Senedd Cymru (Welsh Parliament), 4 March 2026

355 contributions from 42 members. The official report.

1. Questions to the Cabinet Secretary for Housing and Local Government

Elin Jones (Plaid Cymru, Ceredigion)

Good afternoon and welcome to today's Plenary meeting. Questions to the Cabinet Secretary for Housing and Local Government will be first this afternoon. The first question [OQ63909] is withdrawn. Question 2, therefore, Lesley Griffiths.

Lesley Griffiths (Labour, Wrexham)

2. How is the Welsh Government supporting town-centre regeneration in Wrexham? OQ63906

Jayne Bryant (Labour, Newport West)

I am committed to supporting our town and city centres, and, through our Transforming Towns programme, I'm investing over £22 million in Wrexham city centre. This investment is making a real difference, supporting a range of projects, breathing new life into the city centre, creating jobs and boosting economic activity.

Lesley Griffiths (Labour, Wrexham)

Thank you for that answer, and I know you have visited the part of the scheme that I'm going to mention today around the Transforming Towns programme: the beautiful grade 2 listed Old Carnegie library in the centre of Wrexham, which I very much enjoyed visiting as a child. It was closed for nearly 50 years before it received the Welsh Government funding of £2.9 million from the Transforming Towns programme. As you saw for yourself, it's now a flexible, energy-efficient space for music, arts, creative industries, rehearsal spaces, and also for pop-up retail. Wrexham is becoming very well known for its creative industries and, of course, it's bidding to be the UK City of Culture 2029, and this historic building will help support individuals and businesses who want to make progress in this area. So, Cabinet Secretary, I know you'll agree with me that regeneration of our town and city centres is vital if we are to ensure our high streets and public spaces are revitalised and places where people want to go for shopping, for leisure and for relaxation.

Jayne Bryant (Labour, Newport West)

Diolch, Lesley, and, absolutely, I think seeing the progress in Wrexham first-hand really demonstrates the real difference our investment is making to people's lives and the communities they live in. As you mentioned, I was really fortunate to go and visit Wrexham to see that city-centre regeneration plan—how that's developing and how it's delivering. And I was able to go to the creative hub and the Old Library on Queen Street, and it is a really, really beautiful building. And I think the way it's been redeveloped has been really sympathetic to the traditional design as well—it's so light and bright and airy. And those creative spaces now are breathing that life back into that building—a really, really, special place, actually. So, I'm sure there'll be lots of creatives coming out of Wrexham shortly, and it was really good to meet somebody who's based there now, who was somebody who was from Wrexham, who had worked in creative industries in other parts of the UK, but had been drawn back to Wrexham because of all the new facilities and just the real feeling about the spaces and the flexibility and ability to work in somewhere like Wrexham now. I think it's really exciting.

The local authority has been working really hard in this space as well, and we've worked with the local authority. They've developed their placemaking strategy for Wrexham and that's been funded through the Transforming Towns revenue funding. But I think there's a real enthusiasm now, isn't there, in Wrexham around the creatives and the arts and the sports, and I think it's really exciting, and I'm sure that Wrexham will go from strength to strength. And I'm sure that you're excited about seeing the football museum that will shortly open as well.

James Evans (Independent, Brecon and Radnorshire)

3. How is the Cabinet Secretary increasing the availability of homes for people in Brecon and Radnorshire? OQ63924

Jayne Bryant (Labour, Newport West)

Thank you, James. We are providing record social housing funding of over £2 billion over this Senedd term, including £466 million in 2025-26 alone. During this term of government, as at 2024-25, Powys has received almost £68 million in social housing grant. This funding will contribute to the delivery of over 800 homes. Their allocation for 2025-26 is over £13.5 million. We are also increasing the availability of homes through successful schemes such as Help to Buy—Wales, Homebuy—Wales, Leasing Scheme Wales, and our empty homes grant.

James Evans (Independent, Brecon and Radnorshire)

Thank you for your answer, Cabinet Secretary. Even though you hold the portfolio responsibility for housing, a lot of the levers for actually delivering the building of homes sits outside your portfolio, in terms of apprenticeships—making sure we've got the plasterers, the plumbers, and all the rest of the trades that build the homes. Also, the planning system sits within another portfolio as well, with the Cabinet Secretary for economy, and environmental regulation sits with the Cabinet Secretary for climate change. So, I'm interested, Cabinet Secretary, because you've missed your homes target year after year, in how you work across Government to bring all those portfolios together, to actually deliver the homes that Wales needs, because sometimes I feel sorry for you—you're the one who gets hauled over the coals, but, actually, a lot of the levers for delivering these homes don't sit with you. So, I'd like to know how you are going to bring all Government together, in the last embers of this Government, to see how we can deliver homes for people right the way across my constituency.

Jayne Bryant (Labour, Newport West)

Diolch, James. As you rightly say, there are a number of levers that sit outside of the portfolio, and that was one of the points around the affordable homes taskforce and some of the recommendations that they've made. It touches on a number of Ministers' portfolios—for example, my Cabinet colleague for economy, my Cabinet colleague for skills. So, there are a number of these different parts. But I also chair the affordable homes taskforce implementation group. That's something where we bring all those recommendations, which includes things like planning, skills, and other things around apprenticeships as well, together, with experts from across sectors as well—so, local government, house builders. We're looking together at how we can actually drive this forward. So, we do work as a Cabinet collectively as well on the priority that is our target around building more social homes, which we will reach by November this year, which is no mean feat. Again, it's been a real team Wales approach. I think—actually, we know—that one of the other positive things is not just reaching that target in this year, but we also know we have a really strong pipeline of projects coming forward. So, I'm really excited about that—I think that is something that would be more concerning, if we didn't have such a strong pipeline. But we've worked really hard through that, successful and successive, more investment, and making sure that we're all on the same page in driving forward that priority that we need to build more homes across Wales.

Elin Jones (Plaid Cymru, Ceredigion)

Questions now from the party spokespeople. The Plaid Cymru spokesperson, Peredur Owen Griffiths.

Peredur Owen Griffiths (Plaid Cymru, South Wales East)

Diolch, Llywydd. At the start of this week, the First Minister announced plans to introduce same-day mental health support in Wales. It was a bold claim, considering the fact that over 500 people in Wales are currently waiting longer than the 28-day target for an assessment, as set out by the Mental Health (Wales) Measure 2010. It was also conspicuously lacking in key details, which is especially surprising given the First Minister's apparent aversion to empty sloganeering. So, I wonder if you could fill in the blanks. Given that local primary mental health support services are delivered in partnership with local authorities, could you confirm whether additional funding will be provided to local government over the next financial year to deliver on this pledge and whether they will have to find the relevant resources from their existing budgets?

Jayne Bryant (Labour, Newport West)

Thank you, Peredur. I'm glad to see you paid some attention to the announcement at the launch in Newport earlier this week—the Welsh Labour pledges launch. Obviously, the First Minister and the leader of the Labour Party in Wales was able to outline some of those pledges. Obviously, as you rightly say, much of that sits with my Cabinet colleague for mental health, so I'm sure she'll be able to comment further, as well as the First Minister.

Peredur Owen Griffiths (Plaid Cymru, South Wales East)

So, no clarity for local government there. The announcement was still a bit sparse on other details as well, other than just resourcing. The First Minister also struggled to explain what it would actually mean in practice for people seeking to access this support, and how it would meaningfully improve outcomes. When she claimed that the Government's mental health strategy outlines how the workforce will be supported to provide this service, it turns out that this crucial detail wasn't there to be seen. So, again, I wonder if the Cabinet Secretary could reassure us that this pledge actually has some substance. Could you confirm how many additional staff may need to be recruited by local authorities in order to deliver on the pledge of same-day mental health support? And could you confirm whether the offer of support in this context means that people will be able to receive an assessment within a 24-hour period, or is it simply an added layer of the existing referral process?

Jayne Bryant (Labour, Newport West)

Diolch, Peredur. I think some of these questions are particularly placed for my Cabinet colleague. I know, as I say, you've paid particular attention to it, but the pledge has been made and there's a lot of work that goes on behind that. But I very much believe that that is something for my Cabinet colleague, the Minister for mental health, to address with you directly, or the First Minister.

