English: Diolch, Dirprwy Llywydd. As Minister for the economy, I have always been clear that small and medium-sized businesses are the backbone of the Welsh economy. Not only are they important in number - of almost 300,000 currently active businesses in Wales, more than 257,000 are micro, small and medium sized - they are all so critical to the way our economy and the way our communities operate. Through the supply chain, on the high street, in our public services, small and medium-sized businesses make up so much of the vitality and the energy of the Welsh economy and Welsh communities. And from the young tech start-up to the growing artisan brewer, to the locally owned construction firm or the family law practice, how we as a community around them, in turn, support and help those firms to grow, to access finance and to plan for their futures is, in itself, critical to the future of the Welsh economy. I'm proud of what the Welsh Government has done over the course of devolution to support those small and medium-sized firms. Through Business Wales, we have been able to fill in the gaps and provide high-quality information, advice and guidance to support entrepreneurs and businesses with their plans to start up and grow their businesses through all cycles of growth. Since 1999, and through the crash of 2008 and beyond, the Welsh Government has proactively supported community-based and locally owned firms at each stage of the business lifecycle - from idea generation, through those often tricky few years, and on to accelerated growth. And I'm proud that, since 2013, Business Wales has dealt with over 126,000 inquiries through its helpline and had over 3 million visits to its website. It's provided business advice to over 71,000 aspiring entrepreneurs and SMEs. It's supported SMEs to create over 28,000 jobs and it has safeguarded a further 45,000. And it has supported entrepreneurs to create 10,500 new businesses. A feature of its work that I am particularly proud of what has been done has been the inspiration for the next generation of entrepreneurs and business leaders. Through the 406 Big Ideas role models across Wales, over 219,000 young people across all of our schools, colleges and universities have been engaged to think about how they could start their own business or become a successful entrepreneur. It's what has helped 57 per cent - 57 per cent - of young people under 25 to now have aspirations to work for themselves and to be their own bosses, to start their own businesses.
Welsh: Diolch, Dirprwy Lywydd. Yn Weinidog yr economi, rwyf wedi bod yn glir erioed mai busnesau bach a chanolig yw asgwrn cefn economi Cymru. Nid yn unig maen nhw'n bwysig o ran nifer - o blith bron i 300,000 o fusnesau sy'n weithredol yng Nghymru ar hyn o bryd, mae mwy na 257,000 yn fusnesau micro, yn fach ac yn ganolig eu maint - maen nhw i gyd mor hanfodol i'r ffordd y mae ein heconomi a'r ffordd y mae ein cymunedau yn gweithredu. Drwy'r gadwyn gyflenwi, ar y stryd fawr, yn ein gwasanaethau cyhoeddus, mae busnesau bach a chanolig yn rhan mor fawr o fywiogrwydd ac egni economi Cymru a chymunedau Cymru. Ac o'r cwmnïau technoleg newydd ifanc i'r bragwr crefftus sy'n ehangu, i'r cwmni adeiladu y mae rhywun lleol yn berchen arno neu i'r practis cyfraith teuluol, mae'r ffordd yr ydym ni fel cymuned o'u hamgylch yn cefnogi ac yn helpu'r cwmnïau hynny i dyfu, i gael cyllid ac i gynllunio ar gyfer eu dyfodol, ynddo'i hun yn hanfodol i ddyfodol economi Cymru. Rwy'n falch o'r hyn y mae Llywodraeth Cymru wedi'i wneud yn ystod datganoli i gefnogi'r cwmnïau bach a chanolig hynny. Drwy Busnes Cymru, rydym ni wedi gallu llenwi'r bylchau a darparu gwybodaeth, cyngor a chanllawiau o ansawdd uchel i gefnogi entrepreneuriaid a busnesau gyda'u cynlluniau i gychwyn a thyfu eu busnesau drwy bob cylch twf. Ers 1999, a thrwy gwymp 2008 a thu hwnt, mae Llywodraeth Cymru wedi mynd ati'n rhagweithiol i gefnogi cwmnïau cymunedol a chwmnïau sydd mewn perchnogaeth leol ar bob cam o'r cylch bywyd busnes - o gynhyrchu syniadau, drwy'r blynyddoedd hynny sy'n aml yn anodd, ac ymlaen i gyflymu twf. Ac rwy'n falch fod Busnes Cymru, ers 2013, wedi ymdrin â mwy na 126,000 o ymholiadau drwy ei linell gymorth ac wedi cael dros 3 miliwn o ymweliadau â'i wefan. Mae wedi rhoi cyngor busnes i dros 71,000 o ddarpar entrepreneuriaid a busnesau bach a chanolig. Mae'n cefnogi busnesau bach a chanolig i greu dros 28,000 o swyddi ac mae wedi diogelu 45,000 arall. Ac mae wedi cefnogi entrepreneuriaid i greu 10,500 o fusnesau newydd. Un o nodweddion ei waith yr wyf yn arbennig o falch ohono fu'r ysbrydoliaeth ar gyfer y genhedlaeth nesaf o entrepreneuriaid ac arweinwyr busnes. Drwy'r 406 o esiamplau Syniadau Mawr ledled Cymru, ymgysylltwyd â thros 219,000 o bobl ifanc ar draws ein holl ysgolion, colegau a phrifysgolion er mwyn iddyn nhw ystyried sut y gallent ddechrau eu busnesau eu hunain neu sut i ddod yn entrepreneuriaid llwyddiannus. Dyma sydd wedi helpu 57 y cant - 57 y cant - o bobl ifanc o dan 25 oed i feithrin uchelgeisiau i weithio iddyn nhw eu hunain a bod yn feistri arnyn nhw eu hunain, i ddechrau eu busnesau eu hunain.