Part of 1. 1. Questions to the First Minister – in the Senedd at 1:56 pm on 28 February 2017.
I don’t know where those figures that Russell George quotes this afternoon are emanating from, in terms of the evidence. I would like to put the record straight that the latest data show that the number of business births in Wales has grown every year since the financial crisis, and in 2015 reached a record high of 11,525. I’m sure that Russell George would agree with me that these results are extremely encouraging, and they demonstrate a climate in Wales where businesses are confident to start, grow and thrive.