5. Statement by the Minister for Economy: A greener economy

Part of the debate – in the Senedd at 5:04 pm on 2 November 2021.

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Photo of Heledd Fychan Heledd Fychan Plaid Cymru 5:04, 2 November 2021

I just wanted to pick up, Minister, on your point around coal tips, and I wanted to ask if I'm to take from your comments and the statements that discussions with the UK Government last week therefore failed to reach an agreement over who would pay for this work. Is it not therefore time for Welsh Government to push ahead with the work for the very reason that you outlined in your statement, let alone for safety reasons for the communities living in their shadows?

I also wanted to ask about the arms industry here in Wales, an industry that continues to be supported by the Welsh Government, and an industry that, according to Scientists for Global Responsibility, is one of the key greenhouse gas emitters in the UK, with a carbon footprint that dwarfs that of many of the planet's smaller nations. An obvious question that therefore springs to mind is why the aerospace and defence sector in Wales is continuing to receive both direct and indirect financial support from the Welsh Government, including funding through several enterprise zones that act as hubs for the sector. Can the Minister therefore outline if there are plans to withdraw funding from industries in Wales that are currently part of the problem that we are all trying to tackle as a society, and invest instead in industries that are part of the solution?