Commons Sense

House of Commons · Ministers' Questions

Brexit: Economic Impact

Wednesday 30 April 2025 · 4 questions

Summarised by AI from the official record, so it can contain mistakes.

Read the full transcript on Parliament.uk

At a glance

Answered 2 Partly answered 2 Not answered 0

Key points

  • The Welsh economy has suffered a loss of 4 billion due to the UK's departure from the EU.
  • Trade in Wales has decreased by 1 billion since leaving the EU.
  • Wales has lost 1 billion in European structural and development funding.

Topics (select to filter)

Questions & Answers

Q1 Dave Doogan SNP Angus and Perthshire Glens
Wales Brexit
Context

After the UK's departure from the EU, Wales has suffered an economic loss of £4 billion with a decline in trade by £1 billion. Additionally, Wales has lost £1 billion in European structural and development funding.

Question

What assessment she has made of the potential impact of the UK’s departure from the EU on the economy in Wales? The Welsh economy suffered by £4 billion, trade has gone down by £1 billion and Wales has lost £1 billion in European structural and development funding. When will the Secretary of State stand up to her Westminster masters and finally do something in the interests of the people of Wales?

Answer from The Secretary of State for Wales (Jo Stevens)

We are negotiating a new partnership with the EU and believe that securing a broad-based security partnership, bringing closer co-operation on law and order and tackling barriers to trade will boost our economies, keep us safe and improve families’ finances. Since coming into government, I have worked with UK and Welsh Government colleagues to drive more than £1.5 billion in private investment into Wales from the likes of Eren Holding and Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners, creating hundreds of jobs and laying the groundwork for thousands more.

Partly answered

Not addressed: The Secretary did not directly address the economic impacts mentioned by the SNP MP but focused on potential benefits from new partnerships.

How: Warm Words

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Q2 Jessica Morden Lab Newport East
Defence Wales
Context

Closer collaboration between the UK and EU on defence spending is suggested to strengthen their relationship, which could benefit companies such as EnerSys in Wales.

Question

Will the Secretary of State say a bit more about how increased defence spending will aid the Welsh economy and companies such as EnerSys, particularly in advanced manufacturing and supply chains?

Answer from The Secretary of State for Wales (Jo Stevens)

My hon. Friend is absolutely right about the potential for growth. This Government’s commitment to increase defence spending means that our strong defence manufacturing base in Wales and the skilled jobs it supports has real potential for growth. The top five suppliers to the Ministry of Defence all have a footprint in Wales, and alongside that is a strong supply chain. The forthcoming industrial strategy will set out more details as to how that advanced manufacturing base will get Government support.

Answered
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Q3 Liz Saville Roberts PC Dwyfor Meirionnydd
Agriculture & Rural Affairs
Context

75% of Wales’s food and drinks sector's exports go to the EU, indicating a significant impact from Brexit on this industry.

Question

Will the Secretary of State join me in celebrating all Wales’s food producers and farmers, especially those at Sioe Nefyn—Nefyn Show—on Monday?

Answer from The Secretary of State for Wales (Jo Stevens)

I am delighted to support the Welsh food and farming industry, and I absolutely concur with the right hon. Lady’s comments.

Answered
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Q4 Liz Saville Roberts PC Dwyfor Meirionnydd
Wales Benefits & Welfare
Context

Policy in Practice reports that nearly half of the worst-hit UK local authority areas by Labour’s welfare cuts are in Wales, affecting 190,000 people.

Question

How does the Secretary of State explain to Welsh colleagues why the communities where Labour used to be strongest should now suffer so much because of her Government’s cruel welfare cuts?

Answer from The Secretary of State for Wales (Jo Stevens)

As the right hon. Lady might know, none of those reforms has actually gone into effect yet, so nobody has been affected by them. We inherited a Tory welfare system that is the worst of all worlds: it provides the wrong incentives, discouraging people from working, while the people who really need a safety net are still not getting the dignity and support they need and deserve, with the taxpayer funding an ever-spiralling bill. It is unsustainable, indefensible and unfair.

Partly answered

Not addressed: The Secretary of State did not directly address the impact of cuts but criticized the inherited system.

How: None Of Those Reforms Has Actually Gone Into Effect

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