Finance Minister Rebecca Evans has called on the UK government to provide clarity on post-Brexit funding and future budgets.
This was published under the 2016 to 2021 administration of the Welsh Government
Finance Minister Rebecca Evans has called on the UK government to provide clarity on post-Brexit funding and future budgets ahead of a meeting with Chief Secretary to the Treasury, Rishi Sunak in London today.
Speaking ahead of the meeting Rebecca Evans said:
“I will be pressing the Chief Secretary to provide much-needed clarity around future funding and the support that will be made available to help protect Wales’ economy, businesses and communities in the event of a no deal Brexit.
“All the evidence shows that leaving the EU without a deal or transition period will have a catastrophic impact on Wales and produce a severe economic slowdown in the UK.
“An assessment by the Office of Budget Responsibility shows that the economy has underperformed since the referendum, with independent research indicating that the UK economy is already one percent smaller than it otherwise would have been. This represents an annual loss of around £300 for each person in Wales.
“I am deeply concerned that the UK government’s chaotic management of the UK’s exit from the EU, with rising costs as a result of the devaluation of the pound, will mean our public services are stretched even further. The UK government cannot continue to play this reckless game with our public services and I will be urging the Chief Secretary to take action now and provide the much-needed boost our public services deserve.
“I will also be calling on the Chief Secretary to keep the UK government’s promise of ‘not a penny less’ than we would have expected within the EU and will be looking for a cast-iron guarantee that Wales’ devolution settlement is respected in decisions going forward.”