That this House has considered St David’s Day and Welsh affairs.
It is a real privilege to open this debate as we come together to mark St David’s day and discuss Wales’s past, present and, critically, its future. I may not use my full 15 minutes to speak, because other colleagues will want to speak in this important debate. This is my seventh St David’s day debate and my second as Chair of the Welsh Affairs Committee. I thank my colleagues the hon. Member for Ceredigion Preseli (Ben Lake) and the hon. Member for North Dorset (Simon Hoare), who sadly is not in his place today, for helping to secure this debate.
It continues to be an honour to Chair the Welsh Affairs Committee and to facilitate the effective cross-party working that makes the Committee so special. We work together to achieve the best for Wales, and I must thank all current and former members of the Committee for their valuable and constructive contributions over the past year. I particularly commend the hon. Member for Caerfyrddin (Ann Davies) for her practical support of Welsh cakes for our Committee meeting yesterday—they were very useful. I would also like to pay tribute to the fantastic team of Clerks, led by Alison Groves, who support the Committee. We simply could not function without them and are incredibly lucky to have such a diligent and skilled team assisting us.
It has been a busy year for the Committee since our last St David’s day debate. We have four ongoing inquiries, with two reports set to be finalised in the coming months. We also published the conclusions of our inquiry into farming in Wales in November, and following it, the Treasury made very welcome changes to the thresholds for agricultural property relief and business property relief.
Let me move on to the namesake of this debate: St David, who adorns the entrance to this Chamber coming from Central Lobby. He faced adversity from an early age, having been born in the middle of a violent storm as the child of an act of rape. Nevertheless, he would rise to become the first Bishop of Mynyw and establish new churches throughout south Wales, 50 of which are still named after him. St David is commemorated as a great orator and preacher who spread the Christian message. Indeed, one of his recorded miracles was forming a hill beneath himself as he preached to a large crowd to enable them to see and hear him more clearly.
As a nation, we are proud of our rich and storied past, kept alive by our vibrant oral tradition. The Eisteddfod each summer forms a key celebration of this oral tradition, our Welsh culture and the Welsh language by attracting 170,000 visitors each year. From the chapels to the miners’ welfare halls, Wales is renowned for being a land of song. Regardless of the rugby score—we are trying to forget some of the latest scores—Members can be sure that we are the loudest and proudest on and off the field. Our choirs are not only a source of national pride but often the bedrock of community solidarity.
Wales has an enduring history of valuing fairness, solidarity and respect—values passed down from generation to generation and shaped by our history, but employed time and again in our everyday lives. Indeed, before there was an NHS or a welfare state, Welsh communities came together to ensure dignity and respect for all.
I commend the hon. Lady on securing this debate; she is right to praise St David’s day, and everyone is here for that purpose. While we can be Welsh, Northern Irish, Scottish or English, what brings us together is this great United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, and our Gaelic cousins in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland are all part of that. I commend her on her speech today, and I am sure others will also make good contributions. We are always better together. Does she agree with that?
The hon. Member is quite right; we are always better together. As a Gaelic colleague, I welcome him to this debate today and I look forward to his contributions later on.
St David was known for his austere lifestyle, surviving on a vegetarian diet of mostly leeks and water. I am not necessarily advocating that today for all here, but his resilience has come to symbolise Wales’s resilience in the face of social challenge, including inequality and social disadvantage. Wales has strong communities that are rooted in the place where they live. This is a legacy of our rich working-class heritage—a pride in place founded upon pride in work. Wales played a leading role in Britain’s last industrial revolution as a centre of heavy industry, including mining, quarrying, smelting and steelmaking. This was recognised by our communities.
In continuing this place-based story, I welcome the Government’s focus on restoring pride in place and driving investment into our former industrial communities. Welsh councils are set to benefit from £280 million of Pride in Place funding, alongside over £30 million of capital funding to invest in Wales’s public realm.
