Chancellor of the Exchequer, Rishi Sunak has outlined the additional funding for Welsh Government, enabling it to deliver better support for public services and invest in transport.
£360 million will be made available through additional funding to the Welsh Government, £55 million of that will be for a Mid Wales Growth Deal.
The Chancellor of the Exchequer, Rishi Sunak, said:
“We made a promise to the people of Wales to build a fairer, more prosperous and more united country – and this Budget will deliver by laying the foundations for a decade of economic growth across the whole UK.
“We are giving the Welsh Government significant extra funding, exploring how to more successfully link the economies of Wales and the West of England, investing in transport and ensuring Wales has enough resources to support public services and businesses in the face of the Covid-19 outbreak.
“At the core of this Budget is an ambition to further strengthen the ties that bind us together as a United Kingdom and ensure everyone has the same opportunities in life, whichever part of the country they live in.”
The additional funding will go towards supporting economic growth, levelling up on opportunities. The funding will be used in the rollout of gigabit capable broadband and improvement of 4G connectivity across the UK.
The funding will also go towards improvements at Newton railway station, the development of the A483 Pant Llanymynech bypass and an independent economic review of the Western Gateway.
There was also a commitment from the Treasury to establish a presence in Wales to ensure Welsh priorities are central to economic decision making.
The Chancellor also announced measures to tackle the impact of the recent Covid-19 outbreak, with the Welsh Government able to support public services, vulnerable people and reduce the costs for businesses.
Secretary of State for Wales Simon Hart said:
“This Budget shows that the UK Government is keeping its promise to level up the nations and regions of the UK and deliver prosperity for Wales.
“From the financial support for city and growth deals, the focus on critical infrastructure projects to the additional spending power for the Welsh Government, this is a Budget with Wales’ economy at its centre.
“The UK Government is also supporting Welsh culture with £15m a year in VAT relief for S4C, boosting the creative economy in Wales.
“We are also supporting the Welsh Government in the exceptional challenges it currently faces, providing significant extra funding to help tackle Coronavirus and for flood relief to affected communities.”