Peredur Owen Griffiths (Plaid Cymru, South Wales East)

I'll just beg to differ on that, because, obviously, the local government settlement—and local government will have to deliver some of this—does lie with you. I take your point, but I don't necessarily agree with it.

I've been at an event this afternoon with the Walk Wheel Cycle Trust Cymru, formerly known as Sustrans. The active journeys programme clearly delivers positive results. Last term alone, it delivered over 300 activities across 68 venues, reaching around 5,700 people and supporting 120 schools across Wales. But the programme is currently delivered by just six officers across five regions. Ty'n y Wern school from Trethomas in my region has achieved the gold award, which is excellent, and it was great to visit them a few years ago when they had that award. So, as this might well be my last question to you in this Senedd, as the Plaid Cymru spokesperson for local government, I'm going to concentrate on that future generation. If the Welsh Government is serious about encouraging more children to walk, wheel, cycle to school, reducing congestion, improving air quality and supporting healthier lifestyles, does the Cabinet Secretary believe that the current scale of the programme is sufficient, and will she be working with local government colleagues to implement good practice across Wales?

Jayne Bryant (Labour, Newport West)

Diolch, Peredur. Firstly, I'd just like to say that I have really enjoyed your contributions and our discussions at these times. It's been really good to be back in this Chamber—it's like when we started, and now we've come back. But it's really good to have been able to work with you on many things, Peredur, and to congratulate the school that you mentioned as well on their gold award. It's no mean feat, so I think they've been doing something really good there, and, hopefully, other schools can learn from the work that they've been doing.

Again, this Government works very closely with local government. We work in partnership with local government, and it's something we hold very dear here within the Welsh Government—the Welsh Labour Government—that we work closely with them. So, our conversations are always ongoing, and we have many regular meetings with local government, who always tell us very frankly what they think about what's happening on the ground. So, I very much value those conversations, and we will continue to have those conversations with local government and not do anything to them, because I think that's something that we see over the border, where decisions, perhaps, sometimes are made without discussions with local government.

Elin Jones (Plaid Cymru, Ceredigion)

And before I call on Joel James, just to say, it feels as if we're entering the period of the long goodbye now, and, at some point, I'll get bored of Members here saying that, 'This is the last time I'll do this', and, 'This is the last time I'll do that'. You can have the novelty value, Peredur, for today, but let's stick to the job that we still have to do, and that's to scrutinise Government. And then, just to say as well, there are campaign launches and manifesto launches happening. This is possibly not the appropriate place to be spending too much time on what the next Welsh Government will be doing; this is the place to be spending some time on what this Welsh Government is doing, and has done.

Elin Jones (Plaid Cymru, Ceredigion)

The Welsh Conservative spokesperson, Joel James.

Joel James (Conservative, South Wales Central)

Thank you, Llywydd. Cabinet Secretary, local authority finances across Wales are in an unhealthy state, to say the least. Multiple analysis shows that they're on an unsustainable path, with projected funding gaps in the hundreds of millions of pounds in the next few years. Councils warn that even significant funding supplements would fall short of matching real-world financial pressures, meaning that there's going to be a critical point where councils may struggle to provide essential services. New legislation going through this Parliament concerning homelessness and building safety will add even more pressure if councils are not properly financed to implement them. With this in mind, Cabinet Secretary, what contingency planning is in place should a local authority reach the point where financial pressures force reductions in statutory and front-line services? Thank you.

Jayne Bryant (Labour, Newport West)

Diolch, Joel. And I feel now, Llywydd, that I won't say anything like a long goodbye here to Joel either. I just wanted to answer Joel's question around the local government funding settlement. As you know, we've published that, and, as a result of the agreement between the Welsh Labour Government and Plaid Cymru, we've invested a further £112.8 million in local government, and the final settlement for 2026-27 will provide an extra £6.56 billion in core revenue funding and non-domestic rates to spend on delivering key services. That's an increase of 4.5 per cent, or £282 million on a like-for-like basis, compared to the current year, and all councils will receive above that 4 per cent.

Again, I work very closely with local government and have regular discussions with local government leaders and others within the sector, and officials do as well. Welsh Government officials work really closely with treasurers of local authorities to keep an eye on how things are going and are in touch with them to see how difficult, perhaps, some of the decisions that they're still having to make are. I'm very confident that we're working closely with them and that we're aware of their situations. As I said in my response to Peredur, they're not backward in coming forward in telling us what the situation is, which is really important, but we do work together and work with them to make sure we're aware of their situation.

Joel James (Conservative, South Wales Central)

Thank you, Cabinet Secretary. As you know, cities and towns across Wales are visibly declining. Residents and businesses are being asked to contribute more through council tax and business rates, yet many feel that they're seeing less investment in maintenance and regeneration of their local areas. In Cardiff, for example, numerous roads are in such poor condition that they're barely fit for everyday vehicles.

High streets are also struggling. Wellfield Road in Penylan, once a thriving retail destination, now has multiple boarded-up shops and 'to let' signs. A lack of suitable parking provision and declining footfall are contributing to business closures. There's a growing perception of a downward cycle. As businesses close, footfall drops. As footfall drops, remaining businesses struggle. As revenues tighten, councils increase charges on those still operating, further reducing viability and accelerating decline.

At the same time, councils are relying heavily on repeated council tax increases and revenue from parking charges to bridge funding gaps, measures that are clearly not sustainable in the long term. Given these pressures, do you accept that the current local government finance model is no longer fit for purpose, and will you commit to exploring a new, more sustainable funding model for Welsh local authorities? Thank you.

Jayne Bryant (Labour, Newport West)

Diolch, Joel. Just to say, I do urge anyone struggling with their council tax to get in contact with their local council or Citizens Advice. It's very important that people do that without delay. We are also committed to keeping the council tax reduction scheme, which supports low-income households. Support with council tax payments through the scheme is an important part of welfare support for households on low incomes—an important lever for tackling poverty across Wales. We do provide over £244 million to local authorities to administer the scheme, which helps to reduce council tax paid by over 256,000 vulnerable and low-income households. That's around one in five households. We do have that scheme in place, but, as you rightly say, there are still people facing the cost-of-living crisis. We are very aware of that, and we do understand the pressures that are on people. Obviously, local government is very aware of that as well, and all local authorities are speaking with constituents at the moment, or have spoken with constituents, and engaged with them on their draft budgets, because it's important that their voices are heard within that. Local authorities do engage with residents on those issues, and I know that, because of the draft budget that we have passed in this place, local authorities have more money than they would have had before.

Joel James (Conservative, South Wales Central)

Thank you, Cabinet Secretary. As you will know, council tax bills will soon hit doormats, and many residents are rightly worried about how they will manage yet another above-inflation increase. I hope you recognise that frustration of council tax rises is because councils often appear to spend money carelessly or prioritise high-profile projects over essential services. Take Cardiff Council, for example, the independent report for its procurement of the Aberthaw power station demolition contract was riddled with errors and weak oversight, leading to legal challenges and a reported loss of around £6 million-worth of public money, funds that could have been used to maintain streets, rubbish collections and other front-line services. At the same time, the council have committed to funding £27.3 million contribution towards a new indoor arena in Cardiff Bay, raising serious questions about whether spending decisions reflect residents' priorities.

Meanwhile, in Rhondda Cynon Taf, residents are experiencing sustained reductions to core services, from care home closures to wheelie bin reductions, not to mention the cancellation of home-to-school transport. Yet the council continues to spend money on property acquisitions and redevelopment projects, such as the former Iceland store in Pontypridd at £800,000 and Rhos House in Mountain Ash at £150,000. Cabinet Secretary, there are many more other examples. Given these repeated council tax increases and spending decisions, what steps will the Welsh Government take to ensure that councils are accountable, prioritise front-line services, deliver real value for council tax payers and are not accumulating unsustainable long-term debt? Thank you.

Jayne Bryant (Labour, Newport West)

Diolch, Joel. The setting of budgets and, in turn, council taxes is the responsibility of each local authority, and each local authority needs to take account of the full range of sources of funding available to them, as well as the pressures they face in setting their budgets in the coming year. I don't think it is appropriate for the Welsh Government to set an arbitrary level of council tax increases, irrespective of local circumstances or choices. Authorities do need to take account of the full range of funding sources available to them, as well as the pressures they face, as I've said. So, I think it very much is for local authorities, and they do that in collaboration and in consultation with communities across Wales.

