Asked by: Llinos Medi (Plaid Cymru - Ynys Môn)
Question to the Wales Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, what is the process used to determine which neighbourhoods within Welsh local authorities will receive support under the Pride of Place programme; and when those neighbourhoods will be announced.
Answered by Jo Stevens - Secretary of State for Wales
Through the Pride in Place Programme, nine more communities in Wales will receive up to £20 million each over the next 10 years. Every local authority in Wales will also receive a share of £34.5 million through the Pride in Place Impact Fund. This £214 million investment will support communities to drive forward the changes they want to see and will deliver visible improvements to drive growth, break down barriers to opportunity, and restore pride and confidence in local areas.
The nine local authorities in Wales receiving funding under the Pride in Place Programme are currently in the process of identifying the places within their area that will serve as the focus for this investment. This process combines objective data on local need with engagement from the local community and strategic alignment with other investments such as the Welsh Government’s Transforming Towns Programme and other placemaking plans. The selected places will be confirmed early in the new year.
Asked by: Llinos Medi (Plaid Cymru - Ynys Môn)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, for what reason he has adopted a different approach to Pride in Place Programme Phase 2 funding in Northern Ireland than in Wales and Scotland.
Answered by Hilary Benn - Secretary of State for Northern Ireland
Although phase two of the Pride in Place programme will not be delivered in Northern Ireland, corresponding funding will be made available in Northern Ireland through the Local Growth Fund, with a total UK Government investment of £45.5m per annum over the Spending Review period.
This decision was made in consultation with the Northern Ireland Executive.
Asked by: Llinos Medi (Plaid Cymru - Ynys Môn)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, for what reason the value of the Local Growth Fund for Wales was reduced from £633million to £547million.
Answered by Miatta Fahnbulleh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The UK Government is working with the Welsh Government to develop and implement a new Local Growth Fund, which is part of a wider targeted, long-term approach to regional growth across the UK. Under this approach, funding for Wales will remain at the same overall level in cash terms as under the UK Shared Prosperity Fund in 2025-26. Taken alongside Wales’ four City and Regional Growth Deals, Investment Zones and Freeports, this represents a significant investment to boost growth and create jobs across Wales.
Asked by: Llinos Medi (Plaid Cymru - Ynys Môn)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what is the financial breakdown for the Local Growth Fund, including capital and revenue split, for (a) Wales (b) Scotland (c) Northern Ireland and (d) England.
Answered by Miatta Fahnbulleh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The UK Government is working with partners across the nations to develop and implement a new Local Growth Fund, which is part of a wider targeted, long-term approach to regional growth across the UK. Under this approach, funding for Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland will remain at the same overall level in cash terms as under the UK Shared Prosperity Fund in 2025-26.
In Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, we will confirm funding and delivery arrangements for the Local Growth Fund in due course. In England, the financial breakdown, including capital and revenue split, was published on 26 November: Local Growth Fund: Place selection and allocation methodology note - GOV.UK.
Asked by: Llinos Medi (Plaid Cymru - Ynys Môn)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to the statement by the Welsh Government entitled Funding to Support Devolved Public Sector Employers with Increased National Insurance Costs, published on 30 May 2025, what steps her Department is planning to take to address the remaining £36 million shortfall in funding for Welsh public sector employers arising from the increase in employer National Insurance Contributions.
Answered by James Murray - Chief Secretary to the Treasury
At Autumn Budget 2024, the Chancellor agreed to provide funding to the public sector to support them with the additional cost associated with changes to employer National Insurance Contributions policy.
The Welsh Government received £185 million of this support through the Barnett formula. This is the normal operation of the funding arrangements as set out in the Statement of Funding Policy. It is for the Welsh Government to allocate this funding in devolved areas including funding for local authorities as it sees fit, reflecting its own priorities and local circumstances, and it is accountable to the Senedd for these decisions.
HM Treasury ministers regularly engage with their Welsh Government counterparts, including through forums such as the Finance: Interministerial Standing Committee (F:ISC), to discuss a range of issues affecting Wales, including the impact of changes to employer National Insurance contributions on Welsh Government funding. The most recent F:ISC was on 17 October where these topics were discussed.
Asked by: Llinos Medi (Plaid Cymru - Ynys Môn)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, how much funding was provided to the Welsh Government (a) through the Barnett consequentials and (b) any other mechanisms as a result of the increase in employer National Insurance Contributions for public sector employers in Wales in the 2025-2026 financial year.
