Samuel Kurtz
Welsh Conservative · Wales
“On top of that, threshold reductions mean small businesses will have to pay national insurance contributions on employee earnings starting at £5,000, down from £9,100, further increasing the strain on employment costs.”
“I'm proud to represent so many outstanding small businesses in my constituency of Carmarthen West and South Pembrokeshire—businesses that work tirelessly to provide goods, services and employment. I want these businesses to have hope. I want them to succeed, and I want Wales to thrive because of their success.”
“And in every annual debate we have on this, each Member will take it as an opportunity to namecheck those businesses in their constituency, because their successes are our successes, and the success of Wales. Yet, today, small businesses face mounting pressures, pressures not of their own making, but the result of political choices.”
“Thank you. I take it from that that no analysis has been made on the economic fortunes of Wales following that budget. And let’s remind ourselves of what the UK Labour Government did inherit. It inherited the fastest growing economy in the G7, inflation at 2 per cent—an economy that created, over the last 14 years, 800 jobs a day.”
“Well, I’ll come back to the point that we had from the first question, Cabinet Secretary, which is that there’s been no analysis of how many jobs—those 100,000 jobs—that Deutsche Bank highlighted will be lost in Wales. So, what the Secretary of State for Wales is saying there is disingenuous to say the least.”
“This topic was discussed in committee last week, as was mentioned by the Chair of the committee, and I’m pleased that the bank’s October letter responded to the recommendations, stating that the bank generally meets or exceeds the processes carried out by other lenders.”
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“I'm grateful to you for giving way specifically on that point. I'd just like to highlight the good work that Carmarthenshire County Council are doing on this with property that they own, in changing planning to allow residential units in former commercial units, bringing footfall back into those communities.”
“I'm proud to represent so many outstanding small businesses in my constituency of Carmarthen West and South Pembrokeshire—businesses that work tirelessly to provide goods, services and employment. I want these businesses to have hope. I want them to succeed, and I want Wales to thrive because of their success. Under the Welsh Conservatives' leadership, Wales would be open for business. Colleagues, we have a choice. We could support this motion and give Welsh businesses the recognition and relief that they deserve, or we could fail them, at a time when they need us most. Their success, as I've said, is truly our success. Let us support them, so they can continue to support our communities, our economy and our future. Celebrate them, back them, and let us reverse these damaging changes before it's too late. Diolch, Dirprwy Lywydd.”
“Secondly, we call for the reinstatement of 75 per cent business rates relief for the retail, hospitality and leisure sectors. This targeted support would provide much-needed breathing space for the small businesses that form the backbone of our high streets and local economies. These are not radical demands—they're common sense. They would ease the burden on our overburdened small and medium-sized enterprise community and allow businesses to focus on what they do best: innovating, creating jobs and driving growth. Small businesses understand their communities, their customers and their challenges far better than any Government ever could. Our job is to clear the obstacles from their path, not add to them.”
“I dispute that. When you look at all the other countries that have had double-digit inflation where the Conservatives aren't in power—Germany, other continental countries, countries over in North America—those countries, nothing to do with the UK, double-digit inflation was because of the invasion in the Ukraine and the inflation in the global energy market. So, there's an economic analysis for you there. Deputy Presiding Officer, poor choices, however, can be reversed, and that's what today's motion puts forward—it's two simple, yet do-able proposals. First, we call on the Welsh Labour Government to make urgent representations to the UK Government urging them to reverse the damaging increase in national insurance contributions.”
“The consequences of these policies are already apparent. The British Retail Consortium, alongside 79 leading voices in the retail sector, has warned that the increases in NIC will result in higher prices, job losses and reduced investment. This will harm small businesses, their employees and their customers, ultimately leaving us with lower growth and higher costs. Mabon.”
“And in every annual debate we have on this, each Member will take it as an opportunity to namecheck those businesses in their constituency, because their successes are our successes, and the success of Wales. Yet, today, small businesses face mounting pressures, pressures not of their own making, but the result of political choices. Choices made by the UK Labour Government that are actively undermining growth and stability. Labour's budget has placed an even heavier burden on our small businesses, with ill-judged policies such as the increase in employer national insurance contributions. For small businesses, the challenges are stacking up: higher national insurance contributions; an increasing energy price cap; and inflation rising once again, which, let us not forget, was brought under control by the previous Prime Minister.”
