Could the Minister make a statement on Government initiatives to stimulate the economy of Pontypool and its immediate Valleys communities, including Blaenavon? Pontypool was once a thriving industrial community, with companies such as ICI, formally British Nylon Spinners, which at one time employed some 6,000 people; Panteg Steel Works with around 3,000; Pilkington Glass, 700; and Warner-Lambert around 600. All have been lost in the past 20 years or so, with no substantial companies being established in that time. Surely it is time the Welsh Government did something to attract industries that would replace them. Could the Minister make a statement on whether there are any large employers in the pipeline, because it is notable that there appears to have been little major investment in the area for more than 20 years?

And finally, could the Minister make a statement on any initiatives brought about by the Valleys taskforce that might halt the decline in this once thriving community?