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AM SPEAKS OF REGRET THAT WALES REMAINS THE POOREST PART OF THE UK

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Thursday, 11 January, 2018
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Speaking in today’s Assembly debate on the ‘Our Valleys, Our Future: Delivery Plan’, North Wales Assembly Member Mark Isherwood expressed concern “that Wales remains the poorest part of the UK, producing the lowest value of Goods and Services per head (GVA) amongst the 12 UK nations and regions – despite Billions spent on economic regeneration and anti-poverty programmes”.

Noting the publication of the Plan, he said Welsh Conservatives share the key priorities identified by the Ministerial Taskforce for the South Wales Valleys.

However, he moved Amendment 1, noting with regret: ‘That the value of goods and services produced per head of population (GVA) in the West Wales and the Valleys sub-region is still bottom across the UK, at just 64% of the UK average - with the Gwent Valleys second only to Anglesey as the lowest in the UK’; that ‘the Bevan Foundation ‘Tough Times Ahead? What 2018 might hold for Wales’ report states that although UK unemployment is forecast to remain at around 4.3% over the year, “performance is unlikely to be enough to boost those parts of Wales where unemployment stands well above the UK figure such as Merthyr Tydfil (7.3%) and Blaenau Gwent (6.7%)”, and that the delivery of the Welsh Government’s new Working Wales employability programme has been delayed until April 2019.

He said: “Figures published three weeks ago show that, in the 18th year of Welsh Labour Government, Wales remained the poorest part of the UK, producing the lowest value of Goods and Services per head amongst the 12 UK nations and regions – despite Billions spent on economic regeneration and anti-poverty programmes.

“Anglesey remains bottom in the UK, with its GVA falling to 52% of the UK average – and the Gwent Valleys came a close second bottom, at just 56% of the UK average – with the Central Valleys at only 63% of the UK average.

“Then this month’s Bevan Foundation “Tough Times Ahead?” for Wales report notes that “there is nothing to be gained by pretending that all is rosy” – and adds to the unemployment figures detailed in our amendment that performance is also unlikely “to help young adults, with more than one in eight 16-24 year olds out of work in Wales as a whole”.

He added:

“Overall, although unemployment in the UK remains at its lowest level since 1975, Wales’ unemployment rate is 4.7% higher than any other home nation – and, compared with a year ago, Wales is the only part of the UK where unemployment has risen. And Wales has the joint highest economic inactivity rates in Britain.”

Noting that the actions detailed in the Plan include working with people who live and work in the South Wales Valleys, and with the Cardiff Region and Swansea Bay City Deals, UK Government, businesses and the Third Sector, Mr Isherwood moved Amendment 2, stating that “true co-production is required if Welsh Government is not to continue the mistakes of the last 18 years – thereby enabling people and professionals to share power and work in equal partnership”.

The Plan also refers to working with “Be the Spark” and Mr Isherwood therefore also moved amendment 3, stating “that true engagement with the ‘Be The Spark’ Movement, to create more profitable home-grown businesses that generate wealth and prosperity for the whole of Wales, will require Welsh Government collaboration with a culture that links innovation and entrepreneurship together” and quoting emphasis by business groups on the importance of policymakers understanding the challenges they face.

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Mark Isherwood Welsh Conservative Member of the Senedd for North Wales

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