Part of 1. Questions to the Minister for Economy – in the Senedd at 2:16 pm on 7 July 2021.
We've been round this track several times, as the Member is aware, on when the choices are made and how the schemes actually look to provide cover for the costs that businesses have incurred. So, the scheme that we're in the application process of now, where the eligibility checker is open, and applications will open next week, will look to cover costs from the end of the last period of business support through to the end of August. That's the way we've done things consistently, and it's a matter of fact, not opinion, that we do provide a more generous package of support to the relevant businesses that the Member raises here in Wales compared to England.
Our big challenge, though, is our ability to continue to support businesses through this emergency period of time, where the pandemic has had a material impact on their ability to trade successfully, and what we're going to be able to do as we hope to be able to take further steps forward in easing restrictions and opening up more economic activity. That goes back to the points that were made in previous questions about the balance between the public health position here in Wales, the success of our world-beating, world-leading vaccination programme, and the economic activity we want to safely restore and the next stage in our approach. As the Member will know, as part of our 21-day review process, it's only a short period of time before we're able to make further concrete decisions to help support businesses in the next stage of the recovery.