‘UK MUST RESPECT DEVOLUTION’
Ministers in Wales and Scotland have called for the UK Government to respect devolution when it comes to replacing EU funding.
Both devolved governments published proposals for the Shared Prosperity Fund last week with the Scottish Government’s Finance Secretary Kate Forbes and Jeremy Miles, the Welsh Government’s Brexit Minister, expressing frustration at no such publication from Westminster as yet.
Ms Forbes has also called on the UK Government to use Wednesday’s Spending Review to prioritise public services in a new, UK-wide package worth £98 billion.
She said: “I have made clear to the UK Government that I am deeply concerned that I am yet to see any evidence that they are committed to replacing EU funding in full or to engaging meaningfully with the devolved nations across a number of programmes including fisheries, structural funds and competitive programmes such as Erasmus Plus and Horizon Europe.
“Ongoing attempts by the UK Government to undermine the devolution settlement in relation to powers and funding will continue to be resisted vigorously.”
Chancellor Rishi Sunak is due to use the Review to announce a multibillion-pound plan investing in long-term infrastructure projects while also funding the fight against the coronavirus pandemic as the UK’s exit from the European Union looms large.
Mr Miles, Welsh Counsel General, said: “The UK Government must make good on promises repeatedly made that Brexit would not mean any loss of funding and that the devolution settlement would be respected.
“The lack of transparency and collaboration that the UK Government has shown to date must now end, so that Wales gets the clarity it needs and the commitment to work through the Welsh Government which the devolution settlement demands.”
A UK Government spokesman said: “The UK Shared Prosperity Fund will bind together the whole of the UK while tackling inequality and deprivation.
“We will continue to work closely with the devolved administrations and other interested parties as we develop the fund.
“Further details will be set out following the upcoming Spending Review.”