Welsh Conservatives have today accused the First Minister of ignoring ‘meagre’ statistics on the number of business start-ups in Wales.
Latest figures show Wales is home to the second lowest number of new businesses across the 12 nations and regions of the UK. The figures also show the level of Welsh business start-ups has fallen in five of the last six years. In 2010, the number fell below the 2002 level.
Speaking during First Minister’s Questions this week, the Leader of the Welsh Conservatives in the Assembly accused the First Minister of being too slow to act in supporting small businesses and allowing them to flourish.
Mr Davies said:
“It’s well over eight months since the Assembly election and yet still the First Minister drags his feet and still progress on the economy is frustratingly sluggish.
“A co-founder of Admiral recently claimed that the right strategy for the Welsh economy is to find 25 businesses like his. In reality, the number of business start-ups in Wales is going backwards. These meagre figures cannot be positive progress.
“Even the First Minister agrees the private sector in Wales is too small. Yet only now, almost a year after the UK Government announced its intentions on enterprise zones, is the Welsh Labour Government providing any real detail on similar plans here.
“When questioned on start-up figures, the First Minister chooses simply to ignore them. That attitude must end a more integrated and constructive approach must begin.”
