Shared Prosperity Fund: Wales Debate
Full Debate: Read Full DebateLord Harlech
Main Page: Lord Harlech (Conservative - Excepted Hereditary)Department Debates - View all Lord Harlech's debates with the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government
(2 weeks, 5 days ago)
Lords ChamberMy Lords, I agree with my noble friend. The previous Government made no plans for the UK shared prosperity fund past March 2025. We will extend the fund for a transitional year. Many local growth programmes, including the UK shared prosperity fund, were funded by the previous Government despite them not making adequate provision in the Budget to do so. This Government have been clear that they will take difficult but responsible decisions to fix the foundations of the country’s finances.
My Lords, I declare my interest as a business owner in Wales. You cannot have prosperity without good infrastructure. Since 2023, the Welsh Government have cancelled all roadbuilding projects. I have asked this question before: will the Minister seek to have discussions with his Senedd counterparts about getting some of those roadbuilding projects going again?
I have great admiration for and friendship with the noble Lord from the previous Government, when I was an Opposition Whip and he was a Whip. These are the conversations that my honourable friend Alex Norris MP is currently having, so I would not like to pre-empt them. I will also be visiting Wales to meet my counterpart in my portfolio, and I will raise that particular point.