Cynulliad Cenedlaethol Cymru

Good afternoon. We'll move now to questions to the First Minister. Question 1, Carrie Harper. 

Prynhawn da. The Welsh Government is working closely with Wrexham County Borough Council and the Wrexham bid team. We recognise the economic, cultural and societal benefits the City of Culture status can bring, and on top of the £60,000 allocated in 2026-27 towards supporting the application development, we're taking a cross-Government approach, getting behind the bid, before Wrexham submits its full application by 10 August.

Diolch yn fawr iawn. Wrexham has an extraordinary story to tell, from our industrial heritage and culture, to our vibrant arts scene, football club, communities and the Welsh language. We have everything needed to deliver a city of culture that belongs to the whole of Wales. Winning this bid would bring significant economic benefits, as it has for previous winners, and leave a lasting cultural legacy for local people. I was, therefore, very disappointed to see the leader of Labour in Wales issuing a press release suggesting Plaid Cymru had not supported Wrexham's bid last week. That simply isn't true and, quite frankly, was a rather petty attempt to generate a headline. Plaid Cymru has consistently backed this bid, and the Welsh Government allocated £60,000 in 2026-27 to support the development of the application, because we all want to see Wrexham succeed. In fact, one of the first things that we did, as new MSs for Flint Wrexham, was to arrange a showcase for the bid here in September. Will the First Minister join me in putting politics to one side, reaffirm the Welsh Government's full support for Wrexham's culture bid, and work with us to bring this opportunity home for both Wrexham and north Wales? Diolch yn fawr.

Absolutely. And I thank the Member and her colleagues in Wrexham for putting up such a strong effort behind that wonderful bid. The Member has always promoted all the Wrexham has to offer, and what Wrexham offers in terms of this city of culture bid is quite significant. But she makes a very important point. Yes, this is for the local benefits that will derive from it, but it very much is a bid that should feel as if it belongs to all of us—all of us from the north of Wales and all of us throughout the country. Officials have been actively engaged in the past few weeks, supporting the bid, and, yes, this Government will do all we can to support in the build-up to, as I say, the application going in fully on 10 August. 

First Minister, as someone who chose to make Wrexham my home, I know first-hand the pride our communities take in our city's heritage and identity. A successful city of culture bid should leave a lasting legacy, not just a year of celebrations. What commitments can the Welsh Government make today to ensure that Wrexham's bid delivers long-term investment, supports local businesses, creates sustainable opportunities for young people, and leaves a cultural and economic legacy that continues long after 2029?

I think the Member is absolutely right. Yesterday, we were looking ahead to a year until the Tour de France comes to Wales. And it's not just looking forward to that one day; it's about the legacy that comes from that. It's exactly the same with the city of culture. And, yes, hoping that Wrexham lands this, but it's about what it lands Wrexham for for many years to come, hopefully. I think we were looking at the figures for Coventry. I think the UK City of Culture there helped to generate more than £183 million for the local economy. So, just in pure financial terms, this can bring real benefits. But it's not just the financial; it's the societal, as I say. It's the bringing of communities together, something that Wrexham has shown it is very, very good at doing anyway, building around the amazing success of its football team in recent years. But, as I say, the Government will do all we can to make sure that everything is lined up to make it as strong a bid as possible by the time it's tabled in early August.

I'm grateful to the Member for raising the question in this place, First Minister. You'll know that, on these benches, there's been strong and consistent support for the city of culture bid in Wrexham. And you'll also recognise the role that businesses, and particularly the small, independent businesses, will play if successful in this bid. They will be at the heart of ensuring that there's a great welcome for people to showcase all that Wrexham has to offer. So, I wonder if you could share how you think the Welsh Government could support those small and independent businesses, if this bid is successful, to make the most of this opportunity, and make sure they have the support they need to be able to see economic success off the back of this, if successful. 

The Member is right that it's important that this is built across party-political divides. We need everybody to get behind this and show that there's real momentum politically and within the community for this bid to become a success. We can look at the things that the Government is doing to support small businesses in general: the town-centre taskforce, which we hope will bring benefits to Wrexham, as in towns the length and breadth of Wales; we can look at the new development agency and its specific remit, which will be to help small, indigenous businesses grow. What we have around a bid like this is just a real opportunity, a one-off opportunity, for somewhere like Wrexham to build a dynamism around the economy in the town, to build real impetus and momentum around this, coming together with those Government initiatives. What we want to do is make sure that we align everything behind small businesses in Wrexham, to make the most of the opportunities that will come with this.

We recognise the financial pressures faced by local government. That's why I'm proud that we secured an additional £112.8 million for local government in the 2026-27 budget. That meant every authority received an increase of at least 4 per cent. We will consider future funding in-year and for 2027-28 as part of normal budget planning.

Thank you, First Minister. During my time as a councillor, I was increasingly alarmed by the rate of borrowing and associated costs with borrowing that local councils were taking on across Wales. In recent years, borrowing by local councils has increased by more than £400 million and, right now, local councils in Wales are carrying more than £6.4 billion in debts. This growth is made all the more alarming when you consider the costs associated with financing that debt. Conwy council, for example, this year alone will be spending £17 million just financing its debt. This is compounded when you realise that, often, councils refinance their debts time and time and time again. A loan taken 10 years ago with record low interest rates refinanced today in today's market will cost councils thousands of pounds more in unplanned costs. These ballooning debts and financing requirements are putting huge burdens on taxpayers and are ticking time bombs on councils' balance sheets. So, what is the Welsh Government going to do to curtail the growing levels of local government debt?

Borrowing powers are very important and useful tools for local government. I'll be making the case in a debate here later this afternoon that councils have more borrowing powers, in effect, than we do as a Government, and I'll be making the case that we should be able to have those borrowing powers here in order to invest in our future. What's important always, of course, is that decisions are made in a prudent manner about the reasons for spending, what the investment is, the affordability of the repayments and so on. So, I'm not going to criticise councils for borrowing—it's very much part of their armoury to strengthen public services locally. It is, though, very much for those local authorities to make those prudent decisions. We trust local authorities to make those prudent borrowing decisions themselves and to balance out their aspirations for the people that they represent with the affordability of those loans. What we want to always make sure, though, of course, is that we provide as a Government a solid framework for funding so that local government has that baseline in order to provide for their communities.

The Welsh Government supplementary budget ensures more funding for local authorities to improve the condition of their schools and to expand free school meals—an announcement that's been welcomed across the Chamber. That is on top of £110 million that was negotiated by Plaid Cymru for local government in this year's budget. Does the First Minister agree with me that there's a need to see cross-party maturity now in order to pass the supplementary budget and to unlock this funding for public services?

I certainly, Llywydd, agree with the Member on the need for mature conversations within this Senedd on the budgetary future of Wales, and the funding of local government as part of that, and the funding of public services more generally. Yes, there has been an allocation announced that will make a very real difference in the areas mentioned in the question, in terms of the condition of schools and free school meals, and so on. The financial limitations are tight, and what can be achieved through a supplementary budget, by definition, is quite narrow. But, in working together, I am confident that we can retain a focus on delivery for the people of Wales.

First Minister, the financial pressures faced by local authorities because of additional learning needs are acute. In my constituency, Monmouthshire County Council has 19 schools that are in budget deficit, with that being credited to ALN pressures. I know we've discussed before how we didn't have a statutory override in use in Wales, but would you agree with me that the funding pressures for additional learning needs are indeed acute? And what is your Government going to do to address those pressures, given that you have a choice over those consequentials?

The key thing that we all agree on here is that we have an unsustainability within the additional learning needs sector in Wales and that we need to build that sustainability. That will have to be a coming together of the financial and, of course, the policy. The policy: what is going to change and how will money be used? The Member will know that my Government has made constructive proposals as to what can be done this financial year to move forward towards that sustainable footing that I mentioned. I look forward to continuing that dialogue so that we can give confidence to pupils, to teachers, to schools, to local authorities, but it has to be a coming together of the funding and the policy, and it's a conversation the Member knows that I'm very eager to have.

First Minister, as you will know well, the WLGA have long argued that the quantum of local government funding is not large enough to meet the very real and growing expectations on councils. Pressures are growing massively for them, as you'll know, especially in adult social care and children's services. Now, we have already this term discussed many times in this Chamber the crucial issue of social care and how it is fundamental to unblocking our beleaguered health service, enabling timely discharges. First Minister, with this in mind, then, how are you planning to uplift local government funding to enable you to address the desperate issues in social care, recognising the sector's crucial role in unlocking our struggling health service?

The quantum, the money that is overall able to go to local government, I'm afraid to point out, has been pushed further and further down after 15 years of austerity under Conservative rule at Westminster. There is an impact to austerity years, to cuts by the UK Government, as that feeds through the system and down to local government. That's not something that we can deny. I lead a Government now that's dealing with the pressures that are emanating from the very, very tight constraints, ultimately because of decisions taken at Westminster. I refer the Member to what I said about the deal that we struck on local government for this financial year—£113 million almost—which we decided we had to try to funnel towards local authorities because of the real pressures that they face in delivering their services, plus, of course, the pressures on council tax during a cost-of-living crisis.

I now call on the party leaders to question the First Minister. The leader of Reform UK, Dan Thomas.

Thank you, Llywydd. First Minister, Andy Burnham is due to be coronated in a matter of weeks. Now, after you were ghosted by Keir Starmer, can you confirm if you have directly spoken with Andy Burnham, either before or after his comments on devolution recently? And, if not, have you got a firm date in the diary to speak to Andy Burnham, the next Prime Minister?

I like to give substantive answers here, but I need to point out that Andy Burnham is not the Prime Minister of the UK, and that the very early conversation that I had with Keir Starmer that didn't lead to a meeting because of chaos in Westminster I sincerely hope will be replicated in a very early meeting with Andy Burnham, should, as we expect, he become the Prime Minister of the UK, because I've got a lot to talk to him about.

Llywydd, I'll take that as a 'no', that you haven't got a date in the diary. It's obvious what's going to happen, and, if I was First Minister, I would be demanding Andy Burnham's team puts a date in the diary to see me. You're obviously having trouble getting through to London. I don't know if you've got a Reddit account, but you can get through to Andy Burnham on Reddit quite easily. He's very responsive on there. Now, First Minister, you promised the people of Wales that you would stand up for Wales and that you would get a better deal from London, but you haven't met with anybody from the Government, as far as we can tell. It's clear that the UK Government isn't taking you very seriously. They're not. And the reason for that is quite obvious, because demanding extra money alone, that's not going to open doors in London. And I know that as a former council leader, who managed to secure hundreds of millions of pounds for infrastructure. You have to convince Government that you will spend the money wisely. So, is it not the case that the UK Government doesn't trust Plaid Cymru with extra funding?

It's nice to get lessons in spending money wisely from the man who spent so wisely so as to build a property portfolio spanning at least five houses and four acres in three countries, and a party leader who has taken £5 million in donations from cryptocurrency billionaires internationally. My Ministers—. I think there have been at least—. Hands up, who has met a UK Government Minister today?

Me, this morning. 

So, three today. So, there's no question of this Government missing a single minute, a single opportunity to stand up for the people of Wales, as the people of Wales put their trust in us to do. It's not our fault, the shambles at Westminster, which could even include his party leader standing down, I don't know, in a statement at 2 o'clock—who knows? That's the chaos within the Reform leader's party, and it's chaos at Westminster that has stopped us from being able to take that face to face between the Welsh First Minister and the UK Prime Minister. I'm looking forward to putting that right very, very soon, when they sort out their leadership issues there. 

I'd be quite happy to give the Welsh Government some advice on how to sweat property assets, how to get best value for money. I'm very happy to help you with that. But, First Minister, you labelled Andy Burnham's refusal to review Wales's funding formula as 'not a great start', and your demands are not being taken seriously. You are not commanding the respect that Wales needs in a First Minister. Now, we are halfway through Plaid's first 100 days, and all we see are reviews, expert groups, audits, plans for plans, strategic developments, rather than real action. There are still mixed messages on two-year waits and when they will be eradicated, and your supplementary budget is in real danger of being voted down. So, is it more accurate to say that this Plaid Government is not off to a great start?

Well, if you look at the money that has been found for childcare, if you look at the money already channelled towards health, if you look at the steps that have already been taken to establish a new development agency to create new jobs in Wales, all those measures that we said that we would do, we have hit the ground running and we have delivered on those. We are only just getting started as a Government. It's a Government that recognises we're in a minority and we look forward to building partnerships right across this Senedd on behalf of the people of Wales. But it's that determination to lead a different kind of Government, to set a higher level of ambition for Wales that attracted the people of Wales to vote for us in greater numbers than they have for any other party in the history of devolution. We're just getting down to the business of delivering on their behalf.

The leader of Welsh Labour, Ken Skates.

First Minister, that money that you say has been found actually came from the UK Labour Government, and it came as a result of increased investment in ALN, or SEN as it is in England. In 2024, your party said that schools are forced to make difficult decisions about the support they provide to the students who need it the most. And you even said, 'Wales can do better than this. Under Plaid Cymru, the pupils who need support will receive it.' In that case, why was not a single extra penny allocated towards additional learning needs in your supplementary budget?

The Member will also know, of course, that at the end of the last Labour Government, they did not make a decision to spend money on additional learning needs because a decision was made by the then Labour leader that that was not the priority at the time. We have made it a priority, it's in our manifesto, to build a sustainable additional learning needs framework for Wales. And the Member knows, as I have said, that we have made constructive proposals on how we can work with him on bringing together the funding and the policy to build that sustainability that we need.

I think what we need to avoid here is letting politics become the most important thing. What people expect us to do is to find a way to put a plan in place for those areas of priority for the people of Wales. And, yes, I'm as keen as he is to work on ALN, but we work within tight constraints, including the hundreds of millions of pounds of overspend that this Government inherited from the last, as well as aligning budgets with the people's priorities—a more sustainable NHS, expanding childcare, delivering more free school meals; all of which Labour's own finance Minister, and I believe the Labour leader here himself, support—that's what we've tried to do, in the spirit of constructive working, in order to deliver for the people of Wales.

First Minister, you said what needs to be done, what we need to avoid doing. Clearly what we need to avoid doing is abdicating responsibility for the most vulnerable children in Wales, and that is exactly what your Government is doing by refusing to allocate a single penny of ALN money in the supplementary budget. It's just not good enough.

You made a virtue of supporting young people and children in opposition, but you're not following it through in Government. This week, I heard from Nia Goldsmith, headteacher at Ysgol Tŷ Ffynnon in my constituency. She told me of her concerns about the pressure on staff in school budgets, and as you well know, that money is there to help them. And another headteacher, Richard Hatwood of All Saints' School in Gresford, told me that the chair of the primary headteacher federation has requested a meeting with you. Now, will you be responding and agreeing to that meeting, so that you can show teachers and students and parents across Wales that you are taking their concerns seriously?

I'm trying to be as constructive as I possibly can here. The problems that we face in ALN have been caused by 27 years of Labour education Ministers. We want to work with this current group and anybody else to make sure that we build up sustainability for the future.

The plans that we have in the supplementary budget stick with the previous Government's spending plans, whilst making allocations in areas I know the Member's party supports. I hope we can make positive progress on this, because we owe it to the people who are quite right in pointing out that we have a depth of problem in ALN in Wales and in England that deserves to be resolved, but it's not going to be resolved by a one-off payment.

Leader of the Welsh Conservatives, Darren Millar.

If I can just correct you on one thing, First Minister: the problems we have in Wales are not just down to 27 years of the Labour Party; they're down to Labour-Plaid budget deals in recent years, which have undermined our public services and ruined things here for many people.

Can I turn to something that's not going to cost you a penny, First Minister? As we all know, mobile phones can be a huge distraction for young people and a disruption for them in the classroom. It can undermine their education and cause them challenges with their mental health as well. Now, as a result of that, in England, last week, the UK Government issued its statutory guidance and the effect of that is a ban on mobile phones during the school day in schools across the country. The situation, as you will know, here in Wales is very different. It's inconsistent from one school to the next, and one local authority to the next, in spite of the fact that 82 per cent of the education workforce want a statutory ban in place. Your Cabinet Secretary for Education and the Welsh Language recently announced that she's going to consult on guidance in September. That means that no guidance will be issued until beyond September, with no ban coming into place. We don't need words, we don't need waffle. Why are you dragging your feet and when are we going to get the ban that people in Wales want?

My Cabinet Minister for education has announced that also we in Wales want to bring forward that statutory guidance to achieve the aim that the Member says he wants to achieve. The timing of this is essentially around the summer holiday and wanting to work in a way that the education sector told us that they wanted to work, in order to make sure that there is no break, that there is no delay in people being able to feed into that consultation. This is a Government that's made its position very, very clear on this and we're moving forward as quickly as we can. We could open that consultation before the summer, but because of the summer we'd have to continue it afterwards anyway.

You just need to get on with it, right. You set out a 100-day plan. You're over two thirds of the way through that and there's very little, apparently, that appears to be changing.

As you know, your budget deals have undermined our education system. We have a very poor-quality education system, unfortunately, in Wales. Too many kids are leaving schools without the qualifications and the life skills that they need. We're at the bottom of the UK league table. Violence and absenteeism are on the rise in our schools, and pupils with additional learning needs, as we've already heard, are being denied the support that they need. As a result of this, many parents have lost confidence in the state sector, and they're making huge sacrifices to scrimp and save everything they can to send their children to schools that they have confidence in, in the independent sector. But we've seen independent schools undermined as a result of policy changes by the UK Government, with changes to value added tax on education tuition fees, and, of course, we've seen this problem with many of them losing their charitable status. That's causing problems in our communities—

Question, Darren.

—and hundreds of jobs are being lost. Can I ask you, First Minister, what discussions are you having with the Independent Schools Council here in Wales about the challenges that they're facing? And will you now petition, as a Welsh Government, the UK Government, to reverse the damaging policies that are causing these closures, and the economic impact of that here in Wales?

While the Welsh Government regulates all registered independent schools, how they govern and manage themselves is a matter for the proprietor. I also point out, of course, that those decisions on VAT, decisions on national insurance that we are told has put additional pressures on independent schools, they are matters that are reserved. My concern, when it comes to the closure of an independent school is for the learners, the families and the staff affected, and the impact of the moving of students into the state school or college sector. My Government will be working closely with authorities to make sure that those pressures are dealt with. Our job is to support that state school sector now. There may be the need for more support when we have independent school closures. That's why we have put those incentives in to bring more teachers into the profession, so we strengthen the workforce. It's why we are putting in place the framework for improved numeracy and literacy within schools. And if he thinks that 50 days is two thirds of the way through the 100-day plan, I'll put him down for the numeracy lessons. [Laughter.]

We have announced our targets to halve Wales’s productivity gap with the rest of the UK in the next 10 years. There have been widespread calls for a new development agency to help Wales meet that challenge. The Cabinet Minister for Enterprise, Connectivity and Energy will make a statement about the next steps in establishing the agency later this afternoon.

Diolch, Brif Weinidog. A little birdie has told me that in that statement we won't specifically know what the Welsh development agency will mean for the Development Bank of Wales. Previously, Plaid have said the WDA will potentially make equity investments in companies in Wales, which is exactly what the development bank already does alongside their loans. So, my question is: will the WDA absorb the Development Bank of Wales, or will we have multiple quangos inefficiently duplicating efforts? Diolch.

We want to make sure that we have the right tools at our disposal to build a stronger economy for Wales, and we firmly believe that having a development agency is an important part of doing that. I know the Member has an opposition to the notion of having a development agency. They're very, very effective in action across much of the world—one of the best, at one time, was the Welsh Development Agency. I think it was a problem to get rid of it. It should have been fixed at the time.

So, what we want to do is have that tool in our armoury, and in establishing the group that will now set out the terms for how it will operate, those are exactly the kinds of questions that we will hone in on: what kind of relationship will it need to have with the Development Bank of Wales, which had a good track record, in many ways, in supporting Welsh businesses? How do they work together? How do we make sure that business really is able to use its ability to be nimble and fleet of foot, to help other businesses in Wales through this development agency? This is about getting it right from the start, and the work begins right now, within the first 50 days of a Plaid Cymru Welsh Government.

Prif Weinidog, Port Talbot has all the ingredients to succeed: strategic infrastructure, a free port, significant public investment, and a highly skilled industrial workforce. Yet for too long, investment has too often been fragmented, with opportunities pursued in isolation rather than as part of a coherent economic strategy. What role do you think, Prif Weinidog, you will see the Welsh development agency playing in places like Port Talbot, where significant investment is already being made through the Celtic Freeport, UK Government funding, and the transition of the steel industry? How will it add value and provide a single co-ordinated strategy to ensure that public investment delivers lasting well-paid jobs, growing Welsh-owned businesses and their supply chains and ensuring that the wealth generated in places like Port Talbot stays in Wales?

