13. Will the Cabinet Secretary make a statement on economic development in the North Wales region? OAQ51847

Yes. A renewed economic vision for north Wales will emerge from the regional agenda contained in the Welsh Government's 'Prosperity for All' economic action plan document, integrating the aspirations of the north Wales growth bid and incorporating and capitalising on opportunities associated with key sectors and, of course, the Northern Powerhouse.

Thank you for that answer. Cabinet Secretary, at the weekend, the gap between the richest and poorest in the UK was highlighted, where the poor relation of the UK was west Wales. I've been looking into the relative prosperity of my region, and I find a large gap of around £50 per week in average earnings between those living there and those living and working in South Wales Central. What are you going to do to address this inequality and close the gap between the north and the south?

Well, it's not just a gap between the north and the south. We see inequalities in all communities, and between the north and the south, between the east and the west, between communities that are adjacent to one another. The whole purpose of the economic action plan is to iron out those inequalities and to offer higher quality jobs to people close to their homes and to equip people with the skills to be able to get into work. I think the report that's been published today by the Joseph Rowntree Foundation highlights just how dire the consequences of austerity have been, particularly for lower income households—especially for those households where there are children, because they've lost considerably more during austerity as a consequence of welfare reform and benefits cuts: around 12 per cent of net income has been lost to the lower earning households within our communities. Large families are particularly hard hit, losing around £7,750 a year, or one fifth of their net income on average. I think this is pretty shameful. We're going to be addressing it, and we are addressing it, through changing the way that we work, in order to provide more opportunities for higher quality employment for those who are furthest from the jobs market, or for those who are in work lacking the resource or the earnings potential to be able to live comfortably by focusing on the development of higher quality jobs and more and better career pathways within work.

I thank the Cabinet Secretary.