2. What discussions has the Minister had with the Minister for Economy regarding infrastructure investment in north Wales? OQ57186

Diolch. I've held several discussions with the Minister for Economy on a range of issues across north Wales, and tomorrow I'll be chairing the north Wales Cabinet committee, which the Minister will be attending. We continue to work very closely with our public sector partners to ensure the best possible economic infrastructure investments across all parts of Wales, as outlined in our programme for government. 

With that in mind, the decision of the United Kingdom Government, of course, not to support Wrexham council's bid to the levelling-up fund to renew the Racecourse is a blow to the club and to football more widely, and, indeed, to the region more widely. You will be aware, I know, that Wrexham football club already draws crowds of over 10,000 for home games. The Racecourse is full on Saturdays, and we need to develop the Racecouse, not just for the club, but, as I said, to ensure a regional and national resource that will be able to attract international games on every level in future. That, of course, is particularly relevant today, because there are thousands of people from the north who had to travel down once again to Cardiff to watch the national team play. Government after Government, of course, here in Cardiff, have spoken about this from the point of view of the Racecourse, but have never delivered. I am eager for us to ensure the development proceeds, despite the decision of the Westminster Government, so will you as a Minister commit to ensure funding from the Welsh Government to develop this part of the town, and of course to contribute to the growth of the region more widely?

Thank you. As you say, there were far more losers, I think, than winners in Wales as a result of the UK Government's announcement around the levelling-up fund. Only six local authorities were successful in their bids, and £172 million-worth of bids were refused funding. That obviously included the Racecourse ground in my own constituency of Wrexham, and three town centres in Bangor, Barmouth and Bala. I think you make a really important point, and it struck me again last night; when I was a young girl, I would never have been able to come down to Cardiff to watch international football matches. All my attendances at international football matches were at the Racecourse, and I think we are missing a young group of people whose parents are unable to bring them down. Certainly, as you say, the Racecourse attracts crowds of just under 10,000 every other week. There is definitely a will within the football club and with the town to see those extra facilities brought to the Racecourse. You'll be aware that Welsh Government is a partner in the Wrexham gateway project, working with Glyndŵr University and Wrexham County Borough Council, and I will certainly do all I can, both with my MS hat on, and as the Minister for north Wales, to ensure that that project goes smoothly. It certainly appears to be. I appreciate it is a long-term project.

Fortunately, the Wrexham gateway bid is going to the levelling-up fund round 2, and of course the Clwyd South bid was successful in round 1.

Earlier this year I visited the site of the landslide between Newbridge and Cefn Mawr, caused by storm Christoph, with the B5605 there closed. When I wrote to the Welsh Government about this damage to key infrastructure, the Deputy Minister for Climate Change's response in July stated that Wrexham council's funding application to the Welsh Government was

'unsuccessful because repair works would not reduce the risk of flooding to properties and would only benefit the highway'.

Wrexham council's environment and transport lead then wrote, 'We anticipate a repair cost of circa £1 million and are concerned that without some support the council will be unable to fund these storm-related damages.' But, as an affected constituent wrote this month, 'Many in these villages do not have cars, needing transport that involves walking miles to the nearest bus stops or having to hire costly taxis.' Earlier this month, the council confirmed they had secured Welsh Government funding for advice from geotechnical consultants, and will be submitting a business case for Welsh Government funding. How, therefore, do you respond to their statement that the biggest obstacle will be securing funding this financial year to enable them to plan and carry out the works as soon as possible?

My understanding, when I last had a discussion around this issue with the deputy leader of Wrexham County Borough Council, was that they believed the ball was firmly in their court, and they were processing their application. So, I don't recognise that.

I've had a response regarding that as well and been told that it's being followed up, with officers meeting with Wrexham officials as well. Diolch.

Improvements along the A55 in Gwynedd received 50 per cent EU funding to do the work. This is just one example of how north Wales's infrastructure gained from being a net beneficiary of European funding. We were promised we would be no worse off after Brexit, yet just one north Wales local authority—Wrexham—benefited from the replacement fund, the levelling-up fund, and that was for the Pontcysyllte aqueduct. Flintshire council submitted a high-priority regional funding bid for infrastructure projects, including the Deeside parkway station, which would improve access for north Wales residents to 400 businesses and 5,000 jobs at Deeside industrial park, a park-and-ride at Penyffordd station, and improvements for freight at Castle Cement to enable a planned increase in services on the Wrexham-Bidston line to two trains per hour. None of this was funded. Minister, do you agree with me that the UK Government is selling north Wales short by not providing the same amount of funding and investment in infrastructure that we would have had if we had been part of the European Union?

Yes, absolutely, I would agree with the Member. Clearly, the UK Government's actions are a levelling down for Wales as a whole, and certainly north Wales, not a levelling up, and we are certainly having less say over less money. I think that's completely unacceptable and absolutely not what we were promised. So, I think you're right to raise concerns regarding future investment for north Wales. I think this has probably set a precedent for what's to come in the way the UK Government are using the United Kingdom Internal Market Act 2020 and its failure to replace European funding in full. There just doesn't seem to be any substance behind its levelling-up agenda.