9. Will the First Minister make a statement on the Welsh Government's policies for supporting the economy during the current pandemic? OQ55325

Llywydd, we're doing all that we can to mitigate the effects of the pandemic on our economy. Our £1.7 billion package of support means Welsh businesses have access to the most generous help for business anywhere in the United Kingdom.

Thank you, First Minister. These are clearly challenging times. You said earlier, in response to question 4—I think it was to Janet Finch-Saunders—that where certain areas of the economy, such as hospitality and tourism, cannot reopen, the UK Government furloughing scheme should continue. Of course, it strikes me that if those areas of the economy are reopening in England, then there will be no furloughing and therefore no consequential money for furloughing in Wales. So, is it not the case, First Minister, that, for the good of the Welsh economy, it's important that you do review the situation and look to reopen as much of the hospitality industry as possible in Wales as swiftly and as safely as possible? And if that isn't possible, then surely your Government will have to look at ways of funding support schemes, such as furloughing, yourselves, and that surely must involve some sort of extra borrowing or tax rises at some point in time.

Well, Llywydd, both the words 'swift' and 'safe' have to mean something in all of this. It can't be swift at the expense of safe, and if it were to be, then it wouldn't be very swift at all because we'd just be plunged back into the crisis from which we are now emerging.

Nobody should believe that the announcements made yesterday by the UK Government mean that the hospitality industry in England will resume as it was before the crisis began. I thought the Prime Minister was very clear himself about that yesterday. There will be a need to support that industry at a UK level, and that's what we look to the UK Government to do.

Finally, Russell George.

Diolch, Llywydd. First Minister, the further job losses at Laura Ashley, an iconic and major employer in Newtown, would have been headline news if it wasn't for this current pandemic. It's absolutely devastating, of course, that the retail and manufacturing operations will cease. This couldn't have come at a worse time, I'm sure you'll agree. Just a few months ago, approximately 550 workers were employed by Laura Ashley in Newtown. Hundreds have been made redundant and, clearly, those who are remaining in work are anxious as their jobs hang in the balance. There was a loyal workforce in Newtown, many working for the company for decades.

Can I implore the Welsh Government to leave no stone unturned when it comes to this final opportunity to save this internationally renowned company, which has a long history of employing whole families in my constituency? What advice can you give to those who have been made redundant? And finally, what more can the Welsh Government do to support the highly skilled and loyal staff, or former staff, of Laura Ashley and all those in the wider supply chain who have been adversely affected by this very, very sad news?

Llywydd, can I agree with the Member about the seriousness of the news? Employment has been, as Russell George said, over many, many years within that industry, and whole families have been part of that experience. It is very sad, and we would, at other times, have been concentrating on it in a different way. But the Welsh Government will mobilise the help that we have used successfully in other examples of this sort, working with UK operations—the Department for Work and Pensions, and so on—as well as the things that we are able to put together to do everything we can to see that anything further that might still be possible in terms of the industry itself, and where that isn't possible, to invest in the skills of that local population to discover other opportunities, and to make sure that all the help that we can provide, alongside others, is mobilised for the benefit of the Member's constituents in the very difficult circumstances that they must face.

Thank you, First Minister.