I think there's a lot to welcome in the Welsh Government's draft budget and I applaud Ministers for their commitment to invest in the public services that we rely on and indeed in the very future of our nation, and that's despite, of course, as other Members have referred to, Welsh budget is still feeling the consequences, very much so, of the impact of a decade of Westminster's ideologically driven and unnecessary austerity measures.

I just want to talk about one aspect of the budget that I know will be welcomed on high streets and towns and villages throughout the Cynon Valley, and that's the commitment to extend the Welsh Government's enhanced high streets and retail rates relief scheme for a further year. This support for retailers in Wales with a rateable value of up to £50,000 is a real benefit to the small businesses that I know are the backbone of the local economy in my constituency, and I'm sure it's the same in other constituencies up and down Wales. That's shops and retail units, but also the cafes, pubs and restaurants that lead to a thriving town-centre environment and that real community feel as well. We know that this intervention, backed by additional funding, means that over 1,500 small and medium-sized businesses in 2020-1 will receive help towards their rates. And importantly, I think, for businesses with a rateable value of up to £9,100, it means that their rates bills will be reduced to zero for retail properties. Higher values will receive a lifeline of up to £2,500, and that is, of course, in addition to the Welsh Government's permanent small business rates relief scheme.

Similarly, I think the additional discretionary rates relief allocated to local authorities to deal with specific local needs is really important, and it shows the Welsh Government's commitment to empower local government too. I welcome the Minister's announcement that she will double the money allocated to this strand of the package.

I think it's also important to remember that, combined, the Welsh Government's policy means that a higher proportion of small and medium-sized businesses receive support than is the case in England or Scotland. In Wales the scheme currently supports almost 70 per cent of small businesses here, and I think that's something we should be really proud of. The comparative figures for England are just 38 per cent, and 45 per cent for Scotland. All together, what this shows to me is we've got a Welsh Government that's on the side of small business in Wales and it builds on the pre-Christmas Non-Domestic Rating (Multiplier) (Wales) Order 2019. I'm proud to support the Welsh Government's draft budget today, and I commend the finance Minister for what I think is her first draft budget.