3. Will the Minister outline the Welsh Government’s assessment of its capital spend in Cynon Valley over the course of the current Senedd term? OQ56259

Over this administration, the Welsh Government has allocated £12.2 billion for investment in capital projects across Wales, including £120 million across the Cynon valley and wider Rhondda Cynon Taf region through the twenty-first century schools and colleges programme, for example.

Thank you, Minister. There's no doubt that the Cynon valley has benefited significantly from Welsh Government funding over the past five years. Perhaps the most significant area of capital expenditure has been the continued investment in educational buildings within the area.

The Cynon valley has seen more investment from the Welsh Government's twenty-first century schools funding than any other constituency in Wales, to the tune of over £100 million, and that's something that I am very proud of indeed. This current Senedd term has seen the opening of the £22 million Coleg y Cymoedd campus in Aberdare; the £7.2 million Cwmaman Primary School; and in just September of last year, the £10.2 million Hirwaun Primary School. Minister, would you agree with me that this represents a substantial investment in our children and young people, which will make a real difference to their educational attainment and future life prospects?

I would absolutely agree with Vikki Howells there, and she has absolutely been a strong voice for education within her constituency and has been instrumental in making the case for additional funding in her area, so, congratulations to Vikki for what she has achieved on behalf of her constituents. And the examples of the projects that she has described are exciting. It's important that we do give children the absolute best learning environment in which to work and in which to grow, because that's the way in which we tell them that they matter, and that we are there to support them and help them achieve their full potential.

Other areas where we've been, I think, really successful within the Cynon Valley would be in our particular support that we have given to social housing. So, for example, we've transformed the Aberdare Girls' School into flats, houses and bungalows designed specifically for wheelchair users. That's £4.8 million of support. And, there is a £2.7 million social housing grant to develop the former Aberdare Boys' School into 30 much needed affordable homes, again including flats, houses and bungalows. And, there's the work that we're undertaking with the integrated care fund to redevelop Pen Llew Court to provide that 19-bed facility for individuals with a learning disability. Every resident will have their own self-contained flat. So, I think there's so much exciting work going on in the Cynon valley, and it is a demonstration of the investment that we've been able to make in the area.