Since coming into power in 1999, this Welsh Labour Government have brought forward a trilogy of three major economic strategies, and here we see another. Twenty years ago, weekly wages in Wales and Scotland were on par. Today, residents in Scotland earn £49 per week more. Twenty years ago, Wales was at the very bottom of the GVA league table for the United Kingdom's home nations. Today, it is still there. We have the lowest median gross weekly earnings in the whole of the UK, the joint-lowest growth rate of gross disposable household income per capita, and regional inequality remains stark across Wales. Incredible.

There are incredible disparities in terms of GVA per capita—a difference of £9,372 between Ynys Môn in north Wales and Cardiff and the Vale in south Wales. So, it's quite often, isn't it, that my constituents ask me, 'Janet, why are there these inequalities?', 'Janet, why does all the money stay in south Wales?', and it is a fact that we, as north Wales Members, have to shout louder and fight harder.

But we are prepared to challenge this Welsh Labour Government for the same economic benefits for our equally deserving businesses and residents in north Wales. It is little wonder that the 'Prosperity for All' economic action plan is viewed with scepticism by many. Maybe one should question this Government's enthusiasm for writing plans instead of supporting meaningful and tangible projects, such as the incredible work by so many on the north Wales growth deal. But, again, this does need the Welsh Government to put their hands in their pockets and ensure their support so that this just does not end up as another deal in document only, confined to the dusty shelves of Cardiff Bay.

The recent budget has undermined the action plan by cutting funding for business innovation by £1.2 million, innovation centres of research and development by £1.7 million, and the delivery of ICT infrastructure by over £1 million. To me, that is a complete contradiction of terms as regards ambition. Hardly a mention of the Development Bank of Wales. Instead, over £1.7 million now removed from its operating grant next year. Enterprise zones receiving over £221 million of public funding, in some areas equating to just one job created at a cost to the taxpayer for that job of around £250,000. It's scandalous. Annual spend on enterprise zones has more than quadrupled in three years, yet statistics released only today by the Office for National Statistics show that unemployment in Wales has risen by 0.8 per cent—the highest of all UK nations.

Meanwhile, our hard-working business owners face ever-rising business rates; one of my constituents now facing an increase of almost 2,000 per cent, fast making Wales the most expensive place in Britain to run a business—a 51.4p multiplier meaning businesses will have to pay over half of their annual estimated rent in rates, whilst those in Scotland and England will pay just 48p in the pound.

How wrong, then, for the Welsh Labour Government to even hint, let alone suggest proposals to introduce a tourism tax that has already succeeded in denting much confidence in our Welsh tourism sector. The Wales Tourism Alliance, the British Hospitality Association, FSB Wales, North Wales Tourism—just some of the people that have opposed this tourism tax, along with other countless businesses. Llywydd, the economy of Wales is vitally dependent on tourism, contributing £8.7 million annually and supporting 242,000 jobs. Please, Cabinet Secretary, will you put an end to this nonsensical proposal and confirm that you have no intentions whatsoever to pursue such a devastating tax for the economic health of Wales? Our businesses and our residents are relying on you to put this to bed once and for all. Let's have prosperity across Wales and for our tourism sector.