Wales and the Shared Prosperity Fund

Welsh Affairs Committee Closed Inquiry
Opened: 11 Feb 2020 Closed: 14 Dec 2020 Parliament page
The Welsh Affairs Committee has launched an inquiry into the proposed UK Shared Prosperity Fund. The fund is earmarked to replace European Structural and Investment Funds (ESI) that puts £375 million into the Welsh economy each year. Read the key points in an interactive summary of our report
2 Recommendations
18 Conclusions
2 Reports
4 Letters
1 Event
Activity timeline 8 events
25 Jan
2021
Correspondence
25 Jan
2021
Correspondence
14 Dec
2020
Report published
2 Oct
2020
Report published
2 Oct
2020
Report published
23 Jun
2020
Correspondence
11 Jun
2020
Correspondence
10 Mar
2020
Formal meeting · The Wilson Room, Portcullis House
Title HC No. Published Items Response
4th Report: Wales and the Shared Prosperity Fund: Priorities fo… HC 90 2 Oct 2020 20 Responded
4ydd adroddiad: Crynodeb HC 90 2 Oct 2020 0
Recommendations & Conclusions
20 results
1 Conclusion
4th Report: Wales and the Shared …
Despite announcing the Shared Prosperity Fund more than three years ago, the Government appears to...
Despite announcing the Shared Prosperity Fund more than three years ago, the Government appears to have made negligible progress in developing its replacement for European Structural and Investment funding. Its repeated promises of a consultation and of imminent announcements have … Read more
Government Response
The UKSPF will succeed EU structural funds and provide vital investment in local economies. It will help to level up and create opportunity for people and places across the UK. … Read more
Wales Office
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2 Conclusion
4th Report: Wales and the Shared …
The UK Government must urgently work with the devolved governments of Wales, Scotland and Northern...
The UK Government must urgently work with the devolved governments of Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland to agree priorities for the Shared Prosperity Fund and to co-create the details regarding how the Fund will work. It must provide evidence of … Read more
Government Response
The UKSPF will succeed EU structural funds and provide vital investment in local economies. It will help to level up and create opportunity for people and places across the UK. … Read more
Wales Office
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3 Conclusion
4th Report: Wales and the Shared …
We acknowledge the difficulties in assessing the impact of ESI funds in Wales, particularly in...
We acknowledge the difficulties in assessing the impact of ESI funds in Wales, particularly in the absence of the counterfactual question of what would have happened without them. However, it is clear that while certain sectors, particularly higher education, the … Read more
Wales Office
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4 Conclusion
4th Report: Wales and the Shared …
The development of the Shared Prosperity Fund represents a unique opportunity to re-evaluate Wales’ economic...
The development of the Shared Prosperity Fund represents a unique opportunity to re-evaluate Wales’ economic priorities in light of the economic fallout from the pandemic, to develop a funding system that better reflects Welsh needs, and which includes a broader … Read more
Government Response
The Covid-19 pandemic continues to present exceptional circumstances, and it is right that our focus and priorities shift accordingly. The Government has conducted a one-year Spending Review to prioritize the … Read more
Wales Office
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5 Recommendation
4th Report: Wales and the Shared …
We recommend that the UK and Welsh Governments use the development of the Shared Prosperity...
We recommend that the UK and Welsh Governments use the development of the Shared Prosperity Fund as an opportunity to jointly reassess their economic development priorities, particularly in light of the economic damage caused by COVID-19. In designing the Shared … Read more
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6 Conclusion
4th Report: Wales and the Shared …
The UK Government has repeatedly committed to ensuring Wales does not lose out as a...
The UK Government has repeatedly committed to ensuring Wales does not lose out as a result of the switch from European Structural Funds to the Shared Prosperity Fund and the evidence overwhelmingly states that Wales should not end up worse … Read more
Government Response
Due to the way the funds operate, levels of EU structural fund investment (which the UK has paid for through its EU Budget contributions) will be higher in all four … Read more
Wales Office
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7 Recommendation
4th Report: Wales and the Shared …
In the current changing economic circumstances, we are unable to recommend a headline figure for...
In the current changing economic circumstances, we are unable to recommend a headline figure for Wales’ allocation of the Shared Prosperity Fund. However, we call on the Government to honour its commitment to maintain at least the current levels of … Read more
Wales Office
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8 Conclusion
4th Report: Wales and the Shared …
Despite the positive feedback we have received about the performance of the Welsh European Funding...
Despite the positive feedback we have received about the performance of the Welsh European Funding Office in administering ESI funds, it is clear that for many respondents the current system of structural funding has been too centralised and overly bureaucratic. … Read more
Government Response
The Government recognises the bureaucratic burden that EU structural funds have placed on local partners, including local authorities, businesses and community organisations. During the engagement we have held across the … Read more
Wales Office
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9 Conclusion
4th Report: Wales and the Shared …
If the Shared Prosperity Fund is to offer a more open and responsive system of...
If the Shared Prosperity Fund is to offer a more open and responsive system of funding, the UK Government and Welsh Governments should learn the lessons from how EU funds have been administered under the ESI schemes, including the criticisms … Read more
Government Response
The Government recognises the bureaucratic burden that EU structural funds have placed on local partners, including local authorities, businesses and community organisations. During the engagement we have held across the … Read more
Wales Office
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10 Conclusion
4th Report: Wales and the Shared …
Despite repeated assurances from UK Government that it would respect the devolution settlements of Wales,...
