Tag: Welsh Office

The press release issued by the Wales Office on 26 November 2024.

Wrexham Council leader Mark Pritchard has been made interim Chair of the North Wales Economic Ambition board to oversee a multi-million pound UK and Welsh government fund to boost regional growth.

The UK and Welsh governments have also agreed additional support in the form of two new non-exec directors and a senior investment specialist to be recruited to speed up delivery of funds to projects on the ground.

The North Wales Growth Deal is an important part of efforts to boost economic growth across north Wales. The fund invests a total of £240m from UK and Welsh government, crowding in private sector investment worth up to £730m.

The £1bn total investment is expected to generate 4,000 new jobs and an extra £2.4bn in good and services produced (GVA).

The fund will invest in high growth sectors like agri-food and tourism, manufacturing and low carbon energy projects, as well as investing to break barriers to economic growth such as digital connectivity.

Wales Office minister Nia Griffith said:

Economic growth is our number one priority and the sky’s the limit for our ambition in north Wales.

The Growth Deal offers millions in vital investment, driving growth and jobs.

With fresh leadership and more support, our two governments have provided the tools needed to get on with delivering investment where it’s most needed.

Welsh Government Cabinet Secretary for Economy, Energy and Planning, Rebecca Evans, said:

Through this transformational North Wales Growth Deal, we are committed to working with partners to build on strengths in sectors like manufacturing whilst future proofing key industries like tourism. The result will be more jobs and better-quality opportunities, an enhanced skills base and greater prosperity for residents across the area.

We are already seeing the Welsh Government’s £120m backing for the deal starting to deliver, with projects such as the Enterprise Engineering and Optics Centre (EEOC) project in Wrexham under construction and soon providing a specialist centre which brings together research and development, business collaboration and skills through advances in optics, photonics and composites as lightweight alternatives for manufacturing.

Wrexham Council leader Mark Pritchard said:

The North Wales Growth Deal is the foundation of economic co-operation between the six North Wales councils, the Welsh and UK Governments.

It is essential to sustainable economic growth in North Wales and links to wider strategic co-operation and the delivery of initiatives like the proposed Flintshire and Wrexham Investment Zone and Anglesey Freeport.

The six North Wales Leaders welcome the support of governments and will work together with the Welsh and UK governments, business leaders and officers of the Ambition North Wales programme office to accelerate the delivery of the North Wales Growth Deal.

The North Wales Council Leaders will own and lead the changes necessary to get the North Wales Growth Deal moving. This is a new era of action and delivery for the North Wales Growth Deal. Investment, construction, jobs and growth are coming soon.

The press release issued by the Wales Office on 16 November 2024.

Welsh steelworkers and their families can access a newly-allocated £13 million fund from the Tata Steel/Port Talbot Transition Board.

Steelworkers and their families in the Port Talbot area will be helped to start up new businesses with a new multi-million pound fund launched by the UK Government.

Welsh Secretary Jo Stevens has announced another £13m from the Tata Steel / Port Talbot Transition Board to provide non-repayable grants of up to £10,000 for workers, families and businesses affected by the closure of the blast furnaces.

As well as the business start-up fund, two more new support schemes targeted directly at firms in the Port Talbot area and businesses in the Tata supply chain will be funded by the next £13m, with non-payable grants of £2,500-£250,000 available.

It is the second announcement of funding and follows the £13.5 million to support supply chain businesses find new markets and workers affected to re-train announced in August.

The Welsh Secretary made the announcement after chairing her third meeting as chair of the Transition Board earlier this week (Thursday 14 November).

There are three parts to the new fund launched by the Welsh Secretary:

• A business start-up fund which will enable Tata Steelworkers, their immediate family members and people in the supply chain to receive support, guidance and to access a grant. People looking to set up new firms ranging from plumbing and electrical to technology companies will be able to access non-repayable grants of up to £10,000.
• A new business growth fund to support firms already in operation who are seeking to increase their role in the local economy. Grants available will range between £25,001 and £250,000 tailored to the specific needs of each business.
• A business resilience fundproviding targeted assistance to local businesses affected by the ongoing transition at Tata Steel to diversify into new markets, create new jobs and to find opportunities in emerging sectors such as low carbon energy. The fund can be accessed by small businesses like local shops or cafes or by larger companies like construction firms affected by the Tata Steel transition with grants ranging from £2,500 to £25,000.

Welsh Secretary Jo Stevens said:

As a government we are determined the Transition Board delivers for the steelworkers of Port Talbot, for the region’s businesses and for the community.

