Questions Without Notice from Party Spokespeople

Part of 2. Questions to the Minister for Finance and Trefnydd – in the Senedd at 3:02 pm on 11 March 2020.

Alert me about debates like this

Photo of Rebecca Evans Rebecca Evans Labour 3:02, 11 March 2020

Well, the Wales development bank sits within the portfolio of my colleague the Minister for economy, but I do know that it has done really sterling work in terms of helping to support businesses prepare for Brexit. And in many ways, this is about helping businesses prepare for something difficult, so we can learn some of those same lessons.

It's been really important in terms of those property development loans, but also support for microbusinesses in terms of supporting them to grow, if they wish to grow. So, I think there are opportunities really to use those links that we have with those individual businesses to potentially offer support and advice, and this is one of the joys of being a small nation at difficult times, namely that you do have those individual relationships and you do have those opportunities to share information and advice.

But I know that Ken Skates will be looking closely at what role the Wales development bank can play in terms of supporting businesses as we face coronavirus. And I know that colleagues across Government will be having more to say about their own individual contributions to the effort in due course.