4. Will the Cabinet Secretary make a statement on the value of brand Wales to the economy? OAQ52638

An award-winning Wales brand was launched just two years ago, and it's used for tourism, business, food and drink, and health campaigns, and it is delivering strong and tangible economic impact across each of these areas. Further developing this brand is a priority under the economic action plan.

It's interesting that you answer the question in that way. I was initially told that the question would be answered by the Minister whose brief included tourism, which is perhaps part of the problem—that brand Wales is seen too often as just being that tourism side, selling Wales to potential tourists. Now, as wonderful as it always is to receive responses from that Minister, this was specifically directed at you, because I believe a strong Wales brand is relevant right across the economy—yes, in tourism, where it's crucial, but also in telling our trading partners who we are, using the same brand for exports, the same brand for attracting inward investment, for showcasing our skills, our education institutions, our arts, and of course our food, as you mentioned. Now, we know what happened at the Royal Welsh Show this summer, with the audacious branding of Welsh food as British at the food hall, and we know how counterproductive that was to Welsh food producers, given the increased interest there is in food provenance. Now, here's the point: UK Government did that right under the noses of Welsh Government, albeit it was a private deal between DEFRA and the Royal Welsh Show. I'm told Ministers weren't too happy about what happened there, but Ministers said nothing publicly, so when will Welsh Government stand up to the UK Government and say that we need to lead on selling Wales to the world? Yes, working in partnership with others where that's useful, but we want to do it on our terms, according to Wales's priorities.

Can I thank the Member for his supplementary question and say how delighted I am to answer the question directed at me? But it would also be remiss of me not to wish him the very best for the election and the outcome later this week. I think it's fair to say that Ministers were not happy at all at the agreement that was reached. It was a commercial decision by the Royal Welsh. It was a decision that Ministers were not aware of and, in terms of standing up against the UK Government, well, I can say we were not happy at all at that decision, at that agreement, and that was expressed to the Royal Welsh agricultural show. In future years we want the brand of Wales to take front and centre stage, and the Member is absolutely right that branding work doesn't just benefit the visitor economy; it benefits the entirety of our economy, and our brand work, I think, in particular, that has been applied to the trade and invest campaigns, has seen a uplift of 60 per cent in visitor traffic to tradeandinvest.wales in the past year. We are applying all branding to the Wales food and drink marketing work, and we're also using the Wales brand for health campaigns now. The first health campaign that we applied the brand to was the GP training campaign, and that led to a 16 per cent increase in GP training places filled. So, I think it's fair to say that the new brand isn't just an award-winning brand—it's been a hugely successful commercial endeavour—but, with regard to the specific issue that the Member raises about the Royal Welsh Show, again, I would reiterate that we were not content with the agreement that was reached. 

The creative industries sector generates nearly £1 billion for the Welsh economy, and its fastest growing part is film, TV and radio. Will the Cabinet Secretary join me in recognising the contribution of production companies such as Bad Wolf in promoting brand Wales as a place to make films and television programmes, and will he welcome plans by Urban Myth Films to convert a warehouse in Newport into a film studio for the filming of a new TV series, creating up to 120 jobs? I think there is no shortage of talent in south-east Wales, Minister, so we can put similar sorts of activities in south-east Wales and roll out to improve our economy throughout Wales. Thank you.  

Thank you. I think a decision report is due to be published concerning Urban Myth Films. It's an investment that I very much welcome. It contributes to a very buoyant creative industries sector in Wales, a sector that's growing faster here in Wales than in any other part of the UK—bar London, which you would expect. But it is also due to the relentless focus we've placed on improving the skills base and also the availability of suitable screen space as well—studios across the M4 corridor. And other countries, other regions, in the UK right now look on enviably at the growth of the creative industries sector in Wales. But we intend to create Creative Wales to drive forward that success and to ensure that we have a constant pipeline not just of productions—and Bad Wolf have already promised £100 million of productions—but that we also have a pipeline of skilled people able to enter the marketplace.