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Welsh Affairs

Thank you for giving me the opportunity to contribute, Mr. Deputy Speaker. I apologise for not being present earlier. I was serving on the Committee considering the Education and Skills Bill, and I reminded the Committee that there are a number of ways in which the National Assembly can exercise its powers. For instance, it can use framework powers to introduce measures similar to Bills such as the Education and Skills Bill in Wales. It is entirely appropriate for the Assembly to have that option, and I know that many people in Wales will look to it eagerly to determine how the issues that the Committee has debated at such length will be dealt with there. The Assembly can apply its framework powers to a number of Bills, and I hope it will exercise its right to determine the appropriate form in which they can exist in Wales. We are very concerned about climate change at the moment, and we look forward to the Climate Change Bill, which will be introduced shortly. It contains a section on adaptation and mitigation, a subject with which some people may not be familiar. There are many different projections about the effect of climate change, but it is generally agreed that weather patterns are likely to become much more unpredictable, making events such as flooding ever more likely. There was a salutary warning to all of us last summer, when we saw pictures of those devastating floods on our television screens. I for one began to think more seriously about how we could cope with such events in our own areas. I know that the Environment Agency in Wales has used the most up-to-date techniques to produce new maps pinpointing with great accuracy the areas that are likely to be affected by flooding, be it river or coastal flooding. A fortnight ago I visited the agency in Cross Hands to see what it was doing to identify areas at risk and to improve flood defences. Its staff explained the flood alert system, which can send messages to the telephones of people living in high-risk areas to warn them of possible flooding. I shall meet agency representatives again next week at the Llanelli flooding forum, a body that I have set up, to discuss how we can do more to increase awareness of flooding, and of the Environment Agency's system for dealing with it. Last summer we also saw frightening pictures of water encroaching on power substations and flooding ambulance stations. That brought home vividly the need to consider the relocation of such installations to areas that will remain free of flooding. Some of them are reserved matters—for instance, a police headquarters is the responsibility of the United Kingdom Government—while others, such as ambulance stations, are the responsibility of the Assembly Government, and organisations such as the utilities are in the private sector. This is a clear example of the need for joined-up thinking, and I call on the Secretary of State to raise awareness of flood risk and ensure that there are plans to allow the safeguarding or even the relocation of strategic structures. We also need to make sure that we plan future development with our eyes clearly opened to the flooding risks. Now that the Environment Agency is a statutory consultee in planning matters, it gives detailed advice on planning issues to local councils and to the Assembly Government. Currently, however, water companies are not statutory consultees, which is why, when I spoke on Second Reading of the Planning Bill, I emphasised to the Minister the crucial role of companies such as Dwr Cymru, Welsh Water, in assessing whether our existing infrastructure could cope with increased load from new developments. Clearly, where the infrastructure cannot cope, that can greatly increase the risk of flooding from river water and sea water, as well as foul water flooding. I was delighted that the Minister replied that it was the intention that water companies should become statutory consultees. I very much hope that when the Assembly uses its powers to deal with the measures for Wales arising from the Planning Bill, Dwr Cymru will become a statutory consultee for planning matters in Wales. I wish to refer to some important constituency matters that are relevant to the whole of Wales. We have a long tradition of heavy industry in my area, as do many areas of south Wales and some parts of the north. It is extremely important that we make absolutely certain that we provide the right sort of environment for these companies, which are facing fierce global competition. I call on the Secretary of State to do everything in his power to ensure that we create a level playing field and a welcoming environment that gives companies the confidence to invest further. We have seen a dramatic fall in unemployment in Llanelli over the past 10 years, but we cannot be complacent. We know that every company must plan and think ahead and we want investment to come to us, and not go elsewhere. I would like to emphasise the importance of creating the right environment to encourage investment. Corus in my constituency has up-to-date equipment and, at the home of the first canned beer on this side of the Atlantic, we now have a sophisticated plant producing all manner of packaging. We also have the company Schaefler, which makes car components. It has taken the skills agenda on board and done a tremendous amount of upskilling of its work force. By doing that, it has been able to diversify and compete against its sister factories in other countries to win contracts for Wales. I would like to emphasise the need for us to develop the skills agenda in Wales because it is quite clearly the way forward for such companies. I would also like to mention a small company called Picton Sports, which has been able to make wonderful logos on t-shirts and jumpers for sports organisations locally. But, most excitingly, it is now exporting to Taiwan, a real achievement. This is an example of a new industry and we need to be absolutely certain that we do not help such firms only in the initial phases, when they are struggling to establish themselves. We must help them to expand and cope with some of the complications that they may encounter when they try to export across the world. These must be our priorities for ensuring the strength of the Welsh economy in the future.