5. Statement by the Deputy Minister for Arts and Sport, and Chief Whip: World Heritage in Northwest Wales

Part of the debate – in the Senedd at 4:32 pm on 4 October 2022.

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Photo of Dawn Bowden Dawn Bowden Labour 4:32, 4 October 2022

Thank you, Carolyn, for those questions. You're absolutely right, the squeeze on public funding and the challenge to us is not insignificant and is a real danger. What I can say to you is that the programme for government commitments that we have made in the areas that you have outlined—so, the national museum of Wales, the development of that national museum, Theatr Clwyd, the football museum in north Wales, of course, which is very relevant at the moment, and all those other cultural commitments in our programme for government, we are committed to delivering.

What we do know, however, is that the value of our budget is now considerably less than it was, because at the time when our budget was allocated, we had inflation running at a very, very low level. We now have inflation running at closer to 10 per cent, and you don't have to be an economist to know that what that means is, for the same amount of money, you've got less buck to buy stuff. So, the value of our budget is far less than it was when it was allocated, and that will present challenges, there is no doubt. And we know that Theatr Clwyd are experiencing challenges with rising construction costs around their redevelopment and how all of that is going to be met. But what I can say to you absolutely from here today is that our commitment to those programme for government promises, the manifesto promises and the areas of the culture portfolio that were included are still very much on track. Thank you.