The Shared Prosperity Fund

Part of 2. Questions to the Minister for Finance and Trefnydd – in the Senedd at 3:09 pm on 10 February 2021.

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Photo of Nick Ramsay Nick Ramsay Conservative 3:09, 10 February 2021

Minister, Alun Davies, the Minister emeritus, makes his arguments with his usual passion and vigour, and I appreciate that there has been, to date, anyway—. The Welsh Government has complained about a lack of detail on the shared prosperity fund. Nonetheless, it is, in principle, a mechanism that, eventually, will hopefully deliver for Wales. So, looking beyond the current situation to that point, would you agree with me that, if we want to devolve more power down to local government and give local authorities more control, then the shared prosperity fund presents us with an ideal opportunity to give that more control to local authorities and to allow them to participate in the expenditure of this fund. They have, after all, taken part in the successful city and growth deals. So, in your negotiations with the UK Government, and also within the Welsh Government with the Minister for local government, will you ensure that local authorities are given a key role in the roll-out of the shared prosperity fund? Admittedly, not with us at the moment, but when the details are finally clarified.