4 Mawrth 2026 , Culture, Communications, Welsh Language, Sport, and International Relations Committee
Arfor: Sesiwn dystiolaeth gyda Gweinidogion
Yes. So, the UK Government, I know, has been talking about brand Wales, and we're really keen that that doesn't duplicate what we're doing in Wales, because we think that our Cymru-Wales brand is already actually very strong. So, we've been doing lots of work…
4 Mawrth 2026 , Culture, Communications, Welsh Language, Sport, and International Relations Committee
Arfor: Sesiwn dystiolaeth gyda Gweinidogion
There's lots to unpick there. Just very briefly, I would highlight the importance of our growing advanced manufacturing space. So, that was something that was really important in the international investment summit. It's one of the key sectors that we're…
4 Mawrth 2026 , Culture, Communications, Welsh Language, Sport, and International Relations Committee
Arfor: Sesiwn dystiolaeth gyda Gweinidogion
But the economic mission doesn't sit separately from our other overarching strategies as Government, including 'Cymraeg 2050'. And we are already trying to embed the learning from Arfor, so Duncan's talked about some of the work that we're doing through…
4 Mawrth 2026 , Culture, Communications, Welsh Language, Sport, and International Relations Committee
Arfor: Sesiwn dystiolaeth gyda Gweinidogion
We've certainly done some research work, actually, on a 'made in Wales' brand. The Irish version is tremendously successful, so there has been some work done on that and what the value could be, particularly for businesses. Because, actually, as Welsh people…
4 Mawrth 2026 , Culture, Communications, Welsh Language, Sport, and International Relations Committee
Arfor: Sesiwn dystiolaeth gyda Gweinidogion
I think it's certainly an asset, and I think it's something that excites people about Wales as well. It makes us different, and it's something that I think we need to—. And we do, I think, to be fair, through Visit Wales and so on—. We had our first Visit…
4 Mawrth 2026 , Culture, Communications, Welsh Language, Sport, and International Relations Committee
Arfor: Sesiwn dystiolaeth gyda Gweinidogion
Absolutely. I think that it is part of our Welsh offer. When people came to Wales to find out what we could offer, they wanted to find out about Wales, more so than particularly just what we can offer on the economy side of things. Actually, what we can offer…
4 Mawrth 2026 , Culture, Communications, Welsh Language, Sport, and International Relations Committee
Arfor: Sesiwn dystiolaeth gyda Gweinidogion
Yes, so I was concerned—. I know that the committee's had some evidence around the growth deals, and so I've talked to the team about this. I'll obviously wait to see what the committee says, but I think it's something I would want to raise directly with the…
4 Mawrth 2026 , Culture, Communications, Welsh Language, Sport, and International Relations Committee
Arfor: Sesiwn dystiolaeth gyda Gweinidogion
So, I think one of the things that we have learned from Arfor is the importance of targeted economic investment, and specifically through Arfor I have in mind Galeri in Caernarfon and also Yr Egin in Carmarthenshire. I think both of those have been really…
4 Mawrth 2026 , Culture, Communications, Welsh Language, Sport, and International Relations Committee
Arfor: Sesiwn dystiolaeth gyda Gweinidogion
I attended the Celtic forum meeting recently, and that was a really good opportunity as well for us actually to share in Wales what we're doing. Colleagues from across the Celtic nations were really, really keen to understand our approach to the Welsh…
4 Mawrth 2026 , Culture, Communications, Welsh Language, Sport, and International Relations Committee
Arfor: Sesiwn dystiolaeth gyda Gweinidogion
So, I think that the work that's happening through Business Wales already is really important, and I'll perhaps ask Duncan to say a bit more about that.
4 Mawrth 2026 , Culture, Communications, Welsh Language, Sport, and International Relations Committee
Arfor: Sesiwn dystiolaeth gyda Gweinidogion
So, I would think and hope that any future economic strategy would absolutely have a strong reference to the important role that the economy can play in supporting the Welsh language, and, actually, it can draw on the lessons of Arfor to do that.
