Janet Finch-Saunders, Member of the Welsh Parliament for Aberconwy is disappointed to see that Wales still has the lowest economic activity rate across all of the UK.
Wales employment rate stood at 68.9% compared to the UK average of 74.5%. The number of people in work in Wales was just over 1.4 million, a decrease of 2.8 percentage points from April to June 2023.
This has contributed to Wales having the highest economic inactivity rate in the UK, which stands at 28.3%. This rate has increased sharply by 3.7% over the past year.
Commenting on the news Janet said:
“It is deeply frustrating to see our employment rate remain persistently high. Nearly one in three people in Wales are neither working nor actively seeking employment. This figure is alarmingly high and plays a significant role in the current state of the Welsh economy.
“In Conwy, the employment rate has dropped by 0.3% meaning that our local economy has not grown at all.
“Indeed, the median average pay per month many have increased by 4.8% since 2023 to £2150, but when we consider that inflation peaked at 11% in 2023 for the UK, people are actually in a worse state than they were a year ago.
“Yes this has affected the UK as a whole, but there is no getting away from the fact that the Welsh economy is doing the worse out of Northern Ireland, Scotland and England.
“The Welsh Government's priorities are misguided. We should be concentrating on developing a more skilled workforce and creating well-paying, high-skilled jobs for the people of Wales.
“That’s why the Conservatives are dedicated to revitalising North Wales through ambitious projects such as the nuclear energy initiative at Wylfa and the Anglesey Freeport in Holyhead. These initiatives aim to create between 5,000 and 15,000 high-paying, skilled jobs by 2030.
ENDS
Mae Janet Finch-Saunders, yr Aelod o’r Senedd dros Aberconwy, yn siomedig o weld bod gan Gymru'r gyfradd gweithgarwch economaidd isaf o hyd ar draws y DU gyfan.
Roedd cyfradd gyflogaeth Cymru yn 68.9% o'i chymharu â chyfartaledd y DU o 74.5%. Roedd nifer y bobl mewn gwaith yng Nghymru ychydig dros 1.4 miliwn, gostyngiad o 2.8 pwynt canran rhwng Ebrill a Mehefin 2023.
Mae hyn wedi cyfrannu at y ffaith mai Cymru sydd â'r gyfradd anweithgarwch economaidd uchaf yn y DU, sef 28.3%. Mae'r gyfradd hon wedi cynyddu'n sylweddol 3.7% dros y flwyddyn ddiwethaf.
Wrth gyfeirio at y newyddion dywedodd Janet:
"Mae'n rhwystredig iawn gweld ein cyfradd gyflogaeth yn parhau i fod yn gyson uchel. Dyw bron i un o bob tri o bobl yng Nghymru ddim yn gweithio nac yn mynd ati i chwilio am waith. Mae'r ffigur hwn yn frawychus o uchel ac mae'n chwarae rhan sylweddol yn sefyllfa bresennol economi Cymru.
"Yng Nghonwy, mae'r gyfradd gyflogaeth wedi gostwng 0.3% sy'n golygu nad yw ein heconomi leol wedi tyfu o gwbl.
"Yn wir, mae'r cyflog cyfartalog bob mis wedi cynyddu 4.8% ers 2023 i £2150, ond pan ystyriwn fod chwyddiant ar ei uchaf ar 11% yn 2023 ar gyfer y DU, mae pobl mewn sefyllfa waeth nag yr oedden nhw flwyddyn yn ôl.
"Ydy mae hyn wedi effeithio ar y DU gyfan, ond does dim dianc rhag y ffaith mai economi Cymru sy’n perfformio waethaf o ystyried Gogledd Iwerddon, yr Alban a Lloegr.
"Mae blaenoriaethau Llywodraeth Cymru yn anghywir. Dylem ganolbwyntio ar ddatblygu gweithlu mwy medrus a chreu swyddi medrus sy'n talu'n dda i bobl Cymru.
"Dyna pam mae'r Ceidwadwyr yn ymroddedig i adfywio’r Gogledd drwy brosiectau uchelgeisiol fel y fenter ynni niwclear yn Wylfa a Phorthladd Rhydd Ynys Môn yng Nghaergybi. Nod y mentrau hyn yw creu rhwng 5,000 a 15,000 o swyddi medrus sy'n talu'n dda erbyn 2030.
DIWEDD