While manufacturing might have defined Wales’s past, it will also shape its future. Wales is still a proud manufacturing economy, and manufacturing continues to be the biggest contributor to the Welsh economy in terms of output, employing over 150,000 people. This makes Wales an outlier in the UK and an international leader in advanced manufacturing. Whether it be aerospace, automotive, defence or electronics, we know that Wales is leading the way.
I am extremely proud that my constituency of Newport West and Islwyn is an exemplar in many of those industries of the future. Duffryn is home to the world’s first compound semiconductor cluster, which includes Vishay, IQE, Catapult and KLA. Just across the road, Airbus is innovating cyber-security solutions for aerospace, and Safran provides deluxe seats and even beds for airlines. In Blackwood, General Dynamics is busy outfitting the future of Britain’s mechanised defence forces, and in Marshfield, Microsoft and Vantage are building a number of data centres as part of the new South Wales AI growth zone.
Diolch, Madam Deputy Speaker. I begin by thanking the hon. Member for Newport West and Islwyn (Ruth Jones) for opening the debate, and indeed for her work as the chair of the Welsh Affairs Committee. As she mentioned in her speech, we work as a team for Wales on the Committee, and it is good that we have this opportunity today not only to speak about the work of the Committee, but to talk to the wider House about the wonders of Wales and how great St David’s day is.
St David is famous for having said that we should do the little things, and it is in that spirit that I will dedicate my speech to small businesses, which, as is the case across Wales, forms the backbone of our economy. In my constituency of Ceredigion Preseli, as much as 81% of businesses are classified as small, making it the small business capital of Wales—an accolade that we are very proud to hold. Thirty-five per cent of those businesses are in the agricultural, fisheries and forestry sectors, and some 15% are in hospitality and tourism.
Although the winter months are always quite difficult for those industries, in recent weeks I have had a chance to meet a number of small business groups from Aberystwyth in the north of my constituency to Fishguard and Goodwick in the south. Unfortunately, they have all told a tale of the difficulties and challenges they face as small employers. I want to draw the House’s attention to the cumulative pressures that are having a severe impact on their ability to trade and to continue in business.
Businesses cited the impact of rising energy costs, higher employment costs and the burden of increased business rates. That is not a problem that is unique to Ceredigion Preseli, with the Federation of Small Businesses having found that to be equally true across the whole UK. Indeed, according to recent FSB research, from April this year the typical high street business will face an estimated £25,000 in extra unemployment costs and £1,600 in higher energy standing charges. We all agree that that sort of incessant rise in costs for small businesses is simply unsustainable. Unfortunately, too many are now citing that the pressures have become so acute that 35% have said that they are planning to close or contract over the coming year. That would be devastating for economies across the United Kingdom, but specifically so in the small business capital of Wales that is Ceredigion Preseli.
Does the hon. Member not agree that we have the green shoots of recovery already in the economy? We have interest rates going down and retail sales up. The recent massive £14 billion investment in rail will help every single small business and every single person across Wales.
I agree with the hon. Member that the investment in rail will do a great deal of good for businesses in her constituency. Of course, it is sadly not the same for mine due to historical structures of the railway network—the hon. Member nods. The fact of the matter is I only have three stations, and they are all terminals, so sadly the investment that has been announced will not quite reach us yet, but I hope that in due course we will receive further announcements of investment in the Cambrian and west Wales lines. I would very much welcome and applaud the Government if they were to do so.
For rural areas such as those of the hon. Member and mine, the outflow of young people is a big concern. In my part of the world, the 6% decline in the overall population from the last census is a real worry for us. That is why it is so important to ensure that we support these small businesses.
It would be remiss of me not to brandish my constituency’s links with St David. He was, of course, born just to the south of my constituency boundary in the area of St Davids, but he was—according to legend—raised along the Ceredigion coast. Of course, as the hon. Member for Newport West and Islwyn mentioned, he performed one of his most famous miracles in the village of Llanddewi-Brefi. If I needed to really underline his Ceredigion credentials, he was the grandson of a Ceredigion king. Perhaps it is because of that that we have so many St David’s day events across Ceredigion Preseli, from parades in Aberystwyth, Cardigan, Fishguard and Goodwick, as well as in the towns of Lampeter, Tregaron and Aberaeron. The ladies of the Celtic longboats at Aberporth did the voyage from Aberporth to Llanon, the village named after St David’s mother, Non. Of course, there are the cawl evenings held across my constituency and the eisteddfods—this weekend in Swyddffynnon and Crymych, but also in schools across the constituency.
