Tidal Energy in South Wales West

Part of 1. Questions to the First Minister – in the Senedd at 1:36 pm on 14 May 2019.

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Photo of Mark Drakeford Mark Drakeford Labour 1:36, 14 May 2019

I want to thank the Member for making that important point, and for taking the opportunity, which I know he does whenever he has that opportunity, to speak up for the steel industry across Wales and in his own constituency. The case for the tidal bay lagoon was never in the relatively small number of jobs that were directly to be involved in the project—that's a point that the Secretary of State for Wales tried to make when trying to excuse the UK Government's decision not to go ahead with the scheme. The jobs were always to be created in those supply chains and those other manufacturing possibilities that go with a new industry that can be born here in Wales. And of course there will be potential for Welsh-produced steel to be used in that construction. And I'm very happy to give the Member an undertaking that we will write again to the UK Government, making the case that he's just put to me, in this new context.