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Wales benefits £79 per person from being in EU, study says | Wales benefits £79 per person from being in EU, study says |
(35 minutes later) | |
Wales benefits from being part of the European Union by about £79 per person each year, a new study has claimed. | Wales benefits from being part of the European Union by about £79 per person each year, a new study has claimed. |
The Wales Governance Centre at Cardiff University estimated Wales received about £245m more from the EU than it paid in in 2014. | The Wales Governance Centre at Cardiff University estimated Wales received about £245m more from the EU than it paid in in 2014. |
A spokesman for Vote Leave Cymru said he did not recognise these projections and, if the UK voted to leave, Wales would be financially better off. | A spokesman for Vote Leave Cymru said he did not recognise these projections and, if the UK voted to leave, Wales would be financially better off. |
Britain Stronger In Europe said the EU was a great bargain for Wales. | Britain Stronger In Europe said the EU was a great bargain for Wales. |
The report claimed Wales' position differs substantially from the rest of the UK, with the UK making a net contribution of £151 per person rather than being a net beneficiary. | The report claimed Wales' position differs substantially from the rest of the UK, with the UK making a net contribution of £151 per person rather than being a net beneficiary. |
Ed Poole, one of the report's authors, said this was "primarily due to Wales' receipt of significant funding from the EU's regional and agricultural programmes". | Ed Poole, one of the report's authors, said this was "primarily due to Wales' receipt of significant funding from the EU's regional and agricultural programmes". |
Where do the figures come from? | Where do the figures come from? |
The UK makes contributions to the EU on a UK basis, so any contribution Wales makes as part of that has to be estimated. | The UK makes contributions to the EU on a UK basis, so any contribution Wales makes as part of that has to be estimated. |
The report makes clear that a different methodology could be used which would come to a lower figure for how much Wales benefits from the union. | The report makes clear that a different methodology could be used which would come to a lower figure for how much Wales benefits from the union. |
This could reduce the net benefit from £245m to about £180m. | This could reduce the net benefit from £245m to about £180m. |
However, the authors defended the method they used, saying it is based on a methodology used by the Scottish Government in their annual national accounts publication. | |
They explain that the publication is National Statistics accredited, meaning it is certified by the UK Statistics Authority as compliant with its Code of Practice for Official Statistics. | |
The report estimated Wales' proportion of the UK contribution was £414m in 2014. | The report estimated Wales' proportion of the UK contribution was £414m in 2014. |
After this is subtracted from the £658m Wales received from the EU in structural funds and money for agriculture, the report came to a figure of about £245m for how much Wales gets back. | After this is subtracted from the £658m Wales received from the EU in structural funds and money for agriculture, the report came to a figure of about £245m for how much Wales gets back. |
This amounts to about £79 per person. | This amounts to about £79 per person. |
To come to the contribution figure, academics used a method developed in Scotland. This uses Wales' economic performance to estimate a proportion of the different kinds of contributions the UK makes to the EU. | To come to the contribution figure, academics used a method developed in Scotland. This uses Wales' economic performance to estimate a proportion of the different kinds of contributions the UK makes to the EU. |
Wales' share of the UK government's rebate from the EU is included in that, but is calculated in a different way, based on a per capita share of the overall rebate figure. | Wales' share of the UK government's rebate from the EU is included in that, but is calculated in a different way, based on a per capita share of the overall rebate figure. |
Under the per capita method the rebate is estimated at £211m, but there is an alternative way of working this out. | Under the per capita method the rebate is estimated at £211m, but there is an alternative way of working this out. |
Using a method based on Wales' economic performance, described in the report, the rebate would be pegged at £147m. | Using a method based on Wales' economic performance, described in the report, the rebate would be pegged at £147m. |
This then reduces the net benefit for Wales to about £180m. | This then reduces the net benefit for Wales to about £180m. |
The academics argued they have kept the per capita measure "for the purposes of comparison and consistency". | The academics argued they have kept the per capita measure "for the purposes of comparison and consistency". |
A spokesman for Vote Leave Cymru said: "Reports such as these ignore one crucial fact; there is no such thing as European money. It is money that hardworking families have paid in taxes and money which could be better spent locally. | A spokesman for Vote Leave Cymru said: "Reports such as these ignore one crucial fact; there is no such thing as European money. It is money that hardworking families have paid in taxes and money which could be better spent locally. |
"Even if true, this report calculates the price of Wales' freedom from the anti democratic EU at just £1.50 a week - a real bargain. | "Even if true, this report calculates the price of Wales' freedom from the anti democratic EU at just £1.50 a week - a real bargain. |
"In any case, we do not recognise these projections and if the UK votes to leave the EU on 23 June, Wales will be financially better off. | "In any case, we do not recognise these projections and if the UK votes to leave the EU on 23 June, Wales will be financially better off. |
"The UK currently spends £10bn a year more than it receives in so-called EU funds and Wales would be entitled to its share of that dividend if we vote to leave." | "The UK currently spends £10bn a year more than it receives in so-called EU funds and Wales would be entitled to its share of that dividend if we vote to leave." |
Geraint Talfan Davies, chairman of Wales Stronger In Europe, said: "This report makes it abundantly clear that Wales gets back from Europe more than we contribute - a benefit equivalent to £79 per person. | Geraint Talfan Davies, chairman of Wales Stronger In Europe, said: "This report makes it abundantly clear that Wales gets back from Europe more than we contribute - a benefit equivalent to £79 per person. |
"This makes a real difference to all our lives - creating jobs, upgrading skills, regenerating communities, enhancing our universities, improving the environment, sustaining agriculture and rural areas and helping the stretched budgets of our local authorities. | "This makes a real difference to all our lives - creating jobs, upgrading skills, regenerating communities, enhancing our universities, improving the environment, sustaining agriculture and rural areas and helping the stretched budgets of our local authorities. |
"In short, the EU is a great bargain for Wales. But there is no guarantee that we would enjoy these benefits if we vote leave. Wales would almost certainly be out of pocket." | "In short, the EU is a great bargain for Wales. But there is no guarantee that we would enjoy these benefits if we vote leave. Wales would almost certainly be out of pocket." |