I would like to place on the record my gratitude to all those community volunteers and champions who have put on these events and who ensure that St David’s day is a joyous occasion. I wish you, Madam Deputy Speaker, a dydd gŵyl Dewi hapus iawn.
It is a pleasure to speak in this St David’s day and Welsh affairs debate. I will raise a number of issues affecting my constituency.
I was so pleased that this Labour Government are making huge steps in tackling child poverty. The removal of the two-child cap represents the biggest action to tackle child poverty in any single Parliament. My constituency has some of the highest levels of child poverty in Wales, and this single act will lift around 2,600 children in my constituency, and nearly 70,000 children across Wales, out of poverty. The previous Minister for Employment, my hon. Friend the Member for Birkenhead (Alison McGovern), came to meet local organisations and charities as part of the Government’s consultation on the child poverty strategy last year. The single message from that event was that the removal of the cap would be the most important thing to tackle child poverty locally. It is a huge step forward and shows the difference of a Labour Government in action.
In the Budget debate in November, I mentioned the high fuel prices in my constituency, and in Merthyr Tydfil particularly. I first wrote to fuel suppliers around two years ago, highlighting that fuel prices in Merthyr Tydfil were around 10p per litre more expensive than anywhere else across the valleys. In fact, fuel here in London is cheaper than in Merthyr Tydfil. In 2024, I wrote to all the fuel suppliers locally, highlighting the unfairness of their prices. I also wrote to the Competition and Markets Authority asking it to look into the matter, and so far it has not felt the need to act. All the while, my constituents are paying over the odds, and some have questioned whether some local suppliers are colluding to keep prices higher than they need to be.
In January, I met Asda to stress that its Merthyr Tydfil store was selling fuel at 8p to 10p per litre higher than any other nearby Asda store—in fact, 10p higher than the Asda store in the Aberdare part of my constituency—and higher than any other store in south Wales. To be fair, Asda agreed that its prices were high and agreed to reduce them. Within three days of that meeting, it dropped its fuel prices in its Merthyr Tydfil store by 5p per litre. That is a step in the right direction—absolutely—but it is still higher than elsewhere. Meanwhile, prices at other petrol stations, such as Esso, Texaco and Applegreen, continue to be significantly higher than elsewhere.
Diolch yn fawr, Madam Dirprwy Lefarydd. I refer the House to the Register of Members’ Financial Interests—I am co-chair of the anti-pylon group in Llanarthne and the president of the Farmers’ Union of Wales in Carmarthenshire. From the Arglwydd Rhys of Dinefwr’s first Eisteddfod, which was held in Aberteifi in Ceredigion, to the Rebecca riots, the coal mines and the tin and copper works of decades past, my constituency of Caerfyrddin is marked by history. We are proud of our shared stories, our communities and our beautiful landscape, which we do our best to protect.
I was elected in July 2024 on the back of a local campaign against new electricity infrastructure, not because we are nimbys—I will get that in straightaway—but because we found a factual, feasible alternative that put our land and our communities first: undergrounding the cables instead of using pylons. Three years on, we are still working hard to persuade the Labour Welsh Government that this is the way forward. When we started this journey, the cost comparatives were around seven to 10 times more expensive. The latest figures are around three to four times more expensive, and in Norway one study says that undergrounding is an average of 1.8 times more expensive than pylons. In just three years, the comparatives have drastically reduced, but all costings are time and project-specific.