Luke Fletcher (Plaid Cymru, South Wales West)

4. What discussions has the Cabinet Secretary had with the Cabinet Secretary for Economy, Energy and Planning regarding the implications for local government workforce planning of the local growth fund's capital–revenue split? OQ63938

Jayne Bryant (Labour, Newport West)

Diolch, Luke. The local growth fund for Wales has been discussed across Government, including at Cabinet.

Luke Fletcher (Plaid Cymru, South Wales West)

Thank you for that response, Cabinet Secretary.

Luke Fletcher (Plaid Cymru, South Wales West)

Of course, a long, wordy, initial question, but I'm sure the Cabinet Secretary is well aware of that anxiety across local authorities because of this capital-revenue split in the local growth fund and how that shift towards more focused capital spending actually takes a sledgehammer to those revenue-funded services that those local authorities deliver. Now, the Cabinet Secretary for economy indicated last week that the UK Government is unlikely to revisit that split. However, the spring forecast published yesterday by the Chancellor sets out an additional £540 million in revenue funding and £15 million in capital. Crucially, the Treasury's press release makes clear, and I quote:

'This is on top of the record Spending Review 2025 settlements, and an additional £1.7 billion announced at Autumn Budget 2025'.

That statement, to me, suggests that there is additional revenue funding beyond previous settlements, so it presents a clear opportunity to address the shortfall facing local authorities, protect those jobs and sustain services. So, in light of that financial context, will the Welsh Government now act to safeguard those revenue-funded posts and services, thereby saving thousands of jobs?

Jayne Bryant (Labour, Newport West)

Diolch, Luke. I meet regularly with the Cabinet Secretary for Economy, Energy and Planning, and we have discussed the arrangements for the local growth fund, including the implications of that capital-revenue split that we have received from the UK Government. My colleague the Cabinet Secretary for Economy, Energy and Planning has taken action to address the impact of the shared prosperity fund ending, including meeting the Welsh Local Government Association's request for a transition year to the local growth fund. This is on top of the additional budget flexibilities that we've agreed with local government.

Together, these actions will help safeguard key capacity and key projects where they align with the aims of the local growth fund, and will help local government plan their workforce effectively. This is in stark contrast to the approach in England and Scotland, where a clean break is taking place, with many authorities unable to access the local growth funding at all. Welsh Ministers have consistently pressed the UK Government for greater revenue flexibility, and this has been raised strongly by Welsh partners through our public consultation last year. But our capital-revenue split is broadly the same as in Scotland and Northern Ireland, and the devolved Governments have raised concerns jointly with UK Government Ministers.

Samuel Kurtz (Conservative, Carmarthen West and South Pembrokeshire)

Not only is this less than the shared prosperity fund, it's now going to put additional pressure on local authorities delivering revenue services. Have you, as the Cabinet Secretary for local government, undertaken an inquiry into how many jobs will be lost by the 70:30 capital-revenue split, or are you, in working with these 22 local authorities, aware of how many jobs will be vacated because the UK Labour Government isn't listening to the Welsh Labour Government?

Jayne Bryant (Labour, Newport West)

Diolch, Sam. Well, the local growth fund has stronger economic growth objectives than the shared prosperity fund, so capital investment remains essential in dealing with Wales’s long‑term productivity challenges and as aligned with our fund’s main objective. We need to carefully prioritise the limited revenue funding available, and recognise our investment priority on demand‑led skills and tackling economic inactivity, which will require revenue support. But to support councils through the transition from the shared prosperity fund to the local growth fund, we’ve agreed that dedicated transition year, using existing SPF delivery structures and allocation methodology. That transition year is specifically designed to safeguard key capacity, avoid a workforce cliff edge and maintain continuity for key projects, where they align with the local growth fund. But, again, we do keep in contact with local authorities and, similarly, with the UK Government on this.

Sam Rowlands (Conservative, North Wales)

5. What is the Welsh Government doing to improve housing affordability across North Wales? OQ63928

Jayne Bryant (Labour, Newport West)

Diolch, Sam. The Welsh Government provides a number of routes into home ownership and other affordable housing, including through Help to Buy—Wales, Homebuy—Wales, Shared Ownership—Wales and our record investment in social housing. Since its launch, Help to Buy—Wales alone has supported almost 3,000 households across north Wales to purchase a home.

Sam Rowlands (Conservative, North Wales)

Thank you for your response, Cabinet Secretary. You’ll know that recent data from the Office for National Statistics shows that house prices in Wales have risen by 5 per cent over the past year. This is more than double the UK average, and in places like Ynys Môn and Blaenau Gwent, prices have jumped by over 7 per cent—significantly more than the growth in wages. While this might seem good, and is good news for some, it’s putting real pressure on local residents, particularly first‑time buyers in towns like Wrexham, where I represent.

Young families, people who’ve lived here all their lives, are finding it harder and harder to get onto the property ladder, and for Welsh Conservatives, owning your own home is about far more than just bricks and mortar. It gives people a stake in their community, security for their families and a sense of pride in a place they call home. Yet, in north Wales, these opportunities are slipping out of reach as house prices rise faster than the UK average. So, that is why our party has pledged to cut stamp duty on primary residences so that local people can more easily buy their first home or move within their community without being penalised by extra taxes. So, Cabinet Secretary, will you match the Welsh Conservatives’ pledge to scrap stamp duty here in Wales?

Jayne Bryant (Labour, Newport West)

I think there is very much electioneering going on here. Despite the previous UK Government—that's a Tory Government—ending Help to Buy in England back in March 2023, we have provided an extra £57 million to extend our Help to Buy—Wales scheme, which has helped more than 15,000 people to purchase a new home. And Help to Buy—Wales has helped support first‑time buyers, which you talked about there. So, since April 2022, 85 per cent of purchasers have been first‑time buyers. And since its launch, Help to Buy—Wales has supported 2,905 households across north Wales to purchase a home.

As you rightly say, this is something that’s not just bricks and mortar, it is a home for people. I’ve spoken to a number of people across Wales who’ve been helped by this scheme, many of them first‑time buyers, and they’ve told me directly what an impact that has made on them, and the fact that, without that scheme, they felt that buying a home would actually be out of their orbit at that moment.

So, I think it’s really important that we do have Help to Buy—Wales. Again, we have a number of other products, such as Shared Ownership—Wales and Home Buy—Wales. That’s another way in for home ownership to suit individual circumstances. And also we’ve seen nearly 18,000 private sector homes completed across Wales this Senedd term, and our house builder small and medium-sized enterprise support funds have seen over 1,000 new homes built, and over 80 house-building SMEs supported over the last decade. So, this Government does support private house building as well.

Siân Gwenllian (Plaid Cymru, Arfon)

I have to say that I was surprised by Sam Rowlands's question. We are in a housing crisis in Wales, but the Conservatives want to reintroduce the right to buy policy in Wales. This would mean that the social housing stock, affordable housing stock, that he mentioned in his question, that stock, would decrease, undermining efforts to increase the stock in north Wales and across Wales. Half of social housing was lost under Margaret Thatcher's policy.

Labour has announced a new timetable for ending homelessness because the current timetable that they promised to adhere to has not been achieved. But, Llywydd, you want us to be constructive today, so I will be constructive. Implementing the new homelessness Bill as a matter of urgency is key to tackling the housing crisis. So, I would like to understand from the current Government what work is under way following the passage of the Bill at Stage 4. What's the timetable for creating an implementation plan for the legislation? What will the priorities of the plan be, and who will draw up the training plan for 'ask and act' in the health sector? I would be more than happy to contribute to this work over the few weeks that remain of this term, should the Cabinet Secretary be open to that. Thank you.

Jayne Bryant (Labour, Newport West)

Diolch, Siân. Firstly, just to agree around the impact that the right to buy had here in Wales, and the fact that we did lose so many homes across Wales because of that. So, I'm glad that this Government was one that actually stopped the right to buy, and that's had a big impact here in Wales.

Just in terms of the homelessness Bill, it's really exciting that we've been able to get it through Stage 4, and I think that the way we've worked together has been really important. You took part before in the White Paper, as well as my Cabinet colleague Julie James, and we have all worked together, including with local authorities and everybody on the expert review panel as well. The homelessness Bill does give us a new legal framework for homelessness services, which, alongside that housing supply, will ensure we're in a position, for the first time, to put a date on when we expect to eliminate homelessness.

