The UK Government’s Modern Industrial Strategy, aimed at providing improvement in living standards in all parts of the UK, major investments in infrastructure, new investment in science, research and development and ensuring that people and businesses have the skills they need for the future, is needed in Wales more than anywhere, North Wales Assembly Member Mark Isherwood has said today.
Speaking in an Assembly Debate on the Strategy, Mr Isherwood said that with Wales ranking bottom in GVA economic prosperity per head, 11th in weekly earnings and 10th for poverty amongst the 12 UK nations and regions, after 18 years of Labour-led Welsh Government, “nowhere is this strategy needed more than Wales.”
Mr Isherwood referred to the fact that the latest GVA figures show North Wales trailing even further behind and reiterated calls for the Welsh Government to devolve powers to North Wales.
He said:
“West Wales and the Valleys, including four North Wales counties, Anglesey, Gwynedd, Conwy and Denbighshire, still has the lowest GVA of all UK sub regions, down again to just 63.3% of the UK average.
“Anglesey has the lowest GVA amongst all UK local areas, down again to just 52.9% of the UK average. Even GVA per head in Wrexham and Flintshire, which stood at 99.3 per cent of the UK average in 1999, has fallen again to just 84% of the UK average.
“Hence recognition in our motion today, of “the inter-governmental work to develop the North Wales Growth Deal, which includes major transport schemes from West to East, and the electrification of the North Wales coast line from Holyhead to Crewe.
“The North Wales Economic Ambition Board’s “A Growth Vision for the Economy of North Wales” was submitted to the UK and Welsh Government last summer - supported by the Leaders and Chief Executives of all six Local Authorities within the region, the North Wales Business Council, both the region’s Universities and the both the region’s Further Education college groups.
“Key to this, the Vision calls for the devolution of powers by the Welsh Government over employment, taxes, skills and transport, stating that this “would boost the economy, jobs and productivity, create at least 120,000 jobs, and boost the value of the local economy from £12.8 billion to £20 billion by 2035”.
“This would enable North Wales to maximise the opportunities presented by the UK Government’s devolution of powers to England’s adjoining Northern Powerhouse.
“The UK Treasury responded to the Growth Vison document by asking the Ambition Board to detail their strategic priorities and prioritise projects. However, whenever I have asked the Ministers here whether and how they have responded to the document’s call for the devolution of powers by the Welsh Government, they have provided a classic diversionary Labour Welsh Government response by referring instead to its proposed North East Wales Metro, no details and only generalisations about its connectivity with the Growth Vision’s proposals.
“I therefore ask the Cabinet Secretary – is it to be yes from a confident can do Welsh Government - or a no from a craven, controlling one?”