Part of the debate – in the Senedd at 4:28 pm on 29 September 2020.
Minister, thank you for your statement this afternoon and for the work the Welsh Government is actually doing to support our businesses throughout this pandemic. I echo the concerns of Helen Mary Jones regarding the steel sector. I listened to your answers, but I have lost confidence in the UK Government at this point in time, particularly as Project Birch seems to have come to a halt. Therefore, I ask you not just to speak to them but to actually shout out loudly and call them out on Project Birch.
In relation to phase 3 of the ERF, can you confirm that businesses that may already have applied for support can still apply for more support from this fund? For example, I have a business in my constituency that provides sound engineering for major concerts and outdoor events. Now, they've not had any business since lockdown started, and they're unlikely to have any business for the next several months. They cannot, probably, afford to include funding to support that because they've had no income in that time. Can you confirm that businesses such as that are able to get funding from this fund to ensure that they can survive? Because they offer a fantastic service to the industry and the entertainment sector, but without that support they may not be here in six months' time.