One of the most important things to consider in establishing an agency is how we set it up to make the most of the talent, assets and resources we have in abundance across the whole of Wales. It will need to create the kind of conditions for businesses to innovate, grow and access investment they need wherever they are, including, of course, in Port Talbot, which has faced real challenges but has so much potential too. And it does include working alongside and helping co-ordinate other sources of support, such as free ports and UK Government funding, to put Welsh businesses in the best position to grow. I think perhaps the most important word used there was 'coherence'. What I have heard too many times is that we have elements in economic development working in conflict with each other. The job of the new development agency will be to try to bring that coherence so we're all heading in the same direction.

Could I take you up on that point, First Minister, about coherence? We have growth deals and city deals in Wales at the moment, covering the whole of Wales. How will the new development agency work with those growth and city deals so you don't get that conflict and that double spend of public money and you end up fighting the cause locally, domestically, rather than internationally by bringing good quality jobs into Wales and lifting the productivity of the overall Welsh economy? Because that's an important distinction over the economic landscape that we have today that we didn't have when the old Welsh Development Agency was in function.

I was speaking at a business event in Cardiff just before the election and the current plethora of organisations that are trying to do good work were likened to a plate of spaghetti, and that what we needed to do was untangle that plate and make sure that, as I said, that coherence is there. I've had people tell me that they're worried about what this will mean for the Cardiff capital region, for example. Does it mean you don't need that? No, it doesn't mean we don't need that. But what you need to do is make sure that, from the very beginning, those relationships are there and that the new development agency knows what its role is to get the best out of the Cardiff capital region or other bodies. That is the attitude that we will seek to put in place from the very beginning, and we should get more details from the Minister later this afternoon.

The Welsh Government is clear that Welsh patients receiving healthcare in England should not face disproportionate barriers in accessing services. While local health boards are responsible for planning, securing and delivering health services for their local populations, the Welsh Government works closely with NHS England and NHS organisations to support cross-border healthcare, in line with the NHS cross-border healthcare services statement of values and principles. 

Diolch, Brif Weinidog. We know that people in Wales access services in England and vice versa. Health boards say that digital systems and accessing information are a key challenge for GP practices and patients on the border. This can be really frustrating for people and cause extra uncertainty at an already difficult time. What action is the Welsh Government taking to ensure cross-border digital systems, including NHS apps, do not cause delays or concerns for patients accessing treatments?

It's a major problem. Cross-border sharing of medical records is complex because NHS Wales and NHS England use multiple digital systems. Local organisations have reciprocal arrangements where possible, supported by agreed cross-border principles. But we are developing right now further digital improvements, including common standards and the national data resource, to support exactly what the Member refers to, which is the need for safer connected care for patients, using the latest technology well.

Many people talk about cross-border issues in Powys. However, what's not heard very often is the fact that NHS England charged far higher fees than usual last year, and above inflation, which is the level usually guaranteed by this Government. That led to an extra cost of £3.8 million last year, and it's likely to be £4 million this year. In addition to that, the Wye Valley trust has been designated a rural area by NHS England and receives a rural premium. They then expect Powys to pay a premium to them, leading to a further bill of £13 million thus far. These are the issues that put extra pressure on the health board. If England is increasing the cost of care, there should be a balance book adjustment from the UK Government to the Welsh Government to reflect the additional financial impact and, through that, enable the flow of patients across border both ways, recognising that parts of England are also reliant on Wales in the same way. Can the Government please raise these issues with Ministers at Westminster? 

The Member is quite right, of course. There's a great deal of flow both ways. If we look at primary care, there are 13,000 people from Wales registered with GPs in England and almost 21,000 people from England registered with GPs in Wales. So this is a symbiotic relationship on both sides of the border.

What ties all of this together and should put a framework in place that works is that we have a statement of principles and values. That should ensure that no treatment can be refused, and no treatment can be delayed, because of uncertainties or ambiguity in terms of which body is responsible for funding healthcare.

What we need to do, of course, is to ensure that we always check that those values and principles are adhered to. Where there is evidence that they are not, I will give an assurance that my health Minister would be very eager to pursue that, as I'm sure would the health Minister in England.

First Minister, people in Powys are being asked to accept less and less from their health service across the county. First, Powys Teaching Health Board delayed cross-border treatment because of budget pressures, leaving patients in mid Wales waiting longer with fewer options available for care. Now we are hearing discussions about possible hospital closures and reduction in bed capacity to save money. That's simply not good enough. The previous Welsh Government only put in a couple of hundred thousand pounds to address this problem. And when the Liberal Democrats could have stepped in to help, all they got was a ban on greyhound racing—not the sort of thing that the people of Powys were hoping for. I can tell you, First Minister, the people of Powys have had enough of political posturing. So, will the First Minister today commit to—[Interruption.] Do you think it's a laughing matter, First Minister? Because my constituents certainly do not. They want an urgent commitment from you to deliver that money into Powys so we can get waiting lists down, to make sure we open up cross-border care and make sure we protect our hospitals and beds in my communities.

Said he through political posturing, and that's the point. We need to find a way to make sure that no part of Wales feels that it is missing out on the level of health service that it requires, be it people across the north of Wales with the problems that are well documented in Betsi, or people in Powys who have specific issues related to the fact that there is rurality throughout the whole of the county, there is no district general hospital, and the importance of those cross-border facilities is even more heightened.

I've spoken with my health Minister for years now about how we ensure that the people in Powys in particular feel very much at the heart of the plans that we have for the development of health services in Wales. All I can do is give the assurance that we will take forward that pledge with the utmost seriousness and that we expect to be held to account on it. When it comes to whether it's a rural health service or cross-border health services, these are matters that are very much on our radar as a Government, and there's a real determination there to show that we will not stand by and watch the health service being degraded in any part of Wales in the way that the Member describes.

First Minister, last year there were approximately 30,000 Welsh people on an English NHS waiting list because of the lack of local NHS treatment available. We know that Powys Teaching Health Board has recently placed its patients on the Welsh waiting list as it was told by the previous Welsh Government that the extra money they were providing for commissioning services could not be spent in English hospitals. As you will be aware, the Welsh Affairs Committee recently heard evidence from Welsh health board chief executives, including the chief exec of the Aneurin Bevan health board. The points raised by the chief executive of the Aneurin Bevan health board seem to have been the same persistent problems that have frustrated the Welsh NHS over many years. These include data and record sharing, as well as the NHS app, which is slightly different between the two countries. First Minister, you cannot get away from the fact that thousands of Welsh residents are accessing services over the border because we just don't have the facilities to treat them here in Wales. Therefore, would it not be wise and prudent of you to have a joined-up IT system with the English NHS rather than being different for difference's sake? Thank you.

There a number of points to unpick there. On the number of people from Wales having to access services across the border in England because they're not available in Wales, that's an argument that I've long made. Poor decisions have been made over many years that have led to the loss of services in Wales. Patients crossing the border might get very good services—people from the north get excellent neurology services at the Walton Centre—but we have to look at what we can do to build up services here too. It's a point of principle that's important to me, but, at the end of the day, you want to access the best services possible right now.

On the data, as I mentioned earlier, this a specific problem that is being addressed right now. Digital improvements are in the pipeline, including finding those common standards that would be beneficial internationally—across the border between Wales and England, and further afield, for that matter.

Good afternoon, First Minister. You're hearing a lot about Powys this afternoon. I will just follow up on the issue of us being really unfairly treated in Powys with the cross-border issues that we face. As we now know, there are rumours and concerns that we will miss out on our community beds in Powys. There are nine community hospitals in Powys and around 146 in-patient beds. These are vital in order to be able to deliver good-quality social care, to be able to get people home from hospital and to be able to move them out into their community. Therefore, what action will you be taking in order to intervene with Powys Teaching Health Board to stop the closure of those hospitals? Diolch yn fawr.

It is a real concern, the loss of thousands of community beds that we have seen over the past few decades in Wales, and there is an impact to that. The loss of community beds does mean an added challenge in terms of moving patients out of district general hospitals into the community. I know, from visits to my district general hospital, the sheer number of people who are in that hospital who are medically fit for discharge, and yet they are unable to be discharged. 

It's not a matter of being able to embark now on a major reversal of the loss of those community beds, but it is about recognising the importance of strengthening care within our communities. In particular, it's about the shift—which we have already started work on—of resources towards primary care. That means care within the communities, it means working across multidisciplinary teams, district nursing and so on, so that we are able to treat people within their communities. That work has already begun within the first 50 days of this Government's programme. It will be a long burn, because we are trying to undo decades of shift away from primary care and the costs that we have seen as a result of that. But we're determined to make it happen. And where you don't have a district general hospital in Powys, that becomes even more important, doesn't it?

Workforce planning must improve across NHS Wales, which is why we are committed to bringing forward a new national workforce strategy for the NHS. I'll engage with organisations, including Swansea Bay University Health Board, on our priorities. We will work with health boards, trusts and Health Education and Improvement Wales to strengthen planning, better align training with funded posts and support a sustainable workforce to meet future service needs.

Diolch yn fawr. The people of Swansea are deeply concerned by this week's announcement that the health board is proposing the loss of around 800 posts. Whilst I do recognise that these proposals are intended to provide greater financial stability and reduce reliance on expensive agency staff, in fact, workforce planning in the long term is an issue not just in Swansea but across the entire Welsh NHS. But these changes come at a particularly challenging time, when we are also seeing reductions in training places for future healthcare professionals despite the clear need to recruit and retain more NHS staff. There is undoubtedly a need to rebalance the way our health service manages its finances, but patient care must remain the overriding priority. Therefore, will the First Minister outline what discussion is taking place to ensure that these workforce changes do not negatively impact patient outcomes or the quality of care that patients receive in Gŵyr Abertawe? Diolch.

Decisions on the workforce, of course, are down to the health boards themselves. All NHS organisations need to have a clear workforce plan that supports safe delivery of their service models, and to keep those plans under review, in the light of the needs of their population and their overall financial position.

I am very, very aware of the concern around the plans announced in that particular health board. The key thing here is that health boards and trusts have that responsibility to ensure that their workforce plans reflect their local population needs. I and my health Minister would urge them now, in light of those concerns, to ensure that any proposals that they bring forward will not have a detrimental impact on the health of the people of that part of Wales.

First Minister, I wrote to your health secretary about 10 days ago, outlining my concerns of Swansea Bay University Health Board, not only about the workforce, with potentially 800 jobs being lost—. The fact of the matter is that, over the last three years, over £112 million of deficit has added up to financial pressures.

They've also doubled their provision for negligence as well, to £40 million. So, not only is the NHS workforce paying the price of this financial disaster—. My question is, given that the forecast over the next year is that an extra £77 million overspend is going to happen in that health board, is your current level of intervention adequate? If not, what further steps are you going to take, First Minister?

The Government always keeps its level of intervention under review. It's part of what we do in order to make sure that health boards deliver for the people of Wales. It is troubling, and it has been. I spent most of my time here as an opposition health spokesperson. It is troubling to see those financial deficits year after year, which is why that sustainability agenda is so, so important to us.

For example, in making money available through the supplementary budget, it is not about quick fixes. We cannot rely on quick fixes or expect just injections of cash to make a difference overall. You spend money in a way that can deliver healthcare in a different, more sustainable way. That is our intention with the funding that is going in now, and that is equally true for Swansea bay as it is for any health board in Wales. But it's up to those health boards to make sure that they balance the books and provide the healthcare that the people they serve deserve.

Swansea Bay University Health Board is a compact health board, structured so that each of the three main hospitals has its own area of expertise, including burns and plastics for south Wales and the south west of England. We have seen a large number of nurses and midwives qualify but not being offered posts, which is upsetting for each of them, but also means that the use of agency nurses will continue. Will the First Minister meet with the health board and suggest to them that employing recently qualified nurses, instead of the use of expensive agency nurses, will benefit the health service, the health board and the individuals recently qualified?

I have long made the case—and I welcome those comments from the Member—that cutting the dependency on agencies has to be at the heart of making our health services more sustainable. I do note that part of those plans by Swansea bay has been around getting rid of agency posts, which isn't, in itself, a negative. We need to build sustainability for the long term.

On graduate jobs now, of course, we have returned to this week after week, and a problem has arisen this year because of decisions made, as we know, by the last Government. What we have been able to do through, for example, the graduate summit that was convened by the health Minister is to try to give assurance that, in the long term, we will be needing these posts, and that we need these specially trained health professionals to provide a solid, sustainable health service for the future. We'll do everything we can to get over this difficult point in time, which I find deeply frustrating, and which is clearly distressing for the students involved.

The NHS is facing sustained pressure due to rising demand for investigations and treatment for cancer, alongside increasingly complex care needs and treatment options. We're bringing forward a national cancer plan and a long-term NHS Wales workforce strategy that will help to address these pressures on NHS services.

Diolch, First Minister. I welcome the Welsh Government's £145 million investment in reducing NHS waiting lists. The Royal College of Radiologists's workforce census published last month found that NHS Wales is short of 88 clinical radiologists and 13 clinical oncologists, with this shortage projected to more than double in 2030. A lead oncologist in Gŵyr Abertawe told me that the shortages are preventing talented resident doctors from taking up permanent posts, highlighting the need for a stronger all-Wales approach to workforce planning. First Minister, how will the Welsh Government ensure that this investment strengthens the specialist cancer workforce so that talented staff can remain in Wales, waiting times are reduced and patient care and outcomes improve?

Given the pressures on cancer services, it is very worrying to read the concerns raised by the Royal College of Radiologists. I, and we as a Government, certainly recognise those concerns and agree that workforce capacity in radiology and oncology is a significant challenge at the moment. As part of that NHS workforce work that we will be doing and the cancer plan, we will be setting out further action to help address the pressures. We're also working closely with Health and Education Improvement Wales, NHS organisations and health boards to strengthen workforce supply in areas critical to cancer services, including oncology, radiology, diagnostics and specialist nursing. But, to me, it's in the coming together of those two elements—a new workforce strategy and a new cancer plan—that we have the real ability here to get to grips with those shortages that are, undoubtedly, real.

The Welsh Government is working with HEIW, NHS Wales organisations and universities to monitor employment outcomes for newly qualified nurses and midwifery graduates following the 2026 NHS Wales streamlining process. The Cabinet Minister for Health and Care convened a graduate summit on 18 June, bringing together NHS Wales partners, HEIW and universities to identify immediate support for graduates and longer term workforce planning improvements.

Last week, I met with a very distressed constituent, who had been encouraged to embark on a nursing course on the understanding that our Welsh NHS needs more nurses, and the promise that there would be jobs on graduation. My constituent, a mother of three, had made her plans around that promise being honoured. Twelve days ago, she was informed that there was no job for her. She and her husband have had to take out a loan to cover the gap in their finances until she finds work. My constituent attained a first-class honours degree and should be feeling excitement for her graduation ceremony, but now feels that she may not be mentally strong enough to attend it while she's in limbo, with so much uncertainty hanging over her head.

Both the Royal College of Nursing and I were glad to hear you say last week that you recognise that this is a terrible situation that should never have happened, and we heard your promise that there will be NHS jobs for the 400 healthcare graduates who don’t yet have offers. By what date shall I tell my constituent that she will receive an offer of work?

'I can't give a date' is the answer. It's well worth pointing out the depth of the problem that has been created. In midwifery, it's as serious as in any other. Of the 135 graduates, 70 of them remain without roles. Now, that's something that worries me deeply. We need midwives. I'm grateful—I say 'thank you' today to all those women and men who made the decision to become midwives. They feel let down because of the situation they've found themselves in.

It's in that spirit that the Cabinet Minister for health decided to immediately call that graduate summit to mitigate the impact. I've asked HEIW to co-ordinate a consistent national support offer for graduates across Wales. This will include a single point of access to ensure that graduates remain supported, practice ready, which is key, and connected to emerging employment opportunities. What that means, for example—. I'll give you another example: paramedics. Very few, if any, will be able to go straight from paramedic training to be a paramedic. So, what has been done is to find other roles, many within the ambulance service, so that, when the time comes, as soon as we can engineer that, they will be able to become paramedics. The same would be true of midwives.

There is no quick fix. It's a problem, sadly, that we have inherited, but that we are very, very serious about doing all that we can to resolve. But hang on in there, we need you as a midwife, we need you as nurses and paramedics. We'll do what we can as a Government to bring you into the health service, because we don't have a health service without you.

We want to build on the high standards we already have here in Wales. In our manifesto, we said we would develop a science‑led animal health and welfare plan. We will work with stakeholders, operational partners, industry and the third sector to develop our new approach for Wales.

I thank the First Minister for that response.

I had hoped to hear something in those priorities about the practice of the tethering of horses. This is currently the most signed petition on the Senedd petition website. There was a tragic incident earlier this year where a formerly tethered horse was hit by a vehicle and killed on one of the approach roads into Cardiff, and it's an issue of great concern to my constituents in Caerdydd Penarth.

Yet horses continue to be tethered along roads such as Rover Way on the road into Cardiff, creating welfare concerns, particularly in periods of extreme weather like the recent heat, and clearly posing a risk to motorists as well. The RSPCA reports that tethered horses reports have almost doubled and have warned that local authorities often lack the resources and the rescue capacity. I know from personal experience that there are practical challenges with making full use of the Control of Horses (Wales) Act 2014. The First Minister will appreciate, as I do, some of the cultural sensitivities surrounding this issue and he'll want to calibrate the Government's response accordingly. But in view of the increase in incidents and the wider public concern, can the First Minister outline his position on the banning of the tethering of horses and will he commit to reviewing the Control of Horses (Wales) Act 2014? Thank you.

Tethering, clearly, is not unlawful, as the Member said, but it is a practice that does raise significant welfare concerns. There are no plans to review legislation at this point in time, but the Animal Welfare Act 2006 does require horse owners to meet welfare needs, including shelter, diet, healthcare and behavioural needs. It's very, very clear to me and to this Government that tethering is unsuitable for long-term use. The equine code of practice, though, sets conditions, including access to food, water, shelter and supervision around this. Alternatives are very much encouraged and it is then around the enforcement of animal welfare laws in general as to whether those animals are being treated well or not with this practice, which is clearly worrying.

Question 9 [OQ64355] is withdrawn. Question 10, Lindsay Whittle.

We are committed to improving connectivity for people across Wales by delivering a modern and integrated transport network. Working with Transport for Wales, we'll deliver better rail services in Blaenau Gwent Caerffili Rhymni, with more new trains, faster, more reliable services and investment in stations, including Caerphilly interchange.

Diolch, First Minister. Plaid Cymru, of course, has long been a champion of better rail services across Wales, and I know our Government will always look for ways to be ambitious for our country. Residents in Nelson have campaigned for a reopening of the rail connection to the main Rhymney valley line for many years, and discussions have taken place on an extension from the Ebbw Vale line to a proposed Abertillery transport interchange as part of the Cardiff capital region. It's an ongoing issue. Rail extensions to these areas would provide expanded opportunities and access to the major centres around the south of Wales and, of course, the rest of Britain. Will the First Minister please confirm that relevant discussions with the rail authorities and others will continue until we achieve our ambitions and give these two proud valley communities more access to these because they are relying on us?

The Member is right, and we are committed to improving connectivity, especially for those areas in Wales that are isolated from good-quality public transport links. One of the many reasons we're seeking the devolution of rail is to allow us to be in control of decisions like the reopening of closed lines. Where we do have the control, on the core Valleys lines, for example, the decision was able to be made on reopening, such as the line to Nelson, and between Aberdare and Hirwaun. But any reopening requires significant funding, clearly. That is why we need a fair funding settlement for rail from the UK Government—just imagine what we could do with that £5 billion of money owed to us because of HS2.

Thank you, First Minister. Wait just a moment. 

Lynne Neagle has indicated—. Ken Skates. Lynne Neagle—. Ken Skates has indicated he'd like to raise a point of order. 

Point of order. During First Minister's questions, the First Minister referenced the inheritance of hundreds of millions of pounds in overspend. Could the Record be reviewed to check that that was indeed what was said, and, if so, be corrected, due to the fact that the Government inherited £120 million, plus the £300 plus million in consequentials?

Thank you to Ken Skates for raising that. It's not a point of order, but he has read into the Record, Prif Weinidog, what is considered a factual correction. However, Prif Weinidog, you don't have to respond, but, if you want to respond, you have the opportunity. You don't have to, though.

Other than to say that the in-year pressures left by the previous Labour Government are ones that we are having to deal with, and we will.

Diolch yn fawr iawn. Thank you. The Member has put his version on the Record, and the Prif Weinidog has responded. Thank you very much. 

We'll move next to item 2, the business statement and announcement. And I call on the Trefnydd, Heledd Fychan. 

Thank you, Llywydd. Changes to this week's business are set out on the Plenary agenda. The oral statements on scaling up businesses and the new development agency for Wales have been combined into a single statement and extended to 60 minutes. And a statement has been added on priorities for social care, mental health and women's health. 

Draft Plenary business for the next three sitting weeks is shown on the business statement, which is available to Members electronically.

Trefnydd, we've heard now several times from the Government, including the finance Minister herself when she did the media rounds about the upcoming budget, that the finances weren't as Plaid Cymru thought they were going to be. That is after access talks, that's after working in partnership with the Labour Party. That's after, as well, Plaid Cymru Members being on the public accounts committee and the Finance Committee here.

