2. Will the Minister make a statement on the government’s efforts to support small businesses in Arfon? OAQ(5)0089(EI)[W]

Wide-ranging support is available for small and medium-sized businesses in Arfon and indeed across Wales through the Business Wales support network.

Last week, I visited a very prosperous small business in my constituency. They are trying to purchase the building that they lease from Welsh Government at present and they’re on an industrial estate at the edge of Caernarfon. They want to acquire the building in order to expand their business. The company that came to value the unit on behalf of the Government came from Bristol. Their price for the value of the property was much higher than the price given by the local company from north Wales that had been used by the tenant to determine the price. So, there was one price from Bristol, one from north Wales and tens of thousands of pounds of disparity in the cost. The first question is: why is the Government using a company from England? That, presumably, is contrary to the procurement policies of this Government. Do you agree that the local valuation company has a much better understanding of the local prices? Do you agree also that this company is under great disadvantage because of this situation? They can’t proceed to purchase on the valuation given. So, please, will you look at this again?

I don’t think it would be right for me to comment in any detail on what is clearly a commercial matter, but if the Member would wish to write to me with details of both valuations, I’ll certainly ask my officials within the property team to take a look at why there is such a clear and sizeable difference in the values that have been applied to it.

In addition, I will endeavour to get Business Wales officials to make contact with the company to ensure that there is all the necessary support in place to assist the company in purchasing the property, should it wish to carry through with such a transaction.

Given that the Welsh Government promised to cut taxes for small businesses and instead extended the small business rate relief scheme, which had been temporary, this was described by the North Wales Federation of Small Businesses, which represents businesses from Arfon right across the region, as you know, as

‘blatantly misleading and the worst form of spin-doctoring.’

How, therefore, will you respond to the extra £16 million announced in the autumn statement for the Welsh Government to spend on business rates? I believe they said that they remain a huge financial burden for small businesses. At present, the rateable value of each business that pays business rates in Wales is only half that in England and the size of the firm, unlike England and Scotland, is not taken into account, putting smaller firms at direct disadvantage. So, how will you engage with small businesses in Arfon and their sector representatives, such as the Federation of Small Businesses, to address those concerns?

I’d like to thank the Member for his question and say that that was one person within the FSB and many others in the FSB in north Wales have welcomed the Welsh Government’s cut to business taxes for small and medium-sized businesses in Arfon. The Member mentions the English scheme, but that applies to far fewer businesses. Our scheme will apply to around 70 per cent of businesses and around half of all eligible businesses will pay no rates at all. In terms of the support that we give to businesses in Arfon, I think it’s pretty clear that our assistance is paying dividends, as the number of enterprises operating in Gwynedd has reached a record high, with 15,786 businesses operating in that part of Wales. That’s reflected across the whole of north Wales as well, where a record number of businesses are now operating—just shy of 62,000.