7. What are the Welsh Government's priorities for securing economic growth in Aberavon? (OAQ51167)

They’re set out in ‘Prosperity for All’, and the Cabinet Secretary will publish an economic action plan later this year that will support delivery of the strategy.

Thank you for that answer, First Minister, but—. Many people know Port Talbot is associated with famous actors such as Richard Burton—and there are many others that I probably should name, but I haven’t got enough time for them all—but most people know it for its steelworks. Our local economy over the centuries has been driven by industry, is still being driven by industry, particularly with Tata, and the supply chain is dominant in that sector. Now, industry is at the heart of Port Talbot, so much so that even the land at Baglan industrial park has a covenant on it to say that it should be used only for industrial purposes—quite well, as it fits in with the enterprise zone in Port Talbot that’s just been identified by the Welsh Government. The skills base within Port Talbot is actually based upon industry, manufacturing and construction. Now, with all that strength evident in the town, how does the building of a new prison drive the economy forward? And, consequently, will the Welsh Government refrain from changing the covenant on this land that actually recognises industry as the local economic driver, and not the building of a prison?

It’s not clear, if there’s a covenant on the land, who would lift it, or whether the Ministry of Justice would have to go to court to lift it. It’s not clear without looking at the documentation. Port Talbot is hugely important in terms of manufacturing; we know that. A year and a half ago, he will know, things were bleak as far as the steelworks were concerned. The great fear that I had at the time—I would drive past it and I’d think, ‘Will we see the heavy end here for much longer?’ It’s still there. There are plans for it to prosper in the future. Why? Because of the work and the money we put in as a Government.

The reality is that we put money on the table, we worked hard with Tata, we convinced them about Port Talbot’s future, and the workforce responded. Because the workforce made sure that the losses that were being incurred at the plant were turned around very, very quickly into a situation, now, where the plant is profitable. That’s a tribute to the work that the workforce actually put in—not easy, and sacrifices, we know, such as the pension fund, had to be made. But, working with the workforce and working with Tata, we know that, with the joint venture that was announced, the promise that we’ve been given is that there’s no effect on Welsh jobs, no effect on Welsh sites. We’ve come a long way in a year and a half, and that’s the Welsh Government working hard for the people of Aberavon.