Questions Without Notice from Party Spokespeople

Part of 1. Questions to the Minister for Economy – in the Senedd at 1:52 pm on 1 December 2021.

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Photo of Vaughan Gething Vaughan Gething Labour 1:52, 1 December 2021

Yes. So, on the additional funding that I was pleased to announce— and I'm particularly pleased to have announced that we'll be delivering that in partnership with local authorities, who will deliver the funding and they'll be able to make choices within the local authority area, so it will cover every single local authority in the country. And the figures that we provided on the number of new jobs we think it will create, as well as those safeguarded, come from our experience of working alongside local authorities and businesses during the pandemic. This, in particular, we think will be of real advantage to small and medium-sized businesses as well.

So, that's the basis on which we have allocated funding and why we have come up with figures about the impact we think it'll have, and I was very pleased to visit a business in the Caerphilly county borough, I believe in the Islwyn constituency, on the launch of the fund, and they've already indicated about the support they've had from previous rounds of support from the Welsh Government, and what that's allowed them to do in diversifying their business and actually managing to grow, and that growth is from local employment—so, decent jobs and the whole thing of, as we say in the Welsh Government, better jobs closer to home. It's a good example of that funding delivering on that. There's been a real appetite from businesses to do that. Part of the challenge has been unlocking business investment themselves. So, the fund allows people to apply for a grant, then to invest some themselves as well. It's a genuine example of 'something for something' that we think has every prospect of being successful. 

On your broader point about business communication regarding the path through the pandemic, I have regular conversations with a variety of different sectors within the economy. I talk with trade unions and I talk with business organisations. I'm having another round of conversations with business groups later this week. So, there is regular communication and business groups themselves say that they've never had a closer or better relationship with the Welsh Government. The necessity of the pandemic has driven some of that, but I actually think there's better understanding and a better sharing of information, trust and confidence.

So, I hope that gives the Member some of the assurance, which I think is reasonable for him to ask for, that there are both regular conversations going on between myself, my officials and business groups, and that those are in a good place to be able to do what we need to do, but I really do hope we don't need to introduce further restrictions. But myself and other Ministers in the Government will make the right choices to keep the people of Wales safe, and to do what we can to save livelihoods at the same time.