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Welsh Secretary says floating windfarm supply chain will be ‘as local as possible’

18 Jan 2023 3 minute read
David TC Davies speaking in Westminster Hall

The UK Government will make sure building materials for a proposed floating offshore windfarm off the coast of South West Wales will be “as local as possible”.

Welsh Secretary David TC Davies told the Commons he had made the case to the Crown Estate, which is responsible for the planned windfarm in the Celtic Sea, after Labour told him that building new turbines outside of Wales would be “absolutely unconscionable”.

Tory chairman of the Welsh affairs committee, Stephen Crabb, meanwhile, urged ministers to award freeport status to Milford Haven, as it would work with “real projects, real industry” to deliver floating offshore wind.

After mentioning jobs at risk in the Welsh steel industry, shadow Welsh Secretary Jo Stevens told the Commons: “Steel workers need a government on their side and the industry needs a partner that can provide stability and not sticking plasters.

“Floating offshore wind in the Celtic Sea is a real opportunity for our steel industry and the wider supply chain in Wales, and it would also help mitigate the impact of the cost-of-living crisis for many Welsh businesses in that supply chain.

“If the Government doesn’t provide the necessary stability, we are going to see those platforms built in France and Spain and floated over to the Welsh coast which would be absolutely unconscionable.

“What is he doing to ensure that the Crown Estate leases will use local supply chains in Wales?”

Crown Estates

Welsh Secretary Mr Davies replied that he had “met with Crown Estates on a number of occasions to discuss the next bidding round for the sites which are out there in the Celtic Sea”.

He added: “I have been trying to ensure that the supply chain is as local as possible.

“That is why we have supported the conversations between developers and the Crown Estate, and also why I personally visited Pembrokeshire to ensure that the growth deal there supports the new infrastructure, the dock which can allow those projects to be floated out to sea.”

Welsh affairs committee chairman Mr Crabb said: “One of the lessons of industrial policy over the last 30 years in Wales, certainly when you look at the number of failed food parks, science parks, technology parks, is that using taxpayers money on its own does not create economic activity out of thin air.”

The Preseli Pembrokeshire MP added: “Does the minister agree with me that whatever interventions we make, or Welsh Government make, has to work with the grain of the private sector?

“To that end does he recognise that the overriding strength of the Celtic freeport bid is that it does work with real projects, real industry to deliver floating offshore wind in the Celtic Sea?”

Wales Office minister Dr James Davies replied: “He will know that there are decisions ongoing in terms of freeport awarding, with at least one due in Wales and an announcement to be made shortly.”

Elsewhere in the debate, Labour MP for the Rhondda Sir Chris Bryant claimed the Government had “completely binned its investment zone policy”.

He added: “Isn’t this just further evidence that we don’t have a government in this country anymore, we have just got a bunch of rapscallions squatting in ministerial offices?”


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Y Cymro
Y Cymro
1 year ago

If you believe compulsive liar David TC Davies promise are pig ignorant. This is a man who said Wales would not lose one penny of EU funding when we left the EU and lost millions including Welsh Government adminstration rights with their direct rule power grab of EU and Senedd powers. Also, this Dic Sion Dafydd who sat around the cabinet table agreed that HS2 should be an England & Wales infrastructure project denying only Wales by the way billions in consequential, and even said we shouldn’t get one penny. This little Englander is treacherous. I don’t say this lightly.… Read more »

Last edited 1 year ago by Y Cymro
Frank
Frank
1 year ago

Don’t trust this guy. He’s been put in office by the tories to bestow as much harm to Wales as he possibly can, very much like all previous Welsh secretaries.

Mab Meirion
Mab Meirion
1 year ago

A west coast railway line north to south would give the steel industry something to do…

Mab Meirion
Mab Meirion
1 year ago

Was a Welsh Sec of State ever the villain in a Dr Who plot/

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