“Diolch, Dirprwy Lywydd, and it's so nice to back on my feet so soon. I'm sure everybody's absolutely delighted to hear me once again. But I am honoured, Deputy Presiding Officer, to open this debate today, a debate that celebrates and champions the remarkable contributions of small businesses to Wales. These enterprises are the lifeblood of our economy and communities, and they deserve our full support. Not just on Small Business Saturday, in 10 days' time, but every day of the year. I'm sure every Member in this Chamber has engaged with small businesses in their constituencies. We can all name examples of entrepreneurs and local enterprises that make an outsized impact, creating jobs, supporting communities and enriching the lives of those around them.”
“To quote John Maynard Keynes, 'When the facts change, I change my mind.' So, what do you do, Cabinet Secretary? I urge the Senedd to vote with the motion today to back our family farms and to tell Sir Keir to get his hands off Wales's farms.”
“Further analysis has seen Neidle go from supporter to a critic. Indeed, he said, 'The Budget hits farmers too hard and tax avoiders too lightly. It needs to change.'”
“Putting that into even further perspective, the UK Government borrowed £5 billion more than it expected in the month of October alone—33 times more in one month than it would bring in in a whole year from this policy. And across social media, by the Chancellor, and even by backbenchers in this Chamber, Labour politicians have held up previous analysis by tax specialist Dan Neidle, and his support for the introduction of this family farm tax. However, now, using more accurate and up-to-date data than the Treasury has—”
“Diolch, Dirprwy Lywydd, and I'd like to begin by declaring an interest and by thanking all speakers for contributing to this debate. Overall, the economic argument, as we've heard, clearly falls and fails, and the impact on farmers of this rises. The family farm tax—and for the benefit of viewers who aren't able to hear the laughter from Labour benches when it's called a 'family farm tax', that's what Labour think of farmers. That's what Labour think of farmers. This family farm tax is only expected to raise around £115 million a year. That's less than 0.01 per cent of Government spending, and less than 0.3 per cent of all the tax rises announced by Rachel Reeves in the budget.”
“I look forward to seeing substantial progress on the findings of this ETRA report, and once again I thank the whole team for their contributions towards it. Diolch, Dirprwy Lywydd.”
“These allegations should fully justify recommendations 10 and 11, which advise that the issue of complaints handling be addressed within the recommended tailored review of the bank. Additionally, both the Welsh Government and the bank should consider how to collect businesses’ views confidentially and anonymously. This would be a significant step forward in gathering information about the bank’s practices without fear of retaliation. If implemented effectively, I believe these recommendations have the potential to strengthen trust within the Development Bank of Wales and better equip it to support businesses across the country. Because, as have other Members said on the floor of this Chamber, there is much good that is done in this field by DBW.”
“And, finally, I’ll address recommendations 10 and 11 together, which concern complaints handling. Effective complaints handling, and achieving just and fair outcomes, are paramount. I don’t think there would be disagreement on that. However, it is concerning that some complainants have been reluctant to come forward publicly. Ever more troubling, Professor Dylan Jones-Evans provided evidence to the committee stating—direct quote— 'I've also seen instances...where directors have been imposed on businesses, where they feel they've been bullied by those directors, where there have been moves to basically get rid of the original founders. And the development bank as a funder has just stood there and done nothing'. End quote.”
“This topic was discussed in committee last week, as was mentioned by the Chair of the committee, and I’m pleased that the bank’s October letter responded to the recommendations, stating that the bank generally meets or exceeds the processes carried out by other lenders. But I am somewhat uncertain whether the word 'generally' implies exceptions, so I would appreciate further clarification on that point. However, I do welcome the Welsh Government’s proposal to commission a public assessment review of the bank, which will include examining the due diligence processes. Indeed, this was the subject of my questioning of the bank during their annual scrutiny in ETRA last week, and I welcome, as the Chair mentioned, the enhanced due diligence that was mentioned by DBW.”
“FSB Wales have described a massively fragmented landscape of business support, which is far from ideal for businesses and business owners seeking assistance. I think recommendation 5 suggests that the Welsh Government should consider integrating the functions of Business Wales with those of DBW, and I eagerly await an update from the Welsh Government on any discussions or considerations regarding this matter. Secondly, on recommendation 8, concerning the DBW’s independence from the Welsh Government, the recommendation urged the Welsh Government to instruct the bank to review its due diligence processes, with a view of strengthening them if necessary.”
