3. What plans does the Welsh Government have to promote and enhance the historical heritage of Newport? OQ58579

Thank you. Newport boasts heritage sites of international importance, from the Roman period through to our recent industrial past. The Welsh Government will continue to promote and enhance Newport's unique heritage for its residents and visitors from around the globe.

Thank you for that answer, Minister. As you said, from the Chartists to Tredegar House, the transporter bridge to our medieval ship, Newport is a treasure trove of historical significance. One of our jewels in our crown is the village of Caerleon and the Roman architecture that remains there today. Many here will have visited it, and if not, Minister, you are very welcome to join me and the Deputy Minister on a visit. The amphitheatre is almost 2,000 years old, but the site also contains the finest remains of Roman barracks in Europe, along with a bath house and fortifications. This is a sizeable historical offer and dwarfs other Roman remains in the UK, including Bath. There is still more to discover, and I know that the national museum and Cadw are keen to work together with others, such as the local authority, to promote Caerleon both locally and nationally. But what more can the Welsh Government do to make the most of our historical offer and ensure that it is part of our future as well as our past?

I completely agree, and I have been to Caerleon. I visited the amphitheatre and the barracks with my son and in-laws visiting from Ireland. They were very impressed and they would happily go back again at a future point. I'm quite excited about the recent discoveries of more on that site, including what looked like the remains of a port there as well. So, there is much more to do in uncovering the history of that site and not just preserving it to tell a story, but what it means about our future as well. I definitely see heritage and history as a big part of the visitor economy, and you're right that Cadw, Newport council, and the national museum are already talking, and we're trying to get around that to make sure that we are talking about not just what we preserve, but what it means for the future. I think it's a key part of the offer of Newport and the surrounding area. The built and the ongoing heritage of the area is but a part of what makes Newport an attractive place to be, and I look forward to joining the Member on a future visit.

Minister, it's great to hear Jayne Bryant of course mentioning the medieval ship, and also great to hear your appreciation for the historical findings in Newport. The Newport medieval ship was discovered in the banks of the River Usk in June 2002, and is the most substantial late-medieval vessel excavated and recovered in Britain. The internationally important fifteenth-century ship would expect to attract an estimated 150,000 visitors to view the ship once it is displayed properly, boosting the south Wales and Newport economy by about £7 million per year. The Friends of the Newport Ship campaign volunteers are asking for the Welsh Government and Newport council to commit and finally deliver a more central, permanent home for the ship—as it was first proposed at the bottom of Newport Theatre, as you're aware, Minister—after investing £9 million so far of public money. It's something that has been promised, and is a Labour manifesto commitment, yet only £10,000 in capital funding has been earmarked since. The current site, which I visited—and the volunteers do a fantastic job of what they've got where they are—has now been a temporary home for them for 20 years. Would the Minister commit to working with Newport council to ensure that we make the most of this unique finding by ensuring that a central location is found as soon as possible, and that enough moneys will be ring-fenced to ensure that both Newport, my region of south-east Wales, and Wales, can maximise the financial and historical benefits of having such a historical artefact in Newport? As an archaeologist said—

No, no, no—not as the archaeologist said, at a minute and 40 seconds.

Just one sentence—one sentence.

A question.

I asked my question. That was just reiterating the question.

Oh, if you've asked your question it can be answered. It's going to be answered now. Okay.

Yes. We'll continue to work with both the Friends of the Newport Ship and also the council, as they are committed to trying to find a permanent home for the ship, and it's a significant enterprise in conserving all 2,000 of the ship's timbers. The challenge will be in identifying a budget for a permanent home at a time when there are very real challenges for our current budget, and we'll all have to reassess what we're able to deliver after the Halloween budget is delivered. But the commitment to find a permanent home for the Newport ship remains and I recognise the significant visitor potential that it has, as well as learning about our shared past.