This remains a really difficult time for workers in Port Talbot and their families. Many of them will have aspirations to set up their own businesses or become self employed and the £13m released today will provide vital backing for them to make their plans a reality.

We said we would back workers and businesses affected by the transition at Port Talbot and we are doing so with more than £26m announced since July.”

Welsh Government Cabinet Secretary for Economy, Energy and Planning, Rebecca Evans said:

We continue to work with the UK Government and local partners to ensure that our targeted support has the broadest and deepest positive impact on those affected by the transition to an electric arc furnace in Port Talbot.

Speaking to many across the local community, I know what a difference extending available funding to immediate family will make. This is part of our commitment to doing everything within our power to support businesses, households and communities to bounce back and ensure that Port Talbot and the surrounding area continues its proud history as a vital cog in the Welsh economy.

Neath Port Talbot Council Leader, Cllr Steve Hunt said:

I keenly welcome the announcement of these funding packages to support both start-ups and existing businesses across our community. The steelworks have been a lynchpin for our economy for over a century and so changes on this scale impact not only directly-affected workers at Tata Steel, but many other closely connected companies.

Steel will remain very important to Port Talbot moving forwards, but it is also critical that as a Transition Board we enable enterprise across a range of sectors to respond to current circumstances and to opportunities such as the Celtic Freeport

As well as announcing the first two blocks of funding, the UK Government confirmed in October’s Autumn Budget that it had protected £80 million to fund the Transition Board.

The UK Government has also reset the relationship with the Welsh Government, as well as with unions and other local partners, to work together to deliver for the workers affected.

The press release issued by the Welsh Office on 15 August 2024.

The funding is the first release from the Tata Steel / Port Talbot Transition Board fund.

The UK Government is announcing the immediate release of £13.5 million in funding to support supply chain businesses and workers affected by Tata Steel’s decision to transition to greener steelmaking.

Welsh Secretary Jo Stevens will make the announcement today (15 August) at her second meeting as chair of the Tata Steel / Port Talbot Transition Board.

The funding is the first release from the Tata Steel / Port Talbot Transition Board fund, which will support local businesses that are heavily reliant on Tata Steel as their primary customer, allowing them to turn towards new markets and customers where necessary.

Money will also be available to workers affected by the transition, helping them to find new jobs, access training and gain skills and qualifications in areas where there are vacancies.

The Welsh Secretary will also announce today that more than 50 businesses so far have signed a pledge to support any workers forced to leave their jobs in the steelworks.

The businesses, which include Fintech Wales, The Royal Mint, Cardiff Metropolitan University, RWE Energy, Ledwood Mechanical Engineering and Pro Steel Engineering, have committed practical support for workers ranging from guaranteed interviews for anyone made redundant, to providing training and coaching.

The Welsh Secretary will give further details of the business pledge while visiting Rototherm in Port Talbot on Thursday. The company is a leading global manufacturer of measurement devices for temperature and pressure. It is one of the firms in Tata’s supply chain likely to be affected by the transition to electric arc steelmaking.

The UK Government has also reset the relationship with the Welsh Government, as well as with unions and other local partners, to work together to deliver for the workers affected.

Negotiations between the UK Government and Tata Steel regarding the future of the Port Talbot works will continue separately.

Welsh Secretary Jo Stevens said:

Under this government the Transition Board has moved from discussion to delivery. Today’s release of an initial £13.5m in funding demonstrates that we will act decisively to support workers and businesses in Port Talbot, working with Welsh Government, unions and the wider community.

Negotiations with Tata Steel on the future of the site will continue separately. But this government will not wait for a crisis to overtake us before acting. We are putting a safety net in place now to ensure we can back workers and businesses, whatever happens.

We are also harnessing the generosity of the local community, with dozens of employers so far pledging practical support for workers. Steelmaking is the lifeblood of communities in Wales, but so too is the support of local businesses. What they are offering will make a real difference to suppliers and staff.

Business and Trade Secretary Jonathan Reynolds said:

This funding is an important step towards supporting workers affected by Tata Steel’s transition and businesses in the wider supply chain.

We’re working in partnership with trade unions and industry to secure a green steel transition that’s right for the economy, our talented workforce and local communities for generations to come, and our negotiations with Tata remain ongoing.

Oliver Conger, Managing Director of Rototherm, said:

We are part of a really supportive community in Port Talbot, and we are delighted to offer help to any affected workers at Tata Steel and any suppliers affected.

