THE Welsh Government is wasting the huge untapped potential of the people and communities of Gwent. There are many opportunities for growth and the re-industrialisation of the region, but the Welsh Government is sitting on its hands, unwilling to properly invest in our future. I do not want to see Newport and the Gwent Valleys become nothing more than a commuter belt for Bristol and Cardiff. Our communities have an identity and a history of their own that it would be tragic to lose.

We need more than the vagueness of the Welsh Government’s Valley’s Taskforce. Their report correctly identifies how too many people living in the region feel, that there aren’t enough jobs nearby and that the jobs that are available are often temporary or on insecure, zero hours contracts. But the plan they set out to tackle the problems we face is lacking in detail or concrete commitments to invest.

Currently Welsh Government spending on research and development is far below the European average. We need to be aiming to at least match the EU average level of investment to jump start the return of industry and manufacturing jobs. I have called for an advanced institute of manufacturing to be set up in the Valleys to bring desperately needed funding to the region.

This would deliver better quality apprenticeships too. The percentage of young people in Wales doing apprenticeships in manufacturing fell from 6% in 2006/7 to just 2% in 2014/15. The percentage of apprentices in engineering fell to 8% of all apprenticeships. I question whether we’re equipping our young people with the skills they need to thrive in a competitive world.

We do see some positive developments. The National Cyber-Security Academy, based in the University of South Wales, for example, is providing students in Newport with highly valued, cutting edge skills. The Welsh Government should be seizing the chance to build on that legacy by designating Newport as the cyber-security capital of Wales. Where we have strengths, we should be building on them and growing our expertise.

I want everyone in Gwent to have access to the well paid, skilled, high quality jobs, close to home that they want. If our region is to meet the challenges of the years ahead, we need to be investing now to generate economic development and to safeguard our future.