Businesses in North Wales

Part of 1. Questions to the Minister for Economy, Transport and North Wales – in the Senedd at 1:36 pm on 11 November 2020.

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Photo of Ken Skates Ken Skates Labour 1:36, 11 November 2020

Well, can I thank Jack Sargeant for raising the potential of his constituency in important sectors within the Deeside and wider Flintshire area? I can also confirm to Jack Sargeant today that more than 3,500 awards have been made to businesses as part of our £1.7 billion package of support. That's a huge reach across Flintshire in supporting businesses and working people. There are a number of exciting projects that we are leading on as well. With regard to the advanced technology research centre, we are leading a cross-Government team. That team comprises of, obviously, Welsh Government, but also the Defence Electronics and Components Agency, the UK Government and the Defence Science and Technology Laboratory. A hugely important programme of work is under way there regarding ATRC. We're also working with Airbus on the Wing of Tomorrow programme, and Jack Sargeant will be aware of the value of the advanced manufacturing research centre in capturing that vitally important programme of work.

I am extremely excited by the proposed logistics hub at Tata in Shotton. A master plan of the Deeside site was commissioned by my officials to support the Heathrow development, and that's now being used by Tata Steel as a prospectus to attract investment not just from Heathrow, but from a number of investors across a number of different sectors. My officials are working very closely with Tata, I can tell Jack Sargeant, to understand some of the barriers to developing such a facility, and they're also looking at how they may be able to open up a third access to the site. 

And, then, finally, with regard to the Northern Gateway site, we are working towards an agreement with landowners on the Northern Gateway site, with the intention of investing key infrastructure, which will facilitate access to 200 acres of commercial development land, and those negotiations are at a very advanced stage. It's expected that this agreement will then be followed, very swiftly indeed, by private investment and employment projects, and I'm looking forward to making a very positive statement regarding that in the near future.