Part of the debate – in the Senedd at 4:10 pm on 4 October 2022.
May I thank the Deputy Minister for her statement? We all know of the importance and historic nature of our heritage sites across north-west Wales. Of the four world heritage sites in Wales, two of them are in north-west Wales, and I and my party are proud of the rich cultural history of Wales.
The two world heritage sites located in north-west Wales, as you said, are the slate landscape of north-west Wales and the castles and town walls of Edward I. Visitors and local people who come to the area can visit the National Slate Museum, which celebrated its fiftieth anniversary back in May, at the Dinorwig quarry, to learn of its unbeatable history, while the Ffestiniog railway takes people along the 200-year-old rail line.
I welcome the £150,000 to provide unified signage and interpretation across the world heritage site, but can the Deputy Minister outline how the £128,000 from the National Lottery for engagement and the visitor management programme is being implemented? How will this be measured, and is there a target here in terms of visitor levels to the area? Given the site’s history, how will the money for community engagement be spent to ensure that families, visitors and schools understand the cultural significance of north-west Wales?