2. Business Statement and Announcement

Part of the debate – in the Senedd at 2:40 pm on 12 February 2019.

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Photo of David Rees David Rees Labour 2:40, 12 February 2019

Trefnydd, I wonder if I can have perhaps updates on statements from the Welsh Government on two areas. One is obviously steel. Last week, we had a wonderful debate here in the Chamber on steel making in Wales, and the implications of the future for steel making and the challenge it still faces. Yesterday, we heard that Swansea University was going to be the lead university in a £35 million-project to look into the steel process to ensure that steel can become sustainable in Wales and the UK. Could we have a statement and an update from the Welsh Government as to what actions the Welsh Government is taking to work with the university sector on the steel research and development agenda to ensure that the money that's already invested in things like the Steel Institute in Swansea University continues to develop steel making and the processes so that steel making in Wales, particularly in my constituency in Port Talbot, is going to be something that is sustainable for the future? [Interruption.] I'll wait until the answer comes back. 

On the second one, we know about the Banksy issue in Port Talbot. I visited it on the very first day it was identified, before it became known as a Banksy. But we've also since then had the Ame72—three different pieces of street art: two on the back of Taibach rugby club on doors, and one on the door of a garage in a lane a few houses down from the rugby club. It's clearly becoming an issue—street art and the culture of street art. The individual I spoke to, and the previous owner of the Banksy, highlighted the need to ensure that we had somewhere to keep this street art. But there's also a concern that we don't become an area for graffiti, rather than street art, and so we actually create a culture of street art. Can we have a statement? I thank the deputy Minister for his response earlier, last week, on the previous requests, but we need to look at what is the Welsh Government's position on street art. What does it see as street art and the future of street art? How will you work with councils to ensure that street art can take place whilst not becoming over-intrusive in people's lives? Some people may think that street art is wonderful, others will consider it graffiti, and there are some that are graffiti—there's no doubt about that. But we need to ensure a culture of street art within our areas to ensure that it survives. So, can we have a statement on what the Welsh Government sees as the future of street art, and, also, how we can ensure that when it is there it is preserved and secured and not allowed to be vandalised?