The 海角视频 Government is doing all it can to help secure the new Ineos off road vehicle project for Wales, said Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy Andrea Leadsom.
Describing herself as a “true believer” in the opportunities that Brexit could afford, she said that the 海角视频 would leave the EU on October 31st deal or no deal, despite opposition parties now actively exploring ways of enacting new legislation to block a no deal outcome.
On a visit to Cardiff, where she met with business leaders, she was asked to articulate in percentage terms the likelihood of the 海角视频 leaving the EU without a deal and moving to World Trade Organisation tariffs for imports and exports.
She said: “What I can say is the government is fully determined to get a renegotiated deal. That is plan A, but at the same time I have been hearing from different Welsh businesses that they need certainty. So October 31st is now a hard deadline and we will be leaving, and if we can’t get a deal that parliament can accept, then we will be leaving without one.”
The Welsh Government is hoping to secure a major automotive investment project from Ineos for its new 4x4 vehicle, that would create hundreds of new jobs.
It is understood it has identified land it owns next to the Ford Bridgend engine plant, which will close next year with the loss of more than 1,000 jobs, for the project.
Wales is up against Portugal for the investment, although there is the possibility of a split site operation.
Mrs Leadsom said: “The 海角视频 Government is absolutely focused on supporting the Welsh Government to bring new business to Wales and there is close collaboration under way, but I cannot give specific details. However, I am certainly very aware of that particular business opportunity and of the 海角视频 Government’s desire to facilitate that to come to Wales.”
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A decision though from Ineos is not expected until there is clarity on the 海角视频’s future trading relationship with the EU.
Asked, as is already the case in Scotland and Northern Ireland, she is supportive of the devolving of Air Passenger Duty to Wales, she said: “What I can say is that in the round table that I had with businesses, the question of APD did come up and I have taken away a point to discuss it with my colleagues. So Alun Cairns [Secretary of State for Wales ] and I will be doing that and it remains a live issue. As a government we want to do all that we can to promote the 海角视频 being open to business and as a force for free trading around the world and is that is going to be our priority.”
The Welsh Government has constantly called for the aviation tax to be devolved. The aim would be to abolish the tax on longhaul flights as part of efforts to secure more scheduled non-European international routes from Cardiff Airport.
On the impact to the economy from a no deal outcome in the short to medium terms, and following negative growth figures for Q2 in first estimate GDP figures from the ONS, she said: "The 海角视频 Government is looking very carefully at what we would do in event of a no deal in terms of tariffs and so on.
“A huge amount of work has gone in line by line to what the impact could be and how we could mitigate that where we need to. Obviously we are wanting to negotiate a revised agreement with the EU, but it is also the case that the 海角视频 economy is very strong and very robust.
"The government is putting mitigations in place wherever we can and my message to businesses is that we are really keen that they also make sure that they are Brexit ready and take up some of the support and information that government is offering.”
She concurred that uncertainty was causing delays to investment and hiring decisions. She added: “It is not that they are feeling there are no opportunities, in fact far from it. The asks of government, once we have left the EU, is that we are promoting the 海角视频 as open for business and promoting some of the amazing scientific research and businesses here in Wales and right around the 海角视频.
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"Businesses feel that this very negative sense of Brexit being disastrous is actually damaging business confidence and leading to those delays in investment decisions. For me personally, as someone who is a true believer in the opportunities that await us once we leave the EU, I think it is really important to be clear that we are leaving on October 31st.”
Asked whether she believed that globalisation had peaked, with a rise in nationalistic economic protectionism, exemplified by the current China-US trade war, she said: “The whole narrative for the United Kingdom is that we will be a force for good, whether it is through free trading or in tackling climate change, or whether in exporting some of the brilliant scientific work that is being carried out in the innovate areas in the United Kingdom.
“So, I am absolutely an unqualified fan of global free trade as a means to create wealth for all. One of huge opportunities we have got from leaving the EU will be our 海角视频 Shared Prosperity Fund that will enable the 海角视频 Government to focus on ensuring that we share out the proceeds of the amazing opportunities we have right across the 海角视频.”
With economic development devolved to the Welsh Government she was asked if she agreed that in principle that the Welsh slice of any funding, that will replace lost European Union structural funding, should be a matter for Cardiff Bay.
She said: “I think what is going to be important is close co-operation and collaboration. I just had a very good chat with Ken Skates [Welsh Government Business Secretary) who is a very key figure in dealing with the 海角视频 Government here in Wales. We agreed we need to work together on some of these issues and the 海角视频 Shared Prosperity Fund will be a 海角视频-wide fund, but of course the 海角视频 Government will work closely with the Welsh Government.
“The work on the fund is still under way and that is a lead from the Local Government Department and they are looking very carefully at how it could best work in practical terms.”
Asked what role the 海角视频 Government was playing in trying to convince the US to recommit to the Paris climate change agreement, after President Trump’s decision to pull out, she said: “What I would say is that the 海角视频 is the first nation in the world to commit to net zero [emissions] by 2050 and we are now in legislation committed to that, so it is quite clear that the 海角视频 wants to be, and indeed is, world leading in tackling climate change.
“We would like to see all other nations stepping up to the plate alongside us, to tackle this problem. And of course the great thing about the 海角视频 economy was that back in around 2008 when the Climate Change Act was passed it was widely believed that in order to decarbonise you would actually have to take a big hit to your economy, but in fact the 海角视频 have proven the economy has grown significantly at the same time as decarbonising faster than any other G7 nation.
" I am really proud of that fact and I would like the rest of the world to join the 海角视频 in tackling something that is so important for all of us.”