These are serious allegations, that you're saying the Government didn't know what the finances were. The public has a right to know, and this Senedd does. Before we vote on the budget next week, will you make time available, bring the costings that you say the last Government left that were wrong, so that we can make an informed decision on the vote? Because, right now, we have had Ministers criticise former Ministers and no-one knows who's telling the truth. It is not time that this Senedd sees who's lying?

I would ask—[Interruption.] I would ask the Member to reflect—[Interruption.] I do apologise—does the Member want to hear the response? Is it okay for me to respond? Thank you. 

What I would say is that the draft budget has been fully published. It's there for scrutiny. Clearly, there is a committee established to directly scrutinise this issue. We're entirely transparent. This is how we want to govern. And that change can be seen in the way that we want to work on a cross-party basis and be open. We are serious about addressing these deficiencies that we have, unfortunately, inherited. That is on the record; it is transparent. And, of course, the Cabinet Minister for Finance will be scrutinised specifically on this by the Finance Committee. 

I'm asking for a Government statement on the future of renewable energy in Wales. My long-standing support for a tidal lagoon in Swansea, onshore and offshore wind turbines and solar power is a matter of public record. We are awaiting technological advances in solar power so that the energy can be generated without direct sunlight, and we also need improved battery storage. We have onshore wind planning applications that have to be dealt with. I'm not asking for individual planning decisions, just a direction of travel. We also have a proposal to produce substantially more offshore wind energy—the cheapest form of energy. Universities can play a major part in these developments. I'd like to see a plan for the development of renewable energy. I hope that you'll say that you're developing one, but a statement on current intent would be very beneficial.

Thank you. I would encourage the Member to look at the statement of priorities that the Cabinet Minister made, which outlines the priorities in this regard. Clearly, as you've noted, that work will continue and updates will be given. But I would encourage the Member to look at that statement of priorities. 

Trefnydd, I'd like to request a statement from the Welsh Government on pavement parking. I've received a number of representations from constituents in Haverfordwest regarding vehicles that are regularly parked on pavements and, indeed, across dropped kerbs. This is not only an inconvenience for pedestrians but also presents a significant accessibility and, indeed, safety concern for many in the community. Now, as the Cabinet Minister will be aware, Scotland has already introduced legislation banning pavement parking, while, in England, the UK Government has consulted on the issue and is providing local authorities with additional enforcement powers to address obstructive parking. Wales should not be the only nation in Great Britain without a clear approach to tackling this problem. Therefore, I'd be grateful if the Welsh Government could provide a statement setting out its position on pavement parking so that we can understand what action is being taken to address this issue and how local authorities are being supported to improve accessibility, enhance road safety and ensure that our communities are safer and more inclusive for everyone.

I thank the Member for raising that important issue. I am pleased that the relevant Deputy Minister is here to hear those comments. He has expressed that he is willing to provide such an update. I very much hope that we can all convey a very clear message to people who do this that it is dangerous, that it is irresponsible. I'm sure that many of us will have received casework emerging from these issues too. So, if we could also reinforce the fact that many of these things are already illegal, and, as the Deputy Minister said, an update will be provided to Members.

Trefnydd, I'd like to ask for two statements, please, the first one on the school organisation code, from the Cabinet Minister for education, because we're seeing yet again in Powys that the local authority is going out to consultation potentially about closing another small primary school, in Gladestry, which would be a huge shame and against the Liberal Democrats' own manifesto, and the council said it wouldn't close any small schools. So, I'd like an update from the Cabinet Minister about the school organisation code, and how we can protect small schools in rural areas.

I'd also like a second statement, please, following on from what was mentioned in First Minister's questions, about Powys Teaching Health Board's potential decision to reduce bed capacity in hospitals across the Powys area. This will have a huge knock-on effect for people in my constituency. Yes, I know that Welsh Government has got no direct operational control over this matter, but I'd be very interested to know what steps the Welsh Government can take regarding governance so they can actually step in if a health board is taking decisions against the will of local people.

I thank the Member for those two questions. In terms of the first, I would ask you to raise your concerns with the Cabinet Minister for Education and the Welsh Language. Clearly, there are a number of reviews under way at the moment.

In terms of the second matter, clearly, you had the opportunity to raise this with the First Minister too. You'll be aware that there have been a number of occasions already. The Minister for health has outlined over the past few weeks the importance of services across Wales being available consistently and that that access is consistent. That's why we as a Government have already committed to commission a feasibility study to establish a new, rapid diagnostic centre in Powys. Clearly, this is a live matter in terms of the health board, but I certainly hope that you will have heard the commitment from the First Minister and the Cabinet Minister for Health and Care in terms of the importance of ensuring services for everyone, wherever they are in Wales.

I too would like to ask for a statement on the alleged overspends that the Plaid Cymru Government keep referring to from the last Government. I am very well aware that the Government was left £120 million in capital, £337 million in consequentials, and I am not aware of any overspends, and funding pressures within the NHS are not the same as overspends. Now, I know feelings are running high about Plaid Cymru's supplementary budget, but making incorrect statements is not the correct way to build a consensus on the budget. Show us the figures if you have any evidence of any overspends.

You will be aware that this is available. There is a debate on the supplementary budget next week. There is also an opportunity for the Senedd to scrutinise. We're being entirely open in terms of the situation that we have inherited. There are commitments that have been made without ensuring that there is a budget in place for them in coming years. That's true in the portfolio that I've inherited, and it's true for all Ministers. The forward look hasn't been adequate, and it is a far more challenging situation than I personally from my discussions with Mark Drakeford on some of these issues had expected—but, certainly, this isn't the situation that we've inherited. As you know full well, when you're in Government, the access that you have to information is very different to what you receive in access talks or as an opposition party. So, that transparency and that work is being done. We have the debate next week, and we are more than willing to be transparent with everyone within this Senedd so that we can address the very real challenges that we've inherited.

I would like to request a statement from the Welsh Government on Transport for Wales services between north Wales and Cardiff, particularly relating to the impact on football supporters travelling between the two regions. Constituents and football supporters have brought to my attention significant concerns regarding rail connectivity for supporters attending the first championship fixture of the season between Cardiff City and Wrexham on Monday 17 August. That's the first game of the season. With the match scheduled for an 8 o'clock at night kick-off, the last direct Transport for Wales service back to Wrexham is timetabled to depart before the game has concluded. As a result, supporters wishing to travel home by rail after the match are left with no practical option. It's absolutely shocking that the next rail journey doesn't arrive in Wrexham until approximately 06:45 in the morning, taking in excess of eight hours and requiring overnight travel. Furthermore, should that service be missed, there is no further rail connection available until the early hours of Tuesday morning.

Question, please.

Where are supporters expected to go? Are they expected to sleep on park benches? So, given the Welsh Government's stated commitment to improving transport connectivity across Wales, will the Cabinet Secretary outline what discussions have taken place with Transport for Wales regarding late evening services between Cardiff and north Wales? Thank you. Diolch.

Well, you're very fortunate that the Deputy Minister for Transport is here in the Chamber and has heard that. I would suggest that you follow up in writing. I would encourage any Member who is aware of where there are perhaps issues in terms of services, particularly when it comes to major events, to be making the Minister aware of them. Work has been done to try to ensure that there is greater provision, particularly to ensure that for major events. We have seen that in terms of events in Cardiff over this summer. But, clearly, if there are further concerns and problems—. The Minister has heard, but I would appreciate it if Members would make him aware of them by writing to him as well.

Can I call for a statement on the future of independent schools in Wales? Just last week in Ruthin, in my own constituency, we saw the announcement of the closure of Ruthin School. It survived 700 years, including the civil war, but it couldn't survive two years of a vindictive Labour Government introducing VAT on fees and scrapping charitable status and ramping up the cost of employment. Hundreds of pupils have been affected, hundreds of staff, suppliers, and of course the whole community in Ruthin is shocked, and this will have a devastating economic impact. I think what people need to know is what the Welsh Government is going to do to lobby for sensible change from the UK Government. And I would like to know what specifically is being done to support people that have been affected by the situation in terms of the announcement in Ruthin. We need to be sure that the Welsh Government will be just as reactive to the needs of the local community when job losses are announced in independent schools as they are in steel and other sectors.

The Member had an opportunity earlier this afternoon to ask a very similar question of the First Minister, and will have heard the First Minister's response. If there are any further considerations, I would ask you to write to the Minister for education. Clearly, ensuring that there are more teachers available has been a priority for us. There are a number of things that the Cabinet member for education has already outlined. So, if you are talking about the workforce, then certainly I would ask you to have that conversation specifically with her, and the rest of the Members representing that area.

Trefnydd, every year, around 400 people in Wales are diagnosed with leukaemia. The outcomes can vary significantly depending on where they live, with many patients facing delays in diagnosis and unequal access to specialist treatment and care. Leukaemia UK's recent report, 'Turning ambition into progress for people with leukaemia in Wales', sets out practical recommendations to improve outcomes, including early diagnosis, equitable access to treatment, stronger cancer leadership and better data collection—all of this ensuring that leukaemia is fully reflected in future cancer policy. Leukaemia sufferers and their friends, family and loved ones in my constituency of Gwynedd Maldwyn have asked that the Minister for health and social care considers these recommendations and set out what action the Welsh Government will take to ensure that people affected by this disease no longer face a postcode lottery in accessing the care and support that they need.

May I thank the Member for raising this exceptionally important matter? I'm sure that all of us, unfortunately, will know people who have suffered from leukaemia and are aware of the communication from constituents in terms of the postcode lottery that the Member referred to. I'm sure you'll be aware of the commitments made by this Government to tackling and ensuring that there is equitable treatment available to everyone who receives a cancer diagnosis. I would ask you specifically if you could write to the appropriate Minister on your constituent's behalf, and I'm sure that you'll receive an update. 

Prynhawn da, Drefnydd. Could I ask, please, for a statement on the worsening state of youth unemployment in Wales, particularly in rural areas like Powys? Data uncovered by the Welsh Liberal Democrats earlier this month show that youth unemployment in Wales is now the highest in the United Kingdom at 16.5 per cent. Wales has seen the steepest rise of any UK nation, increasing by 9.5 percentage points in the last year, almost nine times faster than Scotland and five times the UK average. Scotland can do it as a devolved nation, tackle youth unemployment, so I would like to ask you what is the Welsh Government doing in order to address youth unemployment and ensure that our young people, particularly in rural areas, are not leaving Wales for England for jobs, but are remaining in Wales and have the opportunity to work. Diolch yn fawr iawn.

Well, thank you to the Member for raising that important issue. As you will be aware, there is a debate scheduled for next week, for which you, with Shav Taj and Paul Rock, are tabling the motion, and we're pleased that that debate will take place because it is an important issue, and one I'm sure a number of Members will wish to contribute to. We've also seen, of course, the publication of Alan Milburn's interim report into young people and work, and Ministers will be meeting with Alan Milburn to discuss his findings very shortly and, of course, will be able to update the Senedd accordingly. We do recognise the growing risk of young people becoming disengaged from education, employment or training, alongside the pressures facing further education providers, and we remain absolutely committed to ensuring that all young people have the skills, confidence and experience needed to succeed in a changing labour market. But, as I said, I am pleased that we are having that debate next week, and there will be, of course, a Government response to that debate.

A constituent who is a trustee of the charity Haemophilia Wales has written to me regarding the infected blood scandal, saying, 'Many of our members are now elderly and frail after decades of struggle. We just want the claims for fair and just compensation to be progressed sooner rather than too late.' Will the Trefnydd arrange a statement from the Minister for health and care on ongoing delays to the infected blood inquiry compensation scheme, particularly to explain what representations are being made to the UK Government to speed up delivery, especially for elderly survivors and for all those affected? Diolch.

Thank you for raising that issue. The Member may be aware that the current First Minister was chair of the cross-party group when it came to campaigning here, alongside many other previous Members of the Senedd, who were very vocal on this matter. I will certainly ask the Cabinet Minister for Health and Care to provide an update.

I'd like to ask the Welsh Government for a statement outlining how they would expect councils to interact with elected Members in their area. I recently received a protocol from Flintshire County Council. It's described as a protocol for dealing with Members of the Senedd and Members of Parliament and their constituency staff. This is a four-page document, and there's quite a worrying line within this that says that MSs and MPs are asked not to liaise directly with councillors, and the council has asked that its councillors must not engage directly with MSs or MPs outside this process, unless expressly authorised by the chief executive. Now, I would find that wholly inappropriate that elected councillors have to get the permission of a chief executive to speak to other elected members. I'd appreciate a statement from the Welsh Government on their views on this and whether Flintshire County Council are perhaps barking up the wrong tree.

Well, I thank the Member for raising that issue.

I was unaware of this matter, and I think it's really important that we gain an understanding of what led to this approach. I think, clearly—and I heard from the views of Members expressed whilst you were speaking—that it's important that there is constructive partnership working across elected representatives for the benefit of the people that we all represent. I've benefited as a Member of the Senedd from working cross-party with councillors without having to approach a chief executive in the past, and, as a councillor in the past, I took that approach too. It's about putting your constituents first and being able to work together and set aside political differences. So, I would share the Member's concern. We would expect local government to fully engage appropriately in the democratic process. It is, obviously, a matter for the local authority to answer, but I will also make the Cabinet Minister for local government aware. I'm sure the fact that it has been raised here will encourage Members representing the area of Flintshire council to perhaps have that constructive dialogue with the chief executive.

And finally, Laura Anne Jones.

Diolch, Lywydd. Trefnydd, a comprehensive school in my constituency has decided to remove skirts as a uniform option for all girls from its uniform policy, due to a few girls spoiling it for the many by hitching their skirts too high. If a minority of pupils were not following the rules, surely those select few pupils should have been disciplined, instead of removing the skirt option for every girl. This seems more like collective punishment rather than a reasonable solution. Boys still appear to have a choice of uniform that they wear, whilst girls have had the choice taken away from them. This doesn't seem right and, quite frankly, I think sends the wrong message. What makes this even more concerning is that the school says that it values the student voice, yet has acknowledged that the majority of pupils were against this decision. The strength of feeling from parents has also been very clear on this, so I'm hoping the school still will change its mind on this. So, will the Minister for education make a statement outlining what guidance the Welsh Government gives schools on fair and proportionate uniform policies? Diolch.

Well, you will be aware that that policy is published on the Welsh Government's website. I would suggest that there is an issue for you to take directly to the governing body of the school, which has the responsibility in terms of school uniforms. As someone who had to campaign and petition to be able to wear trousers in my school, I am surprised that the pupils are not also campaigning in the same way. One of my first political campaigns, actually, was to try and get that reversed. So, I would suggest, in the first place, it is a governing body decision; it's certainly not a Welsh Government decision, and it would be appropriate for you to make representations at that level.

Thank you, Trefnydd.

Datganiad gan y Gweinidog Cabinet dros Fenter, Cysylltedd ac Ynni: awdurdod datblygu newydd dros Gymru. Galwaf ar y Gweinidog Cabinet dros Fenter, Cysylltedd ac Ynni, Adam Price.

Thank you very much, Dirprwy Lywydd. When I stood in the Siambr to set out our national productivity mission, I committed to updating the Senedd on next steps in establishing a new national development agency for Wales. Less than three weeks into this administration, we announced the most ambitious economic goal in Wales in two decades; namely, halving Wales’s productivity gap with the UK within 10 years. If we are going to achieve that goal, we need a fundamental change in how we approach economic development in Wales. The proposed new agency will be a key driver in achieving that change.

I have a clear vision for the agency: it will improve productivity in Wales, create better jobs for people and put money in their pockets, thereby raising living standards. I want the agency to focus on retaining ownership and economic value in Wales by delivering a clear national focal point for businesses that have the ambition and potential to scale up. I want it to provide support, advice and guidance to help these businesses navigate the finance landscape, strengthening investment readiness and unlocking growth opportunities. Supporting more Welsh-owned firms to grow and scale into resilient, productive and competitive businesses will be crucial. 

We are proud of Wales's strong base of microbusinesses and larger firms, but we have to address the long-standing challenges small to medium-sized businesses face in scaling up. Scaling businesses are those that innovate, that export, that utilise our Welsh skill base and that take advantage of the research and development being driven in our universities. And they're also businesses that can mobilise investor finance to realise their vision. These are innovation-driven enterprises.

I want the new agency to lead a proactive and highly targeted approach to attracting inward investment into Wales, building on established strengths while sharpening focus and promoting Wales's competitive strengths internationally.

Innovation is central to our economic development strategy and to closing the productivity gap. I see the development agency as a body with innovation at its core. Innovation is so much more than new product development; it ensures the spread, diffusion and adoption of new technology and helps drive economic competitiveness and productivity improvements. Research tells us that much of the growth in productivity comes from innovation and new ideas, rather than simply increasing labour or capital. In simple terms, innovation matters because it helps the economy grow, makes businesses more competitive, and improves people's standard of living over time. 

As set out in our 100-day plan, we're establishing an expert panel to advise us on the design of the new agency. The panel will not operate in isolation; rather, they will engage widely and be outward looking and collaborative in taking forward their work. The panel will be independent of Government and look to international best practice in economic development, as well as tapping into the knowledge and practical experience of businesses in Wales, to make sure their operating environment is fit for the future. We have set out the headline vision. The panel will help us deliver that vision, providing advice, recommendations and challenge about the form and functions of the agency. They will bring their expertise to help us develop the detailed remit and functions of the agency, helping us design and establish an organisation that swiftly supports the growth of the economy. They will provide advice on how the agency can best fit into the wider economic development landscape in Wales, working in collaboration to deliver for our country. And, crucially, they will advise on how the agency can best support productivity improvement, overcoming structural frictions around scaling, to turn opportunities into investable propositions. This new institution must be built on the Wales of today, and of tomorrow, and be able to stand out globally and connect effectively with our businesses across Wales—connecting bro and byd. 

And let me be clear at the outset that the Government is not looking to re-create the previous WDA. I want the new agency to be a more agile and dynamic arm's-length body with innovation at its heart, delivering on the strategic direction set by Welsh Ministers. It will draw on best practice and the best advice from around the world, and, in turn, become an international exemplar in its own right.

Creating a new development agency is a crucial part of driving the positive changes in productivity that we need. But it needs to be a much wider, collective effort across Wales. We need, collectively and collaboratively, to look at the current landscape and work with local and regional partners to create an economic development system where roles are clear and we're all working together as one team for the people of Wales. As part of that team Wales approach, engagement with Members of the Senedd, political parties and social partners such as trade unions is key. Further discussions will take place on the best way to ensure engagement and input over the period the expert panel undertakes its work, and I hope Members across the Chamber will be willing engage positively, collaboratively and creatively with that work.

The knowledge that we need to inform the design phase of the agency already exists in businesses right across Wales and in the strong connections that Wales has further afield. That's why the advisory panel will be comprised of a core group of individuals with a wealth of business experience. 

I’m pleased today to announce today that Jonathan Lewis, following appointment by the First Minister, will chair the expert advisory panel. Jonathan brings a wealth of business experience and will lead the panel’s deliberations over the coming months. I'm grateful to Jonathan for agreeing to give up his time to provide insight and advice to the Government in this crucial endeavour, and I look forward to working with him. We will now work together to recruit further members of the panel, so that its work can start fully, underpinned by relevant research that is already under way. I will provide a written statement setting out the full membership of the advisory panel in the coming weeks.

Dirprwy Lywydd, the appointment of the chair of the panel to advise on the remit and operating model of the new agency is a key stepping stone in the journey towards making Wales the best place in the United Kingdom to start a business, to grow a business, and to invest in a business. Let the work begin together. I look forward to updating the Senedd on further progress in due course.

It's a shame that, today, we're here debating the creation of yet another quango, more bureaucracy, but, of course, now we learn that we've got a panel to oversee the quango. I think the next announcement could well be the committee to oversee the panel to oversee the quango that advises the Government. I mean, it's got to come to a head at some point.

But, Minister, scrutiny is how we get better government. Now, today, Plaid has denied the Chamber that scrutiny. If taxpayers are funding this new development agency, then they deserve transparency. Minister, you say you want the new agency to provide support, advice and guidance, but you've said nothing about how. So, let me give you a suggestion. Decades ago, Welsh Labour scrapped the Welsh Development Agency, WDA1. They promised a simpler, better support mechanism for Welsh businesses. But instead, we've got a patchwork of organisations: Business Wales for advice, the Development Bank of Wales for finance, and now what we're proposing is WDA2 to sit on top. The current system is too confusing.

Minister, Business Wales returns £18 of economic value for every £1 that's invested. They do great work in helping businesses to grow and scale. The Federation of Small Businesses backs them, and entrepreneurs across Wales rely on them. So, why not bring Business Wales into the new WDA and make the support network less confusing and more accessible to businesses? One existing organisation with proven results already, not more Government bloat, not more quangos.

Minister, allow me to move on to supply chains. Attracting inward investment is important, but of course, as we all know, it's only the first step. The real test is whether that investment becomes rooted across Welsh communities up and down the country. Of course, we've learned that lesson before. In the last WDA, Wales welcomed major international employers, created thousands of jobs, and celebrated new investment, as short lived as it was. But those companies moved production elsewhere when the Government reduced the support. They took high-paying jobs with them, because their supply chains were never truly anchored in Wales, and it was easy to do so.

