4. Statement by the Minister for Economy, Transport and North Wales: Coronavirus (COVID-19)

Part of the debate – in the Senedd at 3:37 pm on 17 March 2020.

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Photo of Ken Skates Ken Skates Labour 3:37, 17 March 2020

Can I thank the Member for his questions? And of course I'd be more than willing to receive any advice that reflects on his own personal experience of overcoming the beef crisis, and in particular in terms of how he and the sector that he is part of ensured that there was a viable future at some of the darkest times that the sector faced back in the 1990s. In terms of the £100 billion that the Member refers to, that's not what businesses are necessarily calling for at the moment—they want grants, they need grant funding, in order to overcome problems with cashflows, with wage bills, and so forth. And, in terms of my meeting with the banks on Thursday, I'll be raising questions concerning forbearance, I'll be raising questions concerning—as I said to Helen Mary Jones—the ability of the banks to operate in a discretionary way here in Wales. And we'll also be discussing how we ensure that UK Government measures, Welsh Government measures, and the actions of the banks individually, tie together in the most effective way. I do take the point that the Member has made, and that other Members have made, in regard to capacity within Business Wales. But, as I've said, we will do all we can to ensure that as much of that demand that is going to come down towards Business Wales is met within that organisation.