I believe that if businesses like ours from across the area can come together, we can offer a lot of practical support that will make a big difference to people and the impacted supply chain.

More details will be released soon on how local businesses and affected workers can access the initial £13.5m Transition Board funding.

The Secretary of State for Wales also made it clear the Transition Board will now be an equal partnership between political representatives, business and unions.

The press release issued by the Office for the Secretary of State for Wales on 29 December 2023.

Dozens of people from across Wales have been recognised by His Majesty The King.

Welsh Secretary David TC Davies has congratulated the recipients from Wales on the King’s New Year Honours List.

Among dozens of recipients from Wales were singer Dame Shirley Bassey, businesswomen Amanda Blanc and Joanna Swash and many more recipients of honours for services in the community including Pembrokeshire guide leader Wendy Barnett (BEM), water safety campaigner Debbie Turnbull (MBE) and founder member of Monmouth Male Voice Choir Huw Edwards (MBE).

Secretary of State for Wales David TC Davies said:

I am inspired by the many inspirational people from across Wales who have deservedly been recognised on the New Year Honours List.

It is fantastic to see people from such a wide range of backgrounds being recognised, including for services to business, community work, culture, charity or health.

Hearing about the extraordinary and invaluable work of so many people from across Wales is inspiring – I congratulate all the recipients being honoured and thank each and every one for their contribution.

The press release issued by the Welsh Office on 29 December 2023.

Secretary of State David TC Davies says that progress is being made in growing the economy and spreading jobs, prosperity and investment across Wales.

The UK Government has never been more active in its delivery for Wales than in 2023, Welsh Secretary David TC Davies has said.

In a New Year message, Mr Davies said that huge progress was being made in growing the economy and delivering major projects to spread jobs, prosperity and investment right across the country.

The UK Government has stepped up to invest in projects across the breadth of Wales, from Pembroke to Ynys Môn, Monmouthshire to Port Talbot – with a relentless focus on empowering and improving communities and people’s opportunities.

Funding for levelling up in Wales has now reached £2 billion. In 2023 the UK Government announced two Investment Zones and two Freeports alongside investing in dozens of projects the length and breadth of Wales aimed at restoring town centres, boosting infrastructure and enhancing tourism facilities.

David TC Davies said:

As Welsh Secretary I am proud to be part of an administration which is the most active UK Government in Wales since devolution began a quarter of a century ago.

Through five Welsh growth deals, two freeports, various levelling up funding streams and two new Investment Zones the UK Government is delivering an extra £2 billion in direct investment in Wales, on top of the record funding we are providing to the Welsh Government to deliver its devolved services like health and education.

I am also delighted that we are investing directly in transport infrastructure including £1 billion on the electrification of the North Wales Main Line, £5 million to improve transport links in Monmouthshire and, earlier this month, it was fantastic to see my Wales Office colleague Fay Jones open the restored Barmouth Viaduct following a £30 million restoration funded by UK Government.

He added:

These investments matter greatly to communities and are possible because the UK Government’s economic plan is working. Just a few weeks ago I listened in the House of Commons as more and more good news for Wales was announced in the Chancellor Jeremy Hunt’s Autumn Statement.

His measures meant that around 1.2 million workers in Wales will benefit from an average of £324 back in their pocket through National Insurance cuts and there was the biggest-ever increase in the National Living Wage announced for 130,000 Welsh workers.

The triple lock was maintained for pensioners, benefits will continue to rise in line with inflation, alcohol duty was frozen and the Local Housing Allowance increased.

Specifically for Wales, there was an ambitious commitment to floating offshore wind, £800,000 for the Space Technology Test Centre in North Wales and the much-loved Hay Festival in Powys received £500,000.

And as a result of England-only announcements in the Autumn Statement, there was also an additional £305 million in Barnett Consequentials for the Welsh Government, on top of its record block grant, to spend on devolved responsibilities. Despite some claims to the contrary, the Welsh Government is well funded and is currently receiving over 20% more funding per person than equivalent UK government spending in other parts of the UK.

The Welsh Secretary also looked back at significant events in Wales and the UK during 2023.

He said:

It was a proud personal moment to attend the coronation of King Charles III and Queen Camilla in May and to be present at such a significant moment for the country. The new King has a well-established and strong relationship with Wales and I know the links between the Royal Family and the people of Wales will continue to grow stronger.

