8. How is the Welsh Government supporting the work of the Valleys Regional Park? OQ58660

The Welsh Government is providing funding and policy advice to support the delivery of the Valleys Regional Park. In light of the withdrawal of EU funding, we are working with regional partners to develop a sustainable funding model in line with regional and Welsh Government strategies.

Thank you, Trefnydd. The Valleys Regional Park delivers a range of positive interventions, promoting health and well-being, offering adult education opportunities, protecting the environment, and enhancing the tourist offer in the Valleys, thereby boosting our local economies. Discovery gateways like the Dare Valley County Park mean that our Valleys communities can access these literally on their doorsteps. The Valleys Regional Park has, as you said, in the past been supported by European funding, which has been lost, obviously, through Brexit. With replacement funding being taken out of Welsh Government control, and with no levelling-up fund bids confirmed so far, what confidence do you have that such initiatives can continue during the economically turbulent times ahead?

You're right; we're certainly facing a significant loss—over £1.1 billion—in unreplaced EU funding between 2021 and 2025. You mentioned levelling-up funding. Obviously, the Welsh Government has been denied access to the shared prosperity fund or any sort of decision role in how the funds are going to be allocated here in Wales. I think it's fair to say it's an abject failure as a replacement for EU funding. We haven't received any money, whereas if we'd still been in the European Union we would have had funding almost two years ago now, in that period I just mentioned, 2021-25. I also think devolution has been bypassed, so it clearly is a huge concern for us. As you say, we're in very turbulent financial times, so what we're having to do is have discussions with our partners to see how we can make sure that we don't lose these amazing schemes that are already in place.