4 Mawrth 2026 , Culture, Communications, Welsh Language, Sport, and International Relations Committee
Arfor: Sesiwn dystiolaeth gyda Gweinidogion
I think 'Cymraeg 2050' sits right alongside the economic mission, but, equally, I think some of the things that Arfor was trying to achieve are very much at the heart of the economic mission—so, opportunities for young people to work—
4 Mawrth 2026 , Culture, Communications, Welsh Language, Sport, and International Relations Committee
Arfor: Sesiwn dystiolaeth gyda Gweinidogion
I think this will be a wider question, both for Arfor but also for Welsh Government, in terms of those major projects. But, for Arfor, in terms of the pause and reflect, I think that each of the Arfor schemes have sought to address slightly different things…
4 Mawrth 2026 , Culture, Communications, Welsh Language, Sport, and International Relations Committee
Arfor: Sesiwn dystiolaeth gyda Gweinidogion
So, alongside these huge opportunities—so, the AI growth zone being another of those, and, of course, all of the new investment that there'll be in offshore wind around the Welsh coast and so on—. All of that will create a large number of jobs, and we need to…
4 Mawrth 2026 , Culture, Communications, Welsh Language, Sport, and International Relations Committee
Arfor: Sesiwn dystiolaeth gyda Gweinidogion
I think 'Cymraeg 2050' really sits well with our economic policy. You're absolutely right that support for the Welsh language has to run through everything that we do. It can't just be one £11 million single economic programme; it has to sit at the heart of…
4 Mawrth 2026 , Culture, Communications, Welsh Language, Sport, and International Relations Committee
Arfor: Sesiwn dystiolaeth gyda Gweinidogion
So, I would suggest that we wouldn't see that, partly because of the size of the grants available and the kinds of businesses that we're supporting. They don't really lend themselves to areas where we would be concerned about displacement. Actually, what we…
4 Mawrth 2026 , Culture, Communications, Welsh Language, Sport, and International Relations Committee
Arfor: Sesiwn dystiolaeth gyda Gweinidogion
In terms of displacement of activity from other areas—
4 Mawrth 2026 , Culture, Communications, Welsh Language, Sport, and International Relations Committee
Arfor: Sesiwn dystiolaeth gyda Gweinidogion
Yes. Absolutely. Some of that's already happening as well. So, one of the things that we want to do with the review from Arfor 2 is make sure that we're able to mainstream some of that activity, so that other parts of Wales can benefit from the same kinds of…
4 Mawrth 2026 , Culture, Communications, Welsh Language, Sport, and International Relations Committee
Arfor: Sesiwn dystiolaeth gyda Gweinidogion
So, you'll be aware that we're awaiting the results of the pause and review period alongside that extra work from Wavehill, but we do have some early findings, which do suggest that, perhaps, there should be, in future, assuming the scheme would continue…
4 Mawrth 2026 , Culture, Communications, Welsh Language, Sport, and International Relations Committee
Arfor: Sesiwn dystiolaeth gyda Gweinidogion
I'll ask officials to reflect on the programme board specifically, but I do think that it's really important to reflect that this is very much a local government-led initiative, and so those projects themselves were developed by local government. The…
4 Mawrth 2026 , Culture, Communications, Welsh Language, Sport, and International Relations Committee
Arfor: Sesiwn dystiolaeth gyda Gweinidogion
I do meet so regularly with local government leaders in various different guises that I would have to double-check.
4 Mawrth 2026 , Culture, Communications, Welsh Language, Sport, and International Relations Committee
Arfor: Sesiwn dystiolaeth gyda Gweinidogion
I can’t remember if we have had a previous Arfor meeting since I’ve been in post. I’ll check, but we did want to have a meeting before today. Obviously, those programme board meetings are regular, and the discussions between officials are regular as well.
4 Mawrth 2026 , Culture, Communications, Welsh Language, Sport, and International Relations Committee
Arfor: Sesiwn dystiolaeth gyda Gweinidogion
We wanted to have that conversation immediately ahead of committee today so that we could get the latest and also hear a bit more about the kind of pause and reflect work, and to understand the aspirations for the future as well. We did want to come to…
4 Mawrth 2026 , Culture, Communications, Welsh Language, Sport, and International Relations Committee
Arfor: Sesiwn dystiolaeth gyda Gweinidogion
Just last week, we had the opportunity to meet the leaders of the local authorities within the Arfor area, just to hear, really, from them on their reflections of the scheme, because, of course, it started its life as a proposal from local authorities…
4 Mawrth 2026 , Culture, Communications, Welsh Language, Sport, and International Relations Committee
Arfor: Sesiwn dystiolaeth gyda Gweinidogion
Shall I start?
