The economy and jobs

Productivity, business support, steel and manufacturing, high streets and business rates, tourism and digital connectivity.

In the Programme for Government this sits under the well-being objective Unleashing the potential of the Welsh economy, and creating good well-paid jobs.

ThemesEverything Steel and manufacturing Business support and investment High streets and business rates Jobs, pay and productivity Co-operatives and community ownership Tourism and the visitor levy Broadband and digital

Showing the theme Steel and manufacturing. The Programme commitments are the brief's as a whole.

Statements and debates: 3; in the Seventh Senedd
Contributions: 177; in the Seventh Senedd
Written questions: 13; in the Seventh Senedd
Commitments raised: 14 of 14; in the Seventh Senedd

How often it comes up

May 2026Oct 2026

177 contributions in the Seventh Senedd touched on this. The busiest month was Sept 2026, with 74.

Who raises it

Plaid50%
Reform24%
Labour14%
Conservative12%
Lib Dem1%

Share of the 173 contributions on this subject, by the speaker's party.

On this page

The debate so far
Where things stand
What the government has promised
From the Welsh Government
In the news
Key moments in the Senedd
Related votes
Who raises it
Who ministers have met
Declared interests
What people say matters
Written questions
Petitions
In committee
From Senedd Research
Latest contributions
Month by month
How this brief is put together

The debate so far

This term the Senedd has argued mainly about how the new Plaid Cymru-led Government supports high streets, hospitality and business. Debates covered the town centre taskforce, a 30 per cent business rates cut for hospitality and leisure, a new development agency and tourism taxes. Steel at Port Talbot, an ethical defence investment framework, job losses and productivity were also contested.

The main arguments

Rhun ap Iorwerth (Plaid Cymru) said a town centre taskforce would examine non-domestic rates and planning reform. Elin Jones (Plaid Cymru) announced a 30 per cent rates cut for selected hospitality and leisure premises from 2027-28, funded by a higher multiplier on the highest-value properties.

Where things stand

Statistics published by the Welsh Government and the Office for National Statistics. Each chart covers the years since the 2016 Senedd election, or as far back as the figures go, and marks each election since.

Employment rate

73.3%

The year to 30 June 2026

United Kingdom: 75.5%
A year earlier: 72.7% (the year to 30 June 2025)

Wales
United Kingdom

The share of people aged 16 to 64 in work, over the twelve months to each date, in Wales and the UK.

From the Annual Population Survey, a sample survey: small changes from one period to the next may not be real. Each figure covers twelve months, so the figures for neighbouring dates share most of their months. They differ from the monthly headline labour market figures.

Source: Welsh Government, Annual Population Survey: summary of economic activity. Official statistics. Next update due on 20 January 2027. Checked on 23 October 2026.

Show the figures

Employment rate: every figure in the chart, newest first.
Period	Wales	United Kingdom
The year to 30 June 2026	73.3%	75.5%
The year to 31 March 2026	72.1%	75.4%
The year to 31 December 2025	72.5%	75.5%
The year to 30 September 2025	72.3%	75.5%
The year to 30 June 2025	72.7%	75.4%
The year to 31 March 2025	73.4%	75.4%
The year to 31 December 2024	72.8%	75.3%
The year to 30 September 2024	72.7%	75.3%
The year to 30 June 2024	73.0%	75.3%
The year to 31 March 2024	73.5%	75.4%
The year to 31 December 2023	74.1%	75.7%
The year to 30 September 2023	74.1%

Economic inactivity

23.7%

The year to 30 June 2026

United Kingdom: 20.9%
A year earlier: 24.1% (the year to 30 June 2025)

Wales
United Kingdom

Productivity

84.9

2023

A year earlier: 83.6 (2022)

Typical full-time pay

£704

2025 (provisional)

United Kingdom: £767
A year earlier: £676 (2024)

Wales
United Kingdom

Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.

How we show official statistics

What the government has promised

14 commitments in the Welsh Government's Programme for Government 2026 to 2030 fall under this brief, in the Programme's own words. Under each is how often it has been raised in the Seventh Senedd.

National productivity mission

Progress our productivity mission which will consider all government activity with reference to driving up productivity.
Latest figure: Productivity, 84.9, 2023.
Raised in 16 speeches.
Read it in the Programme
Establish a new Economic and Fiscal Commission to help us set targets, collect relevant data and measure progress to make government more accountable for its economic decision making.
Raised in 1 speech. Most recently on 30 September 2026, by Janet Finch-Saunders. Matched on: “economic and fiscal commission”.
Read it in the Programme

Backing Welsh businesses

Create a new, business‑led National Development Agency, at arms‑length from the Welsh Government, to help Welsh businesses to grow, innovate and trade internationally, secure inward investment, and increase numbers of good quality, well‑paid and sustainable jobs. The agency will work for people across the nation and across the economy.
Raised in 41 speeches, 1 agenda item and 4 written questions. Most recently on 21 October 2026, by Adam Price. Matched on: “new development agency”.
Read it in the Programme
Reform the Development Bank of Wales and the financial products it offers to support the growth of medium‑sized businesses and ensure that its financing promotes and embeds fair work and a Real Living Wage.
Raised in 16 speeches and 2 written questions. Most recently on 19 October 2026, by Andrew Slade. Matched on: “Development Bank of Wales”.
Read it in the Programme

