Poverty in South Wales West

Part of 1. Questions to the First Minister – in the Senedd at 1:40 pm on 13 February 2018.

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Photo of Carwyn Jones Carwyn Jones Labour 1:40, 13 February 2018

Now, let me just understand this point, if I can. Last week, UKIP were arguing that they didn't want to see new taxes, and now they're saying they want to see business taxes, which aren't devolved—. You want to see business taxes devolved to this Assembly—is that what you're saying? Because that's the logical consequence of what you're saying.

And then we have the next question: how do you pay, then, for public services, if there is a gap in the public tax take? And I have to say that she contradicted herself in the course of that question. She said that South Wales West was one of the poorest areas of Wales, then she went on to name some of the successes—one of them in my constituency—that we have seen as a result of the Welsh Government's work in attracting investment into Wales. What is UKIP's economic plan? Cut us off from our closest, most important market, where 60 per cent of our exports go, where 90 per cent of our food and drink exports go. That is not an economic plan that will work for the future. And I can say, as far as GVA figures are concerned, we know that Wales is the fastest growing country in the UK for GVA, with GVA rising to nearly £60 billion in 2016, and we know that our employment rate is continuing to grow. That's because of the hard work we have put in as a Welsh Government, making sure that we have jobs for our people.