Plaid Cymru’s policy on new infrastructure is clear: all 11kV to 132 kV lines should be underground unless there is a specific reason that cannot happen, for example that they go through peatlands, where a 10-metre pole would be used. All the usual impact assessments would also need to be considered, as per current planning policy: visual, ecological, language and community. We would work with communities, not against them, while safeguarding our heritage, chain of castles, ancient hill forts and viaducts. This is our land and our history that we need to protect.
I am very close to the hon. Lady’s constituency, so a banking hub in Rhydaman would benefit my constituents too. I thank LINK for working with local councillors to bring banking hubs to Mumbles and Gorseinon. I think she will be successful in her bid to secure a banking hub in Rhydaman.
We are working closely with LINK and the FCA to get as much information as we can to secure a hub. That is what our communities need. They deserve to be able to get to their cash safely.
My community means everything to me. The interwoven history and heritage of Caerfyrddin run through my veins. As I have said before, I have moved only 4 miles in my entire life, and I have no intention of moving any further than that—I love where I live and I love the people there. It is a privilege to live there, and, like others, I want the best for my patch, so I was delighted when a new post office was opened in Whitland after a sustained period of absence.
When we consider access to cash, let us look for opportunities to place a post office within local shops, convenience stores and even pubs. That increases footfall and gives businesses an opportunity to increase turnover and expand naturally. A few villages in my constituency are currently looking for that opportunity. One of them is the township of Laugharne, which is of course famous for the Dylan Thomas boathouse—it is where he wrote “Under Milk Wood”, and he and his wife Caitlin are buried in the churchyard there. These are inevitably decisions for the local community, and I hope that they find a resolution soon.
As David’s last words were “Do the little things”—gwnewch y pethau bychain—I ask for large organisations, such as LINK, the FCA and the Post Office, to collaborate closely with our communities to ensure that access to cash is a reality for everyone. Rural communities are unique, and what works in a city or a large town does not automatically work there. There is no one-size-fits-all solution.
That brings me back to my community. Caerfyrddin is filled with castles, history and heritage, but it is also filled with talent, entrepreneurship and vision. Let us harness those qualities and work together to help the places that we are so proud of to thrive and prosper, in line with what our communities need, want and deserve. Let us do the “pethau bychain” together.
I do not want to disappoint you, Ms Davies, but I cannot sign your petition, because I have my own petition for a banking hub in the town of Crowborough, which colleagues are more than welcome to sign.
I wish a happy early St David’s day to all. I congratulate my constituency neighbour, my hon. Friend the Member for Newport West and Islwyn (Ruth Jones), on an excellent opening contribution to the debate.
We will all say it:
“Be joyful, keep the faith and do the little things”.
Those were the final words of our patron saint. The Prime Minister repeated them in his remarks at the St David’s day reception at No. 10 on Monday, which was an excellent event. It afforded us the opportunity to invite people who do extraordinary things in our constituencies. I brought along Mark Seymour, who, alongside his team in Newport, runs the Sanctuary project, which works with refugees and asylum seekers.
In that vein, I want to begin by recognising some more extraordinary Newportonians who perform small, kind and positive acts that help make our community what it is. First, I pay tribute to my constituent Martyn Butler, who sadly passed away last weekend. Martyn was a co-founder of the Terrence Higgins trust, setting up one of the first AIDS helplines in 1983 using his home telephone. His tireless work, right up until his death, to raise awareness of HIV testing and pre-exposure prophylaxis helped to contribute to the 20% fall in new HIV cases in Wales in 2024. More people than ever before are being tested. That legacy will be felt for generations. We send our love to his family—he was a lovely, lovely man.
Emma Webb is a bereaved mother whose daughter took her own life in 2020 aged just 16. From the depths of her grief, Emma has spent every day since campaigning to raise awareness of suicide prevention. She has walked hundreds of miles with a life-size model pony, raised thousands of pounds and worked relentlessly to save lives. I thank her from the bottom of my heart.
I have also had the pleasure of welcoming 11-year-old Sophia from Newport East to Westminster this year. She lives with juvenile arthritis and uses her incredible energy and infectious positivity to raise awareness and improve support for children like her. She will clearly rule the world; she is a brilliant example to us all. The great privilege of this role is meeting and working with such remarkable people who show so much resilience.
