Leader & Deputy First Minister & Economic Development & Transport: Leuan Wyn Jones
Parliamentary Group Leader: Elfyn Llwyd
Plaid Cymru are yet to publish their manifesto for Westminster, but since the creation of the Welsh Assembly they claim to have done the following for small & medium sized businesses based in Wales:
- Improvements to procurement processes for Small and Medium Enterprises, including faster payments with the Welsh Assembly Government now paying 92.5% of invoices within a ten-day target.
- The release of Welsh Assembly Government land for new, affordable housing and securing an extra £42 million to help towards the creation of 6,500 new affordable homes.
- Bringing forward capital expenditure of up to £123.4 million for capital projects to help stimulate the construction industry in Wales.
- £48 million secured for the ProAct scheme to help businesses retain staff faced with redundancy.
- £35 million invested in the ReAct scheme helping those made redundant with re-training and re-employment.
- Ensured that convergence funding is spent strategically to have maximum impact with greater emphasis on supporting business.
- Ensured that Wales is in a position to take full advantage of the additional £50 million funding for Objective 1 which was created by the fluctuation in the exchange rate – one of the few UK Objective 1 regions to do so.
- Created a fund totalling £20 million for Apprenticeships focused on up-skilling young people.
- Provided extra business rate relief, adding another 10,600 to the 37,000 existing smaller business across Wales who benefit from this.
- Ensured that Finance Wales is providing commercial funding to growing Small and Medium Enterprises throughout Wales and working with the European Investment Bank to create a new £150 million investment fund for small businesses.
- Established a £9.5 million pound Mortgage Rescue Scheme – the first nation in the UK to take swift action to help those at risk of losing their homes.
- Made £600,000 available to allow credit unions, as responsible lenders, to extend their financial services to the most vulnerable and to promote good financial advice to enable financial inclusion.
- Created a new £17 million initiative to provide training opportunities for students and graduates.
- Announced a £35 million investment initiative to help thousands of Welsh businesses turn their innovative ideas into cutting-edge products.
- Funded the ‘Agile Workforce’ scheme – a £12.5 million project to help tackle the difficulties that women face in the job market.
