Part of 1. Questions to the Minister for Economy – in the Senedd at 1:39 pm on 29 September 2021.
Diolch, Llywydd. Minister, after a year and a half, as you know, the coronavirus job retention scheme is now coming to an end. Now, the furlough scheme has been an enormous support to thousands of businesses and people across Wales throughout the pandemic, and as that scheme now comes to an end, there will be some very serious challenges for some businesses and employers. Of course, the Welsh Government will have known for some time that the job retention scheme is now set to end and has had time to consider how it can now best support Welsh businesses going forward. Therefore, Minister, what assessment have you made of recent labour market trends to identify the types of workers and businesses that might find difficulty once the furlough scheme ends? And can you tell us what the Welsh Government has been planning to do to support businesses that may face labour market challenges in the coming months?