3. 2. Business Statement and Announcement

Part of the debate – in the Senedd at 2:25 pm on 6 June 2017.

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Photo of Jane Hutt Jane Hutt Labour 2:25, 6 June 2017

Mike Hedges, of course, is very aware of the fact that SMEs—the small to medium-sized enterprises—are the backbone of the Welsh economy. It’s the next stage, as you say—growing into medium-sized businesses and beyond. We remain committed to doing all we can to support them to grow and flourish. The construction sector is dominated by SMEs and that’s why the Construction Industry Training Board in Wales is such an important partner. Our Construction Futures Wales programme—that’s specifically tailored to assist them to grow and develop. Also, looking at the opportunities and the importance of house building—helping to diversify the market, promote innovation, increasing housing supply, and assisting those Welsh SME builders to develop and grow into the larger enterprises of the future. Of course, one can draw attention to programmes such as Help to Buy, and also ensure that house building, as one aspect of this, is seen as an extremely important part of the Welsh economy.