Questions Without Notice from Party Spokespeople

Part of 2. Questions to the Minister for Rural Affairs and North Wales, and Trefnydd – in the Senedd at 2:40 pm on 28 September 2022.

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Photo of Darren Millar Darren Millar Conservative 2:40, 28 September 2022

You keep saying that you're not the relevant Minister. You are their relevant Minister; you're the Minister for north Wales, and people expect you to be standing up for north Wales around the Cabinet table and engaging with businesses in north Wales when such an important issue arises in their inbox. There are thousands, many thousands, tens of thousands of jobs reliant on the tourism industry and the tourism trade in the region. And let me be clear to you and the Cabinet colleagues who sit around the table: you cannot support a tourism tax and be for the economy in north Wales; you cannot support a tourism tax and support businesses in north Wales; you cannot be for a tourism tax and support jobs in north Wales. I'm afraid that it's the same old story from this Labour Party: pro-tax, anti-growth; pro-tax, anti-business; and pro-tax—and I'm afraid to say so—anti-north Wales. That's what we get from this Government, and it's about time that that story changed. I'm grateful for the opportunity that you have said that you will take to meet with representatives of the tourism industry in north Wales to listen to their views. 

One final question, if I may. One of the things that the tourism industry says is a glimmer of hope on the horizon for them in the coming years is the potential of the Clwydian range and Dee valley area of outstanding natural beauty being designated as a national park—something, of course, that I've been raising for more than a decade as something that the Government could do to boost the tourism industry in the region. You're the Minister directly responsible for moving that particular issue forward, yet we've heard very little about the progress that is being made. What assurances can you give us that that is going to be delivered within this Government's term, and can you tell us where you're up to with it?