“May I begin by thanking the committee Chair, Paul Davies, for his leadership of the committee, and the clerical staff and fellow committee members too for their contributions today? And I associate myself with the comments and contributions of all the Members of the committee who’ve spoken here today, because it is an opportune moment to hold this debate, over four months after the report was published, and a month since the development’s bank’s welcome response. I wish, with your permission, Dirprwy Lywydd, to highlight a few recommendations, key recommendations, particularly recommendation 5, which proposes reassessing the relationship between the DBW and Business Wales, as has been mentioned on the floor of the Chamber this afternoon.”
“As finance Minister, you chose to cut business rates relief to retail from 75 per cent to 40 per cent. And, yes, I heard in your answer that this was a temporary measure, but we Conservatives were chastised for a temporary measure coming to an end in England. So, will you be listening to our calls to revert that back to 75 per cent, or at least listening to the calls of the FSB on maintaining it at 40 per cent? With less than a month to go until Christmas, Cabinet Secretary, will you give Welsh businesses some much needed festive cheer, because after 25 years of Labour’s policies here in Wales, goodness knows, they deserve it?”
“Well, I’ll come back to the point that we had from the first question, Cabinet Secretary, which is that there’s been no analysis of how many jobs—those 100,000 jobs—that Deutsche Bank highlighted will be lost in Wales. So, what the Secretary of State for Wales is saying there is disingenuous to say the least. But, later today, we will be debating Small Business Saturday, and it was pleasing to hear Russell George raise that previously, and your support for this as well, Cabinet Secretary. It is a valuable opportunity to celebrate the crucial role small businesses play not just in our economy, but, as you said rightly in your answer, Cabinet Secretary, in our communities as well. When you buy from a small, local business, you’re supporting a family, not distant shareholders.”
“On top of that, threshold reductions mean small businesses will have to pay national insurance contributions on employee earnings starting at £5,000, down from £9,100, further increasing the strain on employment costs. The FSB also rightly highlight that small and medium-sized businesses are the lifeblood of the Welsh economy, accounting for 99.3 per cent of the business population, 62.3 per cent of private sector employment, and 43.4 per cent of turnover. These businesses—our small restaurants, manufacturers, retailers and service providers—create jobs and spread prosperity across Wales. So, in light of this, Cabinet Secretary, with inflation rising, the energy price cap increasing and national insurance contributions set to go up, how is the Welsh Government supporting these vital businesses to weather these escalating pressures?”
“Thank you. I take it from that that no analysis has been made on the economic fortunes of Wales following that budget. And let’s remind ourselves of what the UK Labour Government did inherit. It inherited the fastest growing economy in the G7, inflation at 2 per cent—an economy that created, over the last 14 years, 800 jobs a day. And the Federation of Small Businesses Wales recently stated that the UK Government’s budget leaned heavily on smaller businesses, the very businesses that will be relied upon to return the UK and Welsh economies to more sustainable growth. And why have they said this? Because, from April 2025, employer national insurance contributions will rise from 13.8 per cent to 15 per cent, adding an estimated £24.5 billion to the costs faced by businesses annually.”
“Diolch, Llywydd. Cabinet Secretary, Deutsche Bank has estimated that 100,000 jobs could be lost due to Labour’s budget. Has the Welsh Government conducted any assessment of how many of those jobs will be lost in Wales?”
“Could you elaborate on how the Welsh Government is working to mitigate these risks and encourage the development of alternative supply chains to safeguard this critical industry? Finally, I note your updates on the investment zone programme, on the collaborative approach to economic development that has been lauded by this Government. Ensuring that the benefits of the cluster extend beyond south Wales to the wider Welsh economy is vital. The £160 million of funding available provides a significant opportunity to drive job creation and economic growth across the region. I just wonder, Cabinet Secretary, if you could provide further details on how this funding will be utilised to maximise the cluster's impact across Wales. Diolch.”
“Turning to supply chain resilience, I appreciate the focus on supporting inward investment, such as the Centre 7 facility at Cardiff Gate and the collaborative efforts with international partners, however, global challenges such as the reliance on Taiwan's semiconductor production and the impact of geopolitical tensions remain a concern. As you mentioned, the risk of supply chain disruptions, whether from Taiwan or due to the conflict in Ukraine, could have serious implications for Wales's semiconductor operations, especially as Ukraine supplies around 70 per cent of the world's neon gas, whilst Russia exports around 40 per cent of the world's supply of palladium.”