There will also be a new First Minister in Wales in 2024 and I look forward to working constructively with Mark Drakeford’s successor.

Looking ahead to 2024, Mr Davies added that Wales could approach the New Year with optimism.

The Welsh Secretary said:

The Prime Minister and I are determined to do all in our power to ensure that Wales’ prosperity is increased and its potential realised.

This year I look forward greatly to seeing our new Investment Zones and Freeports getting up and running and the completion of many of the levelling up investments we have made in every one of the 22 local authorities in Wales.

It was incredibly important that the UK Government acted to preserve steelmaking in Port Talbot last year with a £500 million package for Tata Steel and I will continue my work as the chair of the £100 million Transition Board throughout 2024.

Finally, we recently saw Wales’ men’s team finally play at a football World Cup and I hope to see the team travel to Germany next year for Euro 2024 following their incredible success in the 2016 tournament.

I am certain that we have a bright year ahead in Wales and I look forward once again to travelling to every part of the country to see the delivery of UK Government investment in our communities.

The press release issued by the Office of the Secretary of State for Wales on 6 November 2023.

The £5.5 million green retrofit is funded by UK Government.

The Prince Madog ship is a multi-purpose research platform for conducting research into the science of the seas around the UK, including the Irish Sea and Celtic Sea, and has been operating for more than two decades.

This week (Thursday 2nd November) Wales Office Minister Dr.James Davies visited the ship which is used for researching the biology, chemistry, geology, and physics of our seas. The vessel is also used to train the next generation of scientists at Bangor’s School of Ocean Sciences.

The vessel is currently undergoing a two-year retrofit to equip it with a hydrogen propulsion system with a diesel-fuelled main engine to enable zero emission operation at slow speeds or over short distances. In normal operation, it will reduce emissions by up to 60%.

The UK Government is funding the retrofit, with the Department for Transport providing £5.5 million from the £60 million Innovative Clean Maritime Technologies fund.

In the future, the operators of the Prince Madog anticipates the vessel will receive its hydrogen from Anglesey’s proposed Holyhead Hydrogen Hub backed by £4.8m in UK Government funding.

Over the last two decades data collected from the Prince Madog has contributed to some major scientific findings including:

• Safeguarding sustainable fisheries by assessing the impact of trawling on the seabed.
• Revealing the past climate of coastal seas.
• Locating and identifying shipwrecks.
• Predicting weather and climate by developing new techniques and measurements used that are now used globally.
• Supporting the marine renewable energy industry by assessing potential sites for development and undertaking ecosystem and seabed assessments
• Producing new techniques to measure ocean turbulence and the impact on the mixing of different waters in the ocean.
• Assessing the impact of the physical environment on the foraging energetics of seabirds and the consequences for breeding success

Wales Office Minister, Dr. James Davies said:

It was fascinating to learn about the Prince Madog as well as meeting some of Bangor University’s research staff and hear more about the work they undertake.

The ship has been a vital tool in countless studies over the last 20 years and has helped Bangor University become a world-leading destination for studying and researching the marine environment.

It is vital that we all reduce our carbon footprint and I’m delighted that the UK Government is funding the work necessary to equip this fantastic ship for the future.

Professor Paul Spencer, Pro Vice-Chancellor (Research) said:

The Prince Madog has been an asset to Wales, the UK, and internationally, both in education and research.

The impact of research over decades by the School of Ocean Sciences is remarkable. It has changed science in a number of spheres, re-written textbooks and played an important role in supporting the continued sustainable development of the marine environment.

We look forward to many more years of ground-breaking research and impact from the decks of the Prince Madog.

The press release issued by the Office of the Secretary of State for Wales on 19 October 2023.

Welsh Secretary statement following the first meeting of the Tata Steel / Port Talbot Transition Board.

Tata Steel announced proposals in September to invest £1.25 billion, including a UK Government grant worth up to £500 million, to enable greener steel production at Port Talbot. A Transition Board has now been established to support the people, businesses and communities affected by the proposed transition to low-CO₂ steelmaking. An additional £100m from the UK Government and Tata Steel is available for the Transition Board to access to support the people and businesses affected, as well as supporting the longer term regeneration of the local economy.

The Tata Steel / Port Talbot Transition Board met for the first time on Thursday, October 19 at the company’s Port Talbot site, chaired by the Secretary of State for Wales, David TC Davies.

Welsh Secretary, David TC Davies said:

I’m very pleased that the Transition Board has been established and today’s meeting has been an important first step. It’s vital that all the partners collaborate and work together to achieve the best possible outcome for the communities affected, and we’ve seen that work get underway today.

