6. How will the Government support north Wales's economic ties with north-west England? OQ64204

The north of Wales clearly is a key part of our economic ambitions as a Government. We will strengthen north Wales's economic ties with the north-west of England through better transport links, through practical cross-border collaboration, through support for key sectors such as manufacturing and energy. And we do this, of course, with a clear focus on increased productivity, greater investment and long-term economic benefit for north Wales.

Thank you, First Minister. As someone from Anglesey, Ynys Môn, you'll know that this is not an abstract point for north Wales. Unless Plaid Cymru has bought you a helicopter to go with your new job, then basically even you, First Minister, will take 4.5 hours to get to Cardiff Bay. So, for many communities, our practical economic links run east to Chester, Liverpool and Manchester. Indeed, from north-west Wales, our closest capital city is Dublin, not Cardiff. That says something important about geography, transport and economic reality, doesn't it? So, will the First Minister accept that north Wales needs an economic policy shaped by how this part of Wales actually works, with strong links to north-west England and the Irish sea economy, not just by how it looks from Cardiff Bay?

There are a few points I could make here. I believe in uniting the Welsh nation, and I believe that our capital is the capital for everybody, whether they're in Hawarden or Holyhead or in Merthyr Tydfil. We build an economy that works for us. Yes, Dublin is the nearest capital from Ynys Môn, but Edinburgh is the closest capital for people living in Newcastle. I'm not sure what the point the Member is trying to make there. But one of the things that I have made clear is that when we come to economic planning for Wales, every part of our nation has to feel a part of that. I don't look and my Ministers don't look at things from a Cardiff Bay or a Cathays Park perspective. We look at things from a Wales-wide perspective. Every Minister in this Government is a Wales-wide Minister with the interests of all of Wales at heart, and that will be as true in economic development as in anything else, and I say that as the son of a Scouser. [Laughter.]

First Minister, you'll be aware that my Constituency of Flint Wrexham is probably most affected by those economic relationships with north-west England, and businesses there tell me of the importance of a road network, in particular those artery routes of the A55, A483 and the A494. To be fair to the previous Government in this place, towards the end of the last term they made some significant commitments to improving those roads in Flint Wrexham. Will your Government continue to support those improvements, and will you look at further investments on those roads in my constituency of Flint Wrexham?

As I referred to earlier, my Government is committed, through the work of the enterprise, connectivity and energy Minister and the Deputy Minister for Transport, to making sure that we have infrastructure that really works for us in terms of creating economic and societal opportunities. That includes making sure that we have the robust road network that we need and making the necessary investments there, and driving, at the same time, that modal shift for the sake of the economy and connectivity that we all need to see happening.