| The west is forgotten again 15:27 - Nov 10 with 1559 views | Boundy |
No surprise this , yet another slap in the face for those who live outside the CF postcode
Mr Gething said the Welsh Government wants to see zones in the south-east and north-east of the country focused on semiconductors and advanced manufacturing respectively.
Investment zones, part of the UK Government’s levelling up agenda, are expected to each benefit from £80m of tax breaks and other incentives over five years.
In his Budget in March, Chancellor Jeremy Hunt unveiled plans for 12 zones across the UK. With economic development a devolved matter Mr Hunt said he would look to reach agreement with the devolved administrations to establish investment zones. The initial thinking was four across the devolved nations.
Two freeports, which will benefit from tax breaks and other support, are being established in Wales at Holyhead and two ports in South Wales at Milford Haven and Port Talbot under the banner of the Celtic Freeport.
Mr Gething told MSs that talks between Welsh and UK ministers have been constructive after one investment zone was initially proposed.
He said: “Based on our analysis of opportunities for growth in high-potential clusters, we agree that there is a case for two investment zones in Wales.
“Our preference is for one investment zone in south-east Wales and one in north-east Wales, covering Flintshire and Wrexham.
“This reflects the specific sectoral strengths and existing clusters in each region, in particular compound semiconductors in Newport, with a link to Cardiff University and the wider south-east of Wales, and high-value advanced manufacturing in north-east Wales.
“These sectors in themselves will be integral to the path to stronger economic growth in Wales and the UK as a whole.
“We want to see more private sector investment in high-quality jobs, skills and productivity.”
Paul Davies, the Conservatives’ shadow minister, welcomed progress but raised feedback from England that the incentives for businesses are not long-term enough.
Mr Davies said: “The financial incentives on the investment zones are almost identical to the equivalent financial incentives available in freeports, with the exception of customs duties.
“But five years is a short amount of time to expect a huge economic impact.
“It’s been argued that economic benefits have largely been greater when financial packages have been made on a longer term basis, like the enterprise zones set up in the early 1990s, where the exemption from business rates was for 10 years.”
His Plaid Cymru counterpart Luke Fletcher raised concerns that multinationals could exploit the investment zones for tax purposes without delivering tangible benefits.
The South Wales West MS highlighted that an enterprise zone programme – spearheaded by George Osborne in 2011 – delivered 17,500 jobs compared with the 54,000 first mooted.
Mr Fletcher added: “The disastrous free ports policy of the Thatcher government, which was eventually put out of its misery by the Tories in 2012, had a similar record of underdelivering for the local economies for which it was designed.
“And the eight enterprise zones created by the Welsh Government in 2012 have fared little better.”
In 2018, the Senedd’s economy committee published a report on enterprise zones, saying the Wales policy’s aim to create growth and jobs had not been achieved across the board.
Ken Skates, the former economy minister, called for swift agreement from the UK Government on the two zones as well as a commitment on equivalent funding for Wales.
In the statement to the Senedd, Mr Gething said the UK Government will be expected to meet the full costs of financing each investment zone.
Fellow Labour backbencher Alun Davies questioned the decision to focus on existing manufacturing and semiconductor clusters.
The Blaenau Gwent MS argued that public funding should be directed at communities that need it most, “not simply into those areas where there is low-hanging fruit, where the greatest results can be achieved from a minimum investment”.
Mr Gething stressed that investment zones and free ports are not the sum total of what Welsh ministers want to see delivered for the economy.
He said: “There will always be a need and a role for government to intervene to make sure we don’t simply have two corners that perform relatively well compared to the rest of Wales. |  |
| "In a free society, the State is the servant of the people—not the master." |
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| The west is forgotten again on 16:47 - Nov 10 with 1509 views | Whiterockin |
Just keep voting for Labour and the devolved government of Cardiff. You know it makes sense. |  | | |
| The west is forgotten again on 16:57 - Nov 10 with 1492 views | onehunglow |
Good news for our part of the world .
Exactly why does Wales second city get sh@ at on from such a great height all the time . | |
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| The west is forgotten again on 17:11 - Nov 10 with 1477 views | Whiterockin |
| The west is forgotten again on 16:57 - Nov 10 by onehunglow |
Good news for our part of the world .
Exactly why does Wales second city get sh@ at on from such a great height all the time . |
Why we continue to vote for it is the bigger question. | | | |
| The west is forgotten again on 17:31 - Nov 10 with 1457 views | Dr_Winston |
I'd imagine that the SE and NE are being selected because when the speed limits on motorways and A roads are inevitably dropped businesses will still be able to get their goods to a civilised country fairly quickly. |  |
| Pain or damage don't end the world. Or despair, or f*cking beatings. The world ends when you're dead. Until then, you got more punishment in store. Stand it like a man... and give some back. |
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| The west is forgotten again on 19:41 - Nov 10 with 1374 views | onehunglow |
| The west is forgotten again on 17:11 - Nov 10 by Whiterockin |
Why we continue to vote for it is the bigger question. |
Lots of jobs gone in NE Wales but not sure it’s worse than Swansea area . | |
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| The west is forgotten again on 20:40 - Nov 10 with 1357 views | RhonddaSwans |
I live in the CF post code and It isn't great outside the hanging city that starts the code.
Did your area have all bus travel for £1 over the summer?
We are only now getting electric trains 🚂.
What could the government do to spread things out?
Swansea has had a ton if investment aswell. | |
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| The west is forgotten again on 21:18 - Nov 10 with 1323 views | Whiterockin |
| The west is forgotten again on 20:40 - Nov 10 by RhonddaSwans |
I live in the CF post code and It isn't great outside the hanging city that starts the code.
Did your area have all bus travel for £1 over the summer?
We are only now getting electric trains 🚂.
What could the government do to spread things out?
Swansea has had a ton if investment aswell. |
It would be nice to have a regular bus service, in the last fortnight some routes have been cut by 50%. As for electric trains, I haven't seen one down here since Hornby. Yes we are being well looked after by the Senedd. | | | |
| The west is forgotten again on 22:10 - Nov 10 with 1273 views | onehunglow |
| The west is forgotten again on 20:40 - Nov 10 by RhonddaSwans |
I live in the CF post code and It isn't great outside the hanging city that starts the code.
Did your area have all bus travel for £1 over the summer?
We are only now getting electric trains 🚂.
What could the government do to spread things out?
Swansea has had a ton if investment aswell. |
£ 2 for all day anywhere in the county not that I have any need of that having a Transport pass.
It’s handy to pop over to Liverpool on the train for nowt for gigs although there are loads of commoners on them.
Our dog goes on the buses and trains ,free too. | |
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| The west is forgotten again on 11:01 - Nov 11 with 1168 views | controversial_jack |
| The west is forgotten again on 21:18 - Nov 10 by Whiterockin |
It would be nice to have a regular bus service, in the last fortnight some routes have been cut by 50%. As for electric trains, I haven't seen one down here since Hornby. Yes we are being well looked after by the Senedd. |
The busses are private companies, nothing to do with the Senedd | | | |
| The west is forgotten again on 12:39 - Nov 11 with 1133 views | Boundy |
| The west is forgotten again on 11:01 - Nov 11 by controversial_jack |
The busses are private companies, nothing to do with the Senedd |
Really ?
https://law.gov.wales/economy- | |
| "In a free society, the State is the servant of the people—not the master." |
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