I will, and I know what my hon. Friend is going to say.
20 of 61 shown
As Wales positively embraces the fourth industrial revolution, I welcome the efforts by the Welsh and UK Governments to address the adverse impacts of the last. As a former physiotherapist, I have treated miners with lung conditions such as pneumoconiosis and silicosis, so I know how profound and lasting the impacts have been. The human and environmental impacts have been great and long-lasting, and we are not going back there.
In Islwyn, I am proud to represent a former mining area that will greatly benefit from the Government’s decision in the autumn Budget to return £2.3 billion to former British Coal staff. Those pensions are long overdue and I welcome their return. Though the pits may be gone, the bonds of solidarity and community spirit embedded within Islwyn are still clear for all to see. A prominent example of that is the Cefn Fforest Miners Institute. First built in 1935 and funded by contributions from local coalminers, it has been lovingly restored by the village. It reopened in November after being closed for 15 years and now acts as a renewed hub for the community, hosting shows and events. At the same time, I pay tribute to the fantastic Cross Keys silver band, which was formed in 1902 by the local mining community and is still going strong today. I would recommend any concerts they provide—really, I would.
I welcome the strong, co-ordinated response by the UK and Welsh Governments in putting forward a record combined £230 million over the next four years to improve coal tip safety. The new multi-year approach being taken by both Governments was much needed.
The Welsh Affairs Committee has been looking in detail at prisons, probation and rehabilitation in Wales. That is an area of significant public policy concern in Wales because we have the highest incarceration rate in western Europe, with 177 Welsh residents in prison per 100,000 of the population. The Committee was pleased to receive oral evidence from the Prisons Minister, Lord Timpson, who I know is committed to driving forward work to address reoffending and improve our prison system. As part of our inquiry, we have looked at a wide range of issues, including prison management, housing and education support, as well as the provision of healthcare and services in the Welsh language.
The Committee has also considered the specific experiences of women in the criminal justice system, but of particular concern has been the ongoing management of issues at HMP Parc following the 17 deaths there in 2024. We will continue to scrutinise the working arrangements there to ensure the safety of inmates and staff alike. Despite our inquiry being ongoing, the Committee has already had some early wins, with the Ministry of Justice agreeing to our request for the publication of an annual Wales-specific justice dataset, the first of which was published in September.
I will close by talking of the future and the big choices facing the people of Wales in just a few months’ time. In May, Wales faces a profound choice about its future: to move forward with a clear plan and a track record of delivery with Eluned Morgan and Welsh Labour, or to turn inward and embrace a politics of grievance and division. While Wales relied on devolution to protect itself from the worst of the Conservative and Lib Dem austerity for 14 years, that period thankfully has ended and Wales can face the future and invest. We now have a Labour Government at each end of the M4 working together for Wales, providing a record devolved financial settlement for 2026 and year-on-year increases in borrowing powers for the Welsh Government, delivering on our manifesto. That means an additional £6 billion of funding for our schools, hospitals and public services.
In the Senedd, that record funding is being put to work. Waiting lists in Wales have fallen for the last seven months in a row and are the lowest they have been in three years. We are seeing serious long-term investment in improving literacy and numeracy in our schools, and significant additional support for local businesses seeking to grow. Just last week, we saw our two Governments in partnership announce the end of the historical under-investment in Wales’s railways, with a shared ambition for £14 billion-worth of upgrades across north, south, mid and west Wales, including new stations at Newport West and Cardiff Parkway, near Marshfield in my constituency.
This week, the House voted to abolish the cruel two- child limit, which is set to benefit almost 70,000 children across Wales, including over 2,000 in my constituency. From April, that change will slash child poverty in Wales by 10% overnight. None of that is an accident; it is the product of a joint vision of a fairer future for Wales, rooted in social justice and delivering the jobs, transport and opportunities people need to thrive. The path of progress may be slow and difficult, but that does not make it any less valuable. Now is not the time to put the partnership at risk, just as we are beginning to see good news and developments across Wales.
