 Good afternoon, and thank you for watching today. I'd like to set out, if I may, the economic measures that the Welsh Government is taking to help businesses through the two-week firebreak that the First Minister announced just yesterday. Now the measures that I will set out today demonstrate our determination to stand with working people and with businesses as we collectively attempt to bring coronavirus under control and give our economy the best chance gyda'r rhiforol dweud. Rwy'r rôl y dyfodol ybydd yma, yr october 2023, ac yn ymwybod ar y dyfodol y 9th. A复 yw cyfnod, sy'n 6 pŵen ymweld y Ffridag, mae yna, mae yna, mae yna, mae yna, dwi'n gwneud i'r fanlunol iawn, mae yna, mae yna, mae yna, mae yna, mae yna, mae yna, mae yna, mae yna, yna, mae yna, mae yna, mae yna, mae yna, mae yna, mae yna, mae yna, mae yna, supported by us new yma sy'n lleol sy'n erro. Nolwch cymdeithasyn yma yn ddim yn ei fydd. A'i allan gyfnod yn cyflawn wych yn cylliw y bydd, cyflawn f perdwyr ar gyfer gyflawn ym arddangos ar gyfer gyflawn. Rydw i'n credu i'r clyweddau yma, cyfeidiol yn cyfeidiolaint ar gyfer gyfer gyfrydym yn economi ar gwrth gyrdd o'r clyweddau, a dwi'n gydag dechrau'n nefyd ac sylweddau. Mae'r bywyddoedd a'r bywyddoedd yn ymweld ymlaen i gael ymddangos yng nghymru yn yng Nghymru. Mae'r Fyglwyr Rhywunio Cymru, ym mhwyf yn ymweld 500 miliwn i'r 630 miliwn. Mae'n helpu i'r ffyrdd o'r 100,000 ysgol yw'r ffyrdd yn ymddiad. Mae'r bywyddoedd yn ddechrau'r ddweud, a'r bywyddoedd yn ddechrau'r bywyddoedd ym mhwyf yn ymweld ymweld. Mae'r ffyrdd o'r 5000 ffyrdd yn ymweld i'w gael ymweld, a'r bywyddoedd yn ei gael ymweld i'w gael ymweld yn ymweld i'w ffyrdd yn ymweld. Mae'r bywyddoedd yn ei ddweud o'r 12,000 ym 1,000 a 50,000. Mae'r bywyddoedd yn maen nhw'n mynd i'r ffridd o'r llais, ac felly mae'n andangos gyrtaeth rôl a codi gwahad yr ysgol yn ein gydagon ni. Felly, y cyfnodd Cymru ofyn o gredwi'n rhoi gefrugau o casfodol o phabwm o'r cyfnodd Cymru o'r iawn o ddodol i gyfnodd cyfnodd i'r ddodol cerdd i gaelwyr, ac mae'n oes iddo sefydig o sydd gyfnodd o gallu cyfnodd Cymru o'r ddodol i gaelwyr o'r ddodol cerddig o phabwm o ddodol, i gyfnodd cyfnodd o'r ffiarod o'r tawr ffairwyr. Felly, yn gwneud o gael y 20 miliwn i gweithio, mae gennym ni i'n gweithio a'n amlwgwch ar gweithio pethau ac mae'n gweithio'r achor i gweithio fel pethau ar gyfer o'r ffairwyr yn gweithio'r gweithio. Mae'n ddiddordech chi 100 miliwn i gweithio'r gweithio. Mae'n cael eu gweithio gweithio ar gwaith. Mae'r ddiddordech yn gweithio'r gweithio'r gweithio sydd wedi gweld gweithio i'r cyfnodau y Gweithfodd Cymru, oherwydd, mae'r cwmaint arall yn cael ei wneud. Mae'n ffordd yn rhan o'r cyffredinol iawn, ac mae'n ffordd yn cael ei bod nhw'n bwysig o'r cyfnodau yw'r gweithio ymlaenol, oherwydd mae'n bwysig o'r gyffredinol iawn yr ysgol ddweud. Felly, ydw i'r gweithio yma yw'r cyfrifiadau sy'n bwysig o'n bwysig o'r gweithfodau, cyd-o'r cyrwydd hwn yn dweud uchelu'r cyd-o'r cyd-wyrthoedd y Swydd. Felly ymdau chi'n gwneud o'n grefnoddau cyd-o'r cyd-o'r cyd-o'r cyd-o'r cyd-wyrth yw i'ch gael y myneddau Llywodraeth, i bilio y ddylu yn adrofiadodol, y pwynyddio i'n ddyflwyno'r sfrinddedd a'r blwyddygoi gyflwyno i gael y byd. Mae'r cyfliadau a'r dleidw i'w cyfliadau i'ch gweithio i g müs yma yn cael ei ddweud yr uned gan eu cyfliadau. Undodd wedi'i cydymnau worthy oEL ac yn y cyfliadau'r ysgolod ddechu'r wael pan ddoedd i'r rhaglen i chi i gyd-dwyddol. Mae'r cyd-fŷn iawn erbyn gwneud i'r cyd-fŵr, y gallwn i'n cael ei gwaith i'r trôl gweithio. A mynd i'n mynd i'n mynd i'n cael eu cyd-fŵr iawn, ychydig y chyfbwysig, eich cyd-fŵr iawn yn llwyr. Mae'r cyd-fŵr iawn yn llwyntu cyffredinol a chyfyddiadau rhai o'r pethau oherwydd yna'r cyd-fŵr iawn. Yn ymwineith i gael gael mae'r fransbort i gyfan, a i gwneud trafodd ei flies i'r gweithio'r poloedd ar hyn arnesfyniadol, yn y gweithiol, ddim gael gweithio'r fransbort ar Wales a maen nhw'n bwysau'r perthygau am droi'r lleonau Oes ein clyw dechrau, a dwi wedi dechrau'n bwysigol ar gael ddiweddodol ac arall y torniadau rwyf yn cael ei registeru.headgell fan o'r fforddach, a hyn o'r llai a hwnnw hefyd, i'r ffordd ac i ddechrau'r ganddain disabledig. Mae yna peth yn amser, mae hi'n gwneud yn cyfathu yn cael ei gweithio'n môr yn cyfathau'n ei gwerthydd. Mae hwnnw hynno ar y cyfansbeth cyfansbeth sy'n cael ei ffordd – mae'r pryd yn gallu'n cerdd yma eu cyfansbeth yn gyllid i'r ysgolol. Busers and trains used by pupils to access schools and those across the border to England, where current restrictions are different, will be protected. Now I'd like to end by acknowledging very clearly that I recognise businesses in Wales who face a