4. Statement by the Minister for Economy: The Shared Prosperity Fund and Levelling-up Fund

Part of the debate – in the Senedd at 4:29 pm on 28 September 2021.

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Photo of Rhianon Passmore Rhianon Passmore Labour 4:29, 28 September 2021

Well, 'Not a penny worse off' is echoing rather emptily around this devolved Chamber. Two months after the UK Government stated that projects that had been approved would be announced, there has been silence. And, as you rightly point out, Minister, the local authority area of Caerphilly is excluded from the priority funding list, in favour—in favour—of richer English areas, even though the communities of Islwyn have some deep areas of deprivation—Objective 1, Objective 2, Objective 3. I could go on on the Welsh index of multiple deprivation indices. Once again, despite devolution, on the outside of Tory Britain looking in. Minister, so far, all that I can see that has been achieved is a Tory rebrand, the renaming of the UK's Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government to the totally laughable Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, and accompanied, as we said, with the sacking of the lead Minister Robert Jenrick, to be replaced with Michael Gove—an interesting choice.

Minister, what representations will the Welsh Government make to the newly empowered UK Minister to get the communities of Islwyn included and not excluded in the UK Government's priority funding list? And will the Minister also invite Michael Gove—in his new clothes, and preferably not invisible—to come to Islwyn and see for himself the very real need that is prevalent in my community and which he now in Whitehall has the power to end?