Wales will benefit from the Welsh Government receiving fairer funding and having stronger powers, the First Minister Eluned Morgan will say in a speech today.
Speaking to the Institute of Government this morning, the First Minister will call for a fair share of UK funding for rail, research and investment.
The First Minister will set out clear priorities for devolution reform, including calling for a Constitutional Reform Act to legally protect devolution.
The First Minister will also propose an independent oversight process to ensure fair funding for Wales and the other devolved nations.
The First Minister will reiterate that the Welsh Government is seeking devolution of policing, rail, youth justice and probation, along with transfer of Crown Estate powers. She will also call on the Chancellor to make permanent the Welsh Government’s full access to its financial reserves.
In excerpts from her speech, the First Minister will say:
“As part of our new chapter on devolution, we have to ensure that UK-wide frameworks enable innovation. I am proposing a new independent adjudicator to ensure financial fairness across the nations.
“The new chapter must be underpinned by a ‘fair share formula’ so that Wales automatically receives its rightful share of UK resources in critical areas like rail, justice, and research and development. I believe that Wales should receive, at a minimum, a Barnett share from all UK-wide investment funding.
“That’s what the Welsh Government I lead does and that’s what the next chapter is about.”