“So, can you confirm whether the Welsh Government is working proactively with regional skills partnerships to ensure that businesses in the cluster have access to the workforce that they need to thrive? And while skills could potentially be a limiting factor, supply-side problems could be another. The goods and services provided by private sector elements of the semiconductor cluster in Wales are largely exported, which may then return to the UK as key components in other consumer and industry products. For this reason, global progress in the semiconductor sector and trends in industry confidence affect output levels in Welsh operations and trade prospects.”
“However, key findings from Cardiff University's Welsh Economy Research Unit suggest that there is further scope for increasing local procurement. So, Cabinet Secretary, what specific plans does the Welsh Government have to grow this supply chain further in Wales, ensuring that local businesses benefit more directly from this sector? Strengthening local procurement could drive significant economic growth and create new opportunities for businesses, not just in Newport, but across the region. The commitment to green growth, as you outlined, is commendable, but it also underscores the need to address skills shortages that could hinder the sector's potential. While universities produce over 13,000 industry-ready graduates annually, there is still a need to align these skills more closely with industry demand.”
“Thank you, Cabinet Secretary, for the statement and the positive updates on the compound semiconductor in Wales. We, of course, welcome any investment that strengthens this critical industry. The announcement of Vishay Intertechnology’s £51 million investment in Newport’s Wafer Fab, and KLA’s $100 million state-of-the-art European headquarters at Imperial Park are fantastic developments for Newport and the wider Welsh economy. As an industry, it provides many high-skilled and high-paying jobs to the Welsh economy, and it can clearly pull towards it many skilled people from all over the UK. That said, I would like to touch on areas where untapped potential could be maximised. Cabinet Secretary, you highlighted KLA's extensive local supply chain, with £60 million in annual spending within a 100-mile radius of Newport.”
“So, more detail on the finances, knowing what's to come in the future in May, ahead of the Royal Welsh in the summer and the final announcement on the scheme, some information around those finances would be most welcome.”
“You don't have to give a figure yet, alluding to what you said previously in your statement, but a figure on what the scheme will cost would be helpful for farmers to plan ahead. Secondly, the weighting of payments to farmers, how will they be divvied up? Will it be 50 per cent for the universal schemes and 50 per cent for the other two schemes, 60:40, 30:70? How will that play out? Because that is integral to getting farmers to sign up, because all the environmental benefits that are to be delivered through this scheme, including food security, first and foremost need farmers to sign up to the scheme. If the finances aren't there, if the money isn't right, farmers won't sign up to the scheme, and that's a loss for everybody.”
“Diolch, Deputy First Minister, for the statement. I think in this statement is recognition that the Welsh Government had previously got the scheme wrong, and that it's not right yet. You've alluded to that in your statement today, that there's a lot of work to continue to be done. You and I were on the same television programme where you mentioned burning the midnight oil before you were appointed to Cabinet, and we will hold you to that. It's good that you're earning your ministerial salary in getting this right, because a lot of farmers' livelihoods depend on this. So, focusing on two points around the specifics around financing, the annual budget for agriculture is £337 million, BPS £238 million. Can you confirm what the annual budget would be for this scheme, whether it will be higher or lower?”
“However, in a joint statement by Simon Hart, as Secretary of State for Wales, and Steve Barclay, as Chief Secretary to the Treasury, it was confirmed that £9 million was given to repair vulnerable coal tips. And it's interesting that the finance Minister, who I'm grateful is in his place, would look to mistakenly mislead the Senedd, as, in February 2021, when he was First Minister, he actually confirmed that those moneys, that money had arrived, stating that, 'The £9 million received will be used to support the Tylorstown recovery work and immediate emergency maintenance required at other high-risk tips.' I trust the Senedd and the Trefnydd will agree that accuracy in this Chamber is essential, and past misrepresentations must be addressed. How do we proceed?”
“Trefnydd, I’m asking for your guidance, please, on correcting the Record, because it’s disappointing that both the First Minister and the finance Minister have, I believe, unintentionally misled the Senedd in recent weeks. The First Minister, on 13 November, said, 'our officials were trying to talk to the last UK Government for four years about the need for them to support us in terms of coal tip removal. Nothing, absolutely nothing'. And on 5 November, the Cabinet Secretary for finance said that, 'The Treasury turned him'—'him' being Simon Hart, as Secretary of State for Wales— 'down; that's what the Conservative-led Treasury did', when discussing coal tip funding.”