Other countries that have succeeded have taken a different approach. When we look at the Irish economy, inward investors are expected to work with local suppliers, strengthen domestic supply chains, and create opportunities for already established local businesses in that country to grow alongside them. In 2023, the Irish Development Agency's client companies spent £11.3 billion on Irish services and £3.3 billion on Irish materials. This is what we need the proposed WDA to do: bring companies that build up local communities, rather than hollow them out.

So, Minister, can you assure us that this new development agency will not judge success simply by the number of inward investments, but the number of companies across Wales that exist that scale up from small to medium? Will it make support for inward investment conditional on creating lasting opportunities for Welsh businesses and Welsh people, so that we don't just bring investment to Wales, but we keep the wealth that they bring with them in Wales?

And finally, Minister, you said a lot of nice words in your statement today about growth, and, of course, about productivity, and we agree with a lot of them. But what you're really telling us is that you're only just beginning to think about what the WDA will actually be. In fact, you won't even be doing that; the advisory panel will do it for you.

This is exactly why Reform are opposed to the WDA. Right now, there are around 25,000 small businesses in Wales that are looking to export abroad, but instead of helping them and actually making Wales the best place to start a business, all we're doing is setting up yet another advisory board, creating plans for plans. It's become a modus operandi for this Plaid Government. You've had years in opposition, and this is the best that you can do.

We still don't know how much the proposed WDA will cost. We don't know how many staff it will employ. We don't know how it will integrate across Government with other organisations. We've got nothing. All we've got are some warm words. So, Minister, do you agree with me that Plaid Cymru is out of its depth when it comes to the economy, and do you agree with me that Wales deserves better? Diolch.

I thank the Member for his response. I'd just like to focus a little bit on some of the areas where I think there is common ground between us. In 'Making Wales Work', which was the larger policy document that was the basis for our economic policy set out in the manifesto, we did ourselves, of course, set out the way in which the agency can be a means of ensuring, as we described it, that there is a single front door for business. So, I think we're on the same side and on the same page on that one.

The precise sequencing in terms of when you take different functions into the agency, that's a matter of detail that we're working through. But, absolutely, we want to make sure that businesses have a streamlined level of support. Of course, there will always be the need for specialist support in different areas—finance, as he described, and also exports.

And, by the way, in relation to his last point, we don't just wait for the agency to come along and solve our economic problems. I was speaking to a business last week about an investment project. I'll be doing it again, and I'm doing it all the time—talking to our teams that work in the different areas of business support. So, the existing business support is there, is ongoing. What we're trying to do is to improve the system for the future.

In relation to his point that he made about inward investment, I agree with him. Look, as I set out in my statement, we have to be strategic about inward investment. Foreign direct investment has a role in any economy, but we need to actually focus it on those areas that will be more embedded—through supply chains, as he suggests—in the Welsh economy, that actually build on our existing and possible future strengths. And that is exactly—he's right—what the Irish have done. Through a development agency called the IDA, they have emphasised aftercare, as they call it, because the majority of foreign direct investment is further investment by companies that have already come here. And that's the approach that the IDA have adopted, and it's definitely one that we would want to see at the heart of the strategy of the development agency here.

Shav Taj. 

Diolch, Deputy Llywydd. I was going to say 'Llywydd' there, but Deputy Llywydd, of course.

I think, from our perspective, we clearly do share your ambition for a new type of Wales, a reinvigorated Wales, a Wales that attracts more investment and ultimately creates good jobs, fair work jobs here in Wales. Now, I share a lot of the frustration, though, that we've been hearing across this Chamber for some time now. We keep hearing about—. In the past few weeks of this Government, a lot of stuff has been said about commissions, about reviews, about steering groups, about new people coming around the table, some old people coming around the table, and it's like pass the parcel or everyone seems to be running after each other's chair.

But when you talk to people outside the Senedd, all they want to know is: these internal arrangements that we have, are they going to make any meaningful difference in the real big bad world out there? Because we know that when it comes to business development and inward investment, those are absolutely important priorities for the Welsh Government, and we know that and we support that.

Of course, we were responsible for setting up the Development Bank of Wales, which gives really good financial support to lots of start-ups and scaling up, and of course Business Wales has already been mentioned, which offers significant specialist guidance and support. And in 2024, against all of the UK trends, Wales did see a 23 per cent increase in foreign direct investment, and as a result, in terms of all of the nations and regions, we did have the second highest percentage increase both in terms of projects, but also new jobs.

We had the Wales investment summit. We managed to secure £16 billion towards creating jobs and capital investment projects over the coming years. But, ultimately, what we want to know is: is anything going to change? Are we going to do better? Because, of course, like many other people, I've been meeting with lots of different business organisations, but also workforce, the Federation of Small Businesses, big employers like GE Aerospace in Nantgarw, and SpaceForge in Rumney. All of that really shows us that, with the right kinds of conditions, and the future of advanced manufacturing, being made right here in Wales, there are some amazing things that we can do.

And businesses, whether they're big or small, keep telling us the same thing. They need certainty. They really need that certainty, but they also need that speed when it comes to making decisions. We talk a lot about growth, and we talk about investment, and we talk about innovation. But what people are saying is that they’re really scratching their heads, trying to figure out what is this complicated new network. Yet another structure that's being set up. And of course, you mentioned that you've now got a new chair in the coming weeks, another man with a plan, and we will know who else is going to be around the table as well.

So, for me, it's a case of a real practical question here about resources. When will the new agency get new staff? Are there going to be any new staff? Or will they simply be shuffled across from other parts of Welsh Government, existing departments? And how much of this is actually going to cost the Welsh public, businesses, taxpayers? All of us in this Senedd, we've got a job to do in terms of scrutinising. And as someone who's a member of the economy committee, again, we will probably be asking you to present to us and explain to us where exactly we are going.

Because when the old development agency was brought into Government, the thinking then was that Ministers should be directly responsible, and that we shouldn't be passing the buck. And my real anxiety and worry is that it's going to be the same thing all over again, and we then end up with another situation where we have yet another bonfire of quangos, and we go back to where we were.

And if targets end up being missed or, say, businesses then end up being unhappy, who will actually be accountable? Will it be yourself, Cabinet Minister, or will it be the board of the agency? And while you're at it, can you please also clarify the constitutional status of the organisation? Are we going to need to legislate at some point for it to get going? Is it going to be like a sponsored body? Is it going to be an executive agency? Is it going to be a public corporation? Or is it going to be something else?

Also, Minister, you mentioned trade unions, and you will know the social partnership public procurement legislation makes it very clear that employers, Government and trade unions have to be around the table and make joint decisions for the future of Wales. So, how will the agency then work with the social partnership council, so that all of those individuals are involved in anything in relation to industrial strategy, investment, and also workforce planning? Ultimately, this is about jobs, jobs for the future, high-skilled jobs, and young people in Wales are really watching to see whether or not your Government is going to do any better than we did.

I'm very grateful to the Member for the spirit of her remarks and the way in which she's engaged as well with me outside of the Siambr. I think these are good questions to ask, and some of them are very much at the core of the process that we're going to go through now. And I do ask Members across the Chamber to engage with that process. Leadership is a combination, you know? It's a combination of having clarity about the goal—and we've set that goal, haven't we? Yes. But also humility to accept that you don't have all the answers. Any politician who says they've got all the answers is misconceived, all right? Some of the best answers will be out there. They will be in the collective intelligence of the nation as a whole. They'll be in people with business experience, some of whom will be involved in this process. They'll be in the trade unions and the social partners. That's why it's important that they have a role here as well.

We want to move at pace. That's one of the clear directions that we will give to the group: that we want to get to a minimal viable proposition in terms of the agency as soon as possible. The agency in year 1 of its operations will look different to the agency in year 4, so let's get there and build the future as fast as we can. 

All I would say in terms of development agencies is that they have played a central role in virtually anywhere that you can think about in the nations and regions that have closed an economic gap. Few of those nations or regions that have had one have got rid of them. We're one of the few exceptions. There may be a reason for that. They are an incredibly valuable tool. Do you need to get the design right? Absolutely. Getting the right relationship in terms of how arm’s length it is from Government but how close it is to a Government is important. It's one of the key questions that we've already done a lot of thinking on, and we will continue as we go through the design process.

I would just urge her and other honourable Members to come with their ideas about how we can get this right for Wales. Because there is a great opportunity here for us to give ourselves an additional lever that we have lacked now for 20 years in order to close the gap, and that's the intention of the Government.

Minister, thank you for your statement. You began your response to the previous contribution from the Labour spokesperson by saying that they were very good questions. The good thing about putting good questions is that you want some good answers back. I have to say there were a lot of fine words in this statement. I speak as someone who believes in moving economic development out of Government, because I believe in small Government, agile Government, and using the expertise that we have in the economy. But I generally can't get a sense that much work has been done on this particular project. We can't afford to stand still. We need this up and running as quickly as possible.

Could you give me an indication—? In your previous responses you said 'as soon as possible'. You're bound to have an idea when you're going to bring this organisation into existence. Is it 12 months' time? Is it two years' time? Is it three years' time? Or is it the very end of this Senedd term? Can you at least give us a sense of when you believe that this organisation is going to come into being? I'm not going to ask you for every pound, shilling and pence, but can you give an indication on what your thinking is of the type of budget that you will make available to the organisation? As I said, I'm not asking you to drill down into every pound, shilling and pence, but give us a sense of the scale of the ambition that the Government has got.

When we look at the old WDA, it had a complete offer, from building industrial sites to gaining the planning permission and promoting foreign direct investment. Does this organisation, in your mind, need to do all that, or will it be more specific in what it does about promoting Wales as a destination for inward investment? When we look at the organisation, are we thinking of an organisation that will look like NRW with a remit letter, or will this be a unique organisation that hasn't been seen in the Welsh public landscape before? I'd be grateful for answers to those questions, because they're not particularly difficult. As I said, from this side of the table, we do support the principle and we want to offer that support, but based on the answers so far, there's too much blank space.

I am trying to keep my answers short, but let me answer one of the questions. In terms of governance, yes, we do think this should be a statutory body, so our plan is to bring forward legislation fairly soon, as soon as we can. I can't give you a specific date, to be frank with the Member, but we want it to be operational as soon as possible, so not the third or fourth year. I referred to the fact that the agency in its first year of operation will look different to its third year of operation. There will be an evolution over the course of this term. But we want to get to an operational agency as soon as we can during this term.

In relation to its budget, yes, we have looked across the world at development agencies. Substantial work has already been done. Part of that work is very much looking at budgetary scope. We have got some indicative figures that we will be sharing with the group. We have draft answers in many of these areas, but you will appreciate that the whole point of setting up the group is to share some of our thinking on what we have been able to set out already and stress-test that with some leading thinkers and people with operational experience, who are able to test the outline model that we have.

I want this to be as open and collaborative as possible, genuinely. When we have more of an outline and we have formed the group and we have something further to share, we will do that—on a bilateral basis, meeting with Members, but also through written statements at the appropriate point.

Questions up to one minute. Rebeca Phillips.

Thank you, Dirprwy Lywydd, and I thank the Minister for his statement.

It's a very strange tactic from the opposition, I'd say—criticising this Government for having plans when they have none. 

I'm sure that everyone in this Chamber wants to see brand Wales succeeding. For this to happen, we need to help Welsh businesses to grow, to innovate, and to trade internationally. We need to attract inward investment and to increase the number of sustainable, high-quality jobs that pay well. We know that the previous business landscape was piecemeal and was often confused, meaning that businesses did not receive the support that they needed when they needed it. So, we welcome this step of creating a national development agency for Wales as a one-stop hub to support businesses of all kinds across the nation. Could the Cabinet Minister expand on how the agency will support businesses across the nation to grow, and outline the steps to ensure that a holistic approach is adopted to avoid that piecemeal system? Thank you.

I'm extremely grateful to the Member for that question. Very broadly, we've already identified that the main focus of the agency will be to enable businesses that have the potential to scale up to do that. That means tailored support, identifying the exact barriers facing every business. The position of every business that has the potential to scale up will be different. In some examples, it will mean access to capital; in other contexts, it may need assistance with exports or help with the skills base. Using an account manager approach will ensure that those businesses will receive the support that they need. To respond to one of the points that was made earlier, it's very important that the agency is focused. There was an element of mission creep in the old WDA. So, focusing specifically on supporting the ability of Welsh businesses to scale up is going to be at the heart of this agency's mission.

Thank you, Minister, for your statement. An hour ago, I asked the First Minister a very important question about the future of the Development Bank of Wales and the WDA. Unfortunately, though quite unsurprisingly, I did not get an answer from the First Minister, so I will try with you. This is a really important question. I have spoken to a representative of the Development Bank of Wales who said that they hadn't a clue what was going to happen to their organisation, and subsequently, they hadn't a clue what was going to happen to their own role. Furthermore, people across Wales will be keen to know whether there will be inefficient duplication of efforts from multiple quangos in this Government. So, I ask: is the WDA going to absorb the Development Bank of Wales?

I was pleased to be able to address the board of the development bank last week, and we had an extensive discussion as well with senior executives prior to that meeting. I think that the development bank is an important element within our economic landscape; we're not about having a mini bonfire of the quangos here and then creating something else somewhere else in the landscape. It's about understanding the different roles that the different parts of the landscape can play and how they can work together. We have a vacuum at the moment that needs to be plugged in terms of a development agency. There are bits of economic development and business support that are not directly to do with access to capital at all, and those are the elements that we need a development agency to focus on.

On the specific question in relation to equity investments, there is a variety of possibilities there. It's the kind of question that I've been discussing with the development bank very productively. That will continue as we map out the interrelationship between the different elements within the landscape that we're seeking to create.

I've previously said that I was worried that you were outsourcing economic development to an arm's-length body; I'm now worried that you're outsourcing the thinking about what that body will do to an outside body, in setting up this expert group. I've read the statement three times. There are lots of warm words, but I'm still no clearer, nor am I from the answers you've given today, what this agency is actually going to be doing, Minister. So, I think more detail is urgently required—if you can't supply it in this Chamber today, then in further written statements. 

I asked for a statement following the local government Minister's comments about corporate joint committees recently. I had quite a disappointing and dismissive reply from the Trefnydd. But specifically, Minister, I'd like to understand how you see this new agency interacting with the CJCs, which, I remind you, are established by statute to carry out economic development functions. How will they interact and how will you ensure, therefore, that there is a democratic voice in economic development in Wales?

When the Labour Government was elected in 1974 with the promise to create a development agency, when did they create the development agency? In 1977—three years. Here I am, six weeks in. Maybe I could be accused of being too open. I'm telling you about every step of the way. There's no Government in the world that would create a development agency without gathering together the best knowledge that they can gather. That's how you do good policy. I urge the Member, who can often be more thoughtful than he has been today—[Interruption.] I just think that in any policy development, you have to go through a period where you are understanding the strategy that you're trying to set out. That's true of any organisation. That's true of anything that you're trying to create. Because the mistakes that are made in institutional design—and there are many in state capability across the world—are because at the outset people are not clear about what they're going to achieve. We will not make that mistake. That is why we are going to root our development agency in the leading edge of thinking and practice across the world, in Wales, people from our diaspora, people with business experience in Wales. Because we cannot afford to get this wrong. That is my commitment to the people of Wales. We have to get this right; we cannot get it wrong.

Minister, for decades, we've measured our economy by gross domestic product—a number that goes up when people buy more stuff, but doesn't tell us if people are happier, healthier or financially secure. In fact, GDP often rises whilst communities fall apart and inequality grows. For women in Wales, that gap is especially stark. GDP doesn't show whether childcare is affordable, whether women working in our foundational sectors are paid fairly, whether the services and community infrastructure that they rely on are being strengthened. It doesn't reflect the unpaid care work that mostly women do, or whether economic power sits within our communities rather than elsewhere. As you establish this new development agency, will you commit to measuring success in ways that reflect real improvements in people's lives—in fair work, investment in care, stronger local supply chains, and more locally rooted, socially responsible business growth? How will you ensure that the growth that we pursue delivers genuine economic security for communities in Wales, rather than simply increasing our GDP? Diolch.

It's certainly absolutely key that our national productivity mission and closing the productivity gap is translated into real outcomes in terms of people's lives, which is why, as I set out in my statement, this ultimately is about raising living standards. It is about raising the level of wages. And I think that, in addition to the agency, of course, making sure that we are understanding both our success in achieving our productivity mission, but also how this is translated into outcomes, real outcomes, for people across Wales, is critical, which is why we have said and committed to creating an economic commission alongside the agency. This is what the Basque Country did in creating its agency, modelled on the WDA, 40 years ago. They also created an economic institute, in order to make sure, in their case, that the pathway that they adopted was one that was fair and inclusive as well.

Could I thank the Cabinet Minister today for bringing forward this statement on the new development agency for Wales? Cabinet Minister, residents in Newport and Islwyn of course want to see increased productivity, an increase in economic growth and, in particular, Welsh businesses supported. Because, regretfully, Newport and Islwyn sees some of the worst economic outcomes in the whole of Wales, and has already seen major industry leave over the past years, in particular steel, and the reduction of exports from ports.

For this agency to be successful, businesses need financial certainty, and they need to be able to plan for the years to come. Cabinet Minister, what assurances can you give to multi-year funding cycles, to ensure businesses get the certainty they need? Diolch. 

Well, I think that it certainly would help us greatly as a nation, I think, if we were able to achieve multi-year budgetary cycles, and that is something that the Westminster Government, I think, should agree to. Because in all of the many important things that we need to achieve for our people, having that sort of multi-year certainty at every level would be the case, and it's certainly the case for the private sector, and private sector businesses as well.

We want to create an agency and an economic landscape that will deliver for Wales for the long term, in order to create that level of certainty, and positivity as well. And that has to be rooted as much as possible in a team Wales approach. That's not to say—. Look, there will always be disagreements, as there should be, in a democracy, around this Chamber, but if—. All the evidence suggests that if we're able to at least create some degree of common ground, that gives us a solid foundation as a nation. There are certain things where, actually, what unites us in terms of what we're trying to achieve economically for our people should be more important than what divides us. That's the approach that I want to take with the development agency. 

I don't have all the answers. Some of the best ideas will be around this Chamber and outside of this room. And to the extent that it's possible, even at the outset, if we can try and capture that knowledge, those best ideas, then that's the way that we create the sure foundation and certainty for the businesses that need to make their own investment decisions that he describes. 

My fear is that the new development agency will become the WDA mark II. Remember LG? Remember the advanced factories around Wales left empty for decades? Remember the firms who came, took the grants and then left with the equipment we paid for?

Whilst Wales has created many successful companies, one of the failures has been to grow most of these companies into large companies. There have been successes—Admiral Group plc and Iceland Foods Ltd, for example. Two of the world's largest companies—Hewlett-Packard Company and Amazon were started in garages. Looking at two previous medium-sized companies, Alun Griffiths (Contractors) Ltd and Dawnus, Alun Griffiths sold out to Tarmac, but has now been bought back, and Dawnus collapsed owing almost £50 million. Part of the problem was caused by overseas contracts. 

I could give many other examples of things that have gone wrong, but I would like to raise some key questions. How are we going to scale up businesses? How do we avoid either failure or being sold to major companies? Why do American companies grow, especially in the technology sector? What can we learn from those American companies, who don't actually have a development agency? How do we arrange sufficient financial support? How do we provide the management and marketing support needed? How do we not only grow, but sustainably grow?

Well, those are exactly the questions that we have some answers to ourselves, but we're testing them against the best in the world. So, we are talking to people about which are the best start-up and scale-up ecosystems in the world—what can we learn from them? Some of it has to be adapted and translated to our own context—we can't all become Silicon Valleys—but there are other places in the world that are similar to us, which have created the kind of environment that he describes, which is more successful at scaling up but also retaining ownership. Part of it is about looking at things like venture capital, for example, and the different stages of venture capital that are necessary.

I think that we need to set some targets, clear targets. Wales needs to have a unicorn; it's not the only target, but it's an important one. The centaurs, the level below that—that's an important element within a healthy business environment. But you need scaling density, as it's called, at every level—even small businesses, if we can help them grow. There are tried-and-tested tools and techniques that we know have worked in other places. What we're trying to do, as quickly as we can, is marshal that evidence and turn it into a plan of action for Wales, and I urge, again, everyone in this room, and beyond it, to get involved in that process.

And finally, Minister, Peredur Owen Griffiths.

Diolch, Ddirprwy Lywydd. I welcome the statement today and the new development agency, with its focus on growing businesses across Wales. It's clear that we need better support for our businesses and the business sector, and that will require good leadership in the agency to do that. Can the Cabinet Minister tell us more about the chair of the expert panel and how the process of identifying him was carried out, please?

