4. Statement by the Minister for Economy, Transport and North Wales: Economic Response to COVID-19

Part of the debate – in the Senedd at 4:32 pm on 1 April 2020.

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Photo of Mike Hedges Mike Hedges Labour 4:32, 1 April 2020

I've just been unmuted. Thank you, Presiding Officer. Can I also join my thanks to those people working in the essential part of our economy? We often talk about the foundation part of our economy; we're now discovering what the essential part of our economy is. I hope that we will use that term much more often. 

I've had a number of issues raised with me by constituents that I'd like to raise with the Minister. The first one relates to small brewers. The large brewers can move from production of barrels to cans and bottles sent out to retail outlets. It is not possible for smaller producers to do exactly the same thing, who are used to sending to pubs, clubs and restaurants. They haven't got the capacity to turn everything into cans and bottles. This sector, as the Minister knows, is a growth sector of the Welsh economy, not least in Swansea. What advice or help can the Minister provide to them?

The second point is regarding small and medium-sized manufacturing units and call centres staying open where social isolation is not possible and where facilities are shared. Is there an intention to close down non-essential manufacturing and call centres? Because a number of them, because haven't been officially closed down, are staying open.

Two final points. What is a rugby club? Is it a pub, is it a leisure facility, or is it a social enterprise? According to the general laws that define it, it will be picked up differently. There are an awful lot of rugby clubs in Wales that wished to sell lots of beer at the last rugby international that didn't, and they're not quite sure where they fit into this situation.

Finally, something that has come to my attention this afternoon. Some shops are now telling people they can't take their children into the shops with them. Now, for single mothers, if they can't take their children in to do their food shopping, they can't do their food shopping. So, are you aware of that? As I say, it's only been brought to my attention this afternoon. If you are, are you doing something? If you're not, can you actually do something? Because these people are going to be unable to get access to food unless they can access the supermarkets and other shops that are now telling them, 'You can't come in with your children.' Well, if their children are four or five, there's nothing else you can do with them.