7. Will the Minister make a statement on how the Welsh Government promotes tourism in Merthyr Tydfil and Rhymney? OAQ54540

The transformation of Merthyr Tydfil and Rhymney in recent years into an area offering a rich, world-class visitor experience has been a great inspiration to me in developing industrial heritage throughout Wales. In addition to that, the investment that Welsh Government has made in exciting projects, both Rock UK and BikePark Wales, emphasises the importance of recreation within a traditional industrial area.

Thank you for that reply, Deputy Minister. Of course, you've been no stranger to my constituency. You've visited many times, and you've already talked about the excellent attractions of BikePark Wales and Rock UK, and of course we've got the Brecon Mountain Railway, Cyfarthfa castle, and I could go on. It doesn't just put Merthyr Tydfil on the tourist map, it puts the Valleys on the tourist map, and that's something that I want to see continue.

Like me, I'm sure that you're keen to see the potential of both activity and cultural and heritage tourism develop. And the story of our towns and their people are part of that vision. In that context, clearly I'm very pleased that the Welsh Government is now investing in Cyfarthfa Park as part of the vision for the Valleys Regional Park, and, of course, there's an emerging vision for the role of the wider Cyfarthfa experience with the Crucible project and the part that that can play in attracting far more visitors to the constituency. But in particular, I'm aware that there are some significant proposals to develop and expand some existing attractions that I referred to earlier. So, can you assure me that the Welsh Government is taking an active interest in these and is going to be a willing partner, as the business cases for further tourist developments are prepared, so that we can actually see the strategy of the Valleys taskforce around tourism being played out and that these areas reach their full tourism potential?

I'm very grateful for your appreciation of what we have been attempting to do. It's a very difficult situation here, Deputy Chair: do I look at the Member and reply to her, or do I look to you? I don't want to be declared out of order. [Laughter.]

As you mentioned, the investment that we've already made is an indication of our support for activities in Merthyr. I have visited Cyfarthfa on a number of occasions, and I think the whole Cyfarthfa Park development and, indeed, the development of the building on the site are key to our approach. The Crucible report was an essential catalyst and, of course, we have to look to the way in which we deliver at least part of the £50 million that has been earmarked—not earmarked, proposed, as necessary to transform Merthyr into a tourism destination.

But what is key to this, now, is the role of Merthyr Tydfil County Borough Council, and I'm very grateful to them for commissioning the feasibility study into the project relating to Cyfarthfa, the link with the furnaces and the viaduct across the River Taf. And I must say again—and I don't want to get into an argument with colleagues in the other kinds of heritage—but I thought that the remains of the amazing furnaces were as redolent of our heritage as any castle I have seen anywhere, north or south. So, we need to make sure that the links between Merthyr and the Blaenavon World Heritage Site, and also the link through to the National Waterfront Museum in Swansea, are developed as part of an experience of celebrating our industrial heritage that will rival the experience of our colonial heritage.