Investment as an Economic Driver
To nurture Wales’ economic independence, we will:
- Seek agreement from the UK Treasury for the Development Bank of Wales to act more fully as a bank, for example in borrowing from sources such as pension funds to lend to the public as well as the private sector.
- Establish a Small and Medium Enterprise Investment Strategy including long term loans at zero interest with long repayment holidays, restart loans, repayment and recovery loans and new deals for early stage and growth companies.
- Create an infrastructure division of the Development Bank, mirroring the work of the UK Infrastructure Bank.
- Establish a specific structure, as a subsidiary of the Development Bank, to manage Welsh Government stakes in businesses.
- Invest in a new Community Bank to help small business and return local banking services to customers in the many communities in Wales which have lost their local banks.
- Explore the creation of a Welsh Green Bond to invest in the environment, economy, and infrastructure, and retain a greater share of savings in Wales.