7. Plaid Cymru Debate: Post-Brexit funding

Part of the debate – in the Senedd at 5:02 pm on 25 May 2022.

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Photo of Peter Fox Peter Fox Conservative 5:02, 25 May 2022

Thank you for that. I think you misunderstood me. I'm asking for that wider debate of why we are still in here after 20 years. I'm conscious there are some new emerging areas where the money will be focused toward, but we have to ask ourselves why the country is still in such a desperate position for economic growth, and we're not seeing that movement that we need to mobilise our communities, despite all of the funding that has gone into the area.

You know from the Joseph Rowntree Foundation's report published earlier this year, it stated that Wales has the highest poverty rate among the four nations in the UK, with almost one in four—23 per cent of people—in poverty; between 1997 and 2000, this rate was 26 per cent. So, despite all of the EU funding, Wales still faces persistent poverty and an economy that lags behind the rest of the UK. So, the real question is not how much money Wales receives, but how we can use the new funding mechanism as a fresh start to ensure that the future investments made by both Governments—and I emphasise both—make a real, long-term difference to the Welsh economy and communities. Because, ultimately, despite all of the debate here, we must not forget what this funding needs to do. So, it's not just about shouting about who's right and who's wrong; it's how we use the money and lift this country out of the position it's currently in.