“Can you confirm on the floor of this Chamber if you or your predecessor ever did write to the Chancellor or the Treasury on that, and whether you have had correspondence with them asking them not to change, not to redefine agricultural payments through the Barnett formula?”
“Thank you, Deputy First Minister. One thing that went under the radar slightly at the budget was the fact that, unnecessarily and without need, the Chancellor decided to redefine agricultural funding for the devolved nations through the Barnett formula, which was completely unnecessary. Previously, I've asked you and your predecessor, with regard to the sustainable farming scheme, to write to the Treasury to ask for a quantifiable amount of money that would be needed to deliver the scheme in Wales. Using the Bank of England’s interest rate calculator, that would be approximately £500 million.”
“Prif Weinidog, it's quickly becoming apparent that Labour's general election manifesto was not worth the paper it was written on. We were promised cheaper bills, but the energy price cap went up by 10 per cent last month. The £300 a month cheaper bills claim made by modelling firm Ember is said to be independent, but Ember was founded by Baroness Worthington, who was made a Labour peer by none other than Ed Miliband. But putting aside the fact that no-one can actually understand whether GB Energy is creating its own energy or not, can consumers expect cheaper bills under this Labour Government, or was that just another manifesto fib?”
“So, if it's okay with you, Minister, would you be able to meet with Cymbrogi in the future, as they've got some really exciting plans about how they're having that outreach into our education establishments, getting people thinking about careers in STEM and the alternatives that come in fields such as engineering, mathematics and science? Thank you.”
“I met with SPARC at Pembrokeshire College recently, at the launch of the skills transition hub, which has been part funded by Shell. On Friday, in Pembroke Dock, I'm meeting with Cymbrogi as they're doing an event with four schools in the area, advocating for STEM subjects for young boys and girls in secondary school to show not only are they able to go into fantastic careers using STEM, but the other opportunities that are out there in the workforce to stay locally in the areas in which they were born and raised, which is really important, especially in west Wales where we're seeing a demographic shift of young people, unfortunately, leaving, and the age demographic shifting and putting pressure on those care sectors.”
“So, what are you doing within your role and with other Cabinet Secretaries to make sure that Rent Smart Wales has the teeth to go after rogue landlords that are taking advantage of their tenants, but also to make it as welcoming and forthcoming as possible to get more private landlords into the sector to provide those high-quality, affordable homes that you mentioned in your opening response?”
“Thank you, Cabinet Secretary. Recently, I had—well, I can’t call it an honour—I visited some housing stock in my constituency, which is owned by a private landlord, and the conditions, which the tenants live in, I can only describe as squalid. And I’m thankful to Carmarthenshire County Council and Pembrokeshire County Council—this landlord owns properties in both local authorities’ areas—because I’m working with them now to try and help these tenants because of the situation that they find themselves in. But one thing that really took me aback was that Rent Smart Wales has the ability to deter good-quality landlords from the sector, but not then hold those rogue landlords to account at the same time.”
“Josh and his family and friends have already raised over £68,000 of his £100,000 target so that he can get private treatment, yet still need the drugs to be approved. As Josh’s loving wife, Beth, says, 'We’re currently desperately trying to reach out to the NHS and the drug company, Roche, to ask them to grant the use of the drug on compassionate grounds. This has been done before, although it’s very rare.' So, please, Trefnydd, on behalf of Josh and his family, can the health Secretary urgently look at this and get this done?”
“Diolch, Llywydd dros dro. Trefnydd, could I please request an urgent statement and intervention from the Cabinet Secretary for health on approving two drugs to treat Burkitt lymphoma? Joshua Carter-Hewins, a 25-year-old constituent of mine, is currently battling this rare aggressive cancer. Though often curable in children, Burkitt lymphoma in adults has a much lower survival rate. Josh is currently receiving end-of-life care in Cardiff after chemotherapy was unsuccessful. His family, desperate for alternatives, found that a combination of glofitamab and polatuzumab vedotin has shown success in treating similar patients in Europe. A recent study from Copenhagen also supports the effectiveness of this combination, but it remains unlicensed for Burkitt, and NHS approval is still needed.”