As a member, also, of the Finance Committee, I was very keen that the committee undertake this hugely important piece of work for Wales as a matter of priority, both for fairness and honesty and fair funding as principle, and for the fulfillment of political promise and trust and so that Wales is also not treated with disdain. This is because Wales was the largest recipient of EU funding relative to its population of the UK nations. It is vital that we hold the UK Government to its promise and to account, in that Wales is, in their own words, not a penny poorer off now that the United Kingdom has left the European Union. I note the Welsh Government's response to our report, where they state that not a penny of replacement EU funding has reached Wales. 

I am heartened that the Welsh Government has remained totally committed to further dialogue with the UK Government, which includes a discussion on the shared prosperity fund, funding levels and allocations, together with the establishment of a genuine co-decision making function for Ministers, in order to improve that impact and value for money of the fund in Wales. The Welsh people deserve nothing less than for both the Welsh and UK Governments to devote themselves and work constructively to ensure that Wales does not lose out financially. Today, it is beholden on Rishi Sunak, the third Tory Prime Minister of the year, to now honour the previous promise to Wales, in that the Welsh people would not be, again, a penny worse off when we left the EU.

Deputy Llywydd, as the Tory cost-of-living crisis deepens, and after the shambolic 'blink and you miss it' premiership of Liz Truss and her mini-budget, the people of Wales deserve and demand that the Tory UK Government do the right thing by them and honour their pledge to Wales.