We have been continuing to act. One of our pledges as well will be around not just ending homelessness by 2034, but a milestone to have no children placed in bed-and-breakfast accommodation by 2030. The numbers have, in terms of the children in bed and breakfasts, reduced, and it has been a deliberate commitment to reduce that. We still have a way to go in terms of that now we have 166 in, as of December 2025, but it was 915 in 2023. So, we have been working, and I think the Bill has really helped to drive that down as well and will continue to do that.

I'm always keen to work with as many people as possible. As you know, that is my commitment and how I have been throughout the passage of this Bill. We have been working with local authorities at the moment to develop that plan, and officials are continuing to engage on that very closely with local authorities. But I’m happy to write with any further timescale.

Carolyn Thomas (Labour, North Wales)

6. What support is the Welsh Government providing for town-centre regeneration across Denbighshire? OQ63918

Jayne Bryant (Labour, Newport West)

Diolch, Carolyn. Our Transforming Towns programme is supporting key investments in Rhyl, including the landmark redevelopment of the Queen’s Market. Placemaking plans have been developed, covering towns such as Corwen, Denbigh and Ruthin, focusing on driving footfall and supporting local businesses.

Carolyn Thomas (Labour, North Wales)

Thanks for that answer, Cabinet Secretary. I know that Denbighshire council has been making real progress in delivering additional council homes in our town centres, which will not only provide affordable homes, but will also increase footfall. In Prestatyn, construction has been completed of a new block of 14 apartments for social rent on the site of the former library building on Nant Hall Road, and, in Rhyl, work started just before Christmas on converting the upper floors of the former post office building in Wellington Road into affordable apartments, which is really welcome. How is the Welsh Government supporting these initiatives and how is it encouraging other local authorities to learn from this best practice?

Jayne Bryant (Labour, Newport West)

Diolch, Carolyn. It's been a pleasure for me to visit Denbigh as well over the last year. I've seen that development—really exciting development—that's been happening. So, the renovation of the former post office building in Rhyl is being supported by £650,000 of Transforming Towns funding. That's going to create a commercial space on the ground floor and a conversion of the upper floors into two much-needed affordable one-bedroomed apartments. And £1.42 million of Welsh Government's social housing grant has supported a £3.5 million development at Llys Llên on Nant Hall Road in Prestatyn, and that's consisting of commercial space on the ground floor and 14 one-bedroomed apartments for people over 55 on the first and second floors. And the homes are being heated without the need for fossil fuels, and that's quite an exciting part. It's using ground-source heat pumps, and that reduces residents' energy consumption and assists with cost-of-living pressures, which is really important.

And a further example is the remodelling of the outdated housing on Edward Henry Street in Rhyl. That's in the town centre, and that's going to deliver 13 energy-efficient family homes, and that's supported by just over £1 million of Transforming Towns funding. And that scheme's helped to address housing pressures as well and supported work to reduce homelessness, driving also footfall into the town centre.

I think one of the things that's been really important is how we share that good practice. One thing I did when I came into post was to make sure we had regional round-tables, speaking to local government cabinets, housing leads and housing directors as well. They have been really successful, and have been able to share with each other some very important learning, with the support of the WLGA as well, and I'll look forward to having a number of those still to come just before the end of the Senedd term.

Gareth Davies (Conservative, Vale of Clwyd)

I very much welcome the £20 million regeneration funding for Rhyl, and this follows £20 million given to Rhyl by the previous Conservative UK Government and the third round of levelling-up funding, which followed £26 million through the UK shared prosperity fund.

Rhyl is one of the most deprived areas of Wales, and this is evident looking at Rhyl's High Street, with almost a sixth of its commercial properties vacant. So, it must be prioritised for regeneration funding, and I'm pleased that it is. However, Government is an enabler, not a doer. Providing money alone isn't going to regenerate the high streets. They have to enable the community to do that themselves by setting the right conditions. And currently, the conditions aren't there, with high business rates and over-regulation.

The money also is not an investment if we don't see a return. So, how is the Welsh Government advising Denbighshire County Council on measures that can be taken to make town-centre high streets more affordable and attractive to small businesses, and how will the Welsh Government track the funding to ensure that we are seeing a return on that investment?

And if you'd like any more information or knowledge about Edward Henry Street in Rhyl, then I would advise you to look at the L.S. Lowry painting, the famous artist; Edward Henry Street is the subject of that painting.

Jayne Bryant (Labour, Newport West)

Oh, fabulous. I will certainly look that one up. That's great to know that. Thank you for sharing that, Gareth.

Absolutely, Transforming Towns has funded more than £14 million in Rhyl town centre, so that's really exciting. We do work closely with Denbighshire County Council and other key partners just to tackle some of the long-standing issues around poverty and a poorly performing town centre, as has previously been in Rhyl. I've visited the Queen's Market, and I look forward to popping back there sometime as well, because it was really good to see some of that transformation as well that's happened.

But, in addition to some of the projects that I mentioned in response to Carolyn, we've also seen the contemporary living scheme in Rhyl, and also the Rhyl gateway scheme, which is going to enable the demolition of a derelict property on the high street, and that next phase is going to introduce a new public space and enhance the arrival experience at a key gateway. We've also provided funding for the former post office building in Rhyl, to renovate that derelict space and provide retail and residential units, and we've also recently enabled the reopening of the town's Strand Cinema, located on the seafront, with £128,000 in support from our placemaking grant towards the total project cost of £183,000, following the departure of a former operator. So, we are investing in Rhyl, and we work closely with the local authority, and we'll continue to do so.

Elin Jones (Plaid Cymru, Ceredigion)

It's a very fine painting. I have it on my phone; I've just looked it up.

Jayne Bryant (Labour, Newport West)

We shall all go and look, Llywydd.

Elin Jones (Plaid Cymru, Ceredigion)

It's £350,000, apparently. I'm not bidding for it.

Jayne Bryant (Labour, Newport West)

I was going to say, Llywydd, this isn't a bid for Transforming Towns money, is it? I hope. [Laughter.]

Elin Jones (Plaid Cymru, Ceredigion)

Return the painting to Edward Henry Street, Rhyl, yes.

Question 7, Mark Isherwood.

Mark Isherwood (Conservative, North Wales)

7. What are the Welsh Government's priorities for the delivery of housing? OQ63900

Jayne Bryant (Labour, Newport West)

Diolch, Mark. The Welsh Government is delivering on housing for all tenures. We're providing record social housing funding of over £2 billion over this Senedd term, including £466 million in 2025-26 alone. We're projected to deliver our target of 20,000 additional homes for rent in the social sector by November. And nearly 18,000 private sector homes have been completed across Wales since April 2021 so far this Senedd term.

Mark Isherwood (Conservative, North Wales)

Well, following years of ignored warnings by the housing sector from 2003, and a cut of over 70 per cent in new social housing, so that, by 2010, Wales had the lowest proportional housing spend of any UK nation under what was then a coalition Labour/Plaid Cymru Government, the housing crisis continues to deepen today, with one in 14 households on a waiting list, and thousands living in temporary accommodation.

How do you, therefore, respond to the Audit Wales update on its 2024 'Affordable housing' report, published last month, which found that, on recent projections, the Welsh Government will fall short of its target to deliver 20,000 low-carbon social homes for rent during this Senedd term, and that the true number of homes delivered that meet the full target definition is still not completely clear from the published data, and to the latest official statistics showing that unmet housing need in Wales has increased by 64 per cent since 2019, with an article in Welsh Housing Quarterly suggesting that the true level of unmet need may be significantly more than previously estimated?

Jayne Bryant (Labour, Newport West)

Diolch, Mark. We are on schedule to deliver 93 per cent of the target by the end of this Senedd term, with hundreds more homes under way. So, the target for this term of Government has a narrower definition than the target for the previous term of Government, which included all affordable homes and those supported through our successful Help to Buy—Wales scheme.

As you'll know, since 2021, we've faced a global pandemic, a cost-of-living crisis, the impact of Brexit, supply chain issues, high inflation, a disastrous mini Tory budget at Westminster—all significantly impacting the house building sector. Those things we couldn't have predicted. But, despite this—despite this—we are going to hit our 20,000 homes by the end of 2026, and I do think that is pretty remarkable.

