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Economic Development

Boris Johnson has taken £200m out of the Welsh Government's budget says First Minister

He said the financial blow has come with just weeks left in the current financial year

Mark Drakeford and Boris Johnson

The º£½ÇÊÓÆµ Government has clawed back £200m from the Welsh Government's capital budget, says First Minister Mark Drakeford.

Speaking at First Minister Questions in the Senedd, Mr Drakeford said that its capital budget has been hit following a recalculation of Barnett consequentials, where increased spending from the º£½ÇÊÓÆµ Government in devolved areas results in additional finance flowing to Cardiff Bay.

It came in response to a question from Plaid Cymru leader Adam Price, on the amount the Welsh Government would be asking from the º£½ÇÊÓÆµ Government as a result of flood damage in South Wales.

Mr Drakeford said: "Part of the reason why we have had to ask the º£½ÇÊÓÆµ Government for assistance is because with six weeks to this financial year left to go the Treasury wrote to us requiring us to repay to them £100m of financial transaction capital and £100m of conventional capital before the end of this financial year.

"They said that they have recalculated Barnett consequentials and that money needed to be returned to them.

"Now when I say to the Prime Minister that I want money to help us with the impact of flooding here in Wales I am essentially asking him to hand back that he has taken away from us in the last few weeks."

Financial transaction capital can only be used for loan and equity investment in the private sector and must eventually be repaid to the º£½ÇÊÓÆµ Government.

It is being used by the Welsh Government's investment bank subsidiary, the Development Bank of Wales, to invest in Welsh SMEs.