In preparing for this debate this afternoon, I wasn't sure that I'd had the opportunity to welcome the Minister to his role in leading the Valleys taskforce, so I would like to put on record that I do welcome his appointment, but I also welcome the new and fresh thinking that he's brought to the role. I do believe that it's important that from time to time all ministerial roles need to be refreshed and that new thinking is always important in taking forward these projects and tasks, such as that which the taskforce has set itself. 

I've also listened to a contribution from a Minister that stands in stark contrast to the contributions we've heard from other political parties represented here. I listened to the list of grizzles from the Brexit Party and I noticed from the order paper that they didn't even bother to submit a single amendment to this debate today. So much for their ideas. So much for their commitment to the Valleys. They couldn't even write down an amendment to this motion this afternoon. 

I would also say this: that when I see investment taking place in any part of the Valleys, I celebrate it and I welcome it. I want to see the whole of the Valleys succeed. I want to see investment across the whole of the south Wales Valleys region. And I'll say this to Plaid Cymru: the only time I've seen investment taken out of the Valleys was when Plaid Cymru held the economic development brief and they put the dualling of the A465 on hold in order to move those resources elsewhere. So, let's have some realism about this.