8. Welsh Conservatives Debate: The Economy

Part of the debate – in the Senedd at 5:07 pm on 22 May 2019.

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Photo of David Melding David Melding Conservative 5:07, 22 May 2019

Thank you, Deputy Presiding Officer. I think we've had a full and constructive debate mostly, perhaps with the occasional flash of partisan anger, but when we are debating the economy, I think there should be some real feeling, so that's perhaps not amiss. Russell George opened the debate I thought, as you'd expect from someone with great authority on these themes, speaking as a really thinking Conservative, but also as Chair of the economy committee here and able to reach out and point to those areas where we surely all agree. After 20 years of devolution, we would have expected more progress. He was very generous in looking at the latest Welsh Government's economic action plan. I mean, I've been here 20 years and I know there have been several past attempts here, but he did say this one has more ambition but we need more detail. So, a really balanced approach, which I thought set the right tone for this debate.

Rhun talked about his time 20 years ago as a journalist and then later the Deputy Minister sort of responded with his own memories of his salad days as a journalist. I think that throughout the debate we've had people reflect on what was being discussed 20 years ago and it was in terms of: we could allow that economic energy that we know the people of Wales have to be released and more effectively enhanced by our own policies, and that's not quite happened. He talked about the need for an economic summit. We will listen to this. I know Ieuan Wyn Jones was very keen on this type of approach at the depths of the financial crisis. And it did have some merit, but I think we do need to ensure that it's the action and the policies that come from such fora that are really, really important. And he talked about Brexit in relation to Wales. Brexit didn't dominate, slightly to my surprise. It was mentioned a couple of times by a few speakers. But he did make a point that I think everyone would agree with, and that's the regional policy that will now have to be negotiated on a UK basis. The shared prosperity fund and how it will be governed and finance are really important, and I hope that we will find agreement around the Chamber that we must ensure that Wales gets effective access to that policy, both in shaping it and then the funds that might come from it. I will give way, somewhat in trepidation, but—.