Decision details

The item started at 17.24

NDM4903 Jane Hutt (Vale of Glamorgan)

To propose that the National Assembly for Wales:

Welcomes the Micro-Business Task and Finish Group Report and the commitment of the Minister for Business, Enterprise, Technology and Science to draw up a plan for the implementation of a Micro-Business policy and strategy.

Voting on the motion and amendments under this item was deferred until Voting Time

The following amendments were tabled:

Amendment 1- Jocelyn Davies (South Wales East)

Insert as new point 1 at start of motion:

Notes that 331,400 people work for 193,010 microbusinesses in Wales and regrets the Welsh Government's decision not to include extra help for micro-businesses in its budget.

A vote was taken on Amendment 1:

For	Abstain	Against	Total
20	0	31	50

Amendment 1 was not agreed.

Amendment 2 - Jocelyn Davies (South Wales East)

Insert at end of motion:

‘which includes measures to alleviate the burden of business rates’.

A vote was taken on Amendment 2:

For	Abstain	Against	Total
25	0	26	51

As required by Standing Order 6.20 the Deputy Presiding Officer exercised his casting vote by voting against the amendment.  Therefore, the amendment was not agreed.

 

Amendment 3 - William Graham (South Wales East)

Add as new point at end of motion:

Notes the report "Buying Smarter in Tougher Times" specifies the Welsh Governments’ estimate that it costs £20m for businesses to pre-qualify to bid for public procurement contracts, making it prohibitive for micro-businesses to compete.

A vote was taken on Amendment 3:

For	Abstain	Against	Total
19	0	31	50

Amendment 3 was not agreed.

Amendment 4 - William Graham (South Wales East)

Add as new point at end of motion:

Notes the recommendation of the report that the Welsh Government should “create a single well recognised brand for access to business support”.

A vote was taken on Amendment 4:

For	Abstain	Against	Total
50	0	0	50

Amendment 4 was agreed.

Amendment 5 - Peter Black (South Wales West)

Add as new point at end of motion:

Welcomes the report’s recommendation to reduce the regulatory burden on micro-businesses and calls on the Welsh Government to:

a) introduce a ‘one in, one out’ policy for regulations affecting micro-business; and

b) introduce a sunset clause for all new regulations affecting micro-businesses in order to assess their effectiveness.

A vote was taken on Amendment 5:

For	Abstain	Against	Total
18	7	25	50

Amendment 5 was not agreed.

Amendment 6 - Peter Black (South Wales West)

Add as new point at end of motion:

Calls on the Welsh Government to ensure that its Micro-Business Strategy includes provision to tackle broadband ‘not-spots’ as a matter of priority in order to ensure that all micro-businesses have reliable access to the internet.

A vote was taken on Amendment 6:

For	Abstain	Against	Total
50	0	0	50

Amendment 6 was agreed.

A vote was taken on the motion as amended:

NDM4903 Jane Hutt (Vale of Glamorgan)

To propose that the National Assembly for Wales:

Welcomes the Micro-Business Task and Finish Group Report and the commitment of the Minister for Business, Enterprise, Technology and Science to draw up a plan for the implementation of a Micro-Business policy and strategy.

Notes the recommendation of the report that the Welsh Government should “create a single well recognised brand for access to business support.

Calls on the Welsh Government to ensure that its Micro-Business Strategy includes provision to tackle broadband ‘not-spots’ as a matter of priority in order to ensure that all micro-businesses have reliable access to the internet.

For	Abstain	Against	Total
49	0	0	49

The motion as amended was agreed.