Last week during the Welsh Grand Committee debate Fay Jones MP highlighted the importance of the levelling up agenda for Brecon and Radnorshire.
During the debate Ms Jones reminded MPs how many young people in Brecon and Radnorshire leave home to begin their careers, returning later to raise their families. If Wales had the academic institutions, connectivity, infrastructure and job opportunities which are common in South Wales and parts of England, we wouldn’t see this drain of talent. Ms Jones also used the debate as a chance to talk about the importance of investment in green technologies – providing the much-needed jobs that a rural constituency desperately wants.
Fay Jones said:
“Levelling up is an agenda which Brecon and Radnorshire desperately needs. It is a policy which recognises that talent is spread right across our country but opportunity is not. Representing a part of Wales which is so often forgotten about, I am delighted that the UK Government is at last recognising this.
I was delighted that in the 2020 Budget the Chancellor confirmed that the UK and Welsh Governments would fund the Global Centre for Rail Excellence in Nant Helen near Coelbren in my constituency. The centre will see up to 120 skilled jobs at the new rail infrastructure testing facility.
More green jobs is exactly what my constituency needs, whether in Coelbren or at Riversimple, a hydrogen fuel-cell car manufacturer in Llandrindod Wells. These are the jobs of the future that will enable mid Wales to level up and join other parts of the United Kingdom in offering a future to our young people.”
Note - Fays speech can be read in full on Hansard.