The programme is made up of high-quality, brand-new homes, alongside acquisitions and refurbishments of long-term empty properties, which also have a really important role to play in providing a safe, secure roof over the heads of individuals and families most in need.

And, I think, in terms of statistics, to make sure and improve the transparency and timelines of data, we've also published management information to complement existing official statistics. In addition, the chief statistician published a blog that provides additional information on the strengths and limitations of both the official statistics and the management information, and the Office for Statistics Regulation has also supported our approach to publishing more timely management information alongside the accredited official statistics. So, I think this Government has shown that we are leading when it comes to making sure there's transparency in our data.

Rhys ab Owen (Plaid Cymru, South Wales Central)

8. How is the Cabinet Secretary working with local authorities to review how residents can best be informed of candidates' party affiliation in local elections? OQ63898

Jayne Bryant (Labour, Newport West)

Diolch, Rhys. Voters deserve clear, honest information to vote confidently. Beyond the ballot paper, our rules require any other previous affiliations to be published ahead of the election. The new voter information platform, launched Monday, will give voters clear, impartial information on the election and their options.

Rhys ab Owen (Plaid Cymru, South Wales Central)

Diolch yn fawr, Cabinet Secretary, but that didn't happen last month, when the residents of the Plymouth ward in Penarth voted in a by-election in which the victorious candidate had the wrong party description on the ballot paper. I'm not going to pass comment on the timing of the defection, on the eve of the Conservative Party conference—people are allowed to change parties, I suppose—and the real criticism is not directed at any individual or any party; the real criticism is directed at a system that allows this to happen. It would be fair to assume that most of the electorate who voted for the Conservative Party by post or in the ballot box did not know that the candidate had already switched allegiance to another party. By doing so, the electorate of the Plymouth ward were voting for the Reform Party without the Reform Party being on the ballot paper. That cannot be right. Even the Reform Party, I'm sure, will agree with me on that.

There must be a way to avoid this happening again, for example, through digital voting, producing new last-minute ballot papers with a new affiliation, or disqualifying the votes to that candidate. What is needed is real thought and real work to avoid this happening in future. Cabinet Secretary, do you agree with me that the vote in the Plymouth ward turned out to be a farce last month? And will you work with the Electoral Commission and local authorities to ensure that this situation does not occur again? Diolch yn fawr.

Jayne Bryant (Labour, Newport West)

Diolch, Rhys. Thank you for raising that. So, rules for local government and Senedd elections, they mean the statement of persons nominated include whether the candidate has been a member of any registered political party or parties other than the one that they were standing for in the 12 months before the date that notice of the election is published. Requiring candidates to provide details of party membership will improve confidence in the electoral process and provide that transparency regarding political affiliation. I think this is really important, that information for voters when making their decisions at elections. In including these amended provisions, we've listened to consultation responses and drawn from the learning from the 2022 elections where a similar provision was introduced. The recently remade Senedd election rules, the conduct Order, reflect the comparable rules for local government.

Rhianon Passmore (Labour, Islwyn)

9. What support is the Welsh Government providing to local authorities to transform town centres in Islwyn? OQ63930

Jayne Bryant (Labour, Newport West)

Diolch, Rhianon. Our Transforming Towns programme is helping revitalise town and city centres across Wales, including those in Islwyn. We have supported Caerphilly County Borough Council to develop a placemaking plan for Blackwood town centre to shape future interventions, and we have provided funding to start delivering on that vision for the town.

Rhianon Passmore (Labour, Islwyn)

Diolch. Thank you for that response, Cabinet Secretary. Last week, it was announced that Welsh Government is providing an additional £30.9 million to local authorities to deliver regeneration projects that will transform town centres across Wales. This is in addition to the already awarded £484 million in grant and loan funding to support regeneration across Wales since the launch, in 2020, of the Welsh Government's Transforming Towns programme. And in practical terms for Islwyn, that means collaborative working with Caerphilly County Borough Council to shape the strategy for towns like Blackwood and backed by access to Transforming Towns funding and expertise, with the aim of attracting investment, repurposing underutilised space, and improving the overall look, feel and functionality of the high street and surrounding areas.

So, Cabinet Secretary, how much of the allocated £484 million has been allocated for the constituency of Islwyn specifically within the Caerphilly County Borough Council region, and how will the Welsh Government ensure that communities like Islwyn are fast-tracked to see the benefits of that investment on the ground?

Jayne Bryant (Labour, Newport West)

Diolch, Rhianon. To date, Caerphilly has received £4.53 million for Islwyn, including £35,000 for the Blackwood placemaking plan, and £4.5 million in loan funding for a strategic acquisition fund for Blackwood and Bargoed. This fund will enable the authority to identify key vacant buildings in the town for acquisition, using public sector intervention to bring forward projects that deliver on the aspirations of our placemaking plans. These are the first steps in delivering the vision for the town, securing much-needed investment and working with communities, which is really important, to bring forward that lasting change. So, now that the Blackwood placemaking plan has been formally adopted, my officials are working closely with Caerphilly County Borough Council, looking to replicate the successful community-focused placemaking approach that was undertaken in Caerphilly.

Elin Jones (Plaid Cymru, Ceredigion)

Thank you, Cabinet Secretary.

2. Questions to the Cabinet Secretary for Education

Elin Jones (Plaid Cymru, Ceredigion)

The next item will be questions to the Cabinet Secretary for Education. The first question is to be answered by the Minister for Further and Higher Education, and is to be asked by Mike Hedges.

Mike Hedges (Labour, Swansea East)

1. Will the Cabinet Secretary make a statement on the provision of higher and further education in Swansea? OQ63899

Vikki Howells (Labour, Cynon Valley)

Llywydd, I wish to declare a personal interest. I have a close family member who is currently a student at Swansea University.

Provision in the Swansea area is extensive and caters to a wide variety of aspirations, learning styles, and support needs. Swansea University is the primary HE provider, providing both undergraduate and postgraduate courses. Gower College Swansea is the primary FE provider, delivering a comprehensive selection of A-levels and vocational qualifications.

Mike Hedges (Labour, Swansea East)

Thank you for that answer. As someone who has benefited from higher education and taught in further education, I am supportive of the two sectors. For those of us from council estates, education was the route to gaining higher paid employment. We can either have an economy based on tourism and inward investment or one based on highly skilled and highly educated people, especially in computing and life sciences. And if you look at successful economies, education is at the heart of their success. Gower College Swansea, which I visited recently for their apprenticeship awards, showed what further education is achieving in Swansea for individuals and our economy. I have concerns regarding the restructuring of Swansea University and the proposed loss of skills due to proposed redundancies.

Has the Minister discussed with Swansea college what further support is available for their very successful apprenticeship programme? And, with Swansea University, what can be done to avoid compulsory redundancies and the skills loss that entails?

Vikki Howells (Labour, Cynon Valley)

Thank you, Mike, for that supplementary question. I was pleased to be able to announce additional capital funding of £25 million to be split equally between FE and HE, to support all our FE and HE institutions. And that, of course, will include Gower college and Swansea University.

Turning to Gower college, it is, of course, Colleges Week this week. I've just returned from a lovely visit to the College Merthyr Tydfil, where I met a selection of their learners, including apprentices. I know that Gower college provides a broad range of apprenticeship training opportunities and it's continuing to grow its work-based learning contract. They worked with over 1,200 employers and 2,233 apprentices in 2024-25, delivering 96 different apprenticeship programmes. So, you're absolutely right in identifying how successful that scheme is. In terms of enhancing that offer further, we will shortly be publishing the strategic direction for vocational education and training. And also, my call for submissions on the future of the tertiary system in Wales is open. Both of those will provide vehicles for us to look further at our successful apprenticeship programme.

Turning to your points on Swansea University, I understand, of course, that Swansea University are looking for reductions of 55 roles and that they hope to reduce the total numbers in scope through voluntary means. They have informed me that they will be providing a further voluntary exit scheme and that compulsory redundancies are a matter of last resort. The university continues to engage with the three campus trade unions and the students' union. I recognise, of course, that the ongoing uncertainty will cause anxiety for those affected, and I expect Swansea University to work closely with the trade unions and the students' union in the spirit of social partnership to ensure the right support and help is in place for those affected. And to that end, I met, on 11 February, with the Swansea University and College Union branch and then the vice-chancellor of Swansea University also.

Mike Hedges (Labour, Swansea East)

Thank you.

