English: Can I thank Russell George for a number of very persuasive suggestions for improving the Business Wales model as we move forward? There is a major challenge, though, in maintaining the financial support for Business Wales services if replacement funding is not guaranteed by the UK Government, in the form of ensuring that every penny is passed to the Welsh Government to spend on vital business support services. That challenge is very real because we face, after 2021, a budget reduction of something in the order of 48 per cent for Business Wales if that replacement ERDF funding is not secured. That, in turn, would have huge implications in terms of the number of businesses that we'd be able to support and give advice to, the number of jobs that could be created, and the number of jobs that could be sustained. So, I am hopeful that the UK Government will clarify its position in terms of replacement funding and will guarantee that we, as the Welsh Government, will secure it. I think the points made concerning the work that Business Wales and the Development Bank of Wales do together is very important. The suggestion of a merger is something that I and others have considered in the past. It's certainly something that I keep an open mind to. But I'm also concerned with the close working relationship that Business Wales has with Careers Wales. Again, we looked at how we could improve the working relationship between Careers Wales and Business Wales, and we are pleased that they are working incredibly closely now. I'm not minded to suggest at this point that full mergers would be to the benefit of the end user - the customer, the business that accesses support - but it's something that I think could and should be considered on a regular basis. In terms of high-street banks, I think Russell George makes an incredibly important point. It was something that I referred to towards the end of my statement. There is an absolute need to ensure that high-street banks do signpost businesses to Business Wales if they believe that those businesses could benefit in any way, shape or form from the advice and support that is offered. The important point, though, for Business Wales, is that they need to ensure that every high-street branch is aware of the Business Wales service. That form of collaboration is going to be vitally important in order to raise the brand awareness of Business Wales as well, and this is something that Russell George pointed to as well. I think brand awareness has come on incredibly well in recent times, but in an age in which we are bombarded with a plethora of messages and brands every moment of every day, it's important that the momentum that's been built up by Business Wales is not lost. Now, Russell George mentioned the feedback of businesses. Now, the feedback of businesses concerning Business Wales's customer survey is very impressive indeed: 90 per cent of businesses were satisfied with the level of knowledge and expertise of an advisor; 89 per cent were satisfied with the level of professionalism; and 86 per cent would recommend the service to others. However, I recognise the need to ensure that there is absolute consistency right across Wales. So, as we press forward with regionalisation of services such as Business Wales, we will not stop looking at how we can ensure a consistent high-quality service across every part of the country. Russell George referenced the FSB's report, which I fully support. I think the importance of placemaking in business support considerations cannot be overstated. The economic action plan had placemaking right at its heart, with the focus on the foundational economy, with the desire to see business support not focused on simply buying jobs or creating jobs, but contributing to other priority areas, such as decarbonisation, such as the strength and resilience of the high street, and, of course, the health and well-being of the workforce. So, as Business Wales proceeds into the future, and its new operating model is developed and fully implemented, I would expect Business Wales to operate on the basis of the economic contract being used, and the economic action plan prioritised being fully respected.
