The Leader of the Welsh Conservatives in the Assembly has challenged the Labour-Plaid government to take responsibility for dramatically failing the business sector in Wales.
During First Minister’s Questions, Nick Bourne AM has demanded to know when a manufacturing strategy will be published for Wales and why small businesses are not being properly supported.
While jobs in manufacturing have dropped dramatically over the last eleven years, the number of business start-ups has also fallen for the last three years that data is available.
During 2008 the figure stood at 9,300; down 6.2 per cent on the previous year.
Mr Bourne said: “Small and medium sized enterprises are the backbone of our economy and key to growth in the private sector, yet they are not getting the support they need.
“The current rates relief scheme is not as good as the assistance offered in Scotland and Northern Ireland and it falls far short of Welsh Conservative proposals.
“We should be encouraging people to set up business here. Instead thousands must be wistfully dreaming of how much cheaper it would be to start a company somewhere else in the UK.
“That’s simply not good enough, and combined with the non-existent manufacturing strategy we’ve previously been promised, it is not hard to see why our business sector is struggling.
“Rather than ignore the voice of Welsh business, this Labour-Plaid administration must listen to it intently.
“This simply isn’t happening and despite renewed assurances throughout the year, we still do not have a strengthened Business Partnership Council.
“Labour-Plaid are failing our businesses and ignoring the consequences.”