Answered by James Murray - Chief Secretary to the Treasury
At Autumn Budget 2024, the Chancellor agreed to provide funding to the public sector to support them with the additional cost associated with changes to employer National Insurance Contributions policy.
The Welsh Government received £185 million of this support through the Barnett formula. This is the normal operation of the funding arrangements as set out in the Statement of Funding Policy. It is for the Welsh Government to allocate this funding in devolved areas including funding for local authorities as it sees fit, reflecting its own priorities and local circumstances, and it is accountable to the Senedd for these decisions.
HM Treasury ministers regularly engage with their Welsh Government counterparts, including through forums such as the Finance: Interministerial Standing Committee (F:ISC), to discuss a range of issues affecting Wales, including the impact of changes to employer National Insurance contributions on Welsh Government funding. The most recent F:ISC was on 17 October where these topics were discussed.
Asked by: Llinos Medi (Plaid Cymru - Ynys Môn)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, when she last met with the Welsh Government to discuss the potential impact of the increase in employer National Insurance Contributions on public sector employers in Wales.
Answered by James Murray - Chief Secretary to the Treasury
At Autumn Budget 2024, the Chancellor agreed to provide funding to the public sector to support them with the additional cost associated with changes to employer National Insurance Contributions policy.
The Welsh Government received £185 million of this support through the Barnett formula. This is the normal operation of the funding arrangements as set out in the Statement of Funding Policy. It is for the Welsh Government to allocate this funding in devolved areas including funding for local authorities as it sees fit, reflecting its own priorities and local circumstances, and it is accountable to the Senedd for these decisions.
HM Treasury ministers regularly engage with their Welsh Government counterparts, including through forums such as the Finance: Interministerial Standing Committee (F:ISC), to discuss a range of issues affecting Wales, including the impact of changes to employer National Insurance contributions on Welsh Government funding. The most recent F:ISC was on 17 October where these topics were discussed.
Asked by: Llinos Medi (Plaid Cymru - Ynys Môn)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what recent estimate she has made of the number of jobs to be created through the first phase of the Floating Offshore Wind Programme in the Celtic Sea; and how many of these will be in Wales.
Answered by James Murray - Chief Secretary to the Treasury
As part of the tender process for Offshore Wind Leasing Round 5, bidders were required to set out plans for creating onshore benefits from the development of the new wind farms. This included committing to creating new apprenticeships, and supporting those currently not in education, employment or training.
Research commissioned by The Crown Estate found that across the UK up to 5,300 new jobs and up to £1.4 billion could be generated for the economy by galvanising the supply chain and infrastructure opportunities arising from the development of these new floating wind farms off the coast of South Wales and Southwest England.
Asked by: Llinos Medi (Plaid Cymru - Ynys Môn)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the answer of 28 March 2025 to question 41189, how many private businesses based in Wales paid (a) lease and (b) royalties fees to the Crown Estate in 2024-25.
Answered by James Murray - Chief Secretary to the Treasury
This information is not held centrally and could only be provided at disproportionate cost. The Crown Estate will provide separate reporting for Wales in its 2025-26 annual report and accounts.
Asked by: Llinos Medi (Plaid Cymru - Ynys Môn)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of introducing a cut in VAT for the hospitality sector in Wales.
Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
The Government recognises the significant contribution made by hospitality businesses to economic growth and social life in the UK.
VAT is a reserved tax, applying UK wide. VAT is a broad-based tax on consumption, and the 20 per cent standard rate applies to most goods and services, including alcohol, whether served in hospitality establishments or sold in supermarkets. HMRC estimate that the cost of a 5 per cent reduced rate for accommodation, hospitality and tourist attractions would be around £10 billion this financial year. If the scope were also to include alcoholic beverages, the cost would be approximately £3 billion greater.
The Government is supporting the hospitality sector through the business rates system. To deliver our manifesto pledge, we intend to introduce permanently lower tax rates for retail, hospitality, and leisure (RHL) properties, including those on the high street, from 2026/27. Ahead of these changes being made, we have prevented RHL relief from ending in April 2025 by extending it for one year at 40 per cent up to a cash cap of £110,000 per business and frozen the small business multiplier.