Question to the Wales Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, when a Minister from his Department last visited Cynon Valley 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 Cynon Valley. A typical household in Wales has received almost £2000 in UK Government support to help with the cost of living. This includes around 197,000 payments delivered in Cynon Valley through the Energy Bills Support Scheme. During the Covid-19 pandemic around 11,000 jobs were supported through the furlough scheme, around £26 million was claimed through the Self-Employment Income Support Scheme and around £30 million was given to businesses through government-backed business loans. The UK Government has also supported innovation within Cynon Valley with over £810,000 awarded by Innovate UK since April 2019.

In addition, Rhondda Cynon Taf, the local authority for the Cynon Valley constituency, is receiving over £45 million from the UK Government’s UK Shared Prosperity Fund. This is in addition to the £124,000 awarded to the CANA Resource and Training Centre in Penywaun. Cynon Valley also benefits from the £1.2 billion Cardiff Capital Region City Deal, including the £4.4 million Zip World facility near Hirwaun.

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.