I thank the Backbench Business Committee for allowing this debate on St David’s day to take place, and I look forward to hearing the contributions of other colleagues. Diolch yn fawr.
In the spirit of doing the small things and in advance of the spring statement next week, I draw the attention of the House to some measures that those businesses have suggested the Government could take to help them build a firmer and more prosperous future. On energy costs, businesses with an annual electricity consumption of around 40,000 kWh, which is a typical small restaurant, gym or café, are currently looking at a potential rise in their standing charge of some 40%. One proposal that the Government could entertain is to mirror the support that they are offering on household bills—the 75% reduction in renewable obligation costs—to non-domestic bills. That would offer much-needed support to many of the businesses in Ceredigion Preseli.
Another point that they wanted me to raise was the rising pressure of employment costs. Between January of last year and April this year, an employer with nine people on the national living wage will see their annual employment costs increase by an equivalent of 12.9% and the employer national insurance bill over that two-year period would have increased by 46%. One proposal these businesses have suggested that the Government could entertain next week is to uprate the employment allowance, so that it continues to cover the employer national insurance contributions of four employees on the national living wage. That would offer great support to the businesses I have spoken to in Ceredigion Preseli.
The final thing is business rates, and colleagues from across the House will have had a lot of concerns on this appear in their postbags and inboxes in recent weeks. It is for the Welsh Senedd and Welsh Government to look at the reliefs and how they offer additional support to small businesses. The one thing it would be worth this House and Government considering is the way in which the valuation process operates. One common concern is that the process lacks transparency and clarity as to how valuations are calculated. Some businesses in hospitality and trade, for example, cite that their rates are primarily driven by turnover as opposed to profitability, whereas in retail it is primarily fixed on the square meterage of their shops. This inconsistency is troubling, and the lack of clarity of how the Valuation Office Agency, as it was, has come to make the calculation is causing a significant degree of concern.
I turn to the measures that could help businesses in the tourism and hospitality industries. The VAT rate, currently set at 20%, has long been a concern for these businesses. Again, they would be grateful if the Government could look again at the rate. Decreasing it to 15% would offer them much-needed breathing space to withstand some of these increased pressures and costs, but also the opportunity to invest in their businesses and their staff—something we all want to see if we are to bring about economic growth across the land. Indeed, other countries have shown that a reduction in the rate of VAT for tourism and hospitality can bring significant benefits.
I also want to raise the removal of the automatic 10% “wear and tear” tax allowance for childminders, which will come into force from April. Childminders in my constituency have long used this provision to meet the costs of the inevitable damage, and maintenance costs, that arise from hosting their businesses in their homes. They have told me that the move to this new system is forcing them to reconsider their ability to continue in this critical sector. If the Government could look again at that, I know that a lot of childminders in my constituency would be grateful.
For many of my constituents, if they need to go out of town for work or leisure, they do not fill up locally any more. Many people work locally, though, and many older people may not have a choice and end up paying over the odds. Given the deprivation and levels of child poverty that exist in Merthyr Tydfil, it is immoral that fuel suppliers continue to appear to rip off local people. This is not a short-term situation; it has been the case for almost two years now.
In the Budget, the Chancellor introduced the fuel finder scheme, which forces suppliers to publicise their fuel prices within 30 minutes of increasing them or, for that matter, decreasing them. That will help consumers find cheaper fuel, but sadly, consumers in Merthyr Tydfil do not have too many options, other than travelling to other towns and villages to fill up. By raising this issue today, I hope that my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State may be able to add her voice to the call on fuel suppliers to do the right thing by my constituents and act in a fairer way. While we as MPs do not have the authority to tell private suppliers what they can charge for their products, by calling this out for what it is, I hope that suppliers will recognise that they need to act, and I hope that the CMA will also come to the table to take whatever action it can.
