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UK Government cutting Wales out of ‘vital investment needed to create jobs’ says Economy Minister

19 Oct 2021 3 minute read
Vaughan Gething. Picture by the Welsh Government.

The Economy Minister has accused the UK Government of denying Wales “the vital investment needed to create jobs” by not including the Welsh Government in decisions about how replacement funds for EU support are spent.

Vaughan Gething accused the UK Government of being “missing in action” and that the Welsh Government “remain in the dark about funding for Wales”.

He was speaking at the launch of the Welsh Government’s plan to give more young people reasons to stay in Wales. A plan was required to reduce the decline in the working-age population, he said.

Mr Gething said: “We remain in the dark about funding for Wales, and what we will receive from a UK Government that has so far been missing in action.

“The upcoming Spending Review is the perfect opportunity for the UK Government to demonstrate its ambition for Wales. So, I call on the Chancellor and on Michael Gove to ensure that Wales will make decisions about how our EU replacement funds are spent.”

On the subject of stopping the ‘Brain Drain’ out of Wales, he said that “if more people positively choose to come to work in Wales we can address the risks that come with the decline in our working-age population. This is a long term challenge that we cannot put off.”

“My ambition is to make Wales a place where young people feel hopeful and excited about planning their future,” he added.

“We will develop a coherent and compelling offer and explore further graduate retention opportunities, building strong linkages with universities and businesses.

“I am also keen to support start-ups and to encourage the growth of more firms with more jobs that are grounded in Wales.”

‘Headwinds’

Yesterday Vaughn Gathing had announced a plan to ensure that young people didn’t have to “get out to get on” in a promise to prioritise their economic futures and tackle the country’s brain drain.

The proportion of the population aged 16 to 64 years old in Wales has been decreasing year-on-year since mid-2008 – and could be just 58% of the population by 2043, he will say.

In response, Vaughan Gething will say that his approach will be geared towards creating an economy where more young people feel confident about planning their future in Wales, thus supporting job creation and more dynamic local economies.

“My ambition is to make Wales a place where more young people feel confident in planning their future here,” he will say.

“You don’t have to get out to get on, make your future here in Wales.”

The Economy Minister will also said that the Welsh Government will pursue a “progressive” economic policy that focusses on better jobs, narrowing the skills divide and tackling poverty.

“The Welsh Government is taking bold action to build a stronger, fairer, greener Welsh economy,” Vaughan Gething said. “It has taken a Team Wales effort to keep Wales safe and we will deliver a Team Wales Recovery, built by all of us.

“A strong Welsh recovery will be based on the principles of fair work and sustainability as we invest in the industries and services of the future.

“As we face the headwinds of Brexit, I am determined that our credible plans will offer as much certainty as possible to help businesses plan ahead.

“A new era of partnership for stronger regions, a young person’s guarantee, a plan to back our everyday economy and collaboration with world-leading, advanced manufacturing. This is the cause for optimism for the future we are building in Wales.”


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Quornby
Quornby
2 years ago

Time for Wales to leave or else be a continual victim?

Mab Meirion
Mab Meirion
2 years ago

I’ve just read Rhiannon Lucy Cosslett’s piece in the comments section of the Guardian online after reading this on Vaughan Gething, while being mindful of what I wrote on here about Lloyd Warburton, the ‘stats whiz kid’ and how I hope he stays in Wales and studies in Aber. (I had better say “what has it got to do with me?” Before the egg-whisk has another go at me) As I walk the dog this afternoon I’m going to ponder on this matter. I was London Welsh for years but wild horses won’t get me over that border again for… Read more »

Y Cymro
Y Cymro
2 years ago

Why do Welsh Labour bemoan this treatment? After all they support this failing British Union, a Union that keeps large areas of Wales in dire poverty whilst England grows fat off our taxation & natural resources.. So it’s no good crying over spilt milk when your party facilitated this crime. And they, Welsh Labour, are well aware that London Labour & English Tories will always favour feathering England’s nest first. It never change. So instead of sitting on their hands support ones who want to break these chains. And the only way Wales will ever free itself from these fiscal… Read more »

Last edited 2 years ago by Y Cymro
j humphrys
j humphrys
2 years ago
Reply to  Y Cymro

Agree, fortunately Labour, and/or a growing number of supporters are coming over.
This is very encouraging.

Cai Wogan Jones
Cai Wogan Jones
2 years ago

It is a classic Westminster tactic. Starve Wales of investment in its infrastructure, relative to England. Watch our productivity decline. And point to poor productivity in Wales as a basis to undermine the case for independence.

The solution is to break that cycle and, like Ireland, to borrow, invest and become another Celtic tiger.

j humphrys
j humphrys
2 years ago

Dragon…………………..China likes dragons?

Grayham Jones
2 years ago

The people of wales have got to stop being little Englanders and be proud to be welsh start fighting for your children and grandchildren future in wales 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿 it’s time for a new wales 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿 kick all English party’s out of wales that’s the Tories Labour and all Brexit party’s get the people in your town’s out voting for new wales 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿

Steve Duggan
Steve Duggan
2 years ago

We never received any real investment before EU funding (that is why we got EU funding!!) so what makes the Welsh Government believe it will be any different now? Neglect doesn’t disappear just because we are no longer in the EU and the funding has dried up. I live near the A465 and it certainly helps me get about – would that road have been built without the aid of the EU? – Nope. So don’t expect anything from Westminster now – there’s more chance of getting blood from a stone !

Jester Minnit.
Jester Minnit.
2 years ago

Reckon I’ve rumbled the UK Gov’s cunning plan. First, make it too difficult for young people to stay in Wales by sucking meaningful jobs over the border. Secondly, permit yer well-off English to buy houses for holiday homes, thereby causing a scarcity of affordable homes for young’uns. Third, keep reducing the money available for the Welsh Government to put into the Welsh NHS, so increasing the mortality rate for those of us left. They want to turn us into one big holiday resort for holidaying Saesons. Me? Paranoid? Never!

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