Part of 1. Questions to the Minister for Finance and Trefnydd – in the Senedd at 2:07 pm on 3 April 2019.
Unfortunately, the environment Minister has had to leave the Chamber, but I had hoped to thank her, in her presence, and her officials for the way they worked with and Bangor University after I’d suggested that we should work together on a way of saving the Prince Madog ship, and to turn it into a research vessel for Wales on maritime issues. I understand that those discussions with the Minister’s officials and the university had been very positive indeed, but a decision had been made that procurement rules made it impossible to proceed with that project, which could have saved that hugely successful relationship that’s existed between the university and P&O over a number of years. And I know that the environment Minister, who is back in her seat now, agrees with me in this regard, but may I appeal on you as Minister to do everything you can to ensure that a spec can be put together that would mean that it would be possible to work within procurement rules to proceed with this important project, which would save the ship, the excellent research work and local jobs?