Question to the Wales Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, when a Minister from his Department last made an official visit to Carmarthen West and South Pembrokeshire constituency.

The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State and I both live in Wales and serve Welsh constituencies. We have a consistent presence in Wales as we conduct many visits, events and meetings in Wales on a regular basis.

Details of Ministerial visits and meetings are published on the Office of the Secretary of State for Wales’ website and in Quarterly Ministerial Transparency Returns. In addition, visits and meetings conducted in support of the Wales Office priorities are published in the Office of the Secretary of State for Wales Annual Report and Accounts.

The UK Government has provided extensive support to Carmarthen West and South Pembrokeshire. A typical household in Wales has received almost £2000 in UK Government support to help with the cost of living. This includes around 230,000 payments delivered in Carmarthen West and South Pembrokeshire through the Energy Bills Support Scheme. During the Covid-19 pandemic over 12,000 jobs were supported through the furlough scheme, around £33 million was claimed through the Self-Employment Income Support Scheme and over £90 million was given to businesses through government-backed business loans.

The UK Government has also supported innovation within Carmarthen West and South Pembrokeshire with around £36.6 million awarded by Innovate UK since April 2019. Carmarthen West and South Pembrokeshire will also benefit from the Celtic Freeport, backed by £26 million from UK Government. The Celtic Freeport aims to attract significant inward investment including £3.5 billion in green energy as well as the creation of 16,000 jobs, generating £900 million in Gross Value Added by 2030.

In addition, Carmarthenshire and Pembrokeshire, the local authorities for the Carmarthen West and South Pembrokeshire constituency, are receiving over £38 million and over £23 million respectively, from the UK Government’s UK Shared Prosperity Fund. Carmarthenshire is also receiving over £36 million from the Levelling Up Fund to deliver the Tywi Valley active travel path, and new public service Hubs in Carmarthen and Pembroke. The constituency also benefits from the £235 million Swansea Bay City Deal, including £28 million invested in the Pembroke Dock Marine project.

This Government is investing in Wales like never before; over £790 million in four City and Regional Growth Deals covering the whole of Wales, £585 million for local authorities to invest through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund, including over £100 million for the Multiply adult numeracy programme, £330 million in capital investment through the Levelling Up Fund and £3.2 million to preserve community assets through the Community Ownership Fund. Wales will benefit from two Freeports backed by £52 million, the British Business Bank’s new £130m Regional Investment Fund, and from Project Gigabit which will enable hard to reach communities to access lightning-fast gigabit capable broadband.