3. Will the Cabinet Secretary make a statement on the Welsh Government’s plans for investing in infrastructure in Wales? OAQ(5)0119(FLG)

I thank the Member for the question. In the budget approved in January, we set out plans for delivering nearly £7 billion-worth of capital investment over the next four years, with particular emphasis on continued investment in housing, transport, schools and hospitals.

I thank you, Cabinet Secretary, for the answer. The commitment from Welsh Government to £1 billion of innovative investment in infrastructure for three major capital investment projects through the mutual investment model in March was, indeed, very welcome news. And it does indeed demonstrate that, in these financially challenging times, the Labour Welsh Government rises to that challenge of finding innovative ways to invest in public infrastructure. Cabinet Secretary, when and how will businesses be able to tender for the projects being delivered through this particular model?

Can I thank Joyce Watson for that important question? She may be aware that we held a very successful market testing day on 23 March. It was attended by my colleagues Vaughan Gething and the Cabinet Secretary for Education. We had over 250 attendees from a whole range of Welsh businesses come on that day to hear more about the opportunities that there will be through the mutual investment model. We’re now able to provide information directly to those who are interested in it. The business cases will be further developed and we’ve planned further events over the summer to make sure that these new opportunities for capital investment are as well-known as possible to businesses in all parts of Wales.

Cabinet Secretary, you made reference, in your response to Joyce Watson there, to transport infrastructure improvements, and, indeed, there have been lots of announcements in relation to investment that the Welsh Government wants to make, either on its own or in partnership with others in south Wales—the M4 relief road, new terminals at Cardiff Airport, the south Wales metro system et cetera. And you’ve made an announcement in respect of north-east Wales, but what about the rest of Wales and constituencies like mine? We have an A55 in north Wales that is a constant bottleneck and is causing pressure on the tourism industry and other businesses in north Wales, as well as residents who use that road frequently. There’s no hard shoulder for large lengths of that road, and our transport infrastructure also needs improvement. What benefit will north-west Wales and north-central Wales receive as a result of the Welsh Government’s transport infrastructure improvements?

Well, Dirprwy Lywydd, I’m very happy to draw the specifics of the Member’s question to the attention of the Minister with direct responsibility for implementing the programme. Our ambition is to make sure that we invest in all parts of Wales, attending to those issues that are most urgent and that deliver the greatest benefits for local population. The Member makes the point on behalf of his constituents in the way that you would expect him to do.

Cabinet Secretary, the investment plan you have in the Welsh Government is huge, but procurement is an opportunity to be used as a tool to support Welsh businesses, particularly in my area with the steel industry. What’s the Government doing to actually support those industries, through procurement, and what strategies are you taking forward in that?

Dirprwy Lywydd, as Adam Price earlier pointed out on opportunities that there may be in the field of VAT post Brexit, then we have to say that ways in which procurement policy can be developed outside the European Union is another very important area that we need to work on here in Wales, and work has already begun on that topic. That has not precluded us from already having done significant work in relation to procurement as far as the steel industry is concerned. A particular group has come together, a report has been produced and it identifies opportunities for using Welsh-made steel in Welsh investment decisions. We do everything we can to make sure that the money that is spent by the public purse in Welsh infrastructure is aligned with opportunities for Welsh businesses, in particular the steel industry, to benefit from that very significant level of investment.