Recruiting skilled staff continues to be the leading concern for Welsh companies, according to the chief executive of the South Wales Chamber of Commerce.

Keith Palmer said that, although the Welsh economy was “buoyant” in 2015, recruitment had been “a struggle”.

He said: “Throughout 2015, our quarterly economic surveys showed that the Welsh economy was pretty strong, with overall growth in both UK and export sales, but businesses have told us that they struggled to recruit over the last year.

“There is a great deal more that needs to be done to support those looking to enter the jobs market. It is vital that Welsh businesses are able to source talented staff, and the skills gap needs to be addressed.

“We would like to see this issue at the heart of the political agenda at this year’s Welsh Assembly elections, to ensure that the next generation of Wales’s workforce is equipped with the right skills.”