I'm very grateful to the Member. We were looking, really, for a very senior business leader with experience, really, of running large commercial organisations, somebody that had strong Welsh links and a shrewd understanding of the interrelationship between different sectors. Jonathan Lewis has all of these attributes in abundance: incredible experience in business, top leadership roles in major infrastructure and service sectors across the world, particularly energy, engineering, construction and technology. He's currently chair of the UK's largest port operator, Associated British Ports. Throughout his career in the energy sector, he's engaged with national development agencies around the world. He will bring, really, I think, the strategic vision and practical experience to this role in chairing the advisory group. And crucially of all, of course, he's passionate about Wales and he wants to help us set up a development agency that can help us realise our economic potential.

I want to place on the record that I have a distant family relationship with Mr Lewis by marriage. This is a small nation, but to avoid any risk of a perceived conflict, that's why I asked the Prif Weinidog to make the decision about the identification and appointment of the panel's chair. And, of course, any potential or perceived conflict of interest will be managed as they would be for any other advisory group of this kind.

I'm delighted that an individual of Jon Lewis's calibre has accepted the Prif Weinidog's invitation to chair this panel. I look forward to working with him and the rest of the panel that we're putting together to design a development agency that is capable of matching our shared ambition for Wales.

Thank you, Minister. Before we move on to our next item, I just wanted to ask Gwyn Williams for a note to the record on item 1, question 5.

Thank you very much. Just to say quickly—

Just to say very quickly that I spoke earlier about Swansea Bay University Health Board. Although I've mentioned before and will again in the eye care debate, I am myself also an employee of Swansea Bay University Health Board. Diolch yn fawr.

Thank you.

So, we'll move on to a statement by the Cabinet Minister for Education and the Welsh Language: Welsh language priorities. I call on the Cabinet Minister for Education and the Welsh Language, Anna Brychan.

Thank you very much, Dirprwy Lywydd. I am here to outline my national priorities and those of this Government for the Welsh language. In doing so, it's important to remember that language does not live solely through policy, but through people and through use. And the Welsh language is part of all our stories. My personal story, for example, is a bilingual one. My mother learned Welsh as an adult. Today, Welsh and English intertwine in my family at home in Grangetown, and several other languages can be heard around us, and that’s a good thing.

The Welsh language belongs, in different ways, to all of us. As toddlers and teenagers, parents and grandparents. It belongs to the digital world and the real world. To Effi from Blaenau and Lloyd Lewis from Cwmbran. From Gwalchmai to Cardiff. Some 86 per cent of us believe the Welsh language is something to be proud of. And 82 per cent of those between 18 and 24 years of age say it’s important for children to learn Welsh. A fair opportunity for everyone to learn and enjoy Welsh—that’s the clear aspiration of the people of Wales, especially our young people.

I’d like to thank, in this context, all those Members of the previous Senedd—many of you are here today—for voting unanimously to pass the Welsh Language and Education (Wales) Act 2025, giving a fair opportunity for every child in Wales to speak Welsh—an opportunity for us to go far beyond a million speakers over time. It’s high time we stopped seeing ourselves as 'Welsh speakers' and 'non-Welsh speakers'. We're all somewhere on the same journey, and everyone’s welcome. I’m the Minister responsible for the Welsh language, but it belongs to all of us, and it's a responsibility for us all as a Cabinet too.

We do need to celebrate the fact that the Welsh language is still alive every day, but we’re fully aware of the size of the task ahead as well. These next few years are crucial. We know that the Welsh language and education Act must be implemented fully. And we know that we need—to borrow a slogan used by Cymdeithas yr Iaith over the weekend—to turn the tide on the ebb of the language in many of our communities. Reaching a million speakers and more and increasing everyday use at grass-roots level isn't going to be easy.

As a Government, we have three main priorities. The first one: learning. I’ve been clear on how important it is to create coherent pathways in education. Along with the Deputy First Minister, I’ve started working with the early years sector, including Mudiad Meithrin, to expand Welsh-medium provision for our youngest children. Our childcare offer will be the most generous anywhere in the UK, and the Welsh language will be at its heart. A rapid review of the Welsh in education strategic plans is also under way. This will form the basis of the national framework for Welsh language education and learning Welsh, which will put each child’s next step on their journey on a solid strategic footing. I can confirm that this framework will clearly outline our commitment to ensuring that half of Wales's children will begin their school journey in Welsh-medium education by 2050. I, along with the Deputy Minister for Skills and Tertiary Education, want to make sure that our young people can continue to learn, to use, to work in and enjoy the Welsh language after 16 years of age as well.

Secondly: our communities. We know that the situation is particularly urgent in some areas. We also know that the sustainability of higher density communities is essential to the Welsh language's future, and our public policies will reflect this in terms of economic policy, housing, town and country planning, social justice, health, culture and education. There’s no time to lose. In order to achieve this, we’ll use the powers that we already have to ensure that the Welsh language drives prosperity and empowers these communities now, and we'll look at all other legislative and non-legislative approaches to achieve our goals and maintain momentum.

The work has started in order to collaborate with local authorities to determine how to designate the higher density areas, and I will be working closely with the Cabinet Minister for Local Government, Housing and Planning to facilitate this. By designating communities with a higher density of Welsh speakers, the aim isn't to create pockets of Welsh language; in fact, the opposite is the intention. Safeguarding communities of higher linguistic density is core to the work of supporting the Welsh language in every community, and we'll be taking steps in every part of Wales, and I'll be meeting with the chairs of the Commission for Welsh-speaking Communities this week—tomorrow, really—to thank them for their work and to discuss their recommendations for the rest of Wales. I'm also working with the Cabinet Minister for Culture and Sport to ensure a prominent place for Welsh in the culture strategy and to announce exciting plans in terms of sport and the digital world. And work will happen across every portfolio. It's so important, for example, to ensure that patients can access care in a language in which they feel comfortable.

And the final priority is infrastructure, the foundations that support the language. We'll be proceeding to expand the Welsh language standards to new sectors, including UK Government bodies, and I've already met with the Welsh Language Commissioner to discuss that. And we've started considering legislation to protect place names, which are such an essential part of our identity. From ancient names to pioneering technology, we're leading the way. In Wales, for example, it's quite normal to have bilingual meetings. The new Cabinet is conducting bilingual meetings for the first time since devolution. And Wales is the first place in the world where bilingual transcription is possible in Microsoft Teams. I'm now writing to big tech companies to discuss the next steps, including work on AI. There's momentum, therefore, on all of our first 100 days commitments, and more.

But Wales and the world are changing. Being able to be here today talking with such optimism about the Welsh language, with the support of the people of Wales, is one of our biggest success stories, perhaps, as a small nation on the world stage. I was fortunate enough recently to attend an event with international partners and to see how much interest there is amongst visitors from all over the world in Welsh. It strengthens cultural co-operation, and it is an asset, an advantage and a privilege as we look out to the world, and that is for every one of us and also entirely contrary to the views of some of our forebears, including some of my own.

We'll set a clear direction of travel with a strong, cohesive new strategy for the Welsh language, and we will share this with you in the autumn. In the meantime, we must continue to act, so, over the summer, we'll be conducting 'a million and more' conversations with our partners to redefine the direction of travel, to stimulate creative co-operation and achieve our goals quickly. And as I mentioned, the future of the Welsh language depends on people as well as policy. So, this is a call to the people of Wales to use the Welsh that you have and to support one another at all times to learn and enjoy our language. There are challenges, but with more people learning Welsh than ever and an overall increase over a decade now in the number of children in year 1 in our Welsh-medium schools, I'm convinced that the momentum is unstoppable.

I started this statement by mentioning my mother, who learned Welsh as an adult. May I end, tidily, by talking about my father, who believed that we haven't yet seen Wales in its fullness? And the same, it could be argued, is true of Welsh in modern Wales, but, together, we can make sure that we see that fullness. This is our opportunity to ensure that our two languages drive our future—in the community, digitally, in education and in the economy, and with the Welsh language contributing to making a welcoming, confident, bilingual and multilingual country for us all. Thank you.

May I also thank the Minister for her statement on the Welsh language today? There is so much that we can all agree on in this statement, so thank you very much for that. Some of my story: as someone who grew up in a non-Welsh speaking home but learned Welsh at school, you won't find anyone who feels more passionately than me in favour of the language. My parents decided to send me to a Welsh-medium primary school and then a bilingual secondary school. And looking back, that was one of the most precious gifts that they could have given me. And there is a family story that explains why this is such a personal issue for me. My grandfather, Silgwyn Weston, was a miner in south Wales. He didn't speak a word of English until he was around eight years old, but having received advice from his sister after she moved to university in London, he decided that the best way of providing the greatest opportunities to his children was to speak English at home. As a result, my mother lost her Welsh. And the truth is that I wouldn’t have had the opportunity to speak Welsh at all if my parents hadn’t opted for Welsh-medium education for me. 

That meant that there was something very special between myself and my grandfather. We were the only two members of the family who could hold a natural conversation in Welsh. Silgwyn Weston was a very proud Welshman. And in his final years, there was one constant—his hearing was somehow always better if the conversation was about rugby or if someone spoke Welsh to him.

As a learner, the journey wasn’t always easy. There were times when my friends refused to speak to me in Welsh because they’d got to know me through the medium of English first. But, on the other side of things, one of my best friends admitted that her English wouldn’t have been half as good had she not been friends with me. 

That’s the beauty of bilingualism. Learning one language doesn’t mean the loss of the other. Both strengthen each other. I spent years seeking every opportunity to improve my Welsh, particularly when I was teaching in London. Understanding, reading and writing are one thing. But the final step, and the hardest step, is reaching the point where you can naturally start a conversation in Welsh without thinking twice. And, if I'm honest, not being afraid of a bit of Wenglish helps along the way. 

Today, other than the odd technical term I’m still learning, I feel very confident in my Welsh. But I also acknowledge that so much of our lives, our television programmes and our work happen in English, that learning a language is a lifelong journey. That’s why I’m proud that I have encouraged my colleagues in Reform Wales to start learning Welsh here at the Senedd. We now try to greet each other in Welsh in the office, and more and more of us are mustering the courage to use Welsh in the Chamber—as we always talk about, using a little bit of Welsh all the time. That's crucially important. So, that proves that the Welsh language doesn't have to be a party political issue.

I agree with the Minister when she said that the language is at the heart of our culture and our identity as a nation. I also welcome the fact that the Minister has made it clear that it's the Government as a whole's responsibility, not the responsibility of one Minister. If that is true, then that must be seen in all Government portfolios, not just in education. And I believe too that there is one thing that everyone in this Chamber can agree on today: the Welsh language belongs to us all, whatever your ability, your background or your politics.

But where the Government goes wrong is by suggesting that legislation, strategies and targets are the only things that will secure the future of the Welsh language. We can’t force people to love a language. We can’t legislate for enthusiasm. We can’t create Welsh-speaking communities through targets alone. The Welsh language flourishes when people choose to use it at home, in the workplace, in the pub, on the rugby pitch and on the street. I also welcome the intention to strengthen the Welsh language in digital and AI. If the Welsh language isn't available in those technologies, then there is a risk that it will be left behind.

We must ensure that the Welsh language is never used as a political weapon. The Welsh language belongs to us all, as we've already mentioned. But we must also ensure that the desire to strengthen the Welsh language doesn't draw lines between communities. The Welsh language belongs to all communities in Wales, and all communities deserve the same support in using and developing the language.

So, I'd like to ask the three questions of the Minister. First, the Minister said that the Welsh language is the responsibility of the whole Cabinet: what arrangements will be in place to ensure that every Minister is accountable for delivering that? Secondly, how will the Government measure an increase in the daily use of the language, rather than focusing on simply the number of speakers? And finally, what practical steps will be taken to help learners to use the Welsh language naturally in their communities once they have left school or completed courses?

You can't force people to love a language. It starts with opportunity, it grows with confidence and it prospers when people feel welcome to use the language. The Welsh language belongs to the people of Wales. It belongs to all of us. Thank you.

Thank you very much for those comments, and I think not only do we have experiences in our families in terms of acquiring the Welsh language, and the Welsh language coming and going over generations, but we also agree on its importance to Wales, and also our ownership of the language as people, however much Welsh we have currently. As my former colleague, who is now the archdruid—that's not a sentence that every Parliament across the world will hear every day—used to say, 'Everybody's on the bilingualism bus', and that does accept some element of Wenglish as people learn and use the language. So, I would agree with that and regret a little that I've never come across Silgwyn Weston, who sounds quite a character and star.

How will we explain and share with this Senedd that this is the responsibility of the whole Cabinet? We are already working together to identify the priorities—the actions, if you like—across every portfolio that are relevant to the Welsh language, and we will then be identifying who's responsible for those. The likelihood is that I will be speaking to the Senedd, because my responsibility is the Welsh language, but those specific policy areas will be an intentional and careful part of the work that we're doing, and there is enthusiasm to do that, as well as a requirement.

Measuring the use of the language, as you mentioned, is as important to us as supporting the work in schools, for example, and the numbers in that regard. And I think the basic principle that we're working on is that people shouldn't have to look for opportunities to use the Welsh language. That, essentially, is the message of the second commission on the language. We will be responding to that more formally over the next few months, and certainly before the end of the year, but the recommendations there encompass things like early years education, yes, but also technology, workplaces, sport, culture, planning, research, and leadership in our communities as well—so, it's much broader than education, even though that is important—and that we then maintain that use, and we all encourage each other to use the Welsh that we have.

As, I have to say, I've heard across the Chamber and going to the lift, and here and there—. There is more Welsh to be heard, and however much people have, we're very keen to encourage them to use it. So, thank you very much.

May I thank the Minister for the update? And may I add our voice to the cross-party support for the Welsh language in this Chamber now?

Everyone's sharing their own personal stories—from my perspective, a little like Helen's grandfather, I couldn't speak a word of English until I was around seven, and that was a shock to my university friends in England, but that's the unique culture that we have here in Wales.

Everyone in the Chamber will be familiar with the Welsh Government's target of a million Welsh speakers by 2050. There is a second target, however, which tends to get less attention, namely to double the use of the Welsh language in everyday life. In order to deliver both of these targets, we need to work across all departments. Now, of course, it's important to promote new speakers through childcare and the education system. The Government has been clear on its ambition for Welsh-medium childcare as part of its childcare offer. May I push for more details on how this policy will work on the ground? How many Welsh-medium childcare settings will need to be developed in order to reach the target of free childcare from nine months old? And how will the Government ensure that the number of Welsh-speaking staff will be available to meet that demand?

And as the Government implements the Welsh Language and Education (Wales) Act 2025, what additional support will be available to train teachers who teach through the medium of Welsh? The Minister, like me, is supportive of the principle of opening an additional secondary school in Cardiff, but, in the national context, birth rates are declining, and yet we know that people do want to see Welsh-medium provision in their communities. So, what support will the Government provide to local authorities in order to sustain Welsh-medium schools, and even open new ones, in areas where the numbers aren't there at the moment in terms of financial sustainability?

Moving on, in order to double the use of the Welsh language in everyday life, it is necessary, in my view, to empower people to use the Welsh language that they have, be that in the workplace, online or in their communities. New technologies are developing apace, changing how people work and socialise. So, in order for the Welsh language to remain at the heart of everyday life, we must ensure that new technology works for the benefit of the language. Therefore, can the Minister commit to working alongside the trade unions in order to promote the Twf Charter, which was developed with the unions to promote the Welsh language in the workplace? And what specific measures will the Government introduce to encourage more Welsh-medium apprenticeships? Would the Minister, further, be willing to commit to fund work to develop more new technologies through the medium of Welsh, including developments in artificial intelligence?

On the issue of higher density community sustainability that was mentioned in the statement, may I ask in what direction will your policies go? For example, on housing developments, I've heard many people say that they're having to leave the Welsh-speaking heartlands because they can't afford properties there and, on the other hand, I have read time and again opposition to planning applications saying that, 'Developments of housing in this area will have an impact on the language.' So, in those higher density communities and the policies that you'll put in place, can we expect to see more housing built or less?

Can I also ask what focus you will give to the capital city—the only county to see a growth in the use of the Welsh language in the census, and the county that it was announced last month that now has more Welsh speakers than any other county in Wales? It's not just policies that support the language in schools and beyond schools that have created that scenario, but also supportive policies like building more housing of all kinds, and developing and pushing economic growth, which creates jobs for young people, so that they can remain in Wales, in Cardiff, and bring their families up in Welsh-speaking households. So, is there a commitment, Minister, to learn from the clear success that we have of a county in Wales that has grown the number of Welsh speakers over the past decade and more? I, as leader of Cardiff Council, gave a presentation to Dublin council last year, because they're eager to learn from our successes. Will you?

Finally, Welsh place names are part of our history as communities and as a nation. I welcome the reference to that in your statement. Under the previous Welsh Government, detailed research was done with partners in order to enhance our understanding of changes in place names, and a set of core priorities to protect them was published. Does this Government agree to commit to those priorities?

The Welsh language does belong to us all, and certainly, as a party, we will urge you but also support you in going further. Thank you very much.

Thank you very much. I appreciate also the fact that you're willing to support us and push us, because this, as I said in the statement, is clearly a responsibility that we all share, and therefore are willing to work together. It's possible that I won't have noted as carefully as I could have each one of your questions, but I'm going to try and answer and address them.

You mentioned the success of Cardiff, and I'm sure that I, and he, who is originally from Ceredigion, would acknowledge our own contribution to increasing the numbers of Welsh speakers in the capital city. And I was very interested in what he said about having conversations with people in Dublin regarding that success. I would be willing to state now that if there are lessons to be learned from Cardiff, and I see that there are, I would be very willing to do so, and perhaps that's a conversation we could also have.

Then, on the high-density communities, the higher density communities, we have done some work on this already. We have started to plan with local authorities to see how to identify these and then what will follow in terms of policies that would affect—. I think he mentioned housing specifically in those areas, and there are implications also for the economy portfolio and rural resilience, for example. So, we are starting to do that detailed work, and we will be returning to that because, as I said in the statement, each one of those policy areas—. And there's a special relationship in this regard with the local government, housing and planning Minister.

The point that was made with regard to childcare and the childcare offer, providing childcare through the medium of Welsh clearly is a priority—not a priority, it is at the core of how we've developed the idea of childcare. We've already been talking with Mudiad Meithrin about that. I think perhaps that illustrates once more that we don't consider the Welsh language as a policy area outside of everything else, but embedded in everything.

He is right to draw attention to the challenges that we have in terms of developing the workforce. There is a plan in place to facilitate that, but there will be a need for detailed work and detailed promotion to reach that aim. He also mentioned about doubling the use of the language, and he's right to think that we've gone into the habit of talking about the 1 million Welsh speakers, but not that second phrase of doubling the use. I think, particularly in the context of the commission with regards to communities where there's lower density of Welsh spoken, there are many important things that we'll be working on to ensure that we move on that.

Technology: I have a number of meetings coming up. I think the Welsh language is at the forefront in terms of being in discussion with technology companies. It is an area that is completely new to me in terms of detailed discussions with them, but it is going to be following on from the willingness that perhaps people wouldn't have expected in terms of these companies to work with us in terms of providing services through the medium of Welsh.

In terms of speaking with unions, we would always be willing to speak to the unions and get their views and their expertise on how to act in terms of what is obviously an aspiration of this Chamber.

In terms of planning education and schools over a period of time with demographic challenges, there's a lot to discuss in that regard. Obviously, we're looking currently at reviewing the Welsh in education strategic plans that will look at the growth in numbers. But there will be conversations regarding in which direction the numbers of pupils are going. That will also be central to that.

I hope that I have covered most of the issues he raised, but I'm very happy to have a further conversation with him if I have missed something. Thank you very much.

May I thank the Minister for her statement this afternoon? I share the Welsh Government's ambition and target of reaching 1 million Welsh speakers by 2050. My own party's manifesto had a commitment to maintain that target, and we will continue to support efforts to increase the number of Welsh speakers and to increase the amount of Welsh spoken in our communities.

Today's statement does highlight three key priorities for the Government: learning, communities and infrastructure. Now, enhancing opportunities to access Welsh-medium education must be a priority for this Government, because only 21 per cent of children are currently taught in Welsh-medium schools, according to the latest school census. I think that work could be done in terms of learner travel that could help to remove barriers to learning the Welsh language. So, perhaps the Cabinet Minister could tell us whether she will review the Learner Travel (Wales) Measure 2008  in order to see if there is more that can be done to enable children to go to Welsh-medium schools.

The statement confirms that the Welsh Government is working with the early years sector to enhance provision across Wales, and I would be grateful if she could tell us more about that. Good work has been done to support education practitioners on their journey, for example, Cwlwm has provided resources and is implementing the Welsh Promise scheme, where it's worked with over 170 childcare settings in order to assess how they use the Welsh language, and in order to develop an action plan to improve their provision. Perhaps the Minister could tell us how the Government is supporting these organisations to do this outreach work with practitioners in future, and how this can be enhanced in the future.

The statement today also refers to the second phase report from the Commission for Welsh-speaking Communities, and as the Cabinet Minister knows, I have been tabling questions on this issue in order to try and understand how the Welsh Government is proceeding on the recommendations made by the commission. The report makes it clear that the current budget for regenerating the use of the Welsh language on a community level is based on historic precedent, and that it does not reach the long-term policy goal of creating a bilingual Wales. So, will the Welsh Government make a significant investment in this area in its autumn budget in order to meet this need, and, if so, what will this look like?

