Wales will benefit from the Welsh Government receiving fairer
funding and having stronger powers, the First Minister 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.”