Despite repeated assurances from UK Government that it would respect the devolution settlements of Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, there are considerable ambiguities about where power will lie in relation to the Shared Prosperity Fund. It is unclear whether, as … Read more
Government Response
The UK Government intends to work with the Welsh Government and local communities to ensure that the UKSPF supports citizens in Wales. This includes engaging with local authorities and Devolved … Read more
Wales Office
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11 Conclusion
4th Report: Wales and the Shared …
There are differences of opinion as to where the precise balance of power and responsibility...
There are differences of opinion as to where the precise balance of power and responsibility should lie for the oversight and administration of the Shared Prosperity Fund. However, whether the UK Government takes on a commissioning role for, or fully … Read more
Government Response
The UK Government intends to work with the Welsh Government and local communities to ensure that the UKSPF supports citizens in Wales. This includes engaging with local authorities and Devolved … Read more
Wales Office
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12 Conclusion
4th Report: Wales and the Shared …
The UK Government should work with the devolved administrations and local government to develop a...
The UK Government should work with the devolved administrations and local government to develop a memorandum of understanding that will underpin the operation of the Shared Prosperity Fund, this memorandum should be built around a partnership approach and provide a … Read more
Government Response
The UK Government intends to work with the Welsh Government and local communities to ensure that the UKSPF supports citizens in Wales. This includes engaging with local authorities and Devolved … Read more
Wales Office
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13 Conclusion
4th Report: Wales and the Shared …
Local authorities have played an important role in the delivery of ESI funding with their...
Local authorities have played an important role in the delivery of ESI funding with their on-the-ground knowledge and expertise and the UK and Welsh Governments should seek to ensure that the Shared Prosperity Fund utilises their experience. While the full … Read more
Government Response
Building on the successes of the City and Growth Deal model, local places across the UK will be able to shape UKSPF investment to reflect their needs. Places receiving funding … Read more
Wales Office
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14 Conclusion
4th Report: Wales and the Shared …
As part of the Memorandum of Understanding that should underpin the Shared Prosperity Fund, the...
As part of the Memorandum of Understanding that should underpin the Shared Prosperity Fund, the UK and Welsh Governments ought to give serious consideration to the role that local government in the delivery of the Fund. Both the UK and … Read more
Government Response
Building on the successes of the City and Growth Deal model, local places across the UK will be able to shape UKSPF investment to reflect their needs. Places receiving funding … Read more
Wales Office
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15 Conclusion
4th Report: Wales and the Shared …
For the past twenty years, Wales has received more European Structural Funds than any other...
For the past twenty years, Wales has received more European Structural Funds than any other part of the UK in an attempt to bring the Welsh economy up to the EU average. This funding which is worth hundreds of millions … Read more
Wales Office
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16 Conclusion
4th Report: Wales and the Shared …
However, with that funding due to taper off in less than three months’ time, communication...
However, with that funding due to taper off in less than three months’ time, communication from Ministers, and substantive proposals for the Shared Prosperity Fund, have been conspicuous in their absence. For more than three years, we have witnessed a … Read more
Wales Office
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17 Conclusion
4th Report: Wales and the Shared …
The impact of EU funding is hard to measure, and it is quite possible that...
The impact of EU funding is hard to measure, and it is quite possible that Wales would have been significantly worse off without it. However, this funding has not been a catalyst for a transformation in the fortunes of the Welsh economy.
Wales Office
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18 Conclusion
4th Report: Wales and the Shared …
The switch to the Shared Prosperity Fund is an opportunity to reset and re-evaluate Wales’...
The switch to the Shared Prosperity Fund is an opportunity to reset and re-evaluate Wales’ economic priorities post-Brexit and post-COVID-19 and to develop a Shared Prosperity Fund that tackles the root causes of Wales’ economic underperformance. The funding pot should … Read more
Government Response
Due to the way the funds operate, levels of EU structural fund investment (which the UK has paid for through its EU Budget contributions) will be higher in all four … Read more
Wales Office
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19 Conclusion
4th Report: Wales and the Shared …
Given the publication of the UK Government’s Internal Market Bill, it is all the more...
Given the publication of the UK Government’s Internal Market Bill, it is all the more urgent that clarity and detail is provided about the Shared Prosperity Fund. However designed, the expertise gained in administering structural funds should not be lost, … Read more
Government Response
The UKSPF will succeed EU structural funds and provide vital investment in local economies. It will help to level up and create opportunity for people and places across the UK. … Read more
Wales Office
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20 Conclusion
4th Report: Wales and the Shared …
The UK’s withdrawal from the European Union and the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic makes...
The UK’s withdrawal from the European Union and the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic makes this an exceptional time, and opportunity, for the governments of the UK to design a more responsive and adaptable system of structural and regional funding. … Read more
Wales Office
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Correspondence 4 letters
25 Jan 2021 To committee Letter from the Secretary of State for Wales, re UK Shared Prosperity Fund, 22 January 21
Parliament page
25 Jan 2021 To committee Letter from the Counsel General and Minister for European Transition, Welsh Government, re Wales and the Shared Prosperity Fund, 11 January 21
Parliament page
23 Jun 2020 To committee Letter from the Minister for Regional Growth and Local Government in response to joint letter from Select Committee Chairs re the Shared Prosperity Fund, 19 June 20
Parliament page
11 Jun 2020 To committee Joint letter from Select Committee Chairs to Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government re the Shared Prosperity Fund, 5 June 20
Parliament page