We know that there are challenges ahead, but I’m clear that we have the right people around the table who will all be doing their absolute best to facilitate the transition to greener steel and the impact that has on the community.

The press release issued by the Welsh Office on 24 August 2023.

Minister James Davies visited the National Slate Museum and Parc Padarn in Llanberis and the Ty’n Llan pub in Llandwrog.

An £18.8m investment from the UK Government’s Levelling Up Fund aims to transform communities in Gwynedd’s World Heritage slate landscape, while a pub in the county has this week received £500,000 extra UK Government funding to develop it for the community.

The multi-million pound grant for the Slate Landscape was awarded in January 2023 as part of Round 2 of the Levelling Fund which saw £208 million allocated to 11 projects across Wales, aiming to create jobs and drive economic growth in historically overlooked areas.

Wales Office Minister James Davies this week (24 August) visited the National Slate Museum and Parc Padarn in Llanberis to hear about how part of the £18.8m funding will be invested in redeveloping buildings at the museum and improving the surrounding park environment. He also visited the Ty’n Llan pub in Llandwrog which this week learned it had been granted £500,000 from the UK Shared Prosperity Fund to help develop it as a community hub.

At the Slate Museum, Dr Davies was introduced to the craftspeople whose skills and artistry working the slate has been passed on down the generations, as part of a guided tour of the museum and Parc Padarn.

As well as redeveloping the National Slate Museum and surrounding area, the £18.8m Levelling Up funding for Gwynedd has also been allocated to:

• Develop a new heritage centre in Bethesda
• Make improvements to Bethesda concert hall Neuadd Ogwen
• Create a new walking and cycling path linking Bethesda with Chwarel Penrhyn quarry
• Make major improvements to Blaenau Ffestiniog town centre
• Construct a new walking and cycling path linking Blaenau Ffestiniog with Chwarel Llechwedd quarry

Wales Office Minister Dr James Davies said:

The £19m in levelling up money allocated to separate projects in Gwynedd is a hugely significant investment in our communities.

It was fantastic to see first-hand the extremely exciting plans for the Slate Museum and its surroundings, building on the World Heritage status the area has deservedly been awarded, and also learn about the development of the Ty’n Llan pub as a hub for the local community.

The UK Government is working to grow the Welsh economy and level up all parts of the country. These investments in Gwynedd will regenerate local communities and bring jobs, growth and opportunity for the people who live there.

Councillor Nia Jeffreys, Cyngor Gwynedd Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for the Economy and Communities, said:

As a Council, we are delighted that the Cyngor Gwynedd-led “Llewyrch o’r Llechi” scheme has secured financial support from the UK Government’s Levelling Up Fund. The slate producing communities are of great historical, cultural and industrial significance and we look forward to see the various plans we have within this scheme flourish.

Many local families will have ancestors who worked either in the quarries of Eryri or connected industries and we are  proud that their Welsh-speaking, working class legacy will be protected, promoted and celebrated thanks to the UNESCO World Heritage Status and that we are able to use this designation as a springboard to attract funding such as the Levelling Up fund.

Lord Dafydd Wigley, Chair of the Wales Slate Partnership Steering Group, said:

It was an honour to welcome the Minister to Llanberis and to show him how we  are using our history to start a new journey that will leave a lasting economic and cultural legacy for today’s Gwynedd and for future generations.

We are determined to celebrate and harness our industrial past to create exciting new opportunities for the benefit of present-day communities and businesses in Gwynedd.

Phil Bushby, Director of Corporate Resources, Amgueddfa Cymru added:

Amgueddfa Cymru – Museum Wales is extremely excited by the fantastic opportunities that the Levelling Up Funding will create in developing areas within the unique World Heritage Site. This funding will support the National Slate Museum to conserve and renovate our Grade 1 listed buildings and become a designated hub for the interpretation of the slate landscape of Northwest Wales.

The new development will enable us to better connect and engage with local communities and our visitors through the telling of inspiring stories about the slate industry, its people and the environment, both in physical form and through digital channels. The investment will also create opportunities for development of traditional craft skills, learning, volunteering, creativity and wellbeing.

The two rounds of the UK Government’s Levelling Up Fund in 2021 have so far seen £3.8 billion allocated to projects across the UK with Wales receiving more than £329m.

The UK Government has also confirmed there will be a further round of the Levelling Up Fund, providing more opportunity to level up places across the UK.

