7. Statement by the Deputy Minister for Culture, Sport and Tourism: Creative Wales

Part of the debate – in the Senedd at 6:18 pm on 30 April 2019.

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Photo of David Melding David Melding Conservative 6:18, 30 April 2019

I hope the Assembly will indulge me if I take us all back to 1984 and the presidential election campaign and Walter Mondale's use of the Wendy's slogan, 'Where's the beef?' We've been around this racecourse a few times now, back as far as July 2016. And when it comes to Creative Wales, it seems that this Government is all preparation and no decision and we do need to make progress.

I welcome the core ambitions to embed culture in the growth of the economy, to simplify the funding model and have an economic contract at the heart of the funding mechanism and to also embed the principle of fusion. I think there'll be agreement across the Chamber that that's the direction we need to go in, but we need the decisions. When will the creative industries panel transform into the board of Creative Wales, or is that not now the objective? How will it be structured and situated within Welsh Government? When will the senior appointments, including that of the chief executive, be made? When can we expect to see a strategic priorities document for this important part of our economy, so that we can catch up, at last, with Scotland?