2. What is the Welsh Government doing to support a regional economic development policy to aid communities in Islwyn? OAQ53203

Thank you. As part of the new economic action plan, we place particular emphasis on taking a regional approach to developing the Welsh economy. We've established chief regional officers and regional units to make sure we co-ordinate our work with local partners. And we are working with the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development to inform our approach to regional investment post Brexit.

Okay, thank you. The Welsh Government announced, as 2019 began, that the OECD will lead a new project to support the development of a regional economic development policy for Wales. This new project will see international experts visit Wales and discuss regional economic challenges and opportunities with partners. How can we mitigate the loss of European Union regional investment, and may I invite these experts and professionals to visit Islwyn to meet with politicians and officers from Caerphilly County Borough Council to explore how the Welsh Government can facilitate the future economic well-being of communities like mine in Islwyn?

Thank you. Yes, I'm sure that the OECD team will be keen to learn lessons from the experience in Caerphilly, and specifically in the Islwyn constituency. So, I very much hope that they'd want to meet with the officers there. This will be a two-year project. The first phase is now under way. And I think it's really important that we have external challenge and scrutiny to the approach that we've been taking, so we constantly iterate it. And I'm very keen that we focus on grounded firms and the foundational economy to see if we can make a tangible difference to the way people feel the local economy works for them.

On the Member's point on Brexit, then clearly it's important that the campaigners' promise that Wales will be no worse off as a result of Brexit is kept, and we'll be holding them to make sure that, in the world after regional funds—if it comes to that—we get no less money than we're getting now.

Cabinet Secretary, you'll be aware that communities in Islwyn form part of the Cardiff capital region economic growth partnership. At their board meeting last November, those members in attendance stated their support for an M4 relief road to be built around Newport. They said that an M4 relief road is critical to support and enable the economic and industrial strategy for growth for south-east Wales. Can the Deputy Minister advise when the Welsh Government will be in a position to bring this issue before this Assembly, and end the uncertainty that is damaging the economic prospects of my region?

Thank you. I think the First Minister has been clear and consistent in the process that's undergoing on the M4. He's still awaiting for the legal advice before he can look at the evidence of the public inquiry—he's not yet been presented with the inspector's report. And he'll take that decision in the way that it's been set out on a number of occasions.