Part of 1. Questions to the First Minister – in the Senedd at 2:16 pm on 26 May 2021.
First Minister, the latest package that you refer to was in regard to support that businesses could see for the first time when the eligibility checker opened last Monday and businesses were left disappointed and let down. I don't think it's right to dismiss the views of businesses, as I think you did to the leader of the opposition earlier today. What causes further frustration to businesses is when they keep hearing the Welsh Government repeat this line that they're offering the best business support of the UK nations, because the reality is that the offer is far more generous in Scotland and England in terms of business support under the current announcements that you've made. We know that gyms in England will receive £18,000 to reopen, and in Wales it's only up to £5,000. The hospitality sector in England have reopening grants; in Wales, we've got pubs and other eating establishments that are not able to claim because the criteria are too strict. And when it comes to the criteria, there's a long list of criteria to meet, such as providing evidence that there's a minimum of 60 per cent reduction in trade—in turnover—over the last 12 months, but many businesses simply can't do that because they've not yet had those accounts produced. You can't rewind fully the clock in terms of the business support that was missing in April in Wales, but you can address and plug the gaps in announcements going forward. So, can I ask you, First Minister, to revisit the business support schemes, ensure that they're comparable with support elsewhere in the UK, and ensure particularly that the criteria are not so strict and rigid, and business can access funding fairly and appropriately?