Diolch, Dirprwy Llywydd. As Minister for the economy, I have always been clear that small and medium-sized businesses are the backbone of the Welsh economy. Not only are they important in number—of almost 300,000 currently active businesses in Wales, more than 257,000 are micro, small and medium sized—they are all so critical to the way our economy and the way our communities operate.

Through the supply chain, on the high street, in our public services, small and medium-sized businesses make up so much of the vitality and the energy of the Welsh economy and Welsh communities. And from the young tech start-up to the growing artisan brewer, to the locally owned construction firm or the family law practice, how we as a community around them, in turn, support and help those firms to grow, to access finance and to plan for their futures is, in itself, critical to the future of the Welsh economy.

I'm proud of what the Welsh Government has done over the course of devolution to support those small and medium-sized firms. Through Business Wales, we have been able to fill in the gaps and provide high-quality information, advice and guidance to support entrepreneurs and businesses with their plans to start up and grow their businesses through all cycles of growth.

Since 1999, and through the crash of 2008 and beyond, the Welsh Government has proactively supported community-based and locally owned firms at each stage of the business lifecycle—from idea generation, through those often tricky few years, and on to accelerated growth. And I'm proud that, since 2013, Business Wales has dealt with over 126,000 inquiries through its helpline and had over 3 million visits to its website. It's provided business advice to over 71,000 aspiring entrepreneurs and SMEs. It's supported SMEs to create over 28,000 jobs and it has safeguarded a further 45,000. And it has supported entrepreneurs to create 10,500 new businesses.

A feature of its work that I am particularly proud of what has been done has been the inspiration for the next generation of entrepreneurs and business leaders. Through the 406 Big Ideas role models across Wales, over 219,000 young people across all of our schools, colleges and universities have been engaged to think about how they could start their own business or become a successful entrepreneur. It’s what has helped 57 per cent—57 per cent—of young people under 25 to now have aspirations to work for themselves and to be their own bosses, to start their own businesses.