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AM SPEAKS OF IMPORTANCE OF NORTH WALES GROWTH DEAL AT POLICY FORUM FOR WALES SEMINAR IN WREXHAM

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Thursday, 24 January, 2019
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Chairing and speaking in the first session of today’s Policy Forum for Wales Seminar in Wrexham, “Delivering the Growth Deal for North Wales”, Shadow Minister for North Wales Mark Isherwood emphasised the significance of the North Wales Growth Deal and said it is even more important following last week’s announcement that Hitachi is suspending work on the Wylfa Newydd project. 

North Wales Assembly Member Mr Isherwood told attendees that he has been “keen to support the North Wales Growth Deal from inception, recognising the strength that comes from the whole of our region working together”. 

 

He said:

 

“In its March 2016 Budget, the UK Government announced that it was ‘opening the door’ to a Growth Deal for North Wales and that it would be looking for the Welsh Government to devolve powers down and invest in the region as part of any future deal.

 

“In September 2016, I led a Debate on the North Wales Growth Deal in the Assembly, noting: that this was supported by the Leaders and Chief Executives of all six local authorities within the region, the North Wales Business Council, Bangor University, Glyndwr University, Coleg Cambria and Grwp Llandrillo – Menai (College); that the North Wales Economic Ambition Board’s consequent  “Growth Vision for the Economy of North Wales” set out shared aims and aspirations for “a confident, cohesive region with sustainable economic growth, capitalising on the success of high value economic sectors and its connection to the economies of the Northern Powerhouse and Ireland”, and that North Wales is well placed to receive a range of new responsibilities, and is confident that devolving negotiated powers to the region would have a positive impact, boosting productivity levels and improving the employment prospects of our residents”.

 

“In January 2018, after the Growth Deal Bid from North Wales had been submitted to both the UK and Welsh Governments, I questioned the Cabinet Secretary, Ken Skates, in the Assembly Chamber  over ‘the Growth Bid's invitation to the Welsh Government to support the formation of a Regional Transport Body to deliver strategic transport planning and projects in North Wales, with powers and funding delegated to the body to allow it to operate in an executive capacity’.

 

“Speaking in the Assembly last September, I called on him to respond to The North Wales Economic Ambition Board’s calls for more capacity and flexibility to make decisions at a regional level.”

Mr Isherwood spoke of the £120 million funding announced by the UK Chancellor in his November Budget – and the match funding announced by the the Welsh Government last month.  He said Heads of Terms on the Growth Deal are due for agreement by the end of February and, once these have been agreed, it is “understood that it would take 4-6 months to finalise the business cases ahead of a final announcement in September or October”.

He added: “The Growth Deal is even more important after last week’s announcement that Hitachi was suspending work on the Wylfa Newydd project. We have to bring Small Modular Reactors to the region to help fill the gap – with more UK Research and Innovation funding possible, as both Governments also continue to work with Hitachi and other partners to seek a way forward with Wylfa Newydd.”

With regards to Brexit, Mr Isherwood said: “Speaking in the Chamber last week “I not only noted concerns raised by Airbus If we don't have a transition deal, but also last year’s £10 billion increase in UK defence and aerospace industry deals, and Airbus’s welcome of the UK Government’s Aerospace Sector Deal. As they stated last month, this “provides a firm commitment to the UK’s investment in research and design, an inclusive and productive aerospace sector and one that embraces the technology of tomorrow”.

 

ENDS

 

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