Mark Drakeford, Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Local Government
This was published under the 2016 to 2021 administration of the Welsh Government
Today, a report outlining the future need for steel in public sector infrastructure and construction projects in Wales is published. It calculates the future steel requirements for the delivery of infrastructure and construction projects in the Wales Infrastructure Investment Plan (WIIP).
I welcome the report and accept all its recommendations.
The Welsh Government is committed to using public procurement to provide open and accessible opportunities for local and UK suppliers to engage in public contracts, either directly or through the supply chain.
The steel sector has faced significant and ongoing challenges. This report provides Welsh and UK steel suppliers with confidence and evidence that there is demand for their product from the public sector in Wales; it details the volume and the type of steel, which will be required in the delivery of future WIIP projects, including road and rail developments, new hospitals and our 21st century school programme.
The publication of this report – one of the pieces of work we have undertaken as part of the procurement workstream of the Tata steel taskforce – is a further indication of the Welsh Government’s commitment to provide a co-ordinated package of support for Welsh steel suppliers in the face of global pressures.