Chapter 4 of that report talks about the idea of socialising through the medium of Welsh, outside of school settings, in cultural settings, and we have seen evidence of good practice such as Tafwyl recently in Cardiff. These events and many other community outreach events are held by organisations like the mentrau iaith and others, of course, that do so much in our communities with little resource. So, I very much hope that the Welsh Government is considering how it can support community organisations more effectively in the future.

Today's statement refers to infrastructure, and I'm pleased to hear that the Minister is working with the big tech companies in order to enhance support for Welsh language users. We live in a digital age and it's important that Wales is in the vanguard in terms of any technological development. I heard the earlier responses, so could the Minister perhaps provide more detail on the work that she is doing on AI, and how she is ensuring that technology will be appropriate for the Welsh language?

Of course, today's statement refers to the work of the Welsh Language Commissioner who has outlined her priorities, and one of those is to create workplaces that support the Welsh language. I think there should be a clear strategy for the Welsh language in the workplace, in order for us to assess progress in this area and promote improvements. My party's manifesto committed to developing a network of Welsh language business champions, so perhaps the Minister would consider a specific strategy for the Welsh language in the workplace, and perhaps even adopt our ideas of business champions.

And finally, Dirprwy Lywydd, I'm pleased that the National Eisteddfod will be held in my constituency, so I'd like to take this opportunity to encourage all Members to visit in the summer. Today's statement makes reference to the Welsh language in the culture strategy, and so perhaps the Minister could tell us about the strategy and the role that events such as the Eisteddfod can play in increasing the use of the Welsh language within our communities.

Dirprwy Lywydd, as has already been said, the Welsh language belongs to each and every one of us. I'd like to see it prosper and grow, and I look forward to working constructively with the Cabinet Minister on that agenda. Thanks.

Thank you very much. If I could take the questions back to front, because I don't want to miss the opportunity to encourage everybody to attend the National Eisteddfod, Eisteddfod y Garreg Las. I went to Cardigan recently—the Cabinet Minister for Finance was there too—to one of the 850-year celebrations since the first Eisteddfod, and I must admit that it was the most splendid and bonkers thing that I'd seen for a very long time, and we really enjoyed the experience. Creativity was exhibited in every area that you could imagine—there was singing, there was recitation, there was poetry, there was puppetry, and there were very theatrical elements to it.

And I have been wanting for a very long time to make a request, if possible, to state that Eddie Ladd is a national treasure now; perhaps this is the opportunity to do so, because she was also excellent. Also, I think perhaps this illustrates something more serious, it illustrates how important the Welsh language is to us because, of course, she is a very successful international performer, but she says that the audience from the wall of Cardigan castle is the most important one for her to date.

I was interested in what you said regarding the Welsh language in the workplace and this idea of business champions. We do have a scheme already on bilingual leadership, and it's possible that there's some conversation we could have to combine both ideas. I'd be very happy to have that conversation.

I have been in post for only a couple of months, so I'm only just starting the work at the moment, particularly on the technology elements and artificial intelligence. But I am very enthusiastic about those conversations. When I have more to share, I'd be very happy to do so.

In terms of socialising through the medium of Welsh, that takes me back to the point that I was making that we need to create the environment where people don't have to look for opportunities to use the Welsh language. As you mentioned, the opportunities provided through the mentrau iaith are key to ensure that those opportunities are available.

On the second phase of the commission, we are going through those recommendations now. I have committed to respond fully by the end of the year at the latest. The response to that will also mean looking at the implications of implementing that in terms of resources of all kinds.

On developing the workforce, I was pleased that you referred to Cwlwm, which is making an important contribution. I think it also reminds us all that the athrofa is going to be up and running from 2027, with a specific role in terms of learning Welsh. I saw them in Tafwyl, as it happens, and they are very excited about the numbers that are now coming through.

So, thank you very much for those questions. It’s clear that there are further conversations and further support that we can work on.

Thank you for today's heartening statement. It's great to hear about the work that's ongoing. Thank you, Cabinet Minister. I'm pleased to see Plaid Cymru's commitment to extending the Welsh language standards regime to include UK Government bodies and services that operate in Wales, including private companies operating in the fields of communications, utilities, banking, car parking and supermarkets. It's essential that we and constituents can have and use these services through the medium of English and Welsh. Could the Cabinet Minister provide an update on actions taken to bring a range of bodies into the standards regime?

Thank you very much. Clearly, strengthening the rights of Welsh speakers and ensuring that there are more opportunities for people to use the Welsh language is important to us all, and these standards are part of that. We are working at extending the standards to other sectors and bodies, and we are currently looking at the work programme in relation to that.

We've started to consider what steps will need to be taken in order to extend standards to those sectors that are included in our 100-day plan, and then that will be an initial part of the work. Some of those sectors are already mentioned in the Welsh Language (Wales) Measure 2011, but we will need to look at adding other sectors before we can draw up standards for them. It seems that we need Secretary of State consent before making standards for Ministers of the Crown, so we will need to work on that, too.

I'm also enthusiastic, following my conversation with the Welsh Language Commissioner, that we should look at the services that individuals access. There is a range of them, and at the moment these standards aren't always consistent, so people don't always know what their rights are in different areas. I do think that that is something that we need to address as a matter of urgency.

Diolch, Cabinet Secretary, for your statement here today. I agree with the spirit of it. However, I am disappointed to see only a fleeting reference to post-16 education. Given that you have scrapped the all-encompassing review of participation and sustainability of the whole tertiary sector, which I had begun during my time as Minister for Further and Higher Education, in favour of a narrow focus on universities alone, what assurances can you give that the evidence collected from my call for evidence, including a substantive body of evidence from the Coleg Cymraeg Cenedlaethol, will be used in order to effectively plan for increased delivery through the medium of Welsh in school sixth forms, further education colleges, universities and adult learning settings?

Diolch yn fawr. I can assure her that access, because this is a particularly key demographic post 16, and their access to educational opportunity through the medium of Welsh, but also the opportunities to use their Welsh—. I'd be very interested in looking at the work that she has done previously around learner travel. I'm already having discussions and prioritising this area with my colleague the Deputy Minister for Transport. I know that the Deputy Minister for Skills and Tertiary Education is focusing very clearly on this too. So while it may have been fleeting in my statement, it isn't fleeting in the programme of work that we have before us.

I really welcome that statement from the Cabinet Minister—it's fantastic. I just want to correct Huw Thomas there. Cardiff isn't the only place that saw an increase in the Welsh language, but also the Vale of Glamorgan, Rhondda Cynon Taf and Merthyr Tydfil. There are a number of us who have seen that increase. It was so heartening to see so many of us across the parties in favour of what's happening with the Welsh language and the fact that a strategy is going to be implemented across our nation; it's fantastic. 

I just wanted to say that the Commission for Welsh-speaking Communities report states that the Welsh language belongs to each one of us. Whether we speak it or not, it's important for all of us to embrace the Welsh language. Also, it recommends strengthening community language planning and that the Government works with local partners such as the mentrau iaith—

Can you come to a question, please, Lis?

Cabinet Minister, what plans does the Welsh Government have to promote the language in areas of lower linguistic density?

Thank you very much for that question. I knew that the Member would take a great interest in the history of Merthyr and the linguistic context there. I did some research and I found that Merthyr in the nineteenth century was alive with Welsh language culture. So, I congratulate her and the people of Merthyr more broadly for the work that they have done to restore that cultural vibrancy in recent years.

In terms of the work, she will be particularly interested, I'm sure, in our response to the second commission on areas of lower and medium-density Welsh speakers, and the conversation I'll have tomorrow with the authors of those commissions' reports. There are elements, as I mentioned, where we want to focus specifically, and those include education and early years, technology, workplaces, sport and culture, and local leadership too. But I do think that we would also want to work closely with the mentrau iaith at a local level—someone else mentioned those; there are different models across Wales—and then an overarching organisation bringing together all of that expertise. So, in responding to the commission and putting plans in place, we would be very enthusiastic about drawing on her expertise and the mentrau iaith more broadly to facilitate that.

Good afternoon, Minister. I want to wave the flag for Powys, please. We've seen in Powys a real increase and a welcome increase in Welsh-medium education over the years. Families also in rural areas in Powys have felt that access to Welsh-medium education is being restricted by geography rather than by demand. That is starting to change, I'm pleased to say. Two all-age schools are moving towards being completely Welsh-medium. A new Welsh-medium all-age school is being planned in the middle of the county, and a proposal to expand provision in a primary school near Brecon is about to be put before the cabinet. We appreciate the support of the Government, of course, but more funding is required for that council. So, what can you tell us about the funding and the support available to places such as Powys to ensure that the Welsh language is maintained more through our schools? Thank you.

Thank you very much. I always welcome the opportunity to talk about Powys. I used the pull the leg of the Member's predecessor by saying that Powys was a continent and not a constituency. It certainly felt that way when driving from the bottom to the top of the county. I'm very pleased to hear about the progress that's being made in Powys in relation to schools, particularly the through schools. I do think that this is an interesting development in this context.

What I can tell her at the moment is that, in looking at the recommendations of the commission, we will be looking in detail at their impact on communities and developing the Welsh language in all parts of Wales. That's the point and that's the intention. Then, we will look at the implications of that in relation to resources, so that we can deliver in Powys and elsewhere.

And finally, Kiera Marshall.

Thank you. I am learning Welsh since primary school, but I left school not being able to speak Welsh at all. I'm sad to say that I'm in the majority.

Research from Cymdeithas yr Iaith suggests around 80 per cent of children leave school in Wales not confident in speaking Welsh. 

The education system failed me, and the education system in Wales is still failing our children.

Firstly, could the Minister please outline how she intends to improve Welsh language education for second-language learners in English-medium schools?

Why not teach Welsh properly in every school? Why is my partner fluent and I'm not? We're the same age. We went to school in the same country. Why didn't we get the same language opportunities? It's the language of the nation I live in. So, I've spent hundreds of hours and hundreds of pounds and a great deal of effort to learn my own language. I'm fortunate to have the time, the money and a job that lets me learn. Too many people don't have that opportunity. 

Secondly, could the Minister please outline what support she wants to see for adult learners like myself, who weren't given the gift of Cymraeg in our schools and never got that choice to use the language in the first place?

Thank you very much. I can hear the frustration and the fluency in the question there. In terms of learning Welsh in our schools, we are looking closely and carefully at increasing the number of pupils who have access to Welsh-medium education, and that target of 50 per cent in year one by 2050. But also, we are strengthening the Welsh language throughout our schools, which will address some of the frustration that the Member mentioned there.

Also, it is important to focus on the support available to adult learners. We are working with the centre, which will become the athrofa next year, to ensure that as many people as possible have access to Welsh lessons that are free, which is the point that the Member was making there.

The programme of work offers very flexible and varied training. It's important to remember that a number of us know of people who take advantage of opportunities in workplaces across Wales to learn Welsh. There's more work to be done, but I think—or I hope, anyway—that we are illustrating the importance of doing this work and our aspiration and desire to move swiftly on this. 

Diolch yn fawr iawn, Minister; or perhaps I should say 'jolch'.

A statement by the Deputy Minister for Transport: our vision for the devolution of rail. I call on the Deputy Minister for Transport, Mark Hooper.

In the spirit of the conversation that we've just had, I am a Welsh learner. I'm pleased to provide Members with an update on the progress that we are making regarding our first 100 days commitments on the pathway to the full devolution of rail services and infrastructure. Today, I want to explain our vision for the devolution of rail in Wales, and, importantly, how we will take forward a clear and credible pathway to achieve it.

Railways are more than steel tracks and timetables, they are the arteries of our nation, connecting people to jobs, to education, to family and opportunity. When our railways work well, Wales works well. When they fall short, communities and the nation’s prosperity are held back. The current system for our railways is fragmented. Infrastructure is largely controlled at a UK level. Unlike the Scottish Government, the Welsh Government has no control over rail infrastructure investment. Accountability is shared in respect of the services delivered jointly by the Welsh and UK Governments, but not the levers to drive change. That means that decisions affecting passengers in Wales are too often made elsewhere, without the full alignment of Welsh priorities.

For decades, the UK Government has failed to invest in the Welsh rail network and has instead allowed it to decline. The network in Wales makes up around 10 per cent of the total British network by track length, yet, over the past 15 years, Wales has received only 1.5 per cent of the total investment in enhancements. And starkly, only 9 per cent of the network is electrified, largely as a result of the core Valleys lines, compared to 45 per cent in England and 33 per cent in Scotland. And parties across the Siambr have acknowledged the unfairness of HS2 funding. We have lost out on consequential funding of £850 million up to the end of this spending review period, and that figure is growing exponentially now that the UK Government assesses that HS2 will now cost more than £100 billion. In comparison, the Scottish Government has received around £1.3 billion additional funding as a result of comparability with HS2, up to the end of the current spending review period. The Northern Ireland Executive has received around £0.5 billion. Our ambition is to change that. We have a vision of a devolved rail network, where rail services are designed around the needs of our people, our communities and our economy.

Transport for Wales has already demonstrated what would be possible if Wales was responsible for both track and train. Through the transformation of the core Valleys lines, they have demonstrated that Wales can successfully own, manage and deliver major rail infrastructure transformation, which will change the lives of people in the south of the country, through better connecting communities and making them a more attractive place for businesses to start and grow. Our vision is to see that replicated throughout Wales, developing Cardiff Crossrail to make it easier for people to travel sustainably through our capital; building new stations in the south west, through the Swansea bay and west Wales metro; increasing rail capacity in the north of Wales through network north Wales; and increasing capacity through the middle of the country on the Marches line. This would be transformational to connectivity in Wales, but it will only be possible to deliver in full with the right powers and funding.

Today, I want to set out the steps that we will take to move towards this vision, pursuing further devolution in a phased pragmatic way. Our first action will be to work constructively with the Department for Transport to deliver improvements under the current system. The UK Government recognised its historical lack of investment in Welsh railways in February and committed to funding Transport for Wales's £14 billion rail vision. Through the UK and Welsh Government Wales rail board, we will work constructively with them to agree priorities and a timeline for this funding and develop a credible pipeline of schemes, but we will also hold them to account to deliver on their promise for Wales.

The Wales rail board also provides an opportunity for us to press that the schemes announced in the 2025 spending review are delivered at pace in this spending review period that runs up to 2029-30. In particular, I'll be focusing on how we can accelerate delivery of the Burns stations to offer greater connectivity and alternatives to M4 travel, and I expect Network Rail to work closely with Transport for Wales so that we can deliver these stations as quickly as possible.

Secondly, the UK Government’s Railways Bill represents a significant moment of change, and we need to ensure the Bill works for Wales in a way consistent with our pathway to devolution. For the UK, it proposes a new public body, Great British Railways, to bring together track and train across Great Britain. It also introduces new mechanisms for collaboration between Governments, including a memorandum of understanding between the UK and Welsh Governments. But we must also be clear: the Bill does not fundamentally change where power sits; it does not provide Wales with control over rail infrastructure, its funding or investment decisions.

As currently drafted, I have serious concerns about how a number of the clauses in the Bill affect the role of Welsh Ministers and this Senedd. I have already set these out to the UK rail Minister, seeking further engagement on how our aspirations for rail can be safeguarded and furthered. He has committed to urgent discussions so that we can ensure the current reforms secure better outcomes for Wales.

To address these concerns, I will seek to ensure the Bill firstly enables a statutory underpinning for the role of Welsh Ministers and the MOU, enables parity for Transport for Wales and a deepening of the partnership with Great British Railways, and enables protection and enhancement of the devolved competence of the Senedd in respect of railways. These actions can improve how decisions are made, ensuring Wales has a stronger voice and clearer influence, making a difference to passengers.

Thirdly, our manifesto commits us to negotiating fairer rail funding for Wales, and this remains central to our approach. Later this afternoon, we will hear from the Prif Weinidog, setting out our priorities for fair funding, something that is felt egregiously when it comes to rail.

I have already written to the Secretary of State for Transport to set this out, and the Cabinet Minister for Finance will press for changes that recognise the reality of rail in Wales, including funding arrangements that reflect our responsibilities, recognition of Welsh Government ownership of infrastructure such as the core Valleys lines, and a fair share of investment to address historic underfunding. Without fair funding, devolution cannot succeed. With it, we can unlock transformational change.

Finally, we will make the case for full devolution for Wales. That means decisions over rail funding taken not in Westminster but in Wales, as is already the case in Scotland; track and train integrated in Wales, as UK Government are seeking to do in England, with infrastructure devolved to Wales along with services on the network; and for cross-border infrastructure and services, a partnership role for Wales with UK Government and GBR to deliver effective management. This would provide a step change in our ability to align investment with Welsh needs, whilst managing risk in a balanced way.

This Government wants to see a new Wales Bill to legislate for this and further powers for the Welsh Ministers, to give us the tools to improve the lives of people in Wales. I fully expect to work with UK Ministers to explore the pathway to achieving these objectives, whilst ensuring the Welsh rail network remains fully integrated with the wider GB rail network and continues to provide seamless connectivity.

Dirprwy Lywydd, our vision is clear. We want a railway that is designed in Wales, that is delivered in Wales and that is accountable to the people of Wales. The journey will not happen overnight, but we now have a pathway and the determination to see it through. When our transport network succeeds, Wales works better. Diolch.

Thank you for your statement. Minister, we in Reform, it is worth saying at the outset, respect the ownership of the Valleys lines from this Welsh Government. It is worth saying that power over rail must not be devolved further. Rail infrastructure isn't just about operating trains, it's maintaining tracks, replacing signalling, responding to flooding, emergency failures and so much more. These are responsibilities that require highly specialist engineers, experienced asset managers, robust governance and long-term financial planning, things that this Plaid Government is not renowned for.

Now, Minister, at present, only the core Valleys lines are devolved. Large sections of rail infrastructure is still managed by Network Rail. So, given that you've only managed and owned a small part of the rail section in Wales, what evidence can you provide that the Welsh Government has the people, the expertise, the management capability and the financial resilience to take on responsibility for the entire network?

Now, I admire the work that Transport for Wales is doing, but when the state-of-the-art tram trains don't even have toilets—a pressing issue that was raised with me only this morning by Age Cymru—I think we really have to focus on getting the basics right. And let's not forget Plaid's terrible record on transport as a whole: for 27 years, we've seen how Labour and Plaid have engaged in a hostile war on motorists without delivering the reliable transport network Wales was promised over and over at every election.

Now, Welsh roads are plagued by potholes. Plaid have actively wanted to scrap the M4 relief road, and now we've no idea what their policy is on the M4 relief road, as motorists continue to suffer with blanket 20 mph limits, which are still not supported today.

Now, we're expected to believe that this same Labour-Plaid agenda can successfully take on responsibility for the entire rail network, and that Westminster owes them money, consistently whingeing about perceived unfairness rather than getting on with the job. Now, Minister, in 2013, the UK Government offered Wales the financial borrowing powers needed to build the M4 relief road, and guess what? Plaid Cymru opposed it, and millions of taxpayers' money was wasted on an ideological drive to force people onto public transport. Instead of trying to devolve rail and persistently begging for more powers from Westminster, Plaid should be focused on the projects we currently have at hand to improve our transport network: build the third Menai crossing; upgrade the A55 expressway; scrap 20 mph blanket limits; and build the M4 relief road.

Minister, the Welsh public don't want rail devolution. They want trains to run on time. They want a road network that makes it easy and quick to get from A to B. But for Plaid, these projects take a back seat time and time again, because for them, constitutional power comes first. More power, more power, more power. Welsh people come second every single time. So, do you agree with me, Minister, that completing these projects should be a clear priority over more rail devolution, and for Plaid to come clean with the people of Wales, or are you now stuck in what's known as the Cardiff Bay bubble?

On HS2 funding, Plaid have called for consequentials time and time again, but reliance on this is not a credible strategy. Now, we in Reform believe that Wales deserves fairer funding, of course we do, but we do not trust that this Government will be able to deliver it, which is why we will oppose any call for greater devolution of rail.

Now, let's remind ourselves: in the first-ever supplementary budget, £340 million was given to Wales for children with ALN, but not a single penny has reached schools. Absolutely shameful. Now, Minister, that funding was meant for some of the most vulnerable children in Wales, but instead it has been diverted to fulfilling uncosted election promises. Reform knows it, this Senedd knows it and the people of Wales know it. Minister, there are 40,000 children with ALN across Wales crying out for help. This money is theirs. It is not there to fulfil uncosted promises. So, if this Government cannot be trusted to deliver funding that is specifically for children in this case, if this Government prioritises constitutional change and uncosted promises over our most vulnerable, how can we trust you to take on responsibility for a devolved rail network—a system that would require long-term capital planning, subsidy decisions and billions in public spending? So, I ask you: given pressures already on the Welsh budget, what safeguards will be in place to ensure that any additional funding received is protected from Plaid's uncosted policy raids and to plug inevitable funding gaps? Diolch.

