My written response to the committee's report sets out my detailed reply to the report recommendations. I have accepted, in full or in principle, the 10 recommendations and I'm pleased to report that good progress is being made against each of them. Specifically, I've already written to the Treasury to request the extension of enhanced capital allowances in Wales for a further five years until March 2025, so that we may retain this important incentive to attract or bring forward investment within our enterprise zones, and I currently await their response.

While I'm pleased to advise that the programme continues to deliver across each of the enterprise zones, with 1,550 jobs supported in the latest financial year, I've taken on board the committee's recommendations that the published performance indicators perhaps don't reflect the situation as well as they might. So, in response, I will shortly be publishing key performance data for the enterprise zones in the financial year 2017-18 that include a more detailed breakdown as part of a broader annual report. Looking forward, while indicators can never capture the totality of the progress that is being made across the eight distinct and different zones in Wales, I have asked my officials to further consider indicators as part of the broader review of the enterprise zone programme.

I'm also mindful of the recommendation with regard to the proposed merger of the Snowdonia and Anglesey boards. Taking account of the views of the respective chairs, I have agreed to extend the term of the two current boards for a further 12-month period to help facilitate a timely and effective merger in due course.

I remain proud of the achievements and success across the enterprise zone programme since the inception of it in 2012. There is no doubt that the programme has a strong track record of delivery. More than 12,250 jobs have been supported since the inception of the zones, and I accept that the pace of delivery has been variable across the zones. I've spoken previously about how this reflects a place-based approach and the different starting points of each zone and their distinct opportunities and challenges, as was clearly stated by David Rowlands. A sense of place and ensuring regional distinctiveness is an essential element of the new economic action plan.

Like the opportunity posed by the EAP, when we chose the locations of the zones, we did not choose the easiest options. It was clear from the outset that those zones that were more investment-ready would be able to deliver in the short term, whilst others would need to focus on laying foundations for much longer term economic growth and results. A good example of this was demonstrated only last month when the UK Government nuclear growth deal was launched at Trawsfynydd. This was due, in no small part, to the continued effort of the board and John Idris Jones in particular pushing the case for small modular reactors.

There's been continued comment made about the value for money of this programme. I believe that not only has the programme consistently delivered value for money, it's also laying the foundation for future prosperity in areas around Wales. The significant investment in infrastructure, for example, and the important new road links in Anglesey, Deeside, Cardiff Airport, St Athan and Ebbw Vale, and also, of course, a new railway station in the latter zone will facilitate the development of sustainable jobs, both in the zone and, of course, using the zone as a focal point in the wider local area, not just in the short term, but also in the much longer term.

I think it's also important to recognise the really significant and important projects that have emerged as a result of this programme—huge game-changing projects that will contribute incredibly to our regional economies, for example, the development of the advanced manufacturing research institute at Deeside and the Tech Valleys programme at Blaenau Gwent. Both of these programmes will be game changing for their respective areas and certainly would not have happened without the input of the respective boards. The projects are anticipated to generate billions of pounds in GVA for the regional economies of Wales and would not have come about were it not for the existence of the enterprise zone programme. 

I'm pleased that Adam Price welcomed the work of the Haven Waterway enterprise zone in examining the potential of creating a free port, because I was the person who asked them to do it. I think the idea of a free port at Airbus, whilst it might sound very novel and very bold, the fact is it's a non-starter, because the airport in Broughton is reserved for Airbus activities. I think it's important to recognise that Airbus is right at the heart of the Deeside enterprise zone and that the board there, within the zone, determined that the best vehicle for growth within the Deeside area is the creation of the advanced manufacturing research institute, which will, indeed, contribute around about £4 billion in GVA over the next two decades.

As you know, as part of implementing the economic action plan, I've reviewed all advisory bodies within my portfolio, and I've identified opportunities to simplify the landscape. Under a newly formed, overarching ministerial advisory board, the future governance structure of the zones has been designed to best meet the stage, opportunities and the distinctive needs of each zone. As part of that work, I've asked the enterprise zone chairs to review their strategic plans, to reflect their priorities and aspirations for those zones over the next three years. These new plans will be published later this year, and, alongside that, I've also asked my officials to undertake a comprehensive review of the enterprise zone programme as a whole, one that considers the current economic conditions, EAP priorities, and the latest plan and future direction for each of the zones. We should not be afraid to abandon the past when more effective solutions exist for the future.

I want us to develop a clear strategic focus for the programme, moving forward, and it's important that we continue to offer the right incentives to business, and also that we remain competitive with other UK enterprise zones, especially, as David Rowlands identified, those nearby on the English side of the border. The review that I've asked officials to conduct will address these issues and take into account the committee report's findings on areas such as commercial property availability, and I can assure Mark Isherwood that we are already in discussions with the Development Bank of Wales in that regard.

The enterprise zones embrace the importance of recognising a sense of place, and my senior officials, and, specifically, the newly appointed chief regional officers, have a very clear role as the voice of each region in Welsh Government, and they are already building strong relationships with the business community, enterprise zones and other key stakeholders in creating regional plans for economic development. The presence of enterprise zones within each of our regions is undoubtedly part of the asset base that we will build upon in the years to come, as we implement new ways of working that will deliver inclusive growth across Wales.