Newport Wafer Fab

Part of 1. Questions to the First Minister – in the Senedd at 1:31 pm on 22 November 2022.

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Photo of Lesley Griffiths Lesley Griffiths Labour 1:31, 22 November 2022

Thank you. So, Newport boasts a globally significant semiconductor cluster, and the UK Government does have a responsibility to ensure that it's not held back as a result of this episode. And I know Jayne Bryant has always stood up for this very crucial sector in her constituency, and we're ambitious about the role it can play. I think the Biden administration really put a huge priority on this sector too, and I think there are many people who are very rightly frustrated at the UK Government's failure to prioritise the sector here in the UK. The Minister for Economy recently worked with KLA to unlock a major new investment in the cluster. That will support 750 new jobs in Newport, which further underscores the Welsh Government's commitment. And the Minister for Economy has written to Grant Shapps, the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, seeking an urgent meeting. As a Government, we don't have the expertise to assess the security issues at stake, but a UK semiconductor strategy should now be in place to provide a framework for decision making, with certainty for all levels of Government.