Thank you for the question, I think, Jason. We enjoyed our first conversation when we met to talk about these issues, and I hope to have more of those constructive conversations into the future, and perhaps we spend our time talking about transport, which is the job I'm paid to do, which I think would be easier for me to do.

You referenced whingeing. I'll tell you what I'm not doing. I'm not whingeing. I'm preparing to get on with the job to make Wales's transport system work, and rail is a key part of it. Now, when you speak to people about the proof of the pudding, the core Valleys lines and what's happened on the metro is a perfect example of what can happen when we get our act together and start working on it. And if you travel on it, you'll see the benefits of it, and you hear people every day saying how important it is that they can turn up to a station and get on a train that's comfortable and works and does the job it needs to do. We need to make that happen for the whole of Wales. Connectivity in some parts of Wales is really poor. Part of our responsibility is to make sure that changes. We cannot do that when people in Westminster are making the decisions and we have no say in it. We need to be the people making those decisions, and we have the proof that we can do it.

The key thing that matters for making things happen is making sure there's a supply chain. One of the things that I'm acutely aware of is that we've got people who've delivered the core Valleys lines, who've delivered the metro, and they're raring and willing to go on the next stage of our next project when it comes to Wales. We've got the plans for the Burns stations. We need to get them going. I had a constructive conversation with the UK Government. We're going to pursue that in the same way as I think we agreed we'd have constructive conversations as well, as I did with others around this Siambr. But one of the things we shouldn't do is start suggesting that this is whingeing. This is about getting on with it. This is what we're doing. This is what I'm keen to do, and I won't be whingeing at all.

Thank you, Minister, for your statement today. At its core, transport is about connecting people with jobs, with opportunities and with communities. That's why I'm so proud of how the previous Welsh Labour Government invested £800 million in new trains across Wales, launched network north Wales as a long-term programme of rail improvements in north Wales, and created the £1.1 billion south Wales metro, including electrifying 170 km of Victorian railway.

In the constituency I represent and live in, I've seen first-hand myself and from fellow commuters how the investment in the core Valleys lines and the south Wales metro has transformed people's daily lives. And of course, that's why I'm also proud that the previous Welsh Labour Government, with my colleague Ken Skates as transport Secretary, secured that generational £14 billion commitment of rail investment in Wales from the UK Labour Government, ending more than a decade of Tory neglect.

In your statement, Minister, you referred to Transport for Wales's vision and intent for rail in Wales, 'Today, Tomorrow, Together'. This is, of course, a long-term commitment for Wales and the borders rail, to deliver a pipeline of new stations, upgraded rail lines and improved train services. And it embraces both the non-devolved and the Welsh Government-owned networks. And you've touched today, Minister, on your discussions with the UK Government. That £14 billion commitment is a huge win for Wales, and making it a reality will rely on the two Governments working closely together, along with a range of crucial partners. So, do you, Minister, stand steadfastly behind the vision for 'Today, Tomorrow, Together'? And since coming into Government, what progress have you made towards working collaboratively and in partnership with the UK Government to deliver it? What progress has been made over recent weeks in progressing the Burns stations, the Deeside parkway experiment and the Padeswood rail enhancement project? And secondly, when we talk about devolution in this Siambr, the focus is often on devolving more from Westminster to Cardiff Bay. But devolution doesn't just end in Cardiff Bay. I'm just as interested in how we move power closer to people, right across Wales, to the regions, the councils, and communities who know what they need best. That's why, in Government, we modernised local transport grants, moving from councils having to bid to numerous funds for small local schemes to regional corporate joint committees receiving that single pot of funding from which they will develop a forward programme.

Devolution is about power closer to home. Devolving decision making about rail and transport should be about putting decisions back into people's hands, more efficiency and more responsiveness to local priorities. So, can you, Minister, set out today what specific decision-making powers you plan to devolve from Welsh Government to the regions of Wales, and by when?

Diolch, Vikki. Thank you for the question. So, I'm not going to stand up here—and I think we made it clear when we met—to be churlish about the work that's going on, and I feel we're building on the good work that's happened so far with the core Valleys lines, with the metro. I think this is good work, but we need to push it further, and I think that what we're setting out here is an acceleration of that move to take things on. And this is why devolution becomes so important, because, ultimately, this is about us making sure that the decisions are made in the right place to effect the right things.

We don't think—and I think it's been broadly accepted previously in the Siambr—that Westminster's the right place to decide our rail infrastructure spending. The proof of the pudding is in a figure that I spoke about earlier: we've got 10 per cent of the rail network, yet only 1 per cent of the enhancements has been spent in Wales. So, we've been historically underfunded. Now, the £445 million that's in this spending review is a step in the right direction. It's insufficient to deliver the Burns stations in the way they need to be delivered. So, we're having a constructive conversation. And you asked about the specifics. I was really pleased with the positivity that came from my conversation with UK Government—pleasantly pleased with how it went. We've committed, the rail Minister and I, to also go into the next Wales rail board, where we can continue that engagement where the teams around us can see we're still on the same page.

You asked whether I stood steadfast behind Transport for Wales's vision, and I do. This is something that makes a clear difference to Wales. But the problem is it needs to be funded properly, and that's the critical thing. So, when we're talking about the £14 billion, which has been repeated, we need to see that laid out in the next spending review, so that we can get on and do the work. What I've found with Transport for Wales is that they're ready to get on and do it, so I want to give them the resources, through the Cabinet Minister for Finance, to help that become a reality. Because the people of Wales are fed up with people kicking the can down the road. I'm not going to do that. What I want to make sure is that we get some movement on it.

I welcome the question on devolution. I'm a big fan of devolution. I think that devolution is appropriate when it's at the right level. So, the key thing about devolution is making sure you make the right decisions at the right level. Rail, that's at a Wales level, and I'm clear about that. That's where we should be focused.

When it comes to other priorities, I think we're in the right place. I think we're in the place where the CJCs make those decisions through the regional transport funds. But I think where we've got to do some more work is making sure that the citizen understands how they can influence that process. So, today, I think constituents know how to contact me in Pen-y-bont Bro Morgannwg. They would have known how to contact me as a local councillor. I'm not sure that citizens know how to engage with the CJCs in the same way. So, I think, when it comes to devolution, you need to make sure there's that link to make sure that works as well. But, generally, thank you for your questions. I think they're all constructive, and I appreciate that level of challenge and scrutiny. Diolch.

Thank you, Minister, for your statement. Now, I'd like to pay tribute to a former Cabinet Secretary for transport, Ken Skates. Whilst we might not have always agreed, I know from my conversations and engagement with Ken that he, like me, wanted to improve rail services for our constituents, and always worked with that goal in mind.

On a positive note for rail in Wales, it would be churlish not to acknowledge that there has been some improvement in recent years with aspects of rail services, namely the roll-out of the Transport for London-style tap-on system in south Wales, which has been a good initiative and has reduced the cost of travel compared with purchasing regular tickets. It's good to see this being rolled out across north Wales now as well. The electrification of the core Valleys lines has likewise brought much-needed improvement to railways that had long been viewed as forgotten by many, but we must remember Wales is not just Cardiff.

Turning now to areas that still need to be addressed, I will begin with rail resilience. Now, we've seen lately—and we'll probably see again—hot weather. Ageing rolling stock and weaknesses within the network mean our rail remains far too fragile, and we need to put that resilience back in. The Marches line is, perhaps, the most susceptible to disruption. A delay in the south impacts the north, and, owing to the structure of the network, can quickly affect services across the whole of Wales. So, I welcome the Minister today acknowledging the need to increase capacity and resilience on this route. Passengers, however, have heard these commitments before and will rightly want to see action rather than warm words. Can the Minister therefore outline what specific interventions are being considered, and when we can expect to see tangible improvement delivered there?

I think the proposed Magor and Undy station shows what can be achieved when local campaigning is backed by proper investment and co-operation. But we must acknowledge it was the support of the previous UK Conservative Government and the former Secretary of State for Wales that helped get this project off the drawing board and into development. The previous UK Conservative Government also delivered significant rail investment into Wales, including electrification of the Great Western main line to Cardiff, new intercity express trains and significant funds towards the core Valleys lines. I was part of the delivery of the Cardiff capital region city deal, which was focused around bringing forward the metro. That was, again, delivered because the UK Government enabled that to happen.

Now, the real issue is not a lack of powers but a lack of fair funding. Wales has too often missed out on rail investment and should receive its fair share of rail spending, including full consequentials from projects in England. What Wales needs is more money for rail, not more powers over rail. Minister, much of your statement rests on the argument that further powers will unlock better outcomes, but passengers will rightly judge on what they experience on the ground. You referred to Transport for Wales's £14 billion rail vision and accelerating delivery of the Burns station programme. Can you clarify exactly which projects are being funded and what timescales have been agreed?

Minister, you also cite the core Valley lines transformation as evidence for further devolution, but, before seeking additional powers, should the Welsh Government not first demonstrate that projects already under its control are being delivered on time, on budget and producing measurable improvements for passengers across Wales? The test should not be how many powers politicians can accumulate, but whether passengers see better outcomes. Minister, is the real challenge facing Welsh railways really a lack of powers, or is it a lack of investment and delivery? Would it not be better to focus on securing fairer funding and demonstrating that existing devolved responsibilities can deliver better services for passengers, before calls for more devolution?

Thank you, Peter, and, again, thank you for the constructive way you've framed the questions, albeit there's a few things that I think we take slightly different views on. But if we start at your last point first, 'Is power the important thing or is making people's lives better the more important thing?' Do you know, if I could see a way of being able to deliver things without power then I'd investigate that first? My first two points in my statement reference working with UK Government more constructively with the current powers that we've got. So, I want to be clear, when I'm dealing with UK Government, that I'm going to be somebody who always works constructively, is always honest and tries to get the best out of that relationship. That includes where we're connected across the country, and making sure that those things work. So, I'm not somebody who's just, there, power for power's sake.

However, it is increasingly clear, if you just look—. You referenced the electrification figure. Only 9 per cent of our rail network is electrified; 45 per cent of the English network is electrified. The only reason, really, that 9 per cent is electrified isn't necessarily about GWR; it's more about what the Welsh Government did with regard to the core Valleys lines. So, let's make sure we get these things right before we move on.

I'm glad you brought up the issue of resilience. I think we need to look at this in the frame of where things are happening. So, just as a backward look, when we had the red weather warning 10 days ago, 94 per cent of Transport for Wales services ran appropriately. Now, if you compare that to Paris, Paris lost 10 per cent of its network in the same period. Germany lost every single train that doesn’t have air conditioning in it, which was a huge number of trains, and Belgium similarly. So, we’ve got to be careful that we don’t characterise our transport network incorrectly. That doesn’t mean that we don’t need to do a lot of work on making sure we’re resilient and ready for these things. We’re about to hit another heatwave now, so these things aren’t going away. This will be three heatwaves this year so far. So, I think this is a really important point, and I expect to come back to this Siambr in short order to be able to talk about how we build a more resilient network. Part of it is about making sure the trains we put on the network, the buses we put on our roads, are appropriate to deliver the services. So, I was on a bus the other day, fully air-conditioned, it makes it a comfortable journey, the trains are similarly so, and that makes a real difference to things as well.

We enjoyed our walk to school, I think, in Magor the other day, and it was good to see how committed the team were there to their project. The reflection I have from it is how long it's taken them to get to a point where progress happens, even in developing their community centre. And I think one of the things I'm keen to do is to make sure that we collectively can agree on lots of things. The more we can agree on, the more commitment people can start, and the funds can start to flow so that we know, even in four years' time, if the make-up of the Siambr changed in any way, we all know that we're committed to doing the things we are. And things like the Burns stations fit that profile. So, I welcome the broad support, I think, from you in this regard, and I think we'll continue to work together.

The difference between rail in Caerphilly and Blaenau Gwent shows exactly why devolving rail matters. Caerphilly has 17 stations, most on the Welsh Government's core Valleys lines. Since those lines came under Welsh Government control, passengers have seen new trains, electrification and more frequent services. But in Blaenau Gwent, the Ebbw Vale line is still reserved, and we have just three stations in the whole of Blaenau Gwent, with communities like Abertillery and Tredegar completely cut off from the rail network.

That gap didn't happen by accident. It reflects where responsibility sits, and the fact that Wales is too often not a priority for Westminster. Where rail is devolved, like in Caerphilly, we see investment and improvement. Where it isn't, like in Blaenau Gwent, communities are left behind. So, Deputy Minister, what discussions are being held with the UK Government about extending the core Valleys lines to other parts of the Valleys, including Blaenau Gwent?

Thank you for the question, Niamh.

I think this is huge. You've just exemplified the reason why we need devolved powers, because we need to treat communities the same, and they need to be given the same opportunities whether they're in the Caerphilly part of your constituency or the Blaenau Gwent part of your constituency. But this requires long-term planning. Again, I'm going back to the point of us needing, I think, to get some collective consensus around how we go and do this. But, ultimately, I see no way of this happening without full devolution, to be able to make the decisions that matter, because we're closer to the people of Wales and their needs than they are in Westminster. That's the critical thing. We are having conversations. The conversations have started with UK Ministers. They know what we want, and it doesn't really matter who is in charge there, frankly. Our position hasn't changed, but we're doing it from a position of making sure we can make a real difference.  

Deputy Minister, I honestly hate to say this, because it might damage your reputation with your party, but you've always struck me, in my short time here, as being one of the more sensible Ministers on the Government benches. But then you went and spoiled it all by saying you are a fan of more devolution. Now, people in this Chamber will know that I'm not a fan of more devolution, and neither is my party. But you have made a serious point about underinvestment in Welsh rail. Many people in north Wales, where my constituency lies, will totally agree with you. But Reform Wales does not believe every issue is solved by devolving more power to Cardiff Bay. To build a skyscraper on weak foundations is total folly.

So, the test is simple: will passengers get better services from your plans? And what does network north Wales actually mean for north Wales? We have been promised for years that we’d have electrification of the north Wales main line. I want to know what would happen to the lines going from Wrexham to Chester, Wrexham to Bidston, into Liverpool and Manchester Airport. These are crucial lines for us in north Wales.

Can you conclude, please, Adrian?

Sure. What is the cost of devolution and, basically, what will be the benefits and what is the timetable? Thank you.

Thank you for the questions, Adrian. I was worried then you might be hitting Mike Hedges's number of questions in one question. I'll do my best. I'm not sure 'sensible but' carries much weight, but thank you, I think—but I'm not sure. 

Our test is the same. Our test is: can we improve the passenger journey? Can we make things work quicker? Can we make things work more seamlessly? I think that's the ultimate test. Today, in some parts of Wales, we've shown that that's happening. In lots of Wales—and I think you've highlighted areas where it's not—it isn't. So, the job of Government is to get in there, roll up our sleeves and start work on those things with the same vigour as has happened down south. I'm chairing the next network north rail board, to show the commitment to the north of the country as has been shown down the south. And I'm keen and I'm happy to update you with that post that meeting as well. Devolution and powers have got to have a reason for them. I'm clear about that. I think I've made the case in this statement today, and I'll continue to make that case. The only way we'll make our railways better is if the powers are in this place.

Good afternoon, Deputy Minister. Thank you for the statement. I do welcome your ambition, unlike Reform UK. I am totally perplexed by your statement that you feel that Wales does not have the skills to have rail devolved to Wales. You're always doing Wales down.

But I do want to say that where we are now in terms of having rail devolved to Wales, we've been here for a number of years through the Welsh Government. I can see that, over the years, we've not seen any change whatsoever. In fact, just this year, David Chadwick MP tabled an amendment to the Railways Bill, which would have transferred responsibility for infrastructure, investment and long-term strategy to the Senedd within two years. Unfortunately, not a single Welsh Labour MP supported it. And so I do hope that when this comes back before the Labour Government, which it probably still will be, that there is persuasion given from the Senedd to Labour MPs in Westminster. I'd like to ask you specifically: Scotland have done this, so how are you learning from Scotland? Diolch yn fawr iawn.

Thanks for the question, Jane. I agree with you, firstly, that we have the skills and the capacity to start doing the work. We've proven it. The teams are ready to go. A lot of these are Wales-based organisations and Wales-based workers. This is a good project to start. They need to get on there and help to develop the railways.

I think the key point that you're making is the same point that I think I made in the—. The Scottish example is there to be able to work with. The key difference is that 33 per cent of their network is electrified, 9 per cent of ours—good indication. It's a different—. We've got more cross-border connectivity in Wales as well in terms of some of our services. 

I'm really proud, and I think our key exemplar that I like to use is basically the work that we've done on the core Valleys lines. I know I'm repeating myself, but you're starting to see some huge improvements and we can replicate some of that work elsewhere. It doesn't mean that it's all about rail. We talked about buses here last week. I think that we've got to make sure that our transport network is wholly integrated, so people feel comfortable and they see it as a seamless journey, being on, maybe, the north Wales coach, jumping on a bus and jumping on a train. These are seen as seamless, which is the reason for one ticket, one journey. We've got a lot of work that we've seen and a lot of benefit. 

Deputy Minister, the recent heatwave highlighted the significant costs related to the maintenance of rail infrastructure in the face of extreme weather. Before seeking to devolve further responsibility over the railways, has the Welsh Government calculated the long-term financial implications of maintaining and renewing the infrastructure that it would inherit? If so, would the Deputy Minister publish those figures and explain how the costs will be met? Thank you.

Thanks, Helen. Thanks for the question.

I think this is a really important point and it's a point that I'm happy to come back to the Siambr with. I have asked the same question. I think that when we talk about £14 billion, that's not the maintenance budget as well. That's really critical. So, we need to make sure that we have full devolution, so that we can do the work that needs to happen.

Going back to the point that Peter referenced, and the fact that we need to build resilience, this is the core of building that resilience. We have got a network that, in some parts, we know hasn't had the support that it has needed for a number of years. So, it's really important, but when I have got the figure, I will come back to you on it.

Thanks. And finally, Minister, Leticia Gonzalez.

Diolch, Ddirprwy Lywydd. I welcome this statement today. In Cardiff, the consequences of decades of underinvestment in rail infrastructure are all too evident. That is why I welcome the progress made since the devolution of the core Valleys lines, which has enabled significant improvements to be delivered across the network.

For too long, disabled people in my constituency have faced unacceptable barriers when using our rail network. The lack of lifts and step-free access has forced passengers to take lengthy detours, while alternative routes remain inaccessible for many wheelchair users. I am pleased that work has finally begun on an accessible footbridge at Cathays station. However, campaigners have been calling for these improvements since the 1990s. Surely, this is proof that, when Wales has greater control of its rail network, we can better address the needs of our communities.

For years, Plaid Cymru has argued that rail infrastructure and its corresponding funding is fully devolved to Wales, and permit projects like HS2 to be reclassified as an England-only project. If that were to happen, Wales could receive billions of pounds in consequential funding—money that could transform rail connectivity and accessibility across our country. Given that Welsh taxpayers are helping to fund a project that does not enter Wales, and given ongoing concerns that the economic benefit will be felt elsewhere, what pressure is the Deputy Minister putting on the UK Government to secure the fair funding settlement that Wales deserves?

Diolch, Leti. I know you take a keen interest in rail from your job prior to this, where you were supporting Transport for Wales in its work as well. So, I'm grateful for your expertise as well. How do I answer that question? Just by turning it back and saying that we need the devolution and we need fair funding.

Now, the pressure, I think, is twofold. So, the conversation needs to be a conversation with UK Government, where we are seen as a trusted partner. So, I want to make sure that, every time I have a conversation, they know that I'm being clear, I'm being direct, and I'm being honest with our needs and why we're working on it.

But the other thing, I think, that was really—. When I spoke to the rail Minister a few weeks ago, he said that, to help him to go to the Treasury to get the funding that we need, what we needed is to be ready with the projects. So, that's the key difference. We are ready with the projects, to start to deliver, particularly on the Burns stations, because of the work that's been done. We're ready to go, and we can start kicking on with this. That's the critical difference. And I think that shows that, from rail, we're moving forward with things like never before. Diolch yn fawr.

Thank you very much.

We'll move now to item 6, a statement by the Deputy Minister for Social Care, Mental Health and Women's Health: priorities for social care, mental health and women's health. I now call on the Deputy Minister, Delyth Jewell.

Thank you, Llywydd. I'm grateful for this opportunity to set out my vision and my priorities. As Minister, I want to help shine a light onto areas that haven't had the focus that they deserve—on mental health, women's health, and, yes, on the social care system that, for too long, has not had sufficient attention. These areas deserve more attention and prominence. They deserve a voice at the heart of Government, and I promise that I will give that to them.

We are proud, as a party, to accelerate the work towards a national care service for Wales, including establishing a national care academy within this Senedd term. I will oversee a programme of strengthening commissioning arrangements, understanding future funding requirements, and developing robust future options for free personal care in the next Senedd term. 

I will champion policies aimed at strengthening the value that we give to our carers. For our paid workforce, we will work to ensure that far more workers receive the real living wage as a minimum, and progress work towards fairer pay and conditions, but they should also receive parity of esteem. Why is it that social care receives less prominence in debate than the NHS? Why shouldn’t care workers hold the same space in our psyche as nurses and doctors? I’m put in mind of Michael Rosen’s words about the NHS that

'these are the hands that touch us first'.