very difficult time over the next few weeks. I hope though that what we are announcing today will offer our businesses, our workers, the people of Wales, the security of knowing that the Welsh Government has your back as we enter this necessary period of action to control the virus and save the NHS. Of course this is a well-being crisis too, with emotional and mental resilience wearing thin, which only makes the need for us to stand together all the more important, just as we did. From March onward we must unite again, in common cause, to support the NHS, to save lives and to protect livelihoods. Now I'll now move to questions, beginning today with James Williams from BBC Wales. James. Thank you very much Minister. From a wage support point of view, this fire break period, as you've alluded to, covers two support packages, the furlough scheme, which ends on the 31st October, and then the new job support scheme. The problem is that some people won't be able to be furloughed for that last week or so. How many people are going to fall through the cracks here in Wales? Do you know that figure? The Treasury told you, which we had told last week, that they weren't going to bring the job support scheme forward. So why don't you have a contingency in place for those people already, and what are you going to do now, looking forward, to make sure that those people don't miss out on their week or so wages? Well thank you James. First of all, for viewers watching this today, there are two different intervention rates for the job retention scheme and the job support scheme. Firstly, the job retention scheme is offering support to the extent of about 60%. The job support scheme is more generous, 67%. We, as a Welsh Government, said to the Treasury that we were willing to make up the difference to provide enhanced support for people during this fire break. That means that we would have spent a significant sum of money, something in the order of £11 million, topping up the wages of people affected during this period. So far, the Treasury has not responded in a way that we would wish them to, however I can say that the First Minister has today written again to the Chancellor with another practical solution. Now it's important to say that we do not have control over tax records. This is an HMRC administrative issue. It's a reserved matter. We need the UK Government to step up and provide the wage subsidy scheme for every single worker who needs it. We expect them to do so, and as I've said, we are willing and ready to provide additional financial support to make sure that that scheme is enhanced for everybody affected. Sorry, do you know the number of people who were caught by this and didn't get answered at that point? Unfortunately, James, all of the data is contained within the HMRC. They cannot share the data with us, and so the HMRC, the Treasury, would have that figure to hand, but they do not provide that data set to us. OK, and I want to talk about non-essential retail, the scientific paper from the technical advisory cell that says that closing non-essential retail basically has very little impact on the RT value. Can you just explain then why they've been ordered to close as well? Well, there are many parts of the economy. There are many activities which, if stopped, if closed, only contribute a small amount to reducing that R number. But in total, in aggregate, it makes a significant difference. And if we open gaps in terms of what sectors should be allowed to open, in terms of what activities should be allowed to be permitted, steadily you decrease the impact of the firebreak, we wish this to be a short, sharp shop to make sure that it's just a contained two week period that gives society and businesses the best possible prospect of them making it through with certainty to the end of the year, particularly through that crucial Christmas period. And I'm sure, James, that most people in retail would wish to have a short, two week period of closure if, in exchange, they get a lengthier period of certainty, contrast that with what's happening elsewhere in the UK and further afield where much lengthier measures are being introduced. This will give retail operators the best possibility of having a buoyant Christmas period. And we'll move on now to Adrian Masters from ITB Wales. Thank you, Minister. And I'd like to go back to the difference of opinion that you refer to with the Treasury, the UK Treasury. The Treasury has said that there is no gap between the schemes. I'm sure you've read the quotes from the Treasury source saying that. There's no no gaps. It's not about the cost that the new scheme is available to as many