5. Will the First Minister make a statement on action being taken by the Welsh Government to promote local history in north Wales? OAQ54048

I thank the Member. The Welsh Government promotes the history of Wales both nationally and locally. For example, Cadw tells the stories of Wales not only at the sites they manage but also through working with local partners, such as the archaeological trusts.

Thank you for that answer, First Minister. You'll be aware that next February will mark the thirtieth anniversary of the devastating Towyn floods, which occurred along the coastline of my own constituency and, indeed, into the neighbouring constituency of the Vale of Clwyd, because they impacted in Rhyl as well. Those floods saw 5,000 people evacuated from the communities that were devastated by that water, and had a significant impact on all of the lives that were affected. Indeed, many of those people who were involved in the rescue efforts also had their lives impacted too. Can I ask whether the Welsh Government will support local efforts to commemorate that flooding event and what work you might be able to do in order to promote awareness about flood risk as part of any programme that is developed?

Can I thank Darren Millar for that question? I well remember the Towyn floods and the enormous impact on that local community and, as Darren Millar has said, on all those who were involved around that event as well. I'll certainly look to see how, through the different ways in which we support local events to commemorate matters of real significance in local communities, we can look to see whether we are able to support efforts around the Towyn floods.

Wales has a long history of being interested in commemorating matters. I looked, as I went to Aberystwyth yesterday, Llywydd, at the 'Cofiwch Dryweryn' monument there, restored to its former state, I'm pleased to see. Members here will know that, in the circumstances surrounding that monument, it has been replicated in many communities across Wales. So, here in Wales, we have a long, long association with the impact that flooding of different sorts has on local communities, and I think that the Member makes a very good point about making sure that we think about those issues as part of our local histories.  

I would invite the First Minister, the next time he’s in the Ruthin area, to drive past Ysgol Pentrecelyn, which has been painting its own mural in the school with ‘Cofiwch Dryweryn’ on it as part of their work on Welsh history within the school. I agree with the need, of course, to promote more opportunities to learn about Welsh history and indeed local history. But the frustration, very often, is a lack of resources that are contemporary and professional and available on a broad enough range of subjects in the context of Welsh history and local history. So, can I ask what’s the Government’s commitment to ensuring that there are sufficient resources available for all ages to ensure that, when the will is there to provide and share that information, sufficient resources are also in place to support that work?

Well, Llywydd, I agree that it’s important to have the resources. I know that Cadw is doing a great deal of work in creating local resources and using new possibilities to convey that information to people. When I visited Conwy castle recently, I saw many people touring the castle with their phones, and, on the phones, there was a lot of information that Cadw had given them. So, they don’t have to buy leaflets, they can just tour the site and see or hear the information. Lots of such things have been created officially by bodies such as Cadw, but there are many local societies—and I know that there’s one in Ruthin—that do a great deal of work to create resources for visitors and tourists throughout the whole of Wales. I also know that the Minister for Education is doing a lot of work in creating resources in the new curriculum. Looking forward, to be clear, Welsh history will be a core part of the work that will be done in schools, with the resources to support that work.