7. Welsh Conservatives Debate: Welsh Government Funding

Part of the debate – in the Senedd at 5:19 pm on 27 November 2019.

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Photo of Rebecca Evans Rebecca Evans Labour 5:19, 27 November 2019

The figures that we've had in the motion and the figures that I've just given to you now are both correct, because the figure that relates to the £300 million over 10 years is, obviously, a correct figure, as is it the correct figure if the funding had grown in line with the economy. If we had grown in line with public spending over that period, we'd actually have £5 billion or £6 billion more. So, whichever way you cut it, Wales has been shortchanged by the UK Government. 

And the success, I have to say, of the fiscal framework in securing the needs-based Holtham funding floor was a success for the Welsh Government, and that was hard won by my predecessor, achieved after years of negotiation. So, it's by no means an act of generosity by the UK Government. But, by 2021, the funding floor, as negotiated by Mark Drakeford, will have delivered around £160 million more for Wales, and whilst only a UK Government can truly end austerity, this important difference is a testament, I think, to the Welsh Government's determination to stand up for Wales, and it simply wouldn't have happened without that determination. 

Contrary to the Welsh Conservatives's motion, the current level of funding per person in Wales, relative to comparable programmes in England, is not simply the result of the fiscal framework. It represents the cumulative effect of the Barnett formula and population movements over many years. The change we have secured through the fiscal framework will ensure that the level of funding that reflects the need in Wales is maintained.

Over the past decade, the UK Government's record on investing in Wales on non-devolved responsibilities has been shameful. The motion neglects to mention that the £790 million set aside for growth deals is actually spread over a period of 15 to 20 years. While the UK Government makes promises for tomorrow, it has presided over consistent under-investment on non-devolved issues, such as rail infrastructure and digital connectivity.