Part of 1. Questions to the First Minister – in the Senedd at 1:40 pm on 12 January 2021.
First Minister, you will be aware, I hope, that Britishvolt signed a memorandum of understanding with you and your Government in a bid to build the UK's first large-scale electric vehicle battery factory here in Wales. Now, despite the Vale of Glamorgan site being the initial favourite and the Minister for Economy, Transport and North Wales informing us in October that he was in regular calls with Britishvolt, our nation has lost out in the race to be a global hub for the electrified vehicle industry. Britishvolt will be, sadly, taking it's £2.6 billion investment, 3,000 highly skilled jobs and up to 5,000 more in the wider supply chain to Northumberland. Why did you, as the First Minister, allow this battery to run flat on Britishvolt in Wales? And why did you not offer any financial incentives whatsoever to supercharge such an important industry and development for Wales? Diolch.