WELSH CONSERVATIVES – Rural Economy Debate

Janet Finch-Saunders
With one third of our people in Wales living in a rural community, the importance of this economy to Wales simply cannot be overstated. With a strong reputation for agriculture, our farms are our heritage, and our Welsh farmers the custodians of our beautiful countryside. In Aberconwy, 18 per cent of all business enterprises operate within this sector, well above the British average of just 6 per cent, and it had a GVA contribution of £374 million in 2014, which had seen a 15 per cent increase from 2013. This is simply a heritage that we cannot afford to lose. But it must be valued and supported, not just by those who live and work there, or indeed by our visitors, but by our Government here in Wales.
Farmers have seen complete and utter chaos around the basic payment scheme and have been devastated by the common agricultural policy reform package. Welsh Government’s agriculture policy has undoubtedly contributed to the shocking forecast of Welsh farmers’ income: a 24 per cent decrease between 2013-14 and 2014-15. The devastation seen by the industry is exemplified by the fall in the number of our dairy cows in Wales over the last 10 years, by 44,932. And sector leaders, such as NFU Cymru’s president, are clear: support by the Welsh Government, the banks and the supply chain is crucial to help us come through this difficult time. I would like to place on record today my thanks to a local farmer in Llanfairfechan, Gareth Wyn Jones, who, through his tv series ‘The Hill Farm’, and his book, has actually helped to highlight the problems and the issues facing our farmers in Wales.
With greater dependence on small businesses in rural areas than their urban counterparts, barriers to improved business and sustainability must be addressed. Broadband connectivity issues make them automatically disadvantaged. You know, where we can see urban areas expecting broadband speeds of 30 Mbps, we have rural communities—and I have many—with 2 Mbps. The Federation of Small Businesses Wales points out that broadband can no longer be a luxury for a business. It is now essential, and more must be done to allow universal access. Whilst a Welsh Government Access Broadband Cymru grant is available to those hampered by the lower speeds, chosen providers must be able to guarantee receipt of 24 Mbps or more. A real issue for my constituents as companies are often unable to offer this assurance. Time and time again constituents are now asking me, ‘When will I receive superfast broadband?’ Some actually now believe that the ones who already receive high speeds will just receive higher speeds. Many are now starting to feel that they will be excluded altogether. With this in mind, I urge the Welsh Government to provide a really informative timetable for the rollout of the remainder of the Superfast Cymru project. Now, Cardiff city council has announced 4G Wi-Fi for buses, schools and public buildings. That is a luxury that my constituents can only dream of, and rural Wales is being left behind. The Welsh Government must ensure the requirements of the most needy are met, too.
Integral to many a rural Welsh community, of course, is its pub. Sadly, in north Wales, a pub closes every nine days, and not only are these businesses places for the community to come together, but they also provide much needed employment. They are the heart and soul, usually, of a small, rural community. Last year, I was very proud to work with our leader and our group to launch our own campaign to support local pubs. We recommend cutting business rates and empowering communities to work and club together to secure their own future. A similar approach is required to address the reductions in post office branches and our small shops. Ninety-one per cent of Welsh people say that these play an important role in communities, especially in those more remote areas.
In England, under a Conservative-led UK Government, the right to bid has empowered communities to help save threatened local assets. No such power exists yet in Wales, and we have been consistently calling for this to happen. Along with our Westminster colleagues, Welsh Conservatives have developed policy to maximise the potential of our rural economy. Fuel duty freezing will cut costs for car owners, and we would deliver near-universal superfast broadband by the end of the next Parliament. Our non-domestic business rates reform would abolish rates for those with a rateable value of under £12,000 and taper relief for those up to £15,000, resulting in security for businesswomen and men to take on more staff.
The Welsh rural economy provides businesses that already contribute hugely to the Welsh economy, but Welsh Labour must start to take it seriously and do more to encourage growth and fulfil its potential.