people as the original scheme. Do you agree that there is no gap? And if that's the case, are you making this point for political purposes? Not at all, Adrian. There may be no time gap between the first scheme and the second scheme, but in terms of the generosity of the two schemes, there is most certainly a gap. And as we've heard Andy Burnham repeatedly argue in Greater Manchester, the job retention scheme currently operating with an intervention of 60% is insufficient for workers there. He's called for an 80% intervention rate. The job support scheme is offering 67%. And in order to bring that 60% to 67%, we were willing to pay UK government to do so here in Wales. But there is also an administrative issue here. We would wish businesses to avoid having to apply for two different schemes during the fire break period. And that's why we asked the Treasury to bring forward the job support scheme so that businesses would only have to apply once and that their employees would benefit from a more generous provision. As I said, the First Minister has written today again with a very practical solution to this challenge. And I don't think it's beyond the imagination, the creativity, the wisdom, or the wit of UK Treasury to be able to resolve what appears to be a very simple administrative issue. And if you've set aside that money, why not use it anyway to top up the scheme because you can... I realise you have other grants, but why not set aside that and say, okay, this is the Welsh Government's job retention scheme? And that's a very reasonable question to ask. A number of people are asking us this. And it's for one simple reason, we don't have access to HMRC systems. We do not have access to people's tax records. We do not have the ability to be able to pay people directly. And even if we did, this is a UK Government responsibility. We are willing to pay for the enhanced scheme for all workers that will be affected during the firebreak. All we are asking the UK Government to do is to administer it for us. But if a business... I'm sorry, this is part of the same question, I promise. If a business were in receipt of the Treasury scheme, they could prove that to you and you could give them the top up as a part of a separate scheme. Well, we're still working through solutions. Our ideal solution, though, would be for just one scheme to operate rather than two. We have multiple challenges with this. One, the difference in the amount of support that work is ultimately get, whether it's 60% or 67%, then also the requirement for businesses to apply for two separate schemes. We really think that during this period of difficulty for businesses, it would surely be better just to have one scheme in place for them to apply through. Thank you. Thank you, Adrian. And I'm going to move on to Mike. Now, Mike Hughes from LBC. Good afternoon, Mike. Good afternoon. I do think I've jumped the cue here, but I'll crack on. Oh, yes. The truth is, though, Minister, that there are going to be winners and losers in this shutdown, isn't there? Those who operate purely within the realms of online the likes of Amazon will be allowed to continue to operate within this shutdown, while those who have a shot premises, for instance, on a high street, cannot. And there's also, you've talked about trying to support businesses in the run-up to Christmas, but there are those who are far more seasonal earlier in the year. We've spoken to one business that does 40% of their yearly turnover between now and the 31st of October. There's a pumpkin grower in Cardiff that we've spoken to today that will have to throw out a large proportion of his crop to sheep because he won't be able to sell it in the run-up to Halloween. There is the risk here, isn't there, that some seasonal businesses in the run-up to Christmas could well be decimated by this lockdown? And this is not just confined to Wales. This is something that's affecting economies worldwide. The difference, of course, is that here in Wales we have the most generous package of support for businesses and working people anywhere in the United Kingdom. And let's just contrast for one moment what's happening that appears in Greater Manchester. And I stand shoulder to shoulder with Andy Burnham in calling on the UK government to make more money available for businesses and working people in Greater Manchester and across the UK because, according to reports this morning, £20 million is going to be made available to Greater Manchester, amounting to what, £8 per person? Our Economic Resilience Fund for just two weeks amounts to £300 million, £100 per person. That demonstrates the extent to which the Welsh government