PARLIAMENTARY WRITTEN QUESTION
Business: Wales (26 November 2020)

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, what recent discussions he has had with the Chancellor of the Exchequer on the economic support available for Welsh businesses during the covid-19 outbreak.

Asked by:
Andrew Griffith (Conservative)

I have regular discussions with my Rt hon Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer on the UK Government’s support for jobs and businesses in Wales during the Covid-19 outbreak.

Wales is benefitting directly from UK Government support to enable businesses and employees to get through the covid-19 outbreak. Our Coronavirus Business Loan Scheme has supported over 1,600 Welsh businesses; we have backed 48,000 bounce back loans; our Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme (CJRS) has protected over 401,000 jobs and our Self-Employed Income Support Scheme has helped over 113,000 self-employed people in Wales. The UK Government has also guaranteed £5 billion in further funding to the Welsh Government for 2020-21 to support its response to the virus.

At the Spending Review 2020, the Chancellor of the Exchequer confirmed an additional £1.3 billion for the Welsh Government for 2021-22, including £770m to support the response to Covid-19. This demonstrates that we are taking the steps needed to support businesses in Wales and right across the UK.

Answered by:
Simon Hart (Conservative)
2 December 2020