Well, it's a slim document. Andrew R. T. Davies has already given us a pretty good exposition of what could have gone in there, but it's still taken until page 4 for Welsh Government to admit that this strategy represents a significant change. I have to ask, has it really taken 19 years to reach the conclusion that significant change is necessary? 

Welsh Conservatives have been asking you to change tack for literally decades now, and for good reason: the lowest wages in the UK, the lowest GVA in the UK, the lowest growth in the UK, the lowest disposable income in the UK, the lowest investment in the UK, and the poorest PISA results in the UK, as well as some uncomfortable statistics around regional inequality within Wales, business start-ups and so on that I'm sure we’ll hear more about in this debate. 

And, I’m sure that Labour Members and even you, Cabinet Secretary, will come back and point to all the spending that you’ve done and have a go at the UK Government for all the cuts and Barnett reform. But, can I just head you off at the pass there? You’ve had significantly higher sums from the European Union than any other part of the UK during this period. Those UK Government cuts have applied across the UK, not just in Wales, and while we do agree that Barnett isn’t right, you’ve benefited from a funding floor courtesy of the Conservatives and still have higher per capita income via Barnett than England does. You cannot persuasively use those arguments to explain why Wales’s performance compares so badly with other parts of the UK when you have had the benefit of direct advantage or, at least, no greater disadvantage than other nations and regions.

So, let’s have a look at the significant change that you’re promising. You say that, at the heart of this strategy, is a recognition that public services and voluntary partners want to work together towards common objectives.  Well, I’m absolutely not going to argue against this principle, as any strategy, economic or otherwise, should capture talent and ideas from all sources. That is why I want your assurance that 'public services and voluntary partners' is not Welsh Government code for public sector and third sector only. There’s a growing entrenchment in this Government against cross-sector provision of public services and I think that is a mistake. Historic bad private finance initiative and the high-profile idiocy as we’ve seen with Carillion, is not indicative of a wholesale reckless and rapacious private sector in this nation of SMEs. And, in this nation of SMEs, no economic strategy is going to succeed if we fear or demonise our private sector. 

We’ve had plenty of high-level idiocy in the public sector over the years, whether it’s bendy buses in Swansea or chucking money down the drain because of delays to M4 improvements, but no-one’s suggesting turning our backs on the public sector. If anything, Cabinet Secretary, what is needed is a more confident relationship with the private sector with some serious negotiating expertise. We should never worry that it’s Snow White around the table with Darth Vader. And you know that we support taking calculated risks when it comes to investing taxpayers’ money and we accept that some investment will fail, but our constituents—shareholders in Wales plc, if you like—will want you to protect their stake, but they won’t thank you for limiting your options for improving their lives.

They won’t thank you for floating ideas that compromise growth either. The document raises tax- raising and varying powers. We've mentioned business rates and the visitor bed tax. You know the Welsh Conservative and the industry’s position on the latter.