Ken Skates: Thank you, Deputy Presiding Officer, and can I thank Russell George, both for his kind remarks at the beginning and for the questions that he's asked? I think the way that you, Russell, Helen Mary, David and I have been able to work over the last month shows that you can operate in a collegiate way across political parties without losing strong scrutiny of Government as well. So, I am very...
Ken Skates: One of the biggest gaps that has occupied our thinking is the non-VAT registered microbusiness. Now, the reason that we built in that particular piece of criteria into phase 1 of ERF was to avoid significant fraud, because it enabled us to check the address of a business, the existence of a business. Moving forward, the Scottish Government have introduced a model that we were considering,...
Ken Skates: Can I thank Helen Mary Jones again for her very kind and generous comments and the questions asked? We certainly don't have a monopoly on ideas within Welsh Government. We are seeking views, ideas and innovation from far and wide, and I've got to say, we have had a lot of constructive ideas from Members across the Chamber. I'm incredibly grateful to Helen Mary for those ideas and the...
Ken Skates: Can I thank Mike Hedges for his contribution? I think in terms of support for those who have just recently found they've got a massive fall in their turnover, their income, as a consequence of coronavirus, they can check their eligibility through Business Wales—the online portal—for the economic resilience fund. There's also the support from the UK Government for the self-employed. I...
Ken Skates: Can I thank David Rowlands, Deputy Presiding Officer, for his questions, and again for his kind comments too regarding the discussions that we've had, and the contributions that Members across all parties have made in our fight against coronavirus? I'll certainly pass on his thanks, which I'm sure are reflected across the Chamber, to local authorities, to the development bank and to Business...
Ken Skates: Can I thank Nick Ramsay for his questions? I'll turn to the economy questions first of all, and, in terms of the enquiries that he's had from a soft play company, I've had an incredible number of enquiries from soft play businesses that have found themselves in a similar position. It is true that they're not classed as leisure or retail or hospitality, and so they weren't able to benefit from...
Ken Skates: Apologies.
Ken Skates: I thank Dai Rees for his questions. In terms of steel, this is something that is being raised by us on a weekly basis with the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, and I'm pleased that, during the course of recognising that CBILS was not supporting all businesses, and not supporting in particular that missing middle of businesses with a turnover of £45 million, revisions...
Ken Skates: Can I thank Neil Hamilton for his questions and say that the idea of a bursary would be a discretionary scheme? That's something that we're actively looking at. We've relaxed our attitude to risk, and that includes the risk of fraud, in order to get money out of the door as fast as possible to as many as possible. But in terms of the ERF, I've already outlined how there have already been...
Ken Skates: Can I thank Leanne for her questions? I think it's worth saying that one of the specific cases that you outlined would have been eligible for a small loan from the Development Bank of Wales. Twenty five thousand pounds may be too much; the Development Bank of Wales's COVID-19 loan scheme offers smaller loans at very favourable interest rates with a year-long holiday. Now, that's been fully...
Ken Skates: Thank you, and can I send my deepest sympathies to Mohammad Asghar's friends and family? It's a terrible time at the moment. I've heard many, many stories of people I work with losing loved ones. It is a tragic period, and it is very painful for those who are financially stretched. That is precisely what the discretionary assistance fund was set up to help people with—people who cannot...
Ken Skates: Can I thank Dawn Bowden for raising a concern that a number of politicians have also flagged up with me? You're absolutely right, Dawn, that, in some respects, some insurers are trying to find any way possible to avoid paying out on claims. That's not acceptable, and you're right that Ministers are speaking with the ABI—the Association of British Insurers—this afternoon. That discussion...
Ken Skates: Diolch, Llywydd. I'd like to begin by first of all thanking Members across the Chamber, as well as our social partners and our colleagues in every area of public service in Wales, for the huge amount of work that's been done in contributing to and supporting the economic response to coronavirus. Now, as I will come to outline, we've made a great deal of progress in delivering rapid support...
Ken Skates: In the meantime, as thousands of individuals and businesses put their livelihoods on hold to save lives, the Welsh Government is taking decisive action to help all those businesses and individuals who have been impacted. As it stands, we've invested £1.7 billion in support packages, equivalent to 2.7 per cent of GDP in Wales. This is a truly unprecedented commitment and a clear demonstration...
Ken Skates: Can I thank Russell George for his comments and also the constructive suggestions that he's made in recent weeks, which have contributed to our shaping of direct business support? I'll just pick up briefly on the ERF programme and the further work that is taking place as we consider the next phase of that particular fund. Members will be aware that the UK Government recently topped up the...
Ken Skates: Can I thank Russell George for those further questions? I will speak with the WLGA regarding the variation in terms of how councils are supporting businesses on a discretionary basis, to ensure that all support that can be given to businesses is being given and that local authorities are not acting in an overly nervous way, as Russell has outlined. In terms of the recovery, our concern first...
Ken Skates: Llywydd, can I thank Helen Mary Jones for her questions, and again for, on a regular basis, offering ideas and also flagging up concerns that, hopefully, we've been able to address during the course of the pandemic? Helen Mary has highlighted a number of areas of concern regarding the gaps that have emerged in terms of the support that is being offered, and one of those concerns is...
Ken Skates: These are really important points, and I think I should just explain to Members as well that Helen Mary Jones and I have discussed some specific concerns regarding what may be small sectors, nonetheless they are important sectors including, for example, lifeguards who are employed from 1 April by the Royal National Lifeboat Institution, and therefore miss out on the current arrangements...
Ken Skates: May I thank David Rowlands for his questions? There's no doubt that a recession now is unavoidable, but what we must avoid at all costs is a depression. And we've been playing a very significant part in ensuring that that doesn't happen in Wales. We have, so far, supported directly around one in five Welsh businesses with grants. We've also supported businesses through rates holidays, and, in...
Ken Skates: I'd like to thank Mick for his question. We've been a very loyal friend to GE, over many, many years. We've supported the company financially, we've supported the company in terms of the advice that we've been able to give it, and we are determined to support the company during this incredibly difficult period. Now, the voluntary redundancies consultation is going to last 45 days; it wouldn't...
