I'm pleased to be taking part in this debate today as a firm backer of the Celtic free-port bid. The opportunities offered by the Celtic free port to my region and the wider south-west Wales area are immense. That is why the bid has support from across the political spectrum and across the region. Should the UK and Welsh Governments back the bid, the establishment of a free port covering Port Talbot and Milford Haven docks could see upward of £5.5 billion of inward investment into the region. But this is just the tip of the iceberg, which is why Neath Port Talbot Council and Pembrokeshire County Council are key players in the bid consortium.

The establishment of the Celtic free port will lead to an explosion of green jobs as the region moves to harness the potential of the Celtic sea and exploit green hydrogen. Floating offshore wind will be transformative, not only in helping to decarbonise and secure our future energy supply, but the £54 billion industry will be a key driver in transforming the ports at Port Talbot and Milford Haven into modern green energy hubs, ports that will build upon our past industrial expertise whilst delivering a brighter, greener future for Wales. Building on the extensive regional specialist skill base, transmission and pipelines, natural capital and distribution facilities, the Celtic free port will provide the skills, services and spaces for industry to thrive—industries such as Tata steel in Port Talbot, one of my region's largest employers and one of our nation's strategic industries.

The opportunities the Celtic free port present to the Port Talbot steelworks are many, but first and foremost is the opportunity to play a key role in the manufacture of floating offshore wind components for the Celtic sea, and then to build upon those opportunities to export to the wider UK and across the globe. Tata, working alongside the Celtic free port, has the potential to become one of the world's first green steel producers and to develop the expertise in manufacturing the next generation of renewables. We are in a race to decarbonise our industries, our energy sectors and our infrastructure. If we can get these there first, we can not only lead the way, but cash in on the wider economic opportunities.

South Wales led the first industrial revolution, and if we play our cards right, we can lead the next. My region is home to the most people working in manufacturing compared to anywhere else in Wales, and whilst we have seen the decline of manufacturing and heavy industry in recent decades, the potential to build upon those skills is immeasurable. With the right plan in place, we can transform the region and create new highly skilled, highly sought after jobs, green jobs in everything, from welding to data science. I believe the Celtic free-port bid is the right plan, and I urge the Welsh Government, together with the UK Government, to support the Celtic free-port bid. I would also ask colleagues to support our motion today in order to deliver a clear message to both Governments that this Senedd supports the Welsh free-port bid. Diolch yn fawr.