My constituency is home to General Dynamics where the Ajax vehicles are being assembled. Recently, the Ministry of Defence conducted investigations following noise and vibration concerns from Army personnel. While I and the Government rightly prioritise safety, we need an outcome soon, as the 700 workers in my constituency need assurances on their future and the future of that work. The £50 million Wales defence growth deal signed by the Secretary of State, the Defence Secretary and the Welsh First Minister just last week signifies this Government’s intent to invest in defence. I very much welcome that investment, which also provides yet another example of two Labour Governments working together to create jobs and prosperity for the people of Wales. I am keen to ensure that my constituency continues to play a part in supplying defence capabilities for the nation.
In the 19th century, Merthyr Tydfil, at the height of the industrial revolution, was the largest iron-producing town in the world. The ironworks in my constituency supplied cannons and cannonballs to the Royal Navy, and in the 21st century the workforce at General Dynamics are keen to continue in that tradition. I hope that we can soon move on with Ajax and secure and grow the much-needed jobs in my constituency and across the south Wales valleys.
There is much to be positive about this St David’s day. This Government have delivered the largest budget and spending review settlement since devolution, providing the Welsh Government with a record £22.4 billion a year on average, and the Welsh Government are investing in public services and driving down waiting lists. After years of under-investment under the Tories, the NHS is improving across Wales and right across the UK. As we have heard, waiting lists in Wales have gone down for seven consecutive months, and out-patient appointments are increasing all the time.
The increased national minimum wage and living wage have given a pay rise to 160,000 Welsh workers. For the second year in a row, the state pension is due to increase. From April, the full state pension will increase by 4.8% to £241. Also welcome is the decision to right a historic wrong with the mineworkers’ pension scheme and the British Coal staff superannuation scheme— a real boost to hundreds of ex-miners and their families who will benefit in my constituency.
The last issue I would like to talk about is tourism and the role the valleys play in attracting visitors to Wales. Although tourism is largely devolved to the Welsh Government, there is a role for the UK Government too. In my area, to name a few attractions, we already have Zip World, BikePark Wales, the Summit indoor climbing centre and the new Old Drift wellness centre, which I visited during the February recess. The centre includes a sauna room, but also outdoor tin baths with cold water, which I did not partake in because it was around 2°C and raining. However, there were people enjoying that facility, and the centre is becoming a real attraction in the local area. I am told that that new venture is getting visitors from across Wales and beyond. I very much welcome that new addition to the constituency.
Members may know that earlier this year, Merthyr Tydfil county borough council agreed planning permission for Rhydycar West, a £300 million project that will create the UK’s largest ski slope and a tropical waterpark. That has created huge excitement locally and will also be a very welcome addition to our tourism offer.
The Abernant tunnel is a historic disused railway tunnel built in the 1850s as part of the Vale of Neath railway that links both parts of what is now my constituency, Merthyr Tydfil and Aberdare. It has huge potential as a tourist attraction and a new walkway and cycleway link in both communities. Both Rhondda Cynon Taf council and Merthyr Tydfil council are keen to develop its potential. I am working with them to offer support. The tunnel is currently owned by the Department for Transport, but discussions are currently under way to transfer ownership of the tunnel to convert it into a tourist attraction and cycle and walkway.
Cyfarthfa castle is an iconic part of Merthyr Tydfil’s industrial past. It was the home of the Crawshay family and the base for their ironworks, which transformed Merthyr Tydfil during the industrial revolution. Last year, the castle celebrated its 200th anniversary. It received a very welcome royal visit from their Majesties, the King and Queen, on the King’s birthday last November, when the King cut a cake in the shape of a castle that was made by a local person. It was very impressive, I must say—it was a pity to cut it. His Majesty enjoyed the cake, as did all the other people there.
Sadly, the castle and museum are in need of significant repairs. The local authority and the Welsh Government have made financial contributions, and urgent work is under way. A heritage lottery bid is in progress and other forms of funding are being considered. As I said, tourism is mainly devolved to the Welsh Government, but the UK Government may have an interest too, because they occasionally support projects across Wales. Hopefully, all efforts can be looked at to safeguard this historic castle for future generations. It truly is an iconic focal point in the town of Merthyr Tydfil.