Re-investing in Wales

Aim to increase the level spent on procuring goods and services from Wales‑based suppliers towards 70%, using public procurement as a driver of economic growth. We will introduce a new measure of Welsh economic value from public procurement to maximise the economic and social benefits that public spending delivers for Wales.
Raised in 24 speeches and 4 written questions.
Read it in the Programme
Develop the supply chain for Welsh timber, using public procurement to stimulate demand, and promote innovation and business growth in the sector, whilst improving resilience and working with the sector to deliver on the Welsh Timber Industrial Strategy.
Raised in 2 speeches. Most recently on 14 October 2026, by Llyr Gruffydd. Matched on: “Welsh timber”.
Read it in the Programme
Adopt a Fair Work First approach to awarding public sector grants, loans and contracts.
Raised in 2 speeches. Most recently on 14 October 2026, by Huw Thomas. Matched on: “fair work first”.
Read it in the Programme

Supporting small businesses and high streets to thrive

Reform and rebalance business rates to better support high street businesses in hospitality, leisure and retail.
Raised in 79 speeches, 1 agenda item, 15 written questions and 3 petitions. Most recently on 20 October 2026, by Elin Jones. Matched on: “non-domestic rates”.
Read it in the Programme
Use the Town Centre Taskforce to explore the options around revitalising our town centres including bringing empty properties into use as social housing.
Raised in 25 speeches, 5 written questions and 1 petition. Most recently on 20 October 2026, by Rhun ap Iorwerth. Matched on: “town centre regeneration”, “town centre taskforce”.
Read it in the Programme

Building more community wealth

Legislate for a community right to buy to empower communities to take ownership of local assets.
Raised in 35 speeches and 1 written question. Most recently on 20 October 2026, by Adam Price. Matched on: “community ownership”.
Read it in the Programme
Provide more specialist support to create, grow and sustain new co‑operative, employee‑owned, and social businesses, and improve their access to finance through the Development Bank of Wales.
Raised in 5 speeches and 1 written question. Most recently on 6 October 2026, by Dafydd Trystan Davies. Matched on: “social enterprises”.
Read it in the Programme

Digital connectivity and transformation

Deliver a new Digital Strategy which will support digitisation and innovation in the Welsh economy, drive forward public service digital transformation, and deliver the conditions to support safe and ethical adoption of AI to support productivity and more efficient public services.
Raised in 118 speeches, 1 agenda item, 9 written questions and 1 petition.
Read it in the Programme
Continue to work with UK government and telecoms providers to ensure businesses and homes have access to superfast broadband at a minimum.
Raised in 11 speeches and 1 written question.
Read it in the Programme

A more sustainable tourism sector

Review the role of Visit Wales and consider whether it is the best model for supporting tourism and promoting careers in the industry.
Raised in 9 speeches and 2 written questions. Most recently on 13 October 2026, by Heledd Fychan. Matched on: “Visit Wales”.
Read it in the Programme

Source: Welsh Government, Programme for government 2026 to 2030: New ambition for Wales, first published on 10 September 2026. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Mentions are found by matching the names of plans, bodies and schemes; a mention says nothing about progress.

Month by month

Contributions tagged in each month of the Seventh Senedd. No sittings were held in August 2026.

Show the numbers

Month	Contributions
May 2026	1
June 2026	39
July 2026	30
August 2026	No sittings
September 2026	74
October 2026	33

How this brief is put together

This brief follows the Programme commitments listed above and tags the record with the phrases below. Keyword matching can miss business that discusses the issue in other words, and can tag a passing mention.

Show the phrases it uses

A contribution is tagged when its English text contains one of these phrases. Capital letters don't matter, except in abbreviations, which must match exactly. It is also tagged when the title of the agenda item or question it was part of contains one, as long as the contribution is at least 30 words long. The brief is also tagged whenever one of its themes is.

Phrases for the brief as a whole

“Welsh economy”
“economy of Wales”
“economic growth”
“economic development”
“businesses in Wales”
“small businesses”
“Welsh businesses”
“economic strategy”

Steel and manufacturing

“industrial strategy”
“steel”
“steelworks”
“steel industry”
“Tata”
“Port Talbot”
“electric arc furnace”
“manufacturing”
“advanced manufacturing”
“semiconductor”
“semiconductors”
“Airbus”
“timber industry”
“defence sector”
“defence industry”
“Defence Ethical Framework”

Business support and investment

“Development Bank of Wales”
“Development Bank”
“National Development Agency”
“Development Agency”
“Business Wales”
“inward investment”
“foreign direct investment”
“freeport”
“freeports”
“investment zone”
“investment zones”
“public procurement”
“Welsh suppliers”
“Wales-based suppliers”
“foundational economy”

