Economic Development in the Valleys

Part of 1. Questions to the Minister for Finance and Trefnydd – in the Senedd at 2:10 pm on 3 April 2019.

Alert me about debates like this

Photo of Rebecca Evans Rebecca Evans Labour 2:10, 3 April 2019

Thank you for raising that. Of course, the 2019-20 budget includes spending of £25 million over two years to develop the seven strategic hubs in the Valleys taskforce area—which of course you announced, so you'll be very, very familiar with—to create employment and investment opportunities. We've also allocated £7 million of capital over two years, so £3.5 million in each of the 2019-20 and 2020-21 years, to support the development of the Valleys regional park. This will be used to support the development of the discovery gateways across the Valleys and to deliver ambitions set out in the Valleys regional park prospectus, which was published in October 2018. I know it's the Deputy Minister for Economy and Transport's intention to bring forward a statement to the Assembly, which will encapsulate the Tech Valleys, the foundational economy and the Valleys taskforce work, and I'll ask him to bear in mind your comments this afternoon when he does that.