As predicted on this blog a few days ago, the Welsh Assembly Government has replicated the decision by the UK Government to introduce an enhanced business rate relief scheme for Welsh firms.
At least WAG has finally reacted to the criticism that Wales has a worse business rates regime than England.
Now all we can say is that it is exactly the same and there is no real difference between business rates for English firms and Welsh firms, at least for the next twelve months.
This small step, which is more to do with the largesse of the Treasury than any independent policy decision by WAG, is certainly a step in the right direction.
Of course, the Welsh Conservative Party has already guaranteed that a far greater proportion of small firms will pay no rates and that this change will be permanent - a policy that has been made in Wales for Welsh businesses.
Given the antipathy towards the 'London-based parties' by one half of the One Wales Government, you wonder how its Ministers can possibly agree with merely replicating what goes in England rather than coming up with a solution that benefits Welsh businesses.
3 comments:
I just cannot understand why Plaid Cymru is content to follow the line of the Labour Government in London over an issue such as business rates where they had a clear policy at the last Assembly election. It undermines their whole London vs Cardiff arguments and the quest for greater powers for the Assembly.
Maybe because Labour holds the business rates portfolio?
Anon 804 - please don't keep using this old chestnut. The responsibility for dealign with the recession is a government issue not a portfolio issue.
Jane Hutt has the portfolio for skills, under which proAct was developed, but it hasn't stopped the Deputy First Minister and his Party claiming full credit for its development.
Coalition government is about consensus not individual portfolios.
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