Meetings

NDM7055 Darren Millar (Clwyd West)

To propose that the National Assembly for Wales:

1. Notes the Welsh Government’s failure to realise Wales’s economic potential over the past 20 years.

2. Does not believe that the Welsh Government’s Prosperity for All: Economic Action Plan is sufficiently ambitious to deliver significant improvement in the Welsh economy.

3. Calls on the Welsh Government to take further action to improve the economy, including:

a) simplifying and improving access to business support;

b) ensuring policy is aligned with an effective industrial strategy;

c) reforming public procurement to support SMEs;

d) upskilling and re-skilling the workforce to take advantage of new opportunities; and

e) improving infrastructure.

Prosperity for All: Economic Action Plan

The following amendments have been tabled:

Amendment 1 - Rebecca Evans (Gower

Delete all and replace with:

1. Notes the actions taken by the Welsh Government to support the economy of Wales over the last twenty years which have helped lead to:

a) 300,000 more people in work in Wales since 1999;

b) economic inactivity rates now broadly comparable with the UK average for the first time in history;

c) the proportion of working-age people with no qualifications more than halving since 1999;

d) the proportion of working age people with higher education qualifications increasing from around one-in-five people to more than one-in-three since devolution;

e) the numbers of active enterprises in Wales the highest on record.

2. Notes the Welsh Government’s plans to drive inclusive growth through the Economic Action Plan including the new Economic Contract, major infrastructure investment such as the new £5bn rail franchise and metro as well as the new £1bn Development Bank of Wales.

3. Recognises many of the economic concerns expressed in the EU referendum and the Welsh Government’s focus since publication of the Economic Action Plan in 2017 on nurturing the foundational economy as a driver for inclusive growth.

4. Recognises the fundamental importance of fair work to Wales’s future and the Welsh Government’s commitment to work in social partnership to make Wales a fair work nation.

5. Regrets the lack of UK Government investment in Wales over the last decade as well as cancelled rail electrification, rejection of tidal lagoon plans and failure to secure Wylfa project investment.

Amendment 2 - Rhun ap Iorwerth (Ynys Môn)

Add as new point at end of motion:

Calls on the Welsh Government to:

a) convene a national economic summit to discuss with key stakeholders and industry the future of the economy; and

b) legislate for a regional renewal bill, that will impose upon government the requirement to consider regional fairness and equality in its expenditure decisions.

Amendment 3 - Rhun ap Iorwerth (Ynys Môn)

Add as new point at end of motion:

Expresses concern for the future of the Welsh economy post-Brexit.

Amendment 4 - Rhun ap Iorwerth (Ynys Môn)

Add as new point at end of motion:

Notes the failure of the UK Government to deliver detailed proposals or consult upon a new post-Brexit Shared Prosperity Fund to replace EU funding, given its place as a key component of the Welsh economy.

 

 

The item started at 16.13

Voting on the motion and amendments under this item was deferred until Voting Time.

A vote was taken on the motion without amendment:

NDM7055 Darren Millar (Clwyd West)

To propose that the National Assembly for Wales:

1. Notes the Welsh Government’s failure to realise Wales’s economic potential over the past 20 years.

2. Does not believe that the Welsh Government’s Prosperity for All: Economic Action Plan is sufficiently ambitious to deliver significant improvement in the Welsh economy.

3. Calls on the Welsh Government to take further action to improve the economy, including:

a) simplifying and improving access to business support;

b) ensuring policy is aligned with an effective industrial strategy;

c) reforming public procurement to support SMEs;

d) upskilling and re-skilling the workforce to take advantage of new opportunities; and

e) improving infrastructure.

For	Abstain	Against	Total
12	1	33	46

The motion without amendment was not agreed.