is intervening to support workers, to support businesses, to make sure that we've got a strong economy once we recover from coronavirus. But I do recognise, Mike, that there are challenges that many businesses are facing and that's why as part of the third phase of the Economic Resilience Fund we have that crucial element of business grants that will help businesses develop for the future to overcome the sort of issues that you've identified with the challenge of online retail versus in-person physical retail. We're also going to be investing very heavily indeed in town centres with our town centre first approach so that we can support retail as well as hospitality in towns and on high streets as well. But I recognise this is an incredibly difficult period for businesses across multiple sectors. Some sectors have been far worse, but this is a virus. This is a pandemic that has hit every sector in some shape or form. At the weekend retail groups were urging people to go out and start their Christmas shopping early to try and limit queues and allow better social distancing in the run-up to the day in December. Isn't there the risk that by delaying or stopping people going out and shopping, that you are essentially going to bottleneck it towards the end of the year? Again, a really important point, and this is why we were determined to make this the shortest possible firebreak. Two weeks is the absolute minimum that can be operated if it's to be successful. Anything lengthier than that, you're right, Mike, would have pushed then retail to the position where there would have been tremendous demand, and therefore a footfall on the high street and in shopping centres. We wish to avoid that. We support the retail consortium in calling on people to shop early, to shop in a way that's responsible to be mindful about the pandemic. But that two-week period enables retail then to have a lengthier period as we run through to Christmas. There is no option to do nothing. So the alternative would be perhaps to have a lengthier period of time of closures or restrictions, which would only then push pressure even closer to Christmas. And that in turn would have posed an even greater threat in terms of driving up transmission rates as we reach December 25th, and we wish to avoid that. That's why we have opted for this responsible, short, sharp firebreak right now. I must apologise. I did indeed offer my third place there. It actually should have been Adam Hale from PA. Apologies, Adam. I'll take it personally. Don't worry about it. I've returned into a similar question just asked. Your firebreak has been criticised by some cause for disproportionately affecting certain people, certain industries. Those industries like non-essential retail contact services, like hairdressers, especially in areas where the levels of COVID are low, they are being disproportionately affected, aren't they? They're disproportionately taking a hit. But the point, Adam, is that they will get the same support from this Welsh Government. They will get that support regardless of whether they are forced to close or close, and those businesses that are forced to close will be eligible for a generous package of support, the most generous package of support anywhere in the United Kingdom. And again, add stress that this is for just two weeks elsewhere. Restrictions are being imposed for four weeks, for six weeks, and potentially longer if the tier system in England does not operate correctly and they have to revisit that entire scheme. Who knows how long businesses may end up suffering in England. Here in Wales, we have taken the responsible course of action, which is a short, sharp firebreak. Thank you. We hear what you're saying about wanting the Treasury to help you out with the job support scheme date, meaning that there must be people who do fall between the gaps and the level of wage at a time for a week during difficult times. But do you accept that the consequences of that considering it was your decision to bring in this lockdown at a time but at first working something else with the TUMAC? The consequences fall on you. After all, your government has throughout this pandemic pride in itself on working out the details of things before first making decisions. What are a number of important points to make here? First of all, we developed the two-week firebreak in conjunction with local authorities, with business groups, with trade unions, with all manner of stakeholders. We haven't had a 10-day stand-off with any part of Wales over the measures that we've announced. We have brought businesses, local authorities, trade unions with us. And that's important