Extract from Wales Assembly debate on the economy - May 22

David Melding AM:...Rhun talked about his time 20 years ago as a journalist and then later the Deputy Minister sort of responded with his own memories of his salad days as a journalist, and I think that throughout the debate we've had people reflect on what was being discussed 20 years ago and it was in terms of: we could allow that economic energy that we know the people of Wales have to be released and more effectively enhanced by our own policies, and that's not quite happened. He talked about the need for an economic summit. We will listen to this. I know Ieuan Wyn Jones was very keen on this type of approach at the depths of the financial crisis, and it did have some merit, but I think we do need to ensure that it's the action and the policies that come from such fora that are really, really important. And he talked about Brexit in relation to Wales. Brexit didn't dominate, slightly to my surprise. It was mentioned a couple of times by a few speakers. But he did make a point that I think everyone would agree with, and that's the regional policy that will now have to be negotiated on a UK basis—the shared prosperity fund and how it will be governed and finance are really important, and I hope that we will find agreement around the Chamber that we must ensure that Wales gets effective access to that policy, both in shaping it and then the funds that might come from it...