海角视频

The Welsh Government鈥檚 new Economy Minister Vaughan Gething says North Wales will not be 鈥渄e-prioritised鈥� in his department and responded to criticism that the deputy minister position for tourism had been dropped.

Mr Gething has replaced North Wales MS Ken Skates in the role but he says there is 鈥渘o way鈥� he will ignore the region and says he sees tourism, marine energy, aerospace and the post-Covid relocation of skilled people as potential key drivers of economic growth.

He also said he had not given up on nuclear investment at Wylfa.

鈻� Tourism

Welsh Government has come under criticism for dropping the dedicated deputy tourism role.

But Mr Gething said it was wrong to say that tourism isn鈥檛 a priority sector when 鈥渁ctually it鈥檚 now within my direct brief as a cabinet minister鈥�.

He added: 鈥淚t鈥檚 an area where I think we can look for growth and support and I鈥檓 really excited about having it as part of the portfolio,

鈥淚 think it makes a lot more sense for it to be in the economy brief because it鈥檚 a key economic sector. The numbers of people employed in the sector are significant and there are opportunities to look at what we can do more of in the future.鈥�

He said other parts of the world are much more positive about seeing tourism as a sector 鈥渢o be proud of鈥� and more work had to be done to encourage more people into the industry.

He added: 鈥淚 think trying to have an argument about titles is entirely wrong. I actually think this (having in economy portfolio) makes it more of a priority. We鈥檙e proud of what our tourism sector has to offer and want it to be really successful, not just this year, but into the future as well.鈥�

鈻� North Wales

He said: 鈥淚 expect to be regularly physically present in North Wales now we鈥檙e able to travel, it certainly isn鈥檛 going to be de-prioritised.

鈥淚鈥檓 going to take an interest in the North Wales Growth Deal, I鈥檓 going to continue to build good relationships with local authorities and businesses.

鈥淪o it鈥檚 not like I鈥檓 ignoring North Wales, far from it and there are lots of areas of real growth and opportunity there in the north.鈥�

He added: 鈥淚 also don鈥檛 want to set off different parts of the country against each other. We鈥檒l end up subdividing ourselves in a way where we鈥檙e forgetting that what you want to do is improve economic outcomes in every part of the country, I鈥檓 looking forward to maintaining a high priority for North Wales.鈥�

鈻�Freeports

He said a freeport was something 鈥渨e鈥檙e open minded about鈥�.

But he added: 鈥淲e need to have a proper conversation with each other(Uk and Welsh Governments), rather than having press conferences from the Wales office.

"You鈥檝e got to resolve the funding issue as well, you simply can鈥檛 have a position where Wales is being sold short where we are told you must have a freeport, and it鈥檚 拢8m pounds you鈥檒l get whereas every free port in England has 拢25m.鈥�

He said: 鈥淚f the money is there, then we鈥檙e happy to talk about more than one freeport location in Wales.鈥�

鈻� Marine Energy

He said: "I鈥檓 really excited about working with Julie James on marine energy, we鈥檝e got the big Morlais project on Anglesey. We鈥檝e allocated lots of our European money to support that.

"That鈥檚 got the potential to really start a new industry, not just for Wales, but for the wider world. So we could really do something exciting and much longer lasting right across North Wales. So I think that could be a really positive future.鈥�

鈻� Covid migration

Mr Gething said: 鈥淭he world of work is changing so actually the ability to live in North Wales, that is a fantastic part of the world, and still go to work and be connected to other parts of the world, is definitely there. We are seeing some people migrate away from larger cities that will have a different quality of life, but still be able to work.鈥�

鈻� Wylfa

Mr Gething said: "I鈥榤 still very much interested in the future for the nuclear industry, that鈥檚 both Wylfa and Trawsfynydd. We鈥檙e still tied to what the 海角视频 Government is prepared to do, what they are prepared to invest in, whether it鈥檚 a larger scale project, or some of the smaller reactors have been talked about as well.

鈥淪o we haven鈥檛 given up on Wylfa but it鈥檚 about how we can deliver economic benefits to the island. I still think that鈥檚 something not to give up on or to be downcast about.鈥�

鈻� Levelling-Up

He voiced concern that the 海角视频 Government by-passing Welsh Government with 鈥楲evelling-up鈥� funds to replace EU funding would lead to confusion and was an 鈥渦nhelpful land grab鈥�.

He said a more 鈥渏oined-up鈥� approach was the right way forward with both governments and local authorities working together.