Russell George: Thank you, Presiding Officer. I'm going to focus my remarks, if I can, today on the impact of the pandemic on Welsh businesses and the Welsh economy. I think, on the whole, the four Governments of the United Kingdom have worked well together, coping with the challenges of the pandemic, but I think where the issue is, is while we started well together, I find it so disappointing that we're...
Russell George: Thank you, Minister. I think I'm particularly keen to understand how businesses can actually apply for the scheme before the checker is available. They can't prepare unless they know if they're eligible or not. I wonder, also, if you could address why you were so reticent, I suppose, to publish an aspirational timetable with clear milestones for a phased reopening of the Welsh economy, and...
Russell George: Minister, can I thank you for your statement and the constructive way that you have been working with opposition spokespeople? You mention that you are urging the UK Government Ministers to involve you in discussions, and I wonder if you've also extended an invitation to UK Government Ministers to be involved in your discussions in terms of the next phase of the economic resilience fund. I am...
Russell George: First Minister, in your statement today you mentioned the ONS figures. When people hear what seems to be conflicting data in terms of cases, or cases of deaths, it does cause some anxiety. People in Powys, for example, would have heard news reports yesterday saying, unfortunately, there were 12 deaths in Powys, whereas the ONS figures report 75 deaths. Of course, this is because of the...
Russell George: I take that last point, Minister, but I think there's still the issue of local authorities being nervous about taking some discretion, and perhaps some additional consideration could be given there. My final set of questions, very briefly, is in regards to the recovery stage, which of course I think we all hope that we can move to as soon as possible. I wonder what support you've given to...
Russell George: Thank you, Minister, for your statement, and thank you for your regular briefings to the spokespeople as well. Minister, you mentioned that the economic resilience fund was paused last Monday, I wonder if you could confirm more detail about the next phase of the scheme, because businesses will be absolutely anxious to find out when that's going to be announced and what's going to be in that....
Russell George: Okay?
Russell George: Thank you, Deputy Presiding Officer.
Russell George: Thank you, Minister. Can I thank you for your statement, and can I also thank you for your weekly meetings with opposition spokespeople? I think they're invaluable, because they allow us to raise issues directly with you, as well as being updated. So, that's greatly appreciated, Minister. Can I genuinely welcome your statement? I think that the financial assistance being provided by both the...
Russell George: Thank you, Deputy Presiding Officer. I'll be as quick as I possibly can going through my questions. And can I first of all say, First Minister, that I'm very happy to work very constructively with your finance and business and economy Ministers in a constructive way to help support the business economy of Wales? And I very much hope that your colleagues are listening in—I'm sure they...
Russell George: But I'm just so frustrated that we're not working on a consensual basis, Deputy Presiding Officer. Come on, let's pull together at this particular time. I'm going to try now and go through my questions in a measured way. Yesterday, Minister, the Government obviously announced additional measures for business support. You said you will, I think, make an announcement later today, which I...
Russell George: Can I thank you for your balanced answer, I think, to Alun Davies? And Alun Davies's question—I'm really disappointed by the tone of his approach because, as I said yesterday, Minister, I want to work with you and the Government, with scrutiny but also in a balanced way and with co-operation, at this unprecedented time. We had the Chancellor yesterday, on top of last week's budget,...
Russell George: Thank you. Going forward, it's perhaps how the structure of Business Wales might change and develop as requirements need, as well. I think there's a particular need for helping manufacturers and the tourism industry—two very important industries for us in Wales—so, advice you can get in that regard. Also, there's the issue of the timing of announcements as well. Although I want to be as...
Russell George: Can I, first of all, thank the Minister for his statement today, and can I say that, from my perspective and from these benches, we want to be supportive of the Government and its approach? Clearly, there's a balance, I think, between scrutiny of Government, but also being in support of Government as well as we can be at this particular time. It's getting that right balance. I hope I strike...
Russell George: What assessment has the Welsh Government made of the value for money of any loans provided to external bodies?
Russell George: Will you take an intervention?
Russell George: The point is that the Government—in fact, all Governments—could have done more to support the airport during that time, such as road links, public transport links, rail links. All Governments of all colours could have done more to support the airport when it was in private ownership, and perhaps we wouldn't have got to the position we have done now.
Russell George: —or I'd be happy to. And, finally, we'd also want to see improvements in terms of transport links to the airport in terms of rail, road and public transport as well. But we on these benches do believe there should be a fair return for the taxpayers' money, the investment. Each taxpayer in Wales paid £38.50 for that original investment in Cardiff Airport, and we'd want to see that, of...
Russell George: Thank you. I was just looking for some guidance. Thank you, Deputy Presiding Officer. But, certainly in terms of our plan for the airport, we have a number of points that we would bring forward. First of all, we would invest in the airport's capital infrastructure to enable the airport to diversify and generate new sources of revenue. I think that's important. This airport, of course, could...
Russell George: Well, thank you for that clarification. It would be useful to know from the Minister, at the end of this debate, if that remains the Government's position as well. In terms of the other airport that Carwyn Jones mentioned, of course that was purchased for a fair price. I don't know the details of that particular airport, but what I will say is this: we, on these benches here, do believe that...
