News

Wales’ Economy Minister, Vaughan Gething is flying the flag for the nation’s aerospace companies at the Paris Air Show today and is using the visit to encourage companies interested in investing in the UK to make Wales their location of choice.

Wales is donating a specialised airport fire truck to Kharkiv Airport in Ukraine in response to an appeal following a missile attack which left the airport’s original fire truck damaged beyond repair.

• New £20m SMART Flexible Innovation Support (SMART FIS) programme designed to invest in new cutting-edge research and innovation that will improve people’s lives.
• Supporting organisations to innovate will help create new products and services, improve skills, helping to develop RD&I capability and capacity to support sustainable growth.
• Ministers also launching £10m Circular Economy Fund for Business to support them move towards a circular, net zero carbon economy. 

• Welsh Government awards £566,000 from the Economy Futures Fund to Airflo Fishing Products Ltd.
• Brecon-based firm are the industry's leading manufacturer of PVC-free speciality fishing lines.
• The investment secures 44 jobs and creates a further 21, paving the way for a quadrupling of exports to North America.

• Economy Minister confirms £10m investment for internationally recognised Sêr Cymru programme.
• Sêr Cymru designed to build a “strong and dynamic” scientific research base in Wales.
• Phase IV of the programme will focus on inspiring the next generation of scientists & developing disruptive innovations to help solve the socioeconomic challenges faced in Wales and the wider world.
• Programme is a vital component of Welsh Government commitment to retaining and attracting talent, and further developing a highly skilled workforce.

• New Retail Action Plan, developed in social partnership, contains actions that contribute to delivering shared vision of a fairer and more resilient retail sector.
• Plan aims to improve the prospects of the retail sector and those who work within it.
• Key actions to strengthen the sector during a period of significant change.

• Economy Minister reveals Welsh Government in active dialogue with several tech companies who have expressed an interest in investing in Wales.
• Minister says companies may go elsewhere without assurances about UK Government support for the sector.
• Minister writes to Science & Technology Secretary calling for the UK Government to publish long-awaited Semiconductor Strategy without further delay and to confirm investment in Wales.

• Four priorities in a new Cyber Action Plan for Wales: Growing the cyber sector, building a talent pipeline, boosting resilience, and protecting public services.
• The plan brings together government, industry, academia, and law enforcement.
• The plan takes forward the Digital Strategy for Wales designed to create more user-friendly services in a stronger digital economy.

• The refreshed Manufacturing Plan for Wales is designed to ensure the sector is well placed to embrace and benefit from the technological change brought about by the fourth industrial revolution.
• The plan will help ensure Wales remains a leading manufacturing nation with a more prosperous, equal and greener economy.
• Wales’ manufacturing sector is facing a ‘perfect storm’ caused by global economic shocks, labour shortages, energy price rises and supply chain difficulties.

• UK’s innovation agency, Innovate UK and Welsh Government commit to a joint plan to help grow the Welsh economy.
• Memorandum of Understanding signed between the Welsh Minister for the Economy and the CEO of Innovate UK, representing the first MoU agreed with a devolved government.
• The plan will see Innovate UK and Welsh Government work together to create opportunities for innovators and entrepreneurs across Wales.

WWE’s “Clash at the Castle” event in Cardiff in 2022 delivered a massive 10:1 return on investment by channelling £21.8m back into the Welsh economy, a new report shows.

The Welsh Government is a full partner in the ambitious UK and Ireland bid to host UEFA EURO 2028, the First Minister of Wales has confirmed.