because it demonstrates that the proposals that we have outlined are the right proposals. But it's absolutely essential that the UK government honos its commitment and makes sure that it delivers on its responsibility in supporting working people through the firebreak. And the easiest and best way to do that would be to bring forward the job support scheme. We are happy to invest there or there about £11 million to enhance the job retention scheme to the level of the job support scheme so that we can bring it forward. All that the UK government needs to do is to administer it. And in communications that we've had with the UK government, it's appeared throughout that there is no gap in terms of the time. All we are asking for is a simplification of the process so that businesses don't have to apply twice and so working people get the best possible outcome. And I'll now move to Mark Smith, Wales Online. Thank you very much indeed, Minister. While large parts of Wales have been living under local restrictions for up to six weeks now, there are also several counties that have not been subject to any substantial measures for a long time. What's your message to business owners in places like Pembrokeshire and Powys that have been trading in a COVID compliant manner in relatively low incidence areas but can now find themselves subject to closure and could we see a situation where not an essential shops are able to open in some counties on or after November the 9th while remaining closed in other areas when faction rates are higher? Well it's our intention to move to a national scheme after November the 9th and I would say to those businesses in those parts of Wales that have not yet been affected by local restrictions that the virus is catching up, that it's catching up and it will overwhelm the NHS across the whole of Wales if we do not take the action that we've outlined. And so I do have every sympathy for businesses who have been incredibly responsible in acting in a COVID compliant way. But at some point this autumn, every part of Wales would struggle to deal with the rising cases of coronavirus and our NHS across Wales including in sparsely populated areas of Wales where capacity is not so great would suffer terribly as a consequence and so it's better to take a two week firebreak than to wait until further in the autumn for those parts of Wales where incidence rates are not so high for them only to suffer from a lengthier period of restrictions particularly in the run-up to that vital festive period. Thank you very much. And secondly from both perhaps a health and economic perspective what thought was given to perhaps narrowing the strict firebreak lockdown rules so they only applied to the elderly population and those most at risk from the virus is there perhaps an argument to let everyone else in society continue without these restrictions for the benefit of businesses and people's mental well-being? Well of course we've looked at all options and I think what's really important to note here is that the technical advice group to Welsh Government have produced a comprehensive report concerning the firebreak that looks at options including those that you've just identified and its conclusions are compelling that unless we operate the firebreak in the way that they recommended and which we will now be implementing the NHS would not be able to cope with rising cases in the winter and if you look at where cases of Covid are transmitted it's often within domestic dwellings. The virus in terms of its transmission is blind to the age of people it will transmit through households regardless of whether you are young or old. We have to introduce measures therefore that protect every person from the transmission of coronavirus in order to reset the pandemic in Wales and that's why we have opted for this responsible short, sharp firebreak. Now I'm now moved to Bramwyn Jones from The Daily Post. Thank you Minister. The reality TV show I'm a Celebrity is due to take place at Gwrech Castle in North Wales but we've heard local businesses are expressing concerns about where they should go ahead given they are having to shut down. What are your thoughts on this? I have to be honest Bramwyn I've been rather busy of late so I haven't been following the toils of I'm a Celebrity get me out of here. Clearly I'm delighted that the series is being filmed in Wales in North Wales at Gwrech Castle which is a phenomenal location. If it can continue in a Covid safe way then clearly it has long-term benefits in terms of promoting North Wales and I think the point there is that it has to be conducted in a Covid safe way and I know that the