Commenting on today’s figures showing a 15.4% fall in Welsh exports last year – almost twice that of the devolved nations and English regions – Welsh Conservative industry spokesman Alun Cairns AM said:
“These figures demonstrate yet again the failure of the Labour-Plaid Assembly Government to support the Welsh economy during the recession.
“Despite everything they’ve claimed about schemes such as ProAct and ReAct, businesses in Wales are struggling to compete with those elsewhere in the UK.
“While Welsh exports are declining businesses in Scotland and the North West of England are helping those areas recover more quickly from the downturn.
“While Labour boast that Welsh economic figures are ‘not that bad’ and Peter Hain compares us to Rwanda Wales remains the poorest part of the UK, with high unemployment and worklessness, businesses closing down, and investment drying up.
“Welsh Conservatives have set out eight economic benchmarks to get Wales working. They will create a more balanced economy, with the right conditions for higher exports, business investment, and support for the private sector.”
