Reacting to the appointment of Eluned Morgan MS as First Minister of Wales, Head of the Welsh Retail Consortium, Sara Jones, said:
The Welsh Retail Consortium congratulates Eluned Morgan on becoming the first female First Minister and welcomes the appointment of Deputy First Minister Huw Irranca Davies. All eyes will be on the approach taken over the coming months, and it is vital that the economy is at the forefront when it comes to framing the priorities of the new Cabinet. There is a pressing need to lift private sector investment and productivity creating a new economic era for growth for Welsh firms. After all, an expanding economy is good for living standards, job prospects, and government revenues.
Central to this should be a plan to ease the regulatory burden and lower the tax burden on business, with a clear timetable to significantly lower business rates, whilst ensuring that the Government’s own Retail Action Plan has the resource and drive needed to help the industry thrive. By creating the right environment for growth and investment, the Welsh Government will help strengthen their social partnership approach.
Ultimately, every policy should be tested against a simple benchmark - will it help or hinder Wales’ economic recovery. The WRC looks forward to engaging positively and constructively with the First Minister and her Ministerial team to prioritise private sector growth and deliver that recovery.