I'm pleased to take part in this debate this afternoon. Llywydd, we entered lockdown as a United Kingdom and as four nations, and I believe that it's, sadly, deeply damaging to the Welsh economy that we're easing lockdown in a disunited way. Yesterday, we saw the Prime Minister announce an ease of social distancing guidance and reopening of the hospitality sector. Of course, that was relevant for England. And this will allow parts of our economy, in parts of the United Kingdom, to reopen in a cautious and measured way.

Now interestingly, all of the UK's chief medical officers were unanimous in their view that the COVID-19 alert level should be lowered. Now, I'm not for one instance suggesting that some of the decisions that Governments have to make are easy—far from it. But I firmly do believe that we do need a review of the 2m rule, and trusting our business community and the public to act responsibly, with common sense. So I think my message is: let's trust our businesses. And the feedback I get from my constituents, on a border constituency like Montgomeryshire, indicates that people are crying out for a unified and co-ordinated approach to lifting economic restrictions across the UK.

One of the key sectors, of course, of the mid Wales economy is hospitality and that industry. I notice a Bevan Foundation report highlights that rural Wales is amongst those parts of Wales with a higher number of businesses closed due to COVID-19. So, I just think that businesses need aspiration and hope, and they're crying out for something, and I just believe that the Welsh Government needs to be giving that leadership and hope to many of our smaller businesses in particular. Many hospitality and tourism businesses are ready to implement proper distancing and reopen their premises, but I think it's the uncertainty and the confusion that is putting our hospitality industry, sadly, on the brink of collapse. One example is the sad news that Castell Howell, one of our biggest food companies in Wales, has announced that it may have to make up to 700 people redundant if clarity and a clear roadmap isn't forthcoming from the Welsh Government at the earliest opportunity.

I think it's also important that I touch on the housing market—an issue that has been raised by estate agents with me. Again, many of the estate agents operating in my constituency work across the border, in England and Wales. And estate agents are, understandably, demanding that we have a UK approach, because people in Wales aren't able to enter a property unless it's vacant. And it escapes me why we couldn't simply have moved to viewings being conducted in that way in a unified position. Welsh homeowners are unable to sell, whilst English sellers have an advantage.

Another casualty, sadly, during this pandemic is the mid Wales-based Laura Ashley, which has been an iconic part of the mid-Wales economy for the best part of 60 years. Laura Ashley and her husband started that business just up the road from where I was brought up in Carno, employing 550 highly skilled loyal staff now, or that was the case at the beginning of the year.

I'm very pleased that the Minister brought forward a statement on this earlier this afternoon, so maybe that gives the Minister an opportunity to address how he thinks some of those who have been made redundant in recent weeks can be supported by the Welsh Government. I have to say, I don't think that the end of that company is particularly down to the pandemic; I think other issues were at play as well, but I'm sure that the economic confidence in Wales, which has been dented by the pandemic, has perhaps put a pressure on undermining the CEOs of Laura Ashley's ability to find a financial backer during the uncertain economic times. And the knock-on consequences of COVID-19 I think will be felt in every part of Wales for some time to come.

As I draw my remarks to an end, Deputy Presiding Officer, I listened to Helen Mary's contribution, and I'm sorry that Plaid can't support our recovery fund, but I did hear a lot of what Helen Mary said—there was much, I think, that we can agree on. Our country can't afford to fall further behind the rest of the UK, so I would strongly urge the Welsh Government not to micromanage the economy. We must have the courage to reopen our economy in a cautious and measured way. And I'll end with a phrase from Michael Plaut to Meirion Morgan in their recent report for Gorwel:

'The future of Wales doesn’t belong to the faint hearted, it belongs to the brave.'

Diolch, Dirprwy Lywydd.