3. Will the First Minister make a statement on what the Welsh Government is doing to assist businesses in South Wales Central? OAQ(5)0450(FM)

[Interruption.] Yes. We are delivering a range of actions to help new and existing businesses to develop, grow and support. That includes business support, advice and investment in digital and transport infrastructure.

I am not quite sure why the backbenchers are muttering there. It’s perfectly within the right of a Member to raise a question in this place, and First Minister’s questions is the time for that to happen. First Minister, I have commended the Welsh Government previously for the money they have made available for transitional relief around the business rates scheme. They made an announcement on 17 December of an additional £10 million—or the Welsh Government made an announcement on 17 December of an additional £10 million—to assist in the recent revaluation exercise of businesses in South Wales Central and, indeed, across Wales. To date, no more information has come out from the Welsh Government as to how that money will be delivered, despite us on these benches, and others in the Chamber, pressing for some more information. We were told that that information would come out in early February. To date, I don’t think that information has been forthcoming from the Welsh Government. When will the Welsh Government be coming forward as to how you are going to distribute that money, so that businesses can make the decisions that they need to make ahead of the new financial year?

By the end of this week.

Thank you.

In the climate change committee, we heard evidence that businesses that have actually done the right thing and put solar panels on their roofs are actually being charged additional business rates. So, my question is, really: what levers does the Welsh Government have to support businesses that have a positive social and environmental impact, e.g. healthy food establishments, and to discourage businesses that have a negative impact, e.g. betting shops, pay-day lenders and other organisations that Mike Hedges raised earlier?

We do this mainly through procurement. Wales’s procurement policy encourages the Welsh public sector to apply approaches whereby community benefits or social clauses are core to contract award criteria wherever possible. By doing so, contract award decisions can favour those suppliers who provide strong evidence of delivering against our social clause requirements. So, procurement can be an effective tool in encouraging good business practice and, indeed, good business practice in the community.

First Minister, the real question you should be answering is what you are going to do to try and restore just some credibility in the Welsh Government after giving the business community in Wales 53 million reasons to lose faith in you. At least £53 million is how much your Government has lost in gross incompetence with business support and land deals—£53 million lost at least. When will a thorough investigation take place?

In terms of the answer I gave some moments ago, I can say to him that 97.6 per cent of the businesses that we support are successful, and that is an excellent record in itself.