The Welsh Government may seek to recoup a six-figure grant it provided to a newspaper production hub, after the company announced its plans to close the facility in Newport.
Newsquest, whose papers include the South Wales Argus and Campaign, received nearly £350,000 in grants in order to expand its sub-editing hub in Newport and safeguard jobs.
It received more than £95,000 of support as part of the Skills Growth Wales programme in 2013, and a further £245,808 in 2015.
On Monday, March 6, Newsquest announced plans to close the hub and move production of its newspapers to Weymouth, in Dorset, citing costs behind the decision.
However, First Minister Carwyn Jones has confirmed the Welsh Government would look to recoup the grants if it believed the conditions of the awards have been broken.
Responding in the Senedd to a question by Conservative South Wales East AM, Mohammad Asghar, on what action the Welsh Government would take, Mr Jones said: “In 2015, we provided £245,808 to the company [Newsquest] towards the creation of 50 jobs and the safeguarding of 15 jobs at the facility in Maesglas.
“That was exceeded, but the award was conditional on the jobs being in place until May 2020.
“If that condition is not met, then we will look to recoup the money.”