3. Statement by the Minister for Economy: Moving the Welsh Economy Forward

Part of the debate – in the Senedd at 3:23 pm on 19 October 2021.

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Photo of James Evans James Evans Conservative 3:23, 19 October 2021

I'd like to thank the Minister for your statement. The title of this particular statement was 'Moving the Welsh Economy Forward', and it's really refreshing to hear a Welsh Labour Government Minister who wants to move the economy forward. But this does come from a Minister whose party has been in Government here in Wales for the past 20-plus years. Welsh workers have the lowest weekly wages in Great Britain, while businesses in Wales pay the highest rate of business rates in Great Britain, and, to top it off, key infrastructure decisions to drive our economy forward after COVID have been put on ice by the Deputy Minister through his moratorium on road building. However, if we are moving the economy forward, maybe that's all in the past.

In your statement, you mentioned apprenticeships. I think that's a really positive step. You know, the backing local firms fund, I think that's positive. There were some positives in your statement—