8. What is the Welsh Government doing to support heritage projects on Ynys Môn? OAQ52516

The Government funds an array of heritage projects on Ynys Mȏn. These range from community projects involving a number of local volunteers such as those at Newborough and Bryn Celli Ddu, through to major-scale investments such as improving visitor services at Beaumaris castle.

Thank you very much. We, like every other constituency, are very proud of our heritage, and there are a number of exciting plans afoot at the moment to reopen Marquess of Anglesey's Column in Llanfairpwllgwyngyll and to reopen the Amlwch train line. There are a number of proposals already in operation to celebrate our industrial and transport heritage—I'm thinking about the Copper Kingdom in Amlwch and the Breakwater park in Holyhead. But another important proposal, and one that needs the help of the Welsh Government, is to open the museum telling the story of the bridges in Menai Bridge. Now, there was a blow to that particular programme recently when the trust heard that they wouldn't qualify for funding for the Building for the Future programme. I hope that you as First Minister would agree with me that this is a very good time to look at investing in such a museum, given the steps that have been taken towards dualling the Britannia bridge, and I would be grateful for some support from you as First Minister, and that you, in collaboration with the Minister for heritage, can look at every possible alternative means of investing in this project, which would be a crown on the recent development of Menai Bridge.

Of course, we always, when the money is available, wish to invest in important heritage projects, One example, of course, is Llys Rhosyr and the fact that we want people to visit there and understand the heritage and history of the area. But any kind of bid would have to be submitted to the Government to see in which way we could support that bid.

Mark Isherwood. Mark Isherwood.

Of course, Ynys Môn/Anglesey is an incredible place and its history goes back a long way. How do you think we can incorporate into the promotion of that island the period when it was the Rome of the juridic world, the fact that it was on the Roman imperial trading route even before Rome conquered this island, its wonderful Arthurian links and its links to the legends of Avalon and Avallach, the fact that it was occupied by the Vikings—half of it was occupied by the Vikings for two centuries, having a massive impact on local culture and dislocation at the time—and much more, aligned to the history we hear much more about as well?

If the Member was taken by surprise by that question, he did a sterling job, I must say, of selling Anglesey as a result of what he has said. It's hugely important for us to ensure that people visit all parts of Wales to understand the rich history that we have. I know, for example, if we talk about Llys Rhosyr, which I mentioned earlier on, that the Minister is preparing—or Cadw, rather, is preparing a leaflet at the request of the Minister on the castles and the sites of the lords and princes of Wales, and that will include Llys Rhosyr as well. It's part of our history that I think has been neglected, actually, over the years, because we know that Welsh history was not well taught in schools for many, many years and in some ways, as a nation, we're not well aware of our own history. So, all that we can do to encourage not just our own people but others as well to understand more of our medieval history, I think, is something to be welcomed.

Lynne Neagle is not here to ask question 9 [OAQ52517], so question 10—Andrew R.T. Davies.