Sioned Williams (Plaid Cymru, South Wales West)

I would like to declare an interest in this question, Llywydd, as my husband is a professor at Swansea University.

Ensuring not just recognition of what's happening in the university, but also Welsh Government support for the university is vital, of course, to my region and to Wales nationally, to the workforce, but also to the opportunities it provides for our young people especially. We know how transformative the additional skills and qualifications gained from higher education can be for young people, and also it's a factor in their employability. In Wales, the youth unemployment rate for 16 to 24-year-olds reached 16.3 per cent in the year ending September 2025, a sharp increase of 9.5 per cent compared to the previous year.

So, what measures is the Minister taking to equalise participation in higher education with those of the other UK nations, because we're behind, as you know, at the moment? What assessment have you made of the impact of further restrictions of international student visas, announced today by the UK Labour Government, on the financial health of Welsh universities such as Swansea? It could threaten the HE workforce and provision here in Wales even further.

Vikki Howells (Labour, Cynon Valley)

Thank you, Sioned, for that question, and I echo your sentiments about the importance of Swansea University to the regional economy, both in terms of the workforce there and the opportunities that it provides. I agree with you completely about the widening participation agenda as well. In fact, I'll be visiting Swansea University before the end of this month to see, in action, one of Medr's Reaching Wider programmes, which seeks to do exactly that, to engage with young people in the surrounding area of Swansea University who might not have thought that university was for them, to see what opportunities are on offer, to ignite that fire within them and hopefully, then, for them to apply. That is an agenda that is absolutely crucially important for the future and forms one of the five key pillars of my call for evidence on the future of the tertiary system, which is open until the end of March.

You ask as well about that issue with the suspension of study visas. Here, in Welsh Government, we recognise that international students are vitally important to the financial and intellectual health of our universities, and are a huge net contributor to the UK and Welsh economy. It's imperative that international students continue to feel welcome for the positive social, cultural and economic contributions that they make here in Wales. They enrich our campuses, they're part of our communities, and they form lifelong friendships with our home students, creating diverse culture and inclusive environments. Universities are responsible for managing their own international student policies and recruitment, and ensuring that they have sustainable business models in place. That is supplemented by work that we do within Welsh Government as well, and through the Global Wales programme.

Paul Davies (Conservative, Preseli Pembrokeshire)

2. What are the Welsh Government’s priorities for further education in Pembrokeshire? OQ63905

Vikki Howells (Labour, Cynon Valley)

Improving participation across all pathways of tertiary education is my top priority. Expanding access to a full range of vocational, technical and academic pathways raises overall qualification levels across the population, improving skills and life outcomes, and I have seen excellent work under way in Pembrokeshire to deliver these aspirations.

Paul Davies (Conservative, Preseli Pembrokeshire)

Llywydd, can I also declare an interest, as my wife works for a local further education institution in Ceredigion?

Minister, as you said, this week marks Colleges Week, which is a fantastic opportunity to highlight the vital role colleges play in supporting learners, communities and employers across Wales. I'm particularly proud of Pembrokeshire College in my constituency, which is equipping learners with the skills and knowledge they need to progress into so many local sectors and, indeed, local industries. At the start of this year, I visited the college's land-based learning centre in Haverfordwest with my colleague Samuel Kurtz, and we learnt about the agriculture and animal care courses now on offer.

Minister, these opportunities are so valuable to learners and, in turn, the local economy, so can you tell us how the Welsh Government is supporting providers like Pembrokeshire College, so that they can continue to provide opportunities and, indeed, vocational courses like this in our local communities?

Vikki Howells (Labour, Cynon Valley)

Thank you, Paul, for that supplementary question. I meet regularly with FE principals, including Dr Barry Walters of Pembrokeshire College. I was really pleased to hear that the college topped the UK medals table at the recent WorldSkills UK national finals, hosted in Wales, of course, for the very first time, and I'm sure you'd like to join me in extending our congratulations to all involved.

I've seen first-hand the innovative work taking place at Pembrokeshire, visiting the college's energy transition skills hub and the welding and fabrication centre of excellence. They are both central, of course, to developing the skills necessary to support floating offshore wind technology and capitalise on the opportunities in the Celtic sea region.

Of course, the college plays a key role in supporting local skills needs, including the ones that you identified there with the centre for land-based learning, which I understand is located at the Withybush showground, along with their animal care unit. What we're seeing there is an example of what we're seeing across the sector, which is a huge increase in participation in FE. I know that they've seen a 74 per cent increase in learner numbers on that course since 2022-23.

It is so important that we support our colleges to deliver on those areas where they're seeing that increase in participation, which is so key to the local and regional economy. That's why I was so pleased to be able to allocate a further £12.75 million in capital funding to FE, which will help to alleviate those participation pressures.

Elin Jones (Plaid Cymru, Ceredigion)

Questions now from the party spokespeople. Plaid Cymru's spokesperson first of all. Cefin Campbell.

Cefin Campbell (Plaid Cymru, Mid and West Wales)

Diolch yn fawr iawn, Llywydd. Cabinet Secretary, since 1999, Welsh Labour have presided over a decline in education standards. The most recent PISA results place Wales, as you well know, at the bottom of the UK rankings and represent the lowest performance since Wales began participating in PISA in 2006. Nonetheless, on Monday, the First Minister said that if Welsh Labour are re-elected this May, you are committed to raising school standards. Given your track record over 27 years, why should the people of Wales believe anything Welsh Labour say now, if you can't even get the basics right?

Lynne Neagle (Labour, Torfaen)

Thank you very much, Cefin, for that question. Obviously, I would want to remind you that the PISA results, which were disappointing, were in 2022. Young people have just sat a new round of PISA in the autumn very recently, and we will see the results of those later on this year. We've had really good engagement from schools on the PISA round this year. We've had a higher number of schools than we've ever had before, and much more proactive engagement with schools around PISA. If I could also remind the Member that PISA is about much more than just straight academic attainment. It's also about a whole range of factors that impact on young people and their lives. So, I'm very supportive of our continued participation in PISA.

I was clear when I came into post that raising attainment was a top priority for me, along with improving attendance, implementing the curriculum, and ALN reform. We have made progress on all of those. I was also clear that well-being would be the foundation on which all this work was built. We saw improvements in our A-level results, in our GCSE results, and we've also seen improvements in our personalised assessments. I would be the first one to say that there is more work to do. I do not shirk from the additional work that we have to do, but I think things are going in the right direction.

Cefin Campbell (Plaid Cymru, Mid and West Wales)

Thank you very much; time will tell. Cabinet Secretary, at our conference over the weekend, Plaid Cymru outlined our plan to improve education in Wales, including our commitment to increase incentives for initial teacher training courses in subjects where there are shortages, and to increase those incentives by around £5,000 in the first 100 days of a Plaid Cymru Government. We need to take urgent action, because under Welsh Labour, recruitment targets for secondary school teachers have been missed for the best part of a decade.

In January of last year, you issued a written statement confirming that you had begun discussions with the sector to develop a strategic education workforce plan for schools. However, with just three weeks remaining of this Senedd term, there seems to be no indication in the business statement that this plan will be published or subject to detailed scrutiny. This is despite the fact that the Welsh Government told a Senedd committee over five weeks ago that the plan would be published shortly. Some 415 days—

Elin Jones (Plaid Cymru, Ceredigion)

You do need to come to your question, Cefin.

Cefin Campbell (Plaid Cymru, Mid and West Wales)

I'm coming to the question. Some 415 days have since passed. So, is the Government any nearer to delivering a credible solution to the teacher recruitment crisis?

Lynne Neagle (Labour, Torfaen)

Thank you very much, Cefin. Just to confirm that the strategic education workforce plan for schools will be published on 18 March. This is to coincide with our teaching awards, but was also timed to coincide with the Children, Young People and Education Committee's debate on recruitment and retention. I understand that that debate has now been moved to a later slot, but it is still our intention to publish the plan on 18 March. We have worked very hard with the sector, with our trade union colleagues, because that's the way that we do things—we co-produce things. So, you won't have long to wait before you see the plan.

You referred in your opening of that question to ITE incentives. You'll be well aware that we already offer priority subject incentives in shortage subjects: biology, chemistry, design and technology, information technology, maths, modern foreign languages, physics and Welsh. We offer an additional £5,000 incentive for students who train through the medium of Welsh, and an additional £5,000 incentive for students from a recognised ethnic minority who train to teach. I am of course aware of the difference between the amount that we pay in Wales and England, and I've been questioned on that in committee.