Also on Thursday, Minister Davies visited the Ty’n Llan pub in Llandwrog, Gwynedd, which was previouslyawarded £250,000 from the UK Government’s Community Ownership Fund to help the local community refurbish the pub and keep it open.

The pub, which is housed in a Grade II-listed building,closed in 2017 but is now owned and managed by volunteers from the community.

This week, campaigners learned that Ty’n Llan had been granted £500,000 from the UK Shared Prosperity Fund to build and install a professional kitchen at the pub and to create five new rooms on the first floor of the pub, further developing it as a community facility.

The press release issued by the Secretary of State for Wales on 18 July 2023.

Secretary of State for Wales, David TC Davies MP visited fully refurbished courts at Six Bells Park in Abertillery.

• Courts given new lease of life as part of £30 million investment by UK Government into thousands of poor or unplayable courts across Britain.
• Six Bells Park received 285 hours of bookings in the six weeks since reopening following a local participation drive

The Secretary of State for Wales David TC Davies MP has visited newly refurbished public tennis courts at Six Bells Park, Abertillery, just one of the parks across Wales that is benefitting from a £30m investment from the UK Government and LTA Tennis Foundation, delivered by the LTA, into park tennis courts across Britain.

The revitalised courts at Six Bells Park have undergone a full resurfacing and repainting, to bring them back to life for use by the local community, thanks to over £35,000 of funding from the UK Government and LTA Tennis Foundation.

The newly refurbished courts received 285 hours of bookings in the six weeks since they reopened in May, highlighting local appetite for tennis.

Secretary of State for Wales David TC Davies MP said:

The UK Government is continuing to invest significantly in grassroots facilities, helping communities to deliver the huge health and social benefits that sport brings.

I was delighted to see, so close the end of the Wimbledon Championships, the new facilities at Six Bells Park which will allow people from across the area to try tennis and for future generations of players to develop their skills.

The Parks Tennis Project is delivering vital improvements to the condition of over 3,000 park tennis courts across England, Scotland and Wales, resurfacing and repainting those parks in the worst condition, with a particular focus on targeting inequalities in participation. It is the most significant investment in park tennis courts for a generation.

Over 1,000 park court refurbishments have now been completed across Great Britain. Work on parks in Wales are now also complete in Vale of Glamorgan and Newport, with works ongoing on sites across Wrexham, Conwy, Caerphilly and Bridgend, and in the pipeline across a number of other local authorities.

LTA Head of Park Investment Delivery Paul Bennett said:

The upgraded courts in Six Bells Park are a prime example of how this transformational investment in park tennis courts by the UK Government and LTA Tennis Foundation is opening up tennis in Wales and across Britain.

Existing park courts like this have been identified for renovation not just because they will have the biggest impact on participation, but because they will address inequalities in participation by helping to engage traditionally under-represented communities in tennis.

With the courts having successfully reopened to the public, we’re really excited to capitalise on this momentum by working with Blaenau Gwent Council, Tennis Wales and Chris Hill to roll out Free Park Tennis over the coming months.

As part of its commitment to open tennis up to many more people, the LTA is supporting local authorities and providers to ensure that a range of activity is in place across park courts, including free weekly tennis sessions where equipment is provided. All courts will be bookable on the LTA online booking system with digital gate access systems installed across sites, to make finding, booking and getting onto court as easy and secure as possible for tennis players across the country.

The programme is designed to open up the sport to many more people, with the LTA aiming to attract 500,000 more players in parks every year.

It follows a surge in grassroots participation across Britain, including in Wales. Tennis Wales, the national governing body for tennis in Wales, recently announced that 176,000 adults picked up a racket and played tennis in the year to May 2023, an increase of 46,000 compared to 2019.

More children are also now playing tennis with 154,000 playing every year and Sport Wales’ School Sport Survey highlighted that around 50,000 children have a desire to try tennis.

Improved public facilities are helping to address this demand, whilst more young people are also having the opportunity to pick up a racket in schools through LTA Youth Schools. Through this programme, Tennis Wales and the LTA are removing barriers to participation by training more than 650 Welsh teachers in delivering the programme, providing a £250 voucher for each school that has completes this to be redeemed for 10 hours of LTA Accredited coaching or equipment.

The press release issued by the Welsh Office on 24 April 2023.

Wales Office Minister James Davies visits Air Covers, which was announced as one of eight UK Government Export Champions from Wales last year.