Welsh: A gaf i ddiolch i Russell George am nifer o awgrymiadau darbwyllol iawn ar gyfer gwella model Busnes Cymru wrth i ni symud ymlaen? Mae her fawr, fodd bynnag, wrth gynnal y cymorth ariannol i wasanaethau Busnes Cymru os na chaiff cyllid newydd ei warantu gan Lywodraeth y DU, ar ffurf sicrhau bod pob ceiniog yn cael ei throsglwyddo i Lywodraeth Cymru i'w gwario ar wasanaethau cymorth busnes hanfodol. Mae'r her honno'n real iawn oherwydd byddwn, ar ôl 2021, yn wynebu gostyngiad yn y gyllideb o ryw 48 y cant ar gyfer Busnes Cymru os na sicrheir cyllid newydd yn lle'r ERDF. Byddai hynny, yn ei dro, â goblygiadau enfawr o ran nifer y busnesau y byddem yn gallu eu cefnogi a rhoi cyngor iddyn nhw, nifer y swyddi y gellid eu creu, a nifer y swyddi y gellid eu cynnal. Felly, rwy'n obeithiol y bydd Llywodraeth y DU yn egluro ei sefyllfa o ran cyllid newydd a bydd yn gwarantu y byddwn ni, fel Llywodraeth Cymru, yn ei gael. Rwy'n credu bod y pwyntiau a wnaed ynghylch y gwaith y mae Busnes Cymru a Banc Datblygu Cymru yn ei wneud gyda'i gilydd yn bwysig iawn. Mae'r awgrym i uno yn rhywbeth yr wyf i ac eraill wedi'i ystyried yn y gorffennol. Mae'n sicr yn rhywbeth yr wyf yn cadw meddwl agored yn ei gylch. Ond rwyf hefyd yn poeni am y berthynas waith agos sydd rhwng Busnes Cymru a Gyrfa Cymru. Unwaith eto, buom yn edrych ar sut y gallem NI wella'r berthynas waith rhwng Gyrfa Cymru a Busnes Cymru, ac rydym yn falch eu bod yn gweithio'n hynod o agos nawr. Nid wyf yn bwriadu awgrymu ar hyn o bryd y byddai uno llawn yn fanteisiol i'r defnyddiwr - y cwsmer, y busnes sy'n cael cymorth - ond mae'n rhywbeth y credaf y gellid ac y dylid ei ystyried yn rheolaidd. O ran banciau'r stryd fawr, credaf fod Russell George yn gwneud pwynt hynod o bwysig. Roedd yn rhywbeth y cyfeiriais ato tua diwedd fy natganiad. Mae gwir angen sicrhau bod banciau'r stryd fawr yn cyfeirio busnesau i Busnes Cymru os ydyn nhw'n credu y gallai'r busnesau hynny elwa mewn unrhyw ffordd ar y cyngor a'r cymorth a gynigir. Y pwynt pwysig, fodd bynnag, i Busnes Cymru, yw bod angen iddyn nhw sicrhau bod pob cangen stryd fawr yn ymwybodol o wasanaeth Busnes Cymru. Bydd y math hwnnw o gydweithio'n hanfodol bwysig er mwyn codi ymwybyddiaeth brand Busnes Cymru hefyd, ac mae hyn yn rhywbeth y cyfeiriodd Russell George ato hefyd. Rwy'n credu bod ymwybyddiaeth o frand wedi bod yn anhygoel o dda yn ddiweddar, ond mewn oes pan gawn ni ein peledu â llu o negeseuon a brandiau bob eiliad o bob dydd, mae'n bwysig nad yw'r momentwm sydd wedi'i adeiladu gan Busnes Cymru yn cael ei golli. Nawr, soniodd Russell George am adborth busnesau. Nawr, mae adborth busnesau ynghylch arolwg cwsmeriaid Busnes Cymru wedi creu argraff yn wir: roedd 90 y cant o fusnesau yn fodlon ar lefel gwybodaeth ac arbenigedd cynghorydd; roedd 89 y cant yn fodlon ar lefel proffesiynoldeb; a byddai 86 y cant yn argymell y gwasanaeth i eraill. Fodd bynnag, rwy'n cydnabod bod angen sicrhau cysondeb llwyr ledled Cymru. Felly, wrth inni fwrw ati i ranbartholi gwasanaethau megis Busnes Cymru, ni fyddwn yn rhoi'r gorau i edrych ar sut y gallwn ni sicrhau gwasanaeth cyson o safon uchel ym mhob rhan o'r wlad. Cyfeiriodd Russell George at adroddiad Ffederasiwn y Busnesau Bach yr wyf yn ei gefnogi'n llwyr. Rwy'n credu na ellir gorbwysleisio pwysigrwydd creu lleoedd mewn ystyriaethau cymorth busnes. Roedd creu lleoedd wrth wraidd y cynllun gweithredu economaidd, gyda'r pwyslais ar yr economi sylfaenol, gyda'r awydd i weld cymorth busnes yn peidio â chanolbwyntio ar brynu swyddi neu greu swyddi yn unig, ond yn cyfrannu at feysydd blaenoriaeth eraill, fel datgarboneiddio, megis cryfder a chydnerthedd y stryd fawr, ac, wrth gwrs, iechyd a lles y gweithlu. Felly, wrth i Busnes Cymru fwrw ymlaen i'r dyfodol, ac wrth i'w fodel gweithredu newydd gael ei ddatblygu a'i weithredu'n llawn, byddwn yn disgwyl i Busnes Cymru weithredu ar y sail y defnyddir y contract economaidd, ac y perchir yn llawn y cynllun gweithredu economaidd a flaenoriaethwyd.