The evidence on the effectiveness of incentives is actually mixed, as I told the committee, but, nevertheless, this is something that we want to explore through the work on the workforce plan. We're also undertaking an evaluation of our ITE policy, which needs to feed into the work. As I told the committee previously, there wasn't sufficient funding in the education main expenditure group to go any further on the incentives this year, but that is something that we are keeping under review. There is no silver bullet in recruitment and retention; the issues are really complex. There's considerable amount of evidence that what impacts most on things like recruitment and retention are things like well-being and workload, and, obviously, that will be covered in the workforce plan.

Cefin Campbell (Plaid Cymru, Mid and West Wales)

Diolch yn fawr iawn. As this is my last question to you in the current Senedd, I genuinely would like to thank you for the co-operation that we've had since you've been in post. Now—

Elin Jones (Plaid Cymru, Ceredigion)

Some Members maybe have just joined us in the Chamber. I am trying to avoid long goodbyes in this Chamber. I will get bored of people thanking themselves and wishing themselves well as the next few weeks go on. So, I'll just say it again: if we can wish us all the very best and thank us all for everything we've done, once and for all—I'll do it on all your behalf. Carry on. I know it was meant with the best intent.

Cefin Campbell (Plaid Cymru, Mid and West Wales)

It was.

Elin Jones (Plaid Cymru, Ceredigion)

You can carry on with your question, Cefin. I did interrupt others before you.

Cefin Campbell (Plaid Cymru, Mid and West Wales)

Sorry, I didn't hear that. Thank you very much.

Elin Jones (Plaid Cymru, Ceredigion)

No, exactly. Carry on.

Cefin Campbell (Plaid Cymru, Mid and West Wales)

Whether it be on recruitment or raising standards, if Estyn were to inspect the Welsh Government's performance on education over the past 27 years, I don't think anyone would be surprised if it were put in special measures. The latest annual report from Estyn highlighted, and I quote,

'a system that has been held back by inconsistency, mixed priorities'.

It said that the ongoing

'systemic weaknesses in literacy...must be addressed with urgency'.

Contrastingly, Plaid Cymru will deliver a bold, practical plan, boosting literacy and numeracy, improving teaching quality, strengthening the Curriculum for Wales, and giving every primary school a dedicated library. So, is it not the truth, Cabinet Secretary, that, after all this time, the bell is finally ringing on Welsh Labour's time in Government, and pupils and parents can't wait a second longer for a positive change to happen?

Lynne Neagle (Labour, Torfaen)

Thank you, Cefin. You started so nicely there—[Laughter.] I hope that the Llywydd will forgive me for saying 'thank you' to Cefin for his kind words. [Interruption.] I know, but we were all raised that way, to be polite, weren't we? [Interruption.] I'm not suggesting that. [Laughter.] I also thank you for your constructive engagement as well.

You were there at the Estyn report launch and you heard me speak. I take what Estyn say to us very, very seriously. They highlighted strengths around things like well-being, our additional learning needs system, so strengths around inclusion, progress on curriculum implementation. I did obviously see what they said about inconsistencies and mixed priorities. That's why, as Minister, I have tried to be really clear with the sector about what the priorities are, because schools say to me, 'Tell us what you want to be the priorities, we can't do everything'. So, we've been clear—it's literacy, numeracy, inclusion and well-being, and I've fed that through to the sector very clearly. It's also in our guidance. I think they are very clear on that.

I won't rehearse all the work that we're doing on literacy and numeracy, because I know that you are familiar with that, but you'll have seen in the written statement that was issued this week that one of the things we were conscious of is that there is a phenomenal amount of work going on, but it's not all set out in one place. So, I have announced, as well, that the Government is establishing an attainment board, which will focus on all that work, and make sure that all that work is aligned and joined up.

Elin Jones (Plaid Cymru, Ceredigion)

Welsh Conservative spokesperson, Natasha Asghar.

Natasha Asghar (Conservative, South Wales East)

Thank you so much, Presiding Officer. Cabinet Secretary, we talk a lot about the ever-increasing workloads facing teachers and school staff, and how a lot of their time is being diverted away from their duties. This was really hammered home in a shocking recent survey carried out by NAHT Cymru looking at medical interventions in schools. Support staff and teachers are deeply concerned about the amount of medical interventions that are being required, inappropriately, to be carried out in the classroom.

Of the 339 people who took part in the survey, a staggering 92 per cent of them confirmed that they had to provide medical interventions on pupils. The most common interventions relate to mobility and personal care, such as toilet support at 83 per cent, followed by routine medical administrations, including insulin, at 80 per cent. More than half of the respondents said that staff do not receive sufficient training to deal with this sort of stuff, with 12 per cent saying they received no training whatsoever.

This situation is leading to high levels of stress, anxiety and exhaustion. Morale is low. Sickness absence is rising, and burnout is a growing concern. One of the most startling comments submitted in this survey was that, some days, staff are changing 25 nappies per day, leaving them feeling worthless and not enjoying their job at all. Cabinet Secretary, this situation, I'm sure you'll agree, is untenable. Whilst I appreciate time is running out for this Government to act, and this will be a serious issue for the next Government to tackle, how has this been allowed to happen in this education system?

Lynne Neagle (Labour, Torfaen)

Thank you very much, Natasha. You'll have heard me talk many times, not just in this Chamber, but in committee, about societal issues that are landing in schools. Schools are carrying the baby on lots and lots of issues that they didn't have to deal with before. That is a really serious issue. It's one I've taken recently to Cabinet. It's not just about medical interventions. It's about the fact that children are starting school with no language. We need to tackle things like that as well, otherwise they will not be able to learn to read.

In terms of the medical interventions, that has been something that I have been deeply concerned about, because I've spoken to teaching assistants who've told me the work that they are doing. Actually, changing nappies is the least of it. Some of them are doing tube feeding, changing catheters, and things like that. That is a very serious issue that we've been working on with our trade union colleagues. I do want to take this opportunity to pay tribute to all our support staff in schools who do this work day in, day out, but we need to do more to support them.

We do recognise as a Government that this is a serious issue. That's why we have been working across education and health to address this issue. We have requested—and a letter has gone out from the chief nursing officer to all health boards—further information and clarity on this issue. A similar letter has gone to all local authorities in Wales, and we expect to issue a statement of policy in April. That will be ahead of developing fuller, integrated guidance on the interaction between health and education, which, because of the nature of it, will have to be subject to a consultation and therefore will have to come after the election. But I do recognise the seriousness of these issues and we are acting to tackle them.

Natasha Asghar (Conservative, South Wales East)

Thanks for your response, Cabinet Secretary. What I just mentioned is one of the ever-growing list of problems plaguing our education system. And, to be clear, this is by no means a reflection of those, as you said, who are working tirelessly within our schools to give our children the best possible start in life. At the heart of the problem when it comes to education is the Labour Government, and all Labour Governments that have indeed resided over Wales over the past 27 years. Behind all of the failed policies, flawed decisions or inaction over the years when it comes to education, you will find either a Labour politician or, indeed, if you look at the past Senedd term, a Lib Dem politician. Cabinet Secretary, this is the last time you and I are going to be going head to head before dissolution, so I think it's a perfect opportunity to look back at the Government's record when it comes to education. Consider this your final exam: Cabinet Secretary, how would you rate your Government's performance when it comes to education over this Senedd term?

Lynne Neagle (Labour, Torfaen)

Well, I'm not going to agree to be put in an exam by you, Natasha. [Laughter.] I just want to be clear about that. I have set out in my answer to Cefin that there is more work that we need to do, but there are really strong signs of progress in terms of attainment. In areas like well-being, we have a really good story to tell. We are head and shoulders ahead of other UK nations on our approach to supporting the mental health and well-being of children in schools, and actually we're ahead of the game on things like inclusion as well. I'm not the kind of person who blows my own trumpet, so, if I was going to give you that assessment, I would say that there has been good progress, but there is more work to do.

