Questions Without Notice from Party Spokespeople

Part of 4. Questions to the Minister for Finance and Trefnydd – in the Senedd at 12:57 pm on 1 July 2020.

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Photo of Rebecca Evans Rebecca Evans Labour 12:57, 1 July 2020

I'll be completely honest, and the level of what we are able to provide in terms of cash straight into the pockets of businesses here in Wales will depend, I think, in large part, on what our financial package looks like in Wales for the rest of the year. So, next Wednesday, we'll have a statement from the Chancellor, which will set out what we would expect to receive from the UK Government in revenue terms for the rest of the year, and I think that we will need to look at that, in terms of the recovery, but also alongside the ongoing pressures that we know we have in terms of dealing with the coronavirus crisis, which still hasn’t left us, despite the loosening of lockdown. So, I can't give any commitment to further grants today.

However, what I will say is that we recognise how important the coronavirus job retention scheme has been for particular sectors. Ken Skates and I wrote jointly to the Chancellor on that specific point, highlighting the need for continued support for specific sectors—so, giving tourism as an example—and also for those businesses who still can't open as a result of the lockdown or the restrictions that remain on particular kinds of businesses, and we'll continue to make those arguments.