Five ideas from the IPPR North to stimulate growth in at risk UK regions

The Institute of Public Policy Research North as part of its response before the UK Government’s autumn statement on Tuesday released a scary set of figures showing that the North of England, the West Midlands and Wales are unlikely to see a return to pre recession levels of employment until after 2020.

Also included was a prediction that Wales would be the only part of the UK with less jobs and lower employment after 2020, it’s another warning for our politicians that something radical needs to change before our problem s become irreversible.

The briefing also includes 5 recommendations for jobs and growth for hard hit areas, they are

A targeted jobs guarantee: a job paid at the minimum wage or above, to anyone who has been unemployed and claiming JSA for more than 12 consecutive months targeted to the worst affected areas.

Innovation clusters: these should be in specific places and focus around renewable energy; advanced manufacturing: health and medical; nuclear; marine and ports.

Capital allowance concessions: government should introduce targeted tax incentives such as higher research and development tax credits and increased capital allowances for specific areas of investment and innovation.

Bring forward capital spending on infrastructure projects including the Northern Hub transport development.

A regional investment bank: focused on investment in innovation and small and medium-sized businesses.

The ideas are hardly radical and have in other forms been suggested by people in Wales before, so will any of our AM’s and Political parties pick up on this as a starting point for debating where Wales go next?

Which brings me to the other issue that’s bothering me about the briefing, it highlights the lack of a non political response from any Welsh Think Tank or Welsh University about what the statement on Tuesday meant for Wales, especially as most acknowledge the main economic levers are elsewhere?

I mean where was the economic and social critique of how the Chancellor’s statement will affect businesses, public services, employment and unemployment and the level of income squeeze that people are feeling either before the statement or after George Osborne’s statement Tuesday? And suggestion of what the Welsh Government and other agencies could do to ease the pain?

Surely there is the capability in Wales for a more intelligent and imaginative in our policy making to tackle these challenges.

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