6. Will the Minister outline the Welsh Government's economic priorities for businesses in Pembrokeshire over the next 12 months? OQ56544

Yes. Our economic resilience and reconstruction mission sets out our plan for the economy and will be vital to support individuals, businesses and communities to succeed, flourish and recover. We continue to support new and existing businesses in Pembrokeshire through Business Wales and our regional team. We have provided extensive support through the pandemic and the post-Brexit reality that I'm afraid has already seen an impact on Pembrokeshire businesses. We have, though, provided over £109 million in support through the economic resilience fund to Pembrokeshire businesses.

Of course, the next 12 months are crucial in developing new business opportunities, and you have committed today to creating secure and lasting jobs across Wales, and creating the conditions for businesses to grow. Now, in my own constituency, it's great to see the port of Milford Haven move forward in its plans to strengthen its Milford waterfront proposition with construction beginning on the 100-bed Tŷ hotel, which will have a positive impact on the local community and provide local jobs. Minister, I hope you will join me in welcoming the progress made on the project, and could you tell us what the Welsh Government is doing to support and maximise the opportunities from developments like this in Pembrokeshire?

We have a constructive relationship with not just the council, but with a range of stakeholders in Pembrokeshire, and, in fact, the development you speak of is something I know that Joyce Watson the regional Member for Mid and West Wales has mentioned to me in the past as well. So, I'm very keen to look at what we can do to work alongside businesses in Pembrokeshire and beyond to see that there is a realistic and positive future, and I do come back to the point that our challenge in our trading relationship within the United Kingdom, but crucially with the island of Ireland, is a key factor in an area like Milford Haven and the progress that we want to see it make in the future. So, I'm happy to work constructively, as I said, on all sides to see that vision realised.