Oral Answers to Questions

Anna McMorrin Excerpts

Wednesday 15th January 2020 Commons Chamber

[Chris Elmore (Ogmore) (Lab)]

9. What recent discussions he has had with the Welsh Government on the UK shared prosperity fund.

[Anna McMorrin (Cardiff North) (Lab)]

10. What recent discussions he has had with the Welsh Government on the UK shared prosperity fund.

[The Secretary of State for Wales (Simon Hart)]

I have already had productive discussions with the First Minister and his colleagues. Only last week I met Jeremy Miles to discuss the UK shared prosperity fund, and I am excited about the opportunities that the fund will create to bind together the whole United Kingdom, tackling inequality and deprivation across each of our four nations.

--- Later in debate ---

[Simon Hart]

The reassurance I can give is that nothing contained in the proposals for the shared prosperity fund will in any way drive a coach and horses through the devolution settlement.

[Anna McMorrin]

The Secretary of State answered the hon. Member for Glenrothes (Peter Grant) by saying that there would be a “substantial” amount of money. Will he, though, confirm that there will not be a penny less nor a power lost, as the First Minister of Wales put it, to Wales, and that spending decisions will in fact be taken where they should be—by the Welsh Government?

[Simon Hart]

On the first part of the hon. Lady’s question, our manifesto commitment was clear on that. As for the second part, my discussions with Jeremy Miles so far have been very clear about taking a collaborative approach so that the UK and Welsh Governments, working together, ensure that this money gets to the right place in a timely fashion.