2. Business Statement and Announcement

Part of the debate – in the Senedd at 2:35 pm on 17 March 2020.

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Photo of Leanne Wood Leanne Wood Plaid Cymru 2:35, 17 March 2020

I eagerly await the statement from the Minister with responsibility for business and the economy later, and I will be asking some questions about that. I also look forward to the statement from the Chancellor. Now I, as I'm sure have many other Members, have had scores of messages—if not hundreds—from people who are concerned about the economic impact of coronavirus. This was ramped up after the Prime Minister's announcement last night, because people were told not to go to pubs and clubs and restaurants, but pubs and clubs and restaurants have not been told to close, which obviously has implications from an insurance perspective.  The latest self-isolation advice I think is good—a bit late, but good—but without support so many of those small businesses are going to go to the wall, as a result of that latest advice.

So, how is support going to be provided to those small businesses? How is support going to be provided to those people who will be forced to take time off from work, but have no other source of income? Businesses are going to need help with paying staff, with covering overheads, while they have no customers. The announcement on business rates doesn't cover a lot of businesses in the Rhondda, because they're not paying anyway, even though, for those who are affected, it's welcome.

In Ireland, there's been an emergency payment of €203 a week for all employees and self-employed people who've lost employment or business as a result of COVID-19. Now, this has been welcomed right throughout that country, and it needs to be considered here as a matter of urgency. The banks had a bailout in 2008. Businesses, the self-employed, and those on zero-hours contracts need a bailout now, of a similar size and scale. I'm talking here billions and not millions. Now, I recognise that this is a matter beyond Welsh budgets, but would the Government support a basic income along these lines? And, if you would, can we have a statement outlining what discussions you can have with Westminster to support the rolling out of such a proposal? I'd also like to know what, in the interim in terms of guarantees, can be offered to businesses to guard against them going under. I'm sure much more of this will become clear after the Chancellor's statement.

Like many communities, in the Rhondda, we've set up a community network. The idea is that we have at least one person in each street to keep an eye out on everyone who may have to stay at home, and 400 people have registered so far. Now, our volunteers will need practical best practice advice in order to keep safe and to prevent them from passing any virus on to the people they're meant to be looking after. They'll also need preferential access to basic items in the shops. In the battle of survival of the fittest, older and ill people are not winning, so we'll need also to protect people from the unscrupulous. And we will need to provide volunteers with a list of useful numbers of key professionals, in case the situation at homes deteriorates for them and professional help is needed.

So, what can the Government do to help community networks and volunteers with these questions that I've raised with you this afternoon? Will you recognise that not all areas are covered by community councils? We don't have any community councils in the Rhondda. Can we have a specific statement about community action, volunteering, and keeping everyone safe? And for anyone wanting to get involved in the Rhondda community network, please go to 'Coronavirus—Rhondda Community Network' on Facebook, and they can find out how to register as a community volunteer for their street there. Diolch yn fawr.