Supporting Wales’ Productivity Mission

Professor Melanie Jones (Cardiff Business School and Wales Productivity Forum Academic Lead) and Robert Lloyd Griffiths OBE (Director, Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales (ICAEW) in Wales and Wales Productivity Forum Chair) were delighted to meet Adam Price MS Cabinet Minister for Enterprise, Connectivity and Energy to discuss how the Wales Forum of the Productivity Institute could support the national economic mission to halve Wales’ productivity gap with the rest of the UK.

The discussion centred around how the forum can provide ongoing support to the Welsh Government in developing and evaluating evidence informed policy to address Wales’ productivity challenge. Key to this is engaging policymakers, business and public sector leaders, as well as the public in the mission, including through our national conversation on the importance of productivity to improving the wellbeing of people in Wales.

Cabinet Minister for Enterprise, Connectivity and Energy, Adam Price:

“We’ve set an ambitious economic goal to halve Wales’s productivity gap with the UK within ten years.

This is fundamental to raising wages, supporting business growth, and improving long-term prosperity.

I am keen to hear the Forum’s views on how evidence, research and stakeholder engagement can best support delivery of our goal.”

Professor Melanie Jones:

“The Cabinet Minister is clear that productivity is at the centre of his economic strategy. The Wales Forum are keen to provide both academic and practice-based expertise to support this agenda.” 

Robert Lloyd Griffiths OBE:

“Clearly the Cabinet Minister is intensely focussed on the Productivity Agenda and the massive benefits that improved productivity can mean for the Welsh economy and wider society. We share his ambition and look forward to working with him as he progresses this key opportunity for Wales.”