High streets and business rates

“high street”
“high streets”
“town centre”
“town centres”
“business rates”
“non-domestic rates”
“rates relief”
“retail, leisure and hospitality”
“hospitality sector”
“hospitality businesses”
“Town Centre Taskforce”
“empty shops”

Jobs, pay and productivity

“productivity”
“gross value added”
“economic inactivity”
“economically inactive”
“unemployment”
“wage gap”
“average wages”
“real living wage”
“Fair Work”
“Economic and Fiscal Commission”
“job losses”
“redundancies”

Abbreviations

“GVA”

Co-operatives and community ownership

“co-operative”
“co-operatives”
“employee ownership”
“employee-owned”
“social enterprise”
“social enterprises”
“social business”
“social businesses”
“community right to buy”
“community ownership”
“community wealth”
“community assets”

Tourism and the visitor levy

“tourism”
“tourists”
“visitor economy”
“Visit Wales”
“visitor levy”
“tourism tax”
“tourism levy”
“Visitor Accommodation (Register and Levy)”

Broadband and digital

“broadband”
“superfast broadband”
“full fibre”
“gigabit”
“mobile signal”
“mobile coverage”
“digital connectivity”
“Digital Strategy”
“artificial intelligence”
“digital exclusion”

Abbreviations

“4G”
“5G”
“AI”

Period	Wales	United Kingdom
The year to 30 June 2026	23.7%	20.9%
The year to 31 March 2026	24.5%	21.0%
The year to 31 December 2025	24.0%	20.9%
The year to 30 September 2025	24.1%	21.1%
The year to 30 June 2025	24.1%	21.3%
The year to 31 March 2025	23.9%	21.6%
The year to 31 December 2024	24.7%	21.7%
The year to 30 September 2024	25.1%	21.7%
The year to 30 June 2024	24.5%	21.7%
The year to 31 March 2024	23.8%	21.5%
The year to 31 December 2023	23.0%	21.3%
The year to 30 September 2023	22.9%	21.3%
The year to 30 June 2023	23.8%	21.5%
The year to 31 March 2023	24.5%	21.7%
The year to 31 December 2022	24.4%	21.7%
The year to 30 September 2022	24.1%	21.8%
The year to 30 June 2022	23.5%	21.6%
The year to 31 March 2022	23.5%	21.6%
The year to 31 December 2021	23.7%	21.7%
The year to 30 September 2021	24.0%	21.7%
The year to 30 June 2021	24.5%	21.7%
The year to 31 March 2021	24.7%	21.5%
The year to 31 December 2020	24.4%	21.2%
The year to 30 September 2020	23.9%	21.2%
The year to 30 June 2020	23.4%	21.1%
The year to 31 March 2020	23.5%	21.1%
The year to 31 December 2019	23.6%	21.2%
The year to 30 September 2019	23.2%	21.3%
The year to 30 June 2019	23.5%	21.3%
The year to 31 March 2019	23.3%	21.5%
The year to 31 December 2018	23.3%	21.7%
The year to 30 September 2018	23.8%	21.7%
The year to 30 June 2018	23.7%	21.8%
The year to 31 March 2018	23.5%	21.8%
The year to 31 December 2017	23.9%	21.8%
The year to 30 September 2017	24.3%	22.1%
The year to 30 June 2017	24.8%	22.1%
The year to 31 March 2017	25.1%	22.2%
The year to 31 December 2016	25.2%	22.3%
The year to 30 September 2016	25.2%	22.3%
The year to 30 June 2016	24.8%	22.3%

Period	Wales
2023	84.9
2022	83.6
2021	82.5
2020	84.4
2019	86.0
2018	82.7
2017	83.7
2016	83.5

Period	Wales	United Kingdom
2025	£704provisional	£767provisional
2024	£676	£728
2023	£636	£687
2022	£600	£642
2021	£564	£610
2020	£542	£586
2019	£535	£585
2018	£509	£568
2017	£498	£550
2016	£494	£539

The debate so far

The main arguments

The debate so far

The main arguments

Where the parties stand

Plaid CymruShifted

Welsh Labour

Reform UK

Welsh Conservatives

Welsh Liberal Democrats

What the government is being pressed on

What the public is asking for

Who ministers are meeting

In the Sixth Senedd (2021 to 2026)

Where things stand

Employment rate

Economic inactivity

Productivity

Typical full-time pay

What the government has promised

National productivity mission

Backing Welsh businesses

Re-investing in Wales

Supporting small businesses and high streets to thrive

Building more community wealth

Digital connectivity and transformation

A more sustainable tourism sector

From the Welsh Government

In the news

Key moments in the Senedd

Related votes

Welsh Conservatives Debate - the defence sector

Legislative Consent Motion: Steel Industry (Nationalisation) Bill

Who raises it

Answering for the government

Which parties raise it

Members who raise it most

Who ministers have met

Declared interests

What people say matters

Written questions

Petitions

In committee

From Senedd Research

Latest contributions

Month by month

How this brief is put together

Phrases for the brief as a whole