Research and Development investment in Wales trailing behind England, Scotland and Northern Ireland
North Wales Assembly Member Mark Isherwood has challenged the First Minister this week over the Welsh Government’s support for Research and Development in Wales.
Speaking in the Assembly Chamber yesterday, Mr Isherwood expressed concern that investment in Research and Development in Wales per head is substantially less than that in England, Scotland and Northern Ireland and asked First Minister, Mark Drakeford, what his Government is doing to address this.
He said:
“Figures published last December confirmed that Wales is still the least productive of the 12 UK nations and regions. Figures published this month show that unemployment in Wales is, once again, higher than in England, Scotland and Northern Ireland.
“Why do figures also published this month show that, although the UK spent £527 per head on Research and Development in 2017 - the latest figures published - with England spending £554, Scotland £466, Northern Ireland £371 - Wales spent only £238 per head of population?”
In his response the First Minister said: “While there is a long way to go, and the need for research and development in Wales is really important, from the starting point where we began, the investment that has taken place in Wales is outstripping other parts of the United Kingdom.
“I was puzzled about the Member's point about employment levels in Wales, because the latest figures on employment levels are remarkably encouraging. Our unemployment levels are now at the UK level; our economic inactivity levels are below the United Kingdom level.”
Mr Isherwood added: “‘In choosing ‘a starting point’, the First Minister appears to forget that Labour have been in power in Wales since 1997, and in Welsh Government since 1999. He also seems confused about the latest employment figures published last week, which confirm that Wales has unemployment levels above the UK level and the highest unemployment rate amongst the UK nations. They also confirm that economic inactivity levels in Wales stands at the Great Britain average.”