The following amendments were tabled:

Amendment 1 - Rebecca Evans (Gower

Delete all and replace with:

1. Notes the actions taken by the Welsh Government to support the economy of Wales over the last twenty years which have helped lead to:

a) 300,000 more people in work in Wales since 1999;

b) economic inactivity rates now broadly comparable with the UK average for the first time in history;

c) the proportion of working-age people with no qualifications more than halving since 1999;

d) the proportion of working age people with higher education qualifications increasing from around one-in-five people to more than one-in-three since devolution;

e) the numbers of active enterprises in Wales the highest on record.

2. Notes the Welsh Government’s plans to drive inclusive growth through the Economic Action Plan including the new Economic Contract, major infrastructure investment such as the new £5bn rail franchise and metro as well as the new £1bn Development Bank of Wales.

3. Recognises many of the economic concerns expressed in the EU referendum and the Welsh Government’s focus since publication of the Economic Action Plan in 2017 on nurturing the foundational economy as a driver for inclusive growth.

4. Recognises the fundamental importance of fair work to Wales’s future and the Welsh Government’s commitment to work in social partnership to make Wales a fair work nation.

5. Regrets the lack of UK Government investment in Wales over the last decade as well as cancelled rail electrification, rejection of tidal lagoon plans and failure to secure Wylfa project investment.

A vote was taken on amendment 1:

For	Abstain	Against	Total
27	0	21	48

Amendment 1 was agreed.

Amendment 2 - Rhun ap Iorwerth (Ynys Môn)

Add as new point at end of motion:

Calls on the Welsh Government to:

a) convene a national economic summit to discuss with key stakeholders and industry the future of the economy; and

b) legislate for a regional renewal bill, that will impose upon government the requirement to consider regional fairness and equality in its expenditure decisions.

A vote was taken on amendment 2:

For	Abstain	Against	Total
7	13	29	49

Amendment 2 was not agreed.

Amendment 3 - Rhun ap Iorwerth (Ynys Môn)

Add as new point at end of motion:

Expresses concern for the future of the Welsh economy post-Brexit.

A vote was taken on amendment 3:

For	Abstain	Against	Total
34	2	13	49

Amendment 3 was agreed.

Amendment 4 - Rhun ap Iorwerth (Ynys Môn)

Add as new point at end of motion:

Notes the failure of the UK Government to deliver detailed proposals or consult upon a new post-Brexit Shared Prosperity Fund to replace EU funding, given its place as a key component of the Welsh economy.

A vote was taken on amendment 4:

For	Abstain	Against	Total
37	2	10	49

Amendment 4 was agreed.

A vote was taken on the motion as amended:

To propose that the National Assembly for Wales:

1. Notes the actions taken by the Welsh Government to support the economy of Wales over the last twenty years which have helped lead to:

a) 300,000 more people in work in Wales since 1999;

b) economic inactivity rates now broadly comparable with the UK average for the first time in history;

c) the proportion of working-age people with no qualifications more than halving since 1999;

d) the proportion of working age people with higher education qualifications increasing from around one-in-five people to more than one-in-three since devolution;

e) the numbers of active enterprises in Wales the highest on record.

2. Notes the Welsh Government’s plans to drive inclusive growth through the Economic Action Plan including the new Economic Contract, major infrastructure investment such as the new £5bn rail franchise and metro as well as the new £1bn Development Bank of Wales.

3. Recognises many of the economic concerns expressed in the EU referendum and the Welsh Government’s focus since publication of the Economic Action Plan in 2017 on nurturing the foundational economy as a driver for inclusive growth.

4. Recognises the fundamental importance of fair work to Wales’s future and the Welsh Government’s commitment to work in social partnership to make Wales a fair work nation.

5. Regrets the lack of UK Government investment in Wales over the last decade as well as cancelled rail electrification, rejection of tidal lagoon plans and failure to secure Wylfa project investment.

6. Expresses concern for the future of the Welsh economy post-Brexit.

7. Notes the failure of the UK Government to deliver detailed proposals or consult upon a new post-Brexit Shared Prosperity Fund to replace EU funding, given its place as a key component of the Welsh economy.

For	Abstain	Against	Total
27	0	22	49

The motion as amended was agreed.