producers of I'm a Celebrity get me out of here are incredibly keen to demonstrate that they can produce a show of this nature during a pandemic in a responsible way and you know it may well be that the television watching public just needs something like that right now because as the number of journalists have identified there is a well-being mental health crisis at the moment and we do need things that can unite people and this sort of programme can often do that. Thank you. And my second question First Minister Mark Drakeford said any benefits from the firebreak will not be known until after the two-week period that's finished. If the coronavirus figures are still rising or are still a concern after will you look at further firebreak national lockdowns or would you rule them out? Well clearly we won't see the impact of the firebreak until there is that lagged period beyond us so it could take two weeks as you identify. If everybody acts in accordance with the regulations then we will see a significant decrease in the R number it could decrease from 1.4 down to 0.8. That would in turn buy us enough time and give us the headroom to get through to Christmas and the New Year. It's in everybody's interest therefore to comply with the regulations to adhere to the rules during the two-week firebreak but of course we could not rule out the possibility of introducing another firebreak in the New Year if over the Christmas period transmission rates increased dramatically. We're going to be taking advantage of the coming two weeks to develop what I've said already will be a national scheme which we can introduce after November the 9th which will hopefully suppress transmission rates through the autumn and through the winter but I cannot rule out the possibility of a further firebreak potentially in the New Year but what I'm determined to do is to make sure that businesses and that people have the greatest degree of certainty in their lives and the way that they operate so that they know that they have a good period of time between any firebreaks to get the best out of the business opportunities that exist and that they have as many freedoms as possible. And I'm now going to move finally to Andrew Nuttall Nuttall at the leader Andrew, good to see you. Minister, a message do you have a message for businesses sort of worked ahead of this firebreak that they may be able to survive the two weeks? I know of a lot of stealing from the initial lockdown and with training not going ahead they'll still have bills to pay and staff will be able to watch the message to those. You're absolutely right Andrew that we couldn't just rely on UK government support for workers in the form of the job retention scheme and the job support scheme because there are other operating costs that businesses have to shoulder and particularly during a two week firebreak they won't have any income there will be no turnover and therefore Welsh Government rightly and responsibly step forward with the 300 million pound economic resilience fund and the third phase of it. So 300 million pounds is going to be invested in businesses for two weeks. That's a huge sum of money and it gives businesses an enormous amount of armour to be able to weather that two week period and it also then buys businesses the best prospect of being able to get through to Christmas with a great degree of certainty about being open and operating and I think that's what businesses being calling for throughout this pandemic a greater sense of certainty and that is what this Welsh Government is going to be giving them. Thank you and then sort of on the flip side of that a lot of people who will be on sort of higher incomes may not have as many worries as families that live on low incomes. They may too be struggling to pay bills and sort of keep their heads above water and keep their families fed. So what is your message to these people during the lockdown that may potentially have their bills cut their income cut further? Or? Absolutely again you know poverty rates in Wales is something that we are acutely aware of and that's why we have the discretionary assistance fund operating for people who are hardest hit. I'd encourage people who fall into you know that bracket that you've identified Andrew to seek support through the discretionary assistance fund but I'd say to all citizens you know we're approaching Christmas now more than ever we need to show solidarity and care for one another this is going to be a tremendously difficult period a dark winter and we need to look out for one another especially those who are most vulnerable. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.