Thank you, Presiding Officer. I'm going to focus my remarks, if I can, today on the impact of the pandemic on Welsh businesses and the Welsh economy. I think, on the whole, the four Governments of the United Kingdom have worked well together, coping with the challenges of the pandemic, but I think where the issue is, is while we started well together, I find it so disappointing that we're easing the lockdown at a different pace. And for me, this creates more problems, I think, than solutions. It puts Welsh businesses at a specific disadvantage to our, of course, neighbours in England.

And for me, it would, of course, have been preferable if the whole of the UK could have been acting in a unified way because the difference in approach is only going to serve, I think, to compound the confusion and frustration of businesses, particularly those located along the border, and many of us here this afternoon will be representing those kinds of constituencies. I think any public inquiry will have to look at how different approaches and timescales in terms of business support have affected businesses each side of the border. I think of a couple of examples—of Hafren Furnishers in my own constituency and how their competitors, effectively, across the border can operate and they can't.

And there's another example, Presiding Officer, in the difference in restrictions on general aviation in Wales, where restrictions have been lifted in England but not in Wales. And this means that general aviation pilots who have based their aircraft at the mid Wales airport in Welshpool—. Some of the people who use that airport will have to use aircraft on English airfields, and that actually might happen permanently, and, of course, that's the worry for the airport and for me. So, I think we must trust businesses to make judgments for themselves and in their ability to comply with social distancing measures. 

Perhaps turning to some other issues as well, the economic resilience fund I'm sure will be a lifeline to many businesses, but I just don't think that money is getting to those businesses quickly enough now, and I hope that the Minister responding today will perhaps be able to tell us how many businesses have been able to receive their funding to date from that fund.

And I'm also aware that there's an issue with local authorities across Wales—some have been giving their business rate grants much quicker than others. So, I think any public inquiry has also got to look at the difference in approach between different local authorities across Wales, because getting that money quickly to businesses, as some local authorities have done—including mine, which did it very well—is going to be a big advantage to those businesses, but not so in other parts of Wales.

So, I do think, as well, with a number of measures now—we're talking about a public inquiry in the future—I certainly think there are gaps that need to be filled now and I think it's also essential that the economic resilience fund, its next phase, is brought forward from the 29 June date particularly. And I do think that there are specific areas of business support that still need to be addressed, which I'll go through briefly: the recently self-employed; smaller sole traders; business owners who don't employ anyone else, but pay themselves dividends, who are not limited companies; and certainly a long-term package for the tourism sector. We've seen that in other parts of the UK, but not here in Wales. So, I think that'll have to be part of a public inquiry as well. And, of course, business rate support for those businesses that are part of a larger complex.

So, as we look to the future, I think it will also be incumbent on the Welsh Government to provide an ongoing package of support that isn't limited to the current lockdown. And while I appreciate we're in extraordinary times, I think the Welsh Government needs to do far more to kick-start the Welsh recovery now. Otherwise, I think Welsh businesses and the Welsh economy is going to be at a significant disadvantage. So, I think any public inquiry has got to look at how we're handling business support now in comparison, certainly, to other parts of the United Kingdom.