For many people in care homes, in palliative care, workers there will be the hands that touch us last. This is what I want to champion in Government: those who help the least heard and the lost. The carers and workers who support people at their most vulnerable, who bring comfort to the dying and support to the sick. The value we place on this vital work has to be greater, and I will drive for that to happen as just one pillar of the foundations for a truly national care service in Wales.

Unpaid carers, of course, support hundreds of thousands of people. I have listened to concerns about recognition, support and financial pressures, and to the plea for policies, not praise. We are investing in the carers support fund and short breaks scheme and will continue to press the UK Government for changes to carers allowance and local authorities on respite provision.

Llywydd, providing the best start in life for all children is fundamental, and this includes reinforcing and redoubling our societal responsibilities to care for those in vulnerable and disadvantaged situations. The programme to remove profit from the care of looked-after children in Wales was a major feature of our co-operation agreement, and we will bring this world-leading initiative to fruition within the current Senedd term. We are also expanding the corporate parenting charter into the private sector as part of our 2030 vision for this significant area of work.

Caring for our children and young people also means ensuring that support mechanisms are there to respond to abuse, neglect and exploitation. We are all aware of the shameful legacy of institutional failings in this area, and we are committed to righting these historic wrongs. This Government is engaging closely with the ongoing UK inquiry into group-based childhood exploitation to ensure that the unique Welsh context is properly captured, whilst also strengthening the frameworks for which this Government is directly responsible.  

We are working at pace to implement both the strengthening safeguarding governance review and our own manifesto commitments, so that safeguarding reform can be brought together into a coherent national programme for Wales. This will include working with partners across health, social care, education, policing and the third sector to improve prevention and early intervention, to strengthen early identification of harm through improved data and intelligence use and, most importantly, ensure that the concerns of children and young people are, without exception, treated with the utmost and unconditional seriousness.

On mental health, I aim to oversee a fundamental change in how our services are delivered, moving towards open-access, same-day mental health support, a fundamental shift from a traditional model to one focused on recovery and prevention. NHS Wales Performance and Improvement has been commissioned to develop a new mental health clinical plan, covering same-day access, modernisation of community mental health services and action to prevent escalation to in-patient care. I will review progress in September.

On the vital area of suicide prevention, I have met Professor Ann John, national adviser for suicide prevention and self-harm, and I'll provide a written statement imminently setting out this Government’s early priorities in this area, with a particular focus on male suicide.

As lead in Government for dementia, I am committed to developing a new dementia strategy that focuses on brain health, improving diagnosis and strengthening support. I'm determined to better help people with learning disabilities by strengthening community support, reducing hospital admissions and shortening hospital stays. Our drive to establish consistent standards of care across health, social care and housing will deliver, in line with our manifesto, on commitments arising from the Stolen Lives campaign and the 'From Hospitals to Homes' report.

I'm committed to ensuring neurodivergent people can access timely, high-quality support wherever they live, by reducing children’s assessment waiting times and eliminating the longest waits. We will also improve adult autism and ADHD services, invest in workforce development and innovation, and ensure that services are shaped alongside neurodivergent people and their families.

Turning last, but by no means least, to women’s health, I am proud to be Wales’s first women’s health Minister. It is long overdue. For too long, women’s health has been treated as an afterthought, as optional—a 'should', not a 'must'. I want that to change. I will expect that it must change. My first focus will be on tackling women’s pain in healthcare. I'll be hosting a ministerial summit on 16 July that will focus on women’s voices and tackling this normalisation of pain in health, hearing directly from women with lived experience, alongside clinicians.

How many women have been told, 'This might hurt', have been afraid to speak up and say that they are in pain? Women’s voices should be heard. Their pain should not simply be endured. I am determined to change this. We will be refreshing elements of the NHS Wales women’s health plan, with action this year focused on improving endometriosis and abortion services. I will want to hear from women directly, we'll be commissioning work to gather women’s feedback, and we're also carefully considering the women’s health hub model to improve consistency.

I'm determined to see improvement in maternity and neonatal care through implementing the recommendations of 'The path to safer beginnings'. We'll strengthen data collection of stillbirths and neonatal deaths and ensure bereavement and mental health support are there for families who experience the devastating loss of a baby. Work has begun on a national cancer plan, which will address cancers that disproportionately affect women. A written statement will set out more detail on 15 July. 

Llywydd, I want women to take up space, be it through women’s health hubs, through theatre space, or for more women to take up the space they need in their GP appointments. How many women listening today have been belittled or ignored? We’ve all had fantastic doctors who get it, and we’ve all had doctors who don’t. No woman should be afraid or embarrassed to ask about pain or things that don’t feel right. We have to see improvements in training, but I also want to empower women to take up that space, to give voice to their worries, to feel certain they’ll be believed and listened to. Because women should be believed about their bodies. As Minister for women’s health, I am determined to see change. Women must see change.

These are just some of my priorities for this role. I will work with Members across this Chamber, with committees, to make things better, because that is what my work will be about: making things better for people’s lives. I want to pinpoint where the gaps exist in our policies. I mentioned earlier how I want to shine a light. Leonard Cohen reminded us that

'There is a crack, a crack in everything / That's how the light gets in'.

I want to shine that light and to remember always the debt we owe to all those other souls alive at this same moment, in this same place. People in crisis, people who’ve been as good as forgotten. People struggling to get appointments, patients whose needs have not been met. Families waiting too long for diagnoses. Women not being believed. I want to bring hope, to bring change, and, most of all, to be a voice for those who have not been heard. I promise I am listening.

Can I thank the Deputy Minister for her statement today and congratulate her on her appointment? There's a lot in this statement, and Members across this Chamber, I'm sure, will welcome the recognition of unpaid carers, the commitment to improving mental health support and the focus on men's suicide, the focus on women's health also, and the acknowledgement that social care has been undervalued for too long, as it is key if we are to solve some of the problems in our NHS. But warm words also need to be matched by delivery, deadlines and accountability.

On social care, the Deputy Minister spoke about a national care service, something I have long opposed as an unnecessary additional level of bureaucracy and a drain on vital public money. A national care academy, fair pay and conditions, better support for unpaid carers—there's something we all want—and those significant commitments that you've made also need to be matched by funding. I would like to know from you today what is the practical timetable for all this work to be developed. When will the national care academy be coming online, and how will that link with the workforce planning, training, and problems we have with recruitment and retention in this sector? Critically, how will the Welsh Government ensure that the national care service does not become another layer of bureaucracy when what the sector actually needs is people, better support, and proper pay?

On unpaid carers, the Deputy Minister rightly said that carers want policies, not praise. I agree. Wales needs a clear updated carers strategy as not just a document, but a delivery plan with measurable outcomes. The consultation on the draft national strategy for unpaid carers closed in April, so can the Deputy Minister tell us when the final strategy will be published? Will it include clear commitments on respite, short breaks, financial pressures—especially young carers as well—and the right for carers to be identified and supported early? And will she commit to reporting regularly back to the Senedd on the progress on delivery?

The Deputy Minister also made reference in her statement to neurodivergent people and ensuring that people are receiving the support they need. I agree. I've heard plenty of times through committee work in this place that we're not supporting those people. One thing the Government could do is implement a Bill that was proudly championed previously by another colleague in this Chamber, Paul Davies—an autism Bill here in Wales to help people living with that condition. Will the Government commit to bringing forward an autism Bill in this term of the Senedd?

On mental health, I welcome the ambition around open-access, same-day support. But again, the question is around delivery. What does same-day support mean in practice? Who are these people going to see? Because there are varying levels of support that someone wants; someone who is at a very critical stage will need a much higher level of intervention than someone who maybe just needs a bit of pastoral support and a bit of a chat on the telephone. So, I'd just be interested to know how you're going to manage that in practice. And how will this work also in rural areas and areas across Wales that are a long way away from other services? How is this going to work? I'm not quite sure. And do you also believe that there is the workforce there to deliver this as well? Because I've done a lot of work in the mental health space, and I don't think the workforce is currently there to meet this ambition.

The Deputy Minister also mentioned suicide prevention, with a particular focus on male suicide. I strongly welcome that, because we all know that one of the biggest groups that does suffer from suicide is young white men, and young men in general. They are the people who suffer the most and they do need to be supported. But I would urge this Government to go further. What Wales needs is a dedicated men's health plan. England now has a published male health strategy, Ireland has a national men's health action plan, and I do not think that Wales can be behind the curve.

This cannot also be only limited to suicide prevention. That is important, but a proper men's health plan should cover things like men's health, suicide, cancer, cardiovascular disease, lung problems, workplace health, rural isolation, fathers who are struggling with newborns. A lot of men don't come forward because they struggle with these issues and we don't debate them openly in this Chamber. I think something I'd like to see from this Government is a proper men's health strategy. I'd love to know today if you can commit to developing that men's health strategy for Wales. And if you won't commit today, will you at least commit to considering it and setting out a timetable of how this Government may address men's health in a structured and measurable way?

On women's health, I do welcome the Deputy Minister's focus on pain, endometriosis, maternity care and the need for women to be listened to. Of course, everybody across our society needs to be listened to; that is important. But I would ask how the refreshed women's health plan will be delivered consistently across Wales. Will the women's health hubs be piloted or rolled out nationally, or are they just being considered, and what funding will sit behind this piece of work? Because if we are going to have them delivered, the funding does need to follow. And how will you also ensure that women in rural Wales do not suffer as a result of this and make sure they've got access to major centres and women's hubs?

And finally, Llywydd, I think everyone will welcome the tone of the statement—I would expect no less from the Deputy Minister—but the test for you

the test for you will not be whether the aspirations are good; the test will be whether people across Wales feel the difference. Will carers get their respite? Will care workers stay in the profession for longer? Will people with mental ill health in crisis get the support they need? And will men and boys in Wales finally see a dedicated plan to address their health needs, too?

And I will close here, Llywydd. I do hope that the Deputy Minister will work constructively with all Members across this Chamber, and I look forward to seeing those clear timetables and funding commitments from the Government to deliver the ambition that you've set out today. Diolch.

James, there are lots of really welcome questions there. I really thank you for those. Firstly, there are lots of areas of agreement here. You said that social care has been undervalued but that you personally do not see the need for a national care service. Some of the other things I'm going to be talking about in response to what you talked about the social care element of this brief. We want to make sure that what we have for people is greater than the sum of those parts, that actually there is parity of esteem for people in the workforce. And without being the same status—. It's bizarre, isn't it, that there's never been a founding moment for the care service in the way that we've had with the NHS. We celebrated the NHS's birthday a few days ago; when I was talking about the same space in our psyche, we should be celebrating this work. Most people will come into contact with the NHS and with other areas of public service throughout the course of our lives. Most people only come into contact with the care service when something has either gone wrong with them or someone else they love. So, the invisibility of it for lots of people—we need to increase that status, but again, there are lots of individual elements where I think that we do agree, but that enveloping principle and status and platform for it is why I want it to be greater than the sum of the parts. 

I'm glad that you agree about the national care academy. In terms of the timescales, a lot of this will take the course of the Senedd. There are some things in terms of the academy that I would want to bring forward far earlier, linked in with the workforce review that we will be conducting very shortly as well. 

I'm really glad that you mentioned unpaid carers. As you know, this is something that I feel really strongly about as well, and I know this is something really close to your heart. Yes, we will certainly be making the commitments that you have set out, because unpaid carers save our society—and Government, but our society more generally—billions of pounds. But too often, the work they do falls through the gaps in graphs. I'm put in mind of the words of Bobby Kennedy, when he was talking about the gross domestic product and how it measures everything in society, except for all of those things that make life worth living. And this is one of those examples where we need to give greater esteem to the work that they do so that it doesn't go as unnoticed, because we owe unpaid carers more than words or recognition, we owe them a better life. And lots of the things that you set out are just some of those things. I'm aware that, prior to the election, the Health and Social Care Committee's report on unpaid carers made lots of really valuable recommendations, and I'll be responding formally in September. And the national strategy for unpaid care that you asked about, that will be published in the autumn and it will be covering a lot of the areas that you raised. So, thank you for that.

On neurodivergence and the idea of an autism Bill, I'm happy to have further conversations about that. I know that there was an awful lot of really valuable work that Paul and others put in to that.

On same-day access, well, the focus would be on the person's biggest concern at that moment and prioritising strength and recovery. Evidently, this would have to work in a holistic way. In terms of how that's going to be working, I think there are 21 demonstrator sites already testing over Wales. In the longer term, we would expect to see a shift, of course, in funding from specialist in-patient care to community support. And that brings me to the point that you made about making sure that people from rural areas won't be disadvantaged. We want to focus more on community prevention, where that's the most appropriate, of course. There will still be a need for in-patient care as well.

On the women's health plan, you talked about the hub model. I think we need to look at this. There are some examples where it's going well, other examples where we just have websites. That's not always possibly working well, but we are going to be evaluating that. In terms of how a lot of this will be funded, health boards should be funding a lot of this already, of course, because women's health should not be an optional extra. Women are half of the population. This is something that should be in core funding anyway, but we obviously want to make sure that this is done in a way that's going to be sustainable.

And on your point about a men's health strategy,

And on your point about a men's health strategy, now I welcome you raising this issue. I acknowledge the passion that you and other Members, of course, have brought to this idea. I am prepared to engage with you and other Members on this as a concept, because, of course, you're right that certain health issues are either only apparent in men, or have a disproportionate effect on men. And there's lots of work, including what I've said about male suicide. The upcoming cancer plan will look at improving rates of diagnosis in areas like prostate cancer. Whether we need to bring that together in one men's health plan, I am open to the idea, and let's have further conversations. But, diolch. Forgive me, if I've missed out any questions, then please let me know. 

Thank you to the Minister for the statement today. I'd like to start with a topic that I know many other Members are passionate about, and that's women's health. For far too long, women's voices and experiences in the healthcare system have not been given their due weight. And in the last Senedd, the Welsh Labour Government's women's health plan was a significant step and ensured that there is a focus on women's health in our NHS.

I'm personally proud of what we achieved in Government to put more focus on women's health, from free period products, to menopause support, to creating women's health hubs in every health board. But there is, of course, much more to do, and Plaid Cymru must keep up the momentum. 

It was disappointing to see that there is no dedicated action for women's health in Plaid Cymru's pledges for their first 100 days in Government. We will hold the Government to account to ensure that women across Wales get the care that they deserve, and that the goals of the women's health plan are funded and delivered in full.

I'd specifically like to ask about endometriosis, which, as the Minister will know, affects one in 10 women in Wales and can be truly debilitating. I know from constituents that too many women find themselves being dismissed, with symptoms not taken seriously. And the impact on women's well-being and careers can be absolutely devastating. 

In Government, we had committed to developing accredited regional centres for endometriosis care across Wales, to improve access to specialist support. This was alongside a network of community and primary care endometriosis clinics to be based in the new women's health hubs. I note that the Minister said she's carefully considering the women's health model. I'm just disappointed that you can't commit today to continuing that important work, and I'm really keen that we have clarity as soon as possible.

Advances are being made in diagnosis, and we must make sure we're ready to adapt to these new developments. Rapid endometriosis tests have just been given the go ahead by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence, which will help to significantly reduce the time it takes for women to be told whether they have the condition. One test, I believe, provides that result in 45 minutes. Currently, getting a diagnosis can take years.

So, when does the Minister expect women in Wales to be able to access those new tests?

On social care, I was pleased to see the Government's long-term commitment to developing a national care service, and this is an ambition that we share. One of the key opportunities for strengthening our social care system is by improving integration with local authorities. So, what concrete steps will the Minister take to bring these systems closer together and ensure that people receive more seamless care at the time they need it most?

And I'm proud of how the Welsh Labour Government fought to properly reward our social care workforce, including through legally- enforced fair pay agreements. And, of course, our social care system across Wales would not work without the huge contribution of unpaid carers—people who look after their loved ones, often in the most difficult of circumstances, to help them live as well as possible. 

Earlier this year, the Welsh Labour Government consulted on a new strategy for unpaid carers, and we need to see progress on this. Minister, you said today that the Government is investing in the short break scheme, but we do need some more detail on that. So, will you commit to providing the funding needed to provide 16,000 short breaks for unpaid carers each year for the rest of this Senedd term?

And lastly, I'm just going to turn to mental health. Again, this is an area where I was disappointed not to see a dedicated action from this Plaid Cymru Government for its first 100 days. You've referred today to a fundamental shift in service delivery, but it is unclear what that actually means for people in need of support. 

So, can the Minister set out today for us what changes will people see in mental health services in Wales 

and any concerns they have about period regularity, fertility, weight, mood, and sleep apnea, alongside medicine use and long-term risks of developing related health conditions such as diabetes and cardiovascular disease. I know that the guidelines are currently out to consultation, but given that women and girls are often waiting years for diagnosis and treatment, what consideration has the Deputy Minister given to annual reviews of the condition, alongside the training of doctors and health professionals across Wales to spot the signs of PMOS?

This takes me to my second point: education. All too often, women and girls cope with endometriosis and PMOS because they believe that heavy and painful periods are a normal part of their menstrual journey. In February, I asked the previous education Minister about empowering women and girls through awareness and ensuring universal menstrual health education within the curriculum. Because while some schools provide great advice, sadly others do not. Deputy Minister, I'd like to know what efforts will you be making to ensure that quality menstrual health education is delivered across Wales, and will you be willing to meet with organisations such as the Menstrual Health Project to support this delivery?

On women's health hubs, I have raised consistent concerns about the delivery of advice and support for menopause alongside menstrual health. I note that Cardiff and Vale University Health Board have launched a menopause hub in Ely, but I'd like to know, Deputy Minister, how will you help roll out hubs like these across Wales, so all women will be able to have access to support?

The Senedd's Health and Social Care Committee in the last term found that women in Wales were being let down by the previous Government's inaction on gynaecological cancer. The previous Labour Government sadly failed to deliver on many of the committee's recommendations, and I appreciate a written statement is coming soon on the cancer plan. But can you please touch upon some of the work this Government will be doing to improve gynaecological cancer care here in Wales?

I'm pleased, Presiding Officer, that the Deputy Minister has set out her aims for social care. All too often—and I know we've heard this from many Members—social care, despite its significance within the health system, has been relegated to being the cinderella service. Like the Deputy Minister, I'm keen to ensure that social care is indeed given more prominence. However, I am genuinely concerned that there's still a lack of joined-up thinking within the health and healthcare system, specifically with regard to delayed discharges and sharing of patient records.

In April, Community Housing Cymru estimated that discharge delays due to housing issues had risen from an average of 63 days in 2023 to 76 days in 2025, and that last December, more than 1,400 people were in hospital beds despite being well enough to leave. Last month, nearly 150 delays were counted as a result of waiting for social care assessments, with a total of 4,165 days delayed. A further 300 days were due to care home placement arrangements and nearly 21,000 days delayed. The Salvation Army estimates that last year, patients were discharged on 318 occasions with no fixed abode from Welsh hospitals.

There are also deep concerns about the lack of information sharing between hospitals and social care, given that they run on a multitude of different IT systems, leading to patients who are vulnerable and have complex conditions being discharged without the relevant information to help care for them after they have left hospital. As the local government committee highlighted last year, the Welsh care workforce is chronically understaffed. We're all well aware of this, Deputy Minister. This is unfortunately unsustainable going forward, and uncaring. I note your manifesto has mentioned more joined-up planning between health and social care, so how are you delivering this in relation to delayed discharges and housing? How will the new connected care programme for integrated health and care records be monitored by your Government? And what efforts are you making to address the significant shortages in the social care workforce?

I also had the pleasure of meeting with Carers Trust and Carers Wales recently, and whilst I'm pleased to hear that more funding will be given to the carers support fund and short-break schemes, there are still lingering concerns about short-term funding and that unpaid carers are still waiting for change, to find out what your Government has in store for them. So, Deputy Minister, we've got two committee inquiries about unpaid carers in 2019 and 2026, which gave the same recommendations. So, how are you delivering those changes at pace to reform support for unpaid carers here in Wales?

Finally, Presiding Officer, I thank the Deputy Minister for updating the Chamber on her aims for mental health. Whilst in a perfect world we'd see parity of treatment for mental and physical health, we are still not at a stage where mental health is treated with the same urgency. According to the Mental Health Foundation, around 720,000 adults in Wales had poor mental health, with Wales reporting higher levels of poor mental health than the rest of the UK, in 13 out of the last 15 years. While I note that much of the emphasis has been given to prevention, the Mental Health Foundation has further expressed concern about the lack of information on how much is spent on prevention by the Welsh Government, where investment is directed, and what impact it has in the long term. The foundation says, and I quote, 'To ensure future policy efforts are effective, Wales must improve the collection and publication of data on prevention at both health board and national level'. Unquote. So, I therefore ask, Deputy Minister, whether you will be open and transparent on both mental health data and your policies on prevention going forward. Thank you so much.

Diolch, Natasha, for those questions. In terms of the women's health strategy