8. What discussions has the Minister had with Westminster counterparts regarding regeneration funding following the decision to leave the EU? OAQ(5)0027(CC)

Communities across Wales have benefited greatly from European funding. Through discussions led by the First Minister and the Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Local Government, the Welsh Government has ensured the current allocation of regeneration funding is available up until 2020.

Thank you for that answer, Cabinet Secretary. Aberavon has been a beneficiary of the EU regeneration funds and has seen many projects develop across the communities, including the Afan valley. The decision by the British people to leave the EU obviously will put an end to the stream of funding. But that does not stop the impact of the austerity that emanates from Westminster, particularly on local authorities having to face some of the challenges, and today’s Institute for Fiscal Studies report indicates that that is going to be even greater again. In your earlier answers to the spokesperson for Plaid Cymru regarding the EU, you indicated that you are doing some analysis, but what preparations for us seeking alternative funding streams are you looking at, because you know that those funding streams are going and you know that those communities still need that help?

This is really a very difficult piece of work, and if we were to believe the Brexiteers, then we shouldn’t be worried too much about the amount of funding that we should get back into Wales, but I’ve got some doubts about that in terms of the amount of money that we may receive. This work is continuing to be led by the First Minister and the Cabinet sub-committee in terms of how and what that financial settlement may or could look like and the conditions set to that. It is, of course, always our consideration how we make best use of our investments and limited funding available subject to EU exit, but it is still premature to try to understand exactly where those investments may be for the future.

Cabinet Secretary, the question was what have you been doing via discussions with colleagues in Westminster, and I’d be grateful if you could outline what actions you’ve taken over the summer months to meet with your colleague—your opposite number in Westminster—because the Westminster Government will be on point in these negotiations, and it is vitally important that the devolved Governments and administrations help and feed in and assist the Westminster Government. I’d be grateful to know how you are taking forward that dialogue with colleagues in Westminster and what meetings you’ve had, importantly, over the summer to map out some of the basic territory you want to go down.

I haven’t had any specific meetings with any Minister regarding this, but the First Minister and the team have. The lead Ministers for European discussions is the First Minister and the finance Minister, and there have been many discussions over the summer months.