In closing, St David said, “Do the little things.” Lots of little improvements, and indeed larger ones, across Wales are gradually improving the lives of my constituents and many others across Wales.
It is not just pylons. Over 400 wind turbines are planned to be built across my constituency and the neighbouring constituencies of Brecon, Radnor and Cwm Tawe and Ceredigion Preseli. The turbines are huge—up to 230 metres tall. The London Eye over the river is 202 metres high. The turbines are even taller than that and 400 of them are planned across the horizon in my constituency. Plaid Cymru supports green energy that delivers real benefits to our communities, but the transition must be shaped around people and place, not imposed at a scale that alienates those being asked to host it. Instead of concentrating development in vast projects that dominate our landscapes, a Plaid Cymru Government would prioritise community-centred solutions. We would refocus efforts on community energy and introduce retrofit standards to upgrade more homes more quickly.
Green energy in Wales is a success story and our communities understand the need for it. Indeed, most people are passionately committed to playing their part in the transition. My concern is that the sheer scale of these proposed developments, combined with the bullish approach taken by some developers, risks undermining the good will and the positivity that has defined Wales’s green energy journey so far. This extractive economy needs to change and, again, we have a solution. Having a 10 km gap between each wind farm would significantly reduce the number and still generate more than enough electricity. That would safeguard some villages in my constituency, including Pencarreg, Cwmann, Ffarmers and Pumsaint, and up towards Mynydd Mallaen. Two huge wind farms are already licensed in the Celtic sea, and the Crown Estate is proposing another three, so we know that we will generate far more electricity than we need. I ask gently whether we need to spoil our more rural landscapes by placing turbines in areas in which people still live, still farm the land and still have vibrant Welsh-speaking communities. Do we need 400 turbines in one relatively small area?
Speaking of rural communities, the next battle on our hands in Caerfyrddin is to secure a banking hub in Rhydaman—or Ammanford. The last bank has closed. To be honest, I do not blame Lloyds, which had remained when others had long gone. However, I just wish that we had been able to secure a banking hub before they had closed. Although 23,709 people live in the Ammanford area, only 7,444 live around the high street, so we fall short of the 10,000-person threshold for a banking hub. As we all know, the valleys are part of and merge into our post-industrial towns—the two cannot be separated—and that is certainly true of Ammanford. Blaenau, Llandybie, Saron, Penybanc, Glanaman, Brynamman and many others all form part of Dyffryn Aman.
Deprivation is high, unemployment is high, and there is a significant lack of opportunities. Since Lloyds closed at the beginning of January, on Fridays—market day—residents queue outside the post office to access cash. They are mainly elderly and the digitally excluded, and are unable or do not wish to use a laptop or tablet. Some older constituents go to extreme lengths just to access their own money by paying extortionate amounts for a taxi into town, and giving the driver their card and PIN to get cash out of the ATM for them.
LINK might say that the nearest ATM is close enough—and it is for those who are fit, mobile and able to get there independently—but that simply is not the reality for many elderly or disabled residents who cannot make that journey safely, easily or affordably. There should be access to cash for all, so I have started a petition to set up a banking hub, and I would be grateful if the whole House shared it. I will be in touch with the Financial Conduct Authority to arrange a meeting to discuss that further. I have no doubt that I will work closely with the hon. Member for Brecon, Radnor and Cwm Tawe (David Chadwick) and my hon. Friend the Member for Ynys Môn (Llinos Medi), who have secured banking hubs in Ystradgynlais and Caergybi respectively. Post-industrial town such as Rhydaman need our support. I ask Members to share my petition; let us get as many signatories as possible.
It is that resilience that has carried out city through challenging times. After more than a decade of austerity, I am glad to see that the damage done by the Conservatives is beginning to be undone. The recent announcement that work will begin this year to build two new railway stations in Newport East has been warmly welcomed by businesses and residents alike.