Part of 1. Questions to the Minister for Economy, Transport and North Wales – in the Senedd at 2:21 pm on 11 November 2020.
Can I thank Janet Finch-Saunders for her question? I'm sure that she would agree with me that the pressure that accommodation providers are under because there is the lockdown in England is regrettable, obviously, but it's necessary. It is necessary that the virus is brought under control in England, as we have been bringing it under control in Wales, in order to secure the rest of the 2020 season for businesses and to ensure that we give the NHS the headroom to get through to the new year. We have been providing, and we will continue to provide those businesses that have been severely affected, with financial support. There's the £200 million lockdown business grants fund that is still available to businesses—those businesses that were affected not just during the firebreak but also during the period preceding that, where there were local lockdown arrangements in place. That fund is still available. I'd encourage all Members to point to that fund when businesses get in touch with them. And whilst it's highly unlikely that there will be a significant underspend in terms of the ring-fenced £20 million development grants fund, we are looking, as I said in response to previous questions, at how we can utilise a £35 million underspend from the first phase of the economic resilience fund to support businesses, and I'm keen to make sure that we give local authorities the discretion to be able to make awards to businesses using that underspend, that £35 million. That's my preference.