Questions Without Notice from Party Spokespeople

Part of 2. Questions to the Minister for International Relations and Welsh Language – in the Senedd at 2:34 pm on 8 January 2020.

Alert me about debates like this

Photo of David Melding David Melding Conservative 2:34, 8 January 2020

I thought this might be pleasing to you, Presiding Officer.

I congratulate him on his fantastic success so far. His talent is making people remember that Wales is renowned as a breeding ground for extraordinary success on the big screen, and I wish him all the best for his future career. Whilst he's a shining example of what we can achieve in the Welsh film and television industry; as a whole, Minister, I think it's fair to say that we're not quite reaching our full potential at the moment, especially when we compare ourselves to other countries of similar size.

New Zealand, for example, has a thriving film and tv industry that is built upon its attractions as a fantastic physical location—and that's a feat, obviously, we could also emulate. The industry there is worth around £0.5 billion a year to New Zealand. Now, I'm not saying we'll necessarily set our sights that high, but, at the moment, I think it's fair to say we've not done as well as we would have hoped in the last five years. What is your Government doing to promote Wales as a top location for the film industry now that the media investment budget is in abeyance?