Part of 1. Questions to the Cabinet Secretary for Local Government and Public Services – in the Senedd at 2:13 pm on 28 February 2018.
Can I say, Presiding Officer, that I absolutely agree with the Member for Merthyr? I know how active she has been—Merthyr and Rhymney, I should say, of course, or I'll get into terrible trouble. I know how active she has been in promoting that area, and I know the work that she has done in ensuring that this is on the agenda of the Valleys taskforce and the wider Welsh Government.
The Member is aware that we will be holding a seminar next month on how we do maximise the benefits of the A465 dualling project to ensure that we are able to create the greatest possible impact across the whole of the Heads of the Valleys from Brynmawr across to Hirwaun, to ensure that we don't simply spend the money dualling the Heads of the Valleys road, but that we actually invest that in economic development. I think it's important that we maximise the work done in the strategic hubs in Merthyr and in Ebbw Vale to ensure that we're able to create a new economic region, if you like, across the whole of the Heads of the Valleys, and that that is something on which this Government works with local government, businesses and others to support and sustain.