SIR Ninety-eight per cent of Wales' businesses are small or medium sized. These vary from the shops that line our high street, and local companies that offer us professional services to high-tech companies looking to grow in the digital world. This is a very significant proportion of our workforce, and this is why Plaid Cymru has always recognised the key part that small businesses play in our economy. And that is why we must support these businesses if we are to see any significant growth in Wales' economy in future. Easing that burden on them is one way of doing so. This month, the leader of Plaid Cymru Leanne Wood announced to members of the FSB that our plans to lift 80,000 small businesses out of business rates. We would also give more public contracts to Welsh companies– creating up to 50,000 jobs. £4.5 billion a year of Welsh public funds is spent on procuring goods and services - around a third of total public sector spend. We need to spend it better. These businesses are the backbone of Wales' economy, and we must do all we can to strengthen their position.

Rhun ap Iorwerth (Party of Wales Shadow Minister for Economy and Enterprise)