to me that a very late rabbit has been pulled out of the hat, to some extent, in terms of this technology park, and there’s a lot of emphasis in your statement on meeting the needs of Ebbw Vale and Blaenau Gwent, which is absolutely right—the expectations have been high there and people need to have something delivered. But, for me, this project was about much more than Blaenau Gwent—it was about the whole Heads of the Valleys area, including my constituency. So, I would like to know precisely how you intend to ensure that this technology park will deliver for my constituents, what the plan is to involve local partners, not just in Blaenau Gwent, but in Torfaen and the other neighbouring local authorities, and also how you will intend, going forward, to keep local Members informed, and how you will set out a concrete plan going forward. Thank you.