4. Will the Cabinet Secretary outline the support available to businesses in mid Wales to expand their operations? OAQ52066

Yes. As set out in the economic action plan, we are delivering a range of actions in partnership to support a stronger, fairer economy and to help businesses to develop, grow and prosper across Wales. This includes business support, business advice and investment in strategic infrastructure, including premises.

Can I thank you for your answer, Cabinet Secretary? I am being approached by an increasingly larger number of businesses that want to expand their businesses but can't, and this is because there are no suitable accommodation or commercial sites available for them to expand their operations. Now, there is a shortage, I think, of commercial units, particularly in the Welshpool and Newtown area, but I know that this is a problem in other parts of Wales as well, and I think that this is now becoming the main barrier preventing business growth. Now, I suspect that you will be aware of this issue, but I wonder if you could outline what your Government is doing to support businesses in this particular situation, and I'd also be grateful to know if you could comment on any support for advance or speculative units to support business growth. I'd be grateful if you would be prepared to meet with me with a handful of businesses that have this problem—which I think is a welcome problem to have, of course.

I'd be more than happy to meet with the Member and businesses, along with, if I may suggest, the chief regional officer who is putting together the regional plan for mid and south-west Wales. The problem that Russell George identifies is one that Chris Sutton, an expert in this field, has identified as well. As a consequence of this known problem, the economic action plan was developed to specifically address the lack of available and suitable premises for growing businesses.

In mid Wales, in the areas that the Member represents, we've invested in places to accommodate companies such as Zip-Clip, Invertek Drives and Charlies Stores. I think it's fair to say that the development that has taken place in Welshpool in particular has been transformational for that community. But there is an intensifying need to develop and deliver more suitable premises elsewhere, as well as still in Welshpool.

We've recently sold seven acres of land in Abermule to Powys County Council. Their proposal is to construct small, high-quality, advance business units as part of the site, but I do believe that there is an important role in this regard for the mid Wales growth deal. I met last week with Lord Bourne and the Growing Mid Wales partners and we discussed, in very general terms, what is required for mid Wales to flourish and to become more prosperous. It's my view that, if you're to drive economic growth in a sustainable way, you have to ensure that you invest in skills and infrastructure and the right regional vehicles for supporting economic growth. And, with infrastructure, as the Member has highlighted, site premises are crucially important.