2. Will the First Minister make a statement on Welsh Government policy for industrial heritage in Newport? OAQ52710

We are rightfully proud of our nation’s rich industrial heritage. Over 1,000 industrial structures in Wales have statutory protection, including the iconic, grade I listed of course, Newport transporter bridge—a truly significant historic structure not only for Newport, but for the whole of Wales.

Yes, First Minister, the transporter bridge, having been built at the turn of the twentieth century, is one of just six working bridges in the world today. It was originally built to transport steel workers across the river Usk to their place of work and it holds very many memories for local people. I remember being on the transporter bridge going to school games, in primary school, standing on one leg when it bumped at the end, to see whether you could remain on one leg, walking over the top, and, of course, the history of the miners' strike, when it was hijacked by striking miners, and when a USA businessman wanted to buy it, dismantle it, transport it to the states and reassemble it. There are so many stories around that Newport transporter bridge—the tranny, as it's known locally. I'm glad that Welsh Government is increasingly recognising this. Friends of Newport Transporter Bridge have an important project, with the Heritage Lottery Fund, to safeguard its future, and Dafydd Elis-Thomas just the other week, in answering a question from my colleague Jayne Bryant, committed to putting it at the forefront of Welsh Government policy for industrial heritage in Wales. I wonder whether you could reinforce that Welsh Government commitment today, First Minister, and perhaps give a little bit more detail as to how it will be taken forward.

I heard the Member for Newport East suggest that he'd walked over the bridge—whether he was meant to do that or not, he doesn't explain further. But he's right to say, of course, that the bridge has played a huge part in Newport's history and is held in great affection in the hearts of the people of his constituency and, indeed, Newport West as well. What I can say is that the Minister has asked his officials to work closely with Newport City Council to secure the project—the bridge—by providing technical support and advice, and in helping to identify potential sources of funding to help meet the current funding shortfall for the bridge, and certainly I know the Minister has been asked to be kept fully informed of developments. 

I'm pleased to hear that Welsh Government will at least be supporting work to see if we can secure funding for the transporter bridge, and I hope it may support it with its own funding, depending on how that work progresses. I wonder, therefore, if I could ask the First Minister whether he would also support the industrial heritage of Newport by funding an equally inspiring new bridge over Newport docks for the M4 relief road. 

Well, that is not within the portfolio of the Minister, I can assure him of that, and we will always look to ensure that the industrial heritage of Newport that is with us will continue to be protected.