5. Statement by the Minister for Economy: Qatar World Cup Engagement

Part of the debate – in the Senedd at 4:23 pm on 15 November 2022.

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Photo of Vaughan Gething Vaughan Gething Labour 4:23, 15 November 2022

I'll deal with the pointed questions, then I'll deal with the more unifying finish. Look, as Laura Anne Jones knows very well, we've committed in the capital budget to significant investment in improving sporting facilities. The programme of investment in twenty-first century schools—we've made sure that we deliver facilities that aren't just right for schools, but also for community use as well. We work alongside local authorities in doing so and are proud to do so. But, as the Member knows, our ability to invest more capital is linked to the capital available to the Welsh Government, and we've seen a funding cut in capital in the last spending review period. We've had a decade of austerity, and the Member can't turn up here, having been a long-term supporter of austerity and the cuts that were made, and then demand that more money is spent despite the real-terms funding cuts that we have received. If you want to invest more money in sporting facilities, then you need to try to tell us where that money comes from, rather than trying to magic it out of the air. I thought it was a disappointing party political shot that bears no relationship to reality, and I thought some humility from Conservatives after the disastrous interim reign of Truss and Kwarteng might be more appropriate.

When it comes to your final point, if I'm available, I'd be very happy to join Members to look at the wider legacy of the world cup, and, indeed, all of us, I think, can all agree: pob lwc, Cymru, Robert Page, and the whole team.