Part of the debate – in the Senedd at 4:58 pm on 9 January 2018.
Diolch, Deputy Llywydd. As the Assembly Member for Islwyn, one of the key areas covered by the ministerial taskforce for the south Wales Valleys, may I place on the record my categorical support for the proactive approach of the Welsh Labour Government in supporting the economic development of communities in Islwyn and beyond? It is right that a Labour Government does this. My constituents are keen to see one of the diamonds of Wales's crown jewels of natural landscapes, the Cwmcarn forest drive, restored to its full former glory for the world to enjoy, and I support that drive.
In terms of transport, my constituents are very keen also, as most people are in my constituency, to see a direct train to and from Newport—and that is not to circumnavigate the points that have just been made about the circular route—on the incredibly successful Ebbw Vale to Cardiff line. This would further open Valleys communities and better deliver fair work prospects to all. As attention moves towards the south Wales metro, I have every hope that consideration will be given as to how Crumlin can be further reinvigorated with the possibility of a station. Tourism is important to Islwyn, and so is access to it. Crumlin is a wonderful historic community that contains the Navigation, an iconic, historic site, and a colliery site with industrial heritage.
It is sites such as the Navigation and communities like Cwmcarn that 'Our Valleys, Our Future' speak to and for. I want the Cabinet Secretary to know that his enthusiastic and intelligent approach to this endeavour has my full backing, and it is right that we tackle, unashamedly, areas of Communities First level Wales indices and multiple deprivation indices, and Objective 1 data, and for the many and the few, no matter how some may decry the effort.
Will the Cabinet Secretary outline, when he sums up in this debate, how Islwyn and her communities can directly benefit from the delivery plan, in his view? And would the Cabinet Secretary be willing to meet with me to discuss and address how the people of Islwyn can become fully engaged with the work of the taskforce, as its important mission goes forward in synergy and partnership with the economic strategy for Wales? Diolch.