Will the Minister explain how the Welsh Government is working with the UK Government to assist in delivering the levelling-up agenda for North Wales?
The UK Government did not engage with the Welsh Government on the Levelling-Up White Paper, denied the Welsh Government any input into the development of the Funds that are supporting the Levelling-Up agenda, and is still yet to make any proposals on the role of the Welsh Government in the delivery and management structures of these Funds.
Instead, the Internal Market Act is being used to marginalise the Welsh Government and enable the UK Government to take unilateral decisions on devolved matters in Wales without being answerable to the Senedd on behalf of the people of Wales.
This is not just an unacceptable attack on our devolution settlement, it will also badly weaken the potential of Levelling-Up initiatives and funds. That is a point that has been made to the UK Government by the Welsh Affairs Select Committee, the BEIS Select Committee, the Institute for Government and the All-Party Parliamentary Group on the UK Shared Prosperity Fund.
The Welsh Government spent three years developing plans for post-EU regional development and investment. The Framework we published in November 2020 represents the consensus in Wales on how regional investment should be invested and managed. It was co-produced with stakeholders, overseen by a representative steering group and has been supported by a public consultation. It has also been endorsed by the OECD as part of their ongoing work with us on regional economic development.
This work took place on the basis of repeated assurances from the UK Government that Brexit would involve no loss of funding for Wales.
We have made clear to UK Ministers that we will work constructively and collaboratively with them on these matters based on respect for the devolution settlement and co-decision making.
This involves investment in devolved areas being:
- managed and delivered in partnership with the Welsh Government
- reflecting the consensus for this funding expressed through the Welsh Framework for Regional Investment
- respecting and aligning with existing devolved policies and structures
Welsh Ministers have, on numerous occasions, invited UK Ministers to engage in meaningful discussion to establish a way forward that respects devolution and meets the needs of Welsh communities.