Natasha Asghar (Conservative, South Wales East)

Thank you very much, Cabinet Secretary, for your response. I'll give you full marks for creativity in your response. In stark contrast to the nice, fluffy fairytale you just gave me, let's take a look at what's really going on here in Wales across schools and colleges. We have: Wales at rock bottom in international education rankings; a teacher recruitment and retention crisis that shows no sign of letting up; a failure to close the attainment gap between children from poorer households than their peers; violence in classrooms continuing to rise; 20 per cent of children leaving primary school functionally illiterate; a discredited method of teaching children to read being pushed into our schools—and I am thrilled to see, with the Welsh Conservatives pushing on that, there is indeed now more of an opportunity for the system of phonics to be coming into the education system; we have worryingly low maths standards; we have inconsistent teaching quality, particularly in secondary schools; an incredibly flawed curriculum being forced onto our children in schools; attendance levels still convincingly below pre-pandemic levels; and money being wasted on pointless projects such as an anti-racism virtual world for use in colleges—whatever that is. Put simply, Labour has left Wales with the worst educational outcomes in the UK. There is no iffing and butting about it. So, Cabinet Secretary, in light of what I've just outlined, are you proud of what you and your predecessors have done to our education system over the past 27 years?

Lynne Neagle (Labour, Torfaen)

You mentioned a range of issues there, Natasha. If I can just pick up on a few of those, recruitment and retention is not a problem that is unique to Wales. It is a worldwide challenge in terms of recruiting and retaining teachers. We are taking a myriad actions to tackle these challenges, particularly in the areas where we've got the most acute shortages, including in Welsh medium, where we have got a whole plethora of issues that we are taking forward.

We have made progress on attendance, and that is due as well to our very significant investment in things like family engagement officers, who are doing the hard yards, working with families in a really granular way to tackle the barriers to coming to school.

You've referred to the work on literacy. I'm hoping that you were in the committee this morning when you had the presentation on CAL:ON. I wanted to take this opportunity to thank the literacy expert panel for their work. It was very important for me, as someone who's not an educator herself, to listen to the evidence of experts on this. On early reading, we cannot be clearer—systematic synthetic phonics is an important aspect of reading instruction, alongside other skills to make sure that children can understand what they're reading and can read fluently. We've been clear as well that learners should not be encouraged to guess how to read words by using cues or pictures. And I'm surprised that you are claiming credit for that, because you went on the Sunday Politics Wales show on 6 November and said, 'In some respects, some children, they do need cueing, and I'm not going to completely negate cueing at all for some children who need it'. So, maybe the lesson here for you from this particular class is that you need to pay more attention as well. [Laughter.]

Laura Anne Jones (Reform UK, South Wales East)

3. What action is the Welsh Government taking to improve educational outcomes in South Wales East? OQ63920

Lynne Neagle (Labour, Torfaen)

Across South Wales East, we are working with local authorities to improve outcomes through sustained capital investment, the Curriculum for Wales, additional learning needs reform and high-quality teaching. We are directing funding to strengthen literacy and numeracy, tackle the poverty attainment gap, and improve attendance.

Laura Anne Jones (Reform UK, South Wales East)

Cabinet Secretary, the Welsh Government should be ashamed of itself that Wales lies at the bottom of nearly every education league table out there. It is an appalling state of affairs, including PISA, as has already been said. There can be many things responsible for this—poor leadership, moving away from knowledge-based learning, bad attendance, not addressing ALN head on. But also, one of the other factors that we know about, of course, is violence and behaviour in our classrooms. It's been three years since I put forward a five-point plan in this Chamber to the Welsh Government, addressing behavioural issues and violence in schools. In fact, I was the first to highlight it.

I'm very grateful that you listened to me on the need for a summit—although it's a shame not to have been invited to it at the time—and that the guidance, of course, for schools was updated. It's disappointing that the Welsh Government did not heed the rest of my advice, though, because you have not got to grips with this. It's resulted in a violence and behaviour crisis in schools across Wales, with another incident only happening a few days ago. Forty per cent of young people have witnessed violence or disruptive or abusive behaviour in our classrooms. It is not good enough. You have not tackled this head on, and you're not doing what's necessary. It is adversely affecting educational outcomes in south-east Wales and across Wales. When is this Government going to roll up its sleeves and take the hard, necessary action that is needed to stop violence and behavioural issues in our classrooms? Diolch.

Lynne Neagle (Labour, Torfaen)

Thank you, Laura. I suppose I shouldn't be surprised that you are not up to date with our work in this space, given that, when you were the sole Reform Member, you declined the opportunity to serve on the Children, Young People and Education Committee, so concerned were you about these issues. And if I can say, about our behaviour summit, I'm afraid to say that was absolutely nothing to do with you. That was something that was discussed with our trade union partners, and we organised it on the back of that. I set out five actions from that behaviour summit, and we are taking action on every one of them. There is so much action I could take up the next hour talking about what we are doing on behaviour.

Lynne Neagle (Labour, Torfaen)

But if I can just say to you on the issue of violence in schools, I want all our schools to be safe places for our learners—[Interruption.] Are you going to listen, because maybe if you listened, you would actually learn—[Interruption.] If you listened, you might actually learn something. If I can finish, and you can listen to what I am saying, we are taking a wide range of actions to tackle challenges with behaviour. The really important thing with behaviour is early intervention and that we don't let problems escalate. But on the issue of violence in schools, obviously, it was devastating to hear about the most recent incident in Milford Haven. My heart goes out to the teacher and the staff in the school who were affected, and we have offered our support to the school, and we stand ready with any additional support that they need, just as we provided in the situation with Ysgol Dyffryn Aman.

We have recently announced that Cardiff Council have created a guidance document on tackling weapons in schools. We have recently announced funding for Cardiff to lead on similar guidance for the rest of the schools in Wales. Now, when I read the guidance, I was very reassured by it, because I think information is power, and what we don't want is for school staff to suddenly be confronted with a situation without having any idea how to handle it. So, I think that guidance rolled out across the rest of Wales, taking account of individual circumstances, will help staff in schools, and learners, to feel more safe. And we are funding that guidance, that work for Cardiff to do.

But I've also recently announced £500,000 this year and a further £1 million next year to develop a new schools programme, working with the police. That won’t be like the old police schools programme, which was focused on substance misuse. This will be built around our community-focused schools approach. Headteachers have said to me they really valued that contact with the police. So, we are taking a wide range of actions. There is no silver bullet in behaviour. You have to do all of those things. We have been doing the hard yards for a long time, and I'm sorry to tell you it has been nothing to do with you.

John Griffiths (Labour, Newport East)

Cabinet Secretary, earlier today I attended a Senedd event organised by Walk Wheel Cycle Trust Cymru, where we heard from teachers and pupils of the benefits in the classroom where children walk, cycle or scoot to school. They explained it has led to better concentration levels, and having a period of movement before lessons meant children were able to start their school day better able to learn, more ready to learn. Given lots of families, especially those with primary-aged children, live in walking distance of their local schools, such as Undy primary in Newport East, where the vast majority of children start their day by walking to school, will you work with charities such as Walk Wheel Cycle Trust Cymru to spread these benefits across south-east Wales?

Lynne Neagle (Labour, Torfaen)

Thank you very much, John. I know that you're very enthusiastic about physical activity, and I think the points you make about active travel are really important. We know that, in lots of cases, people do live very close to the school but don't choose sometimes to walk or to cycle. So, I will look at the organisation you’ve referred to, and, if I can say as well, you make a very important point about the impact of physical activity on children's ability to be able to self-regulate in school. I see that in our new school buildings as well, which are more spacious, and teachers tell me, you know, as they've got breakout areas so that people have got the space to move around, that that helps with self-regulation and it helps with behaviour.

Adam Price (Plaid Cymru, Carmarthen East and Dinefwr)

4. Will the Cabinet Secretary make a statement on the Welsh Government's policy regarding small schools? OQ63936

Lynne Neagle (Labour, Torfaen)

I know how important schools are to small and rural communities. The school organisation code sets out the processes local authorities must follow when making proposals to alter, close or open a school. This includes small and rural schools.

Adam Price (Plaid Cymru, Carmarthen East and Dinefwr)

My constituency includes a number of small schools, some of them in deeply rural areas, but some of them are in post-industrial communities, and, at present, no consideration is given in the school organisation code to small schools that don't come under the safeguards of the rural list—for example, Pontiets school—which means that they can't depend on the presumption against closure of a school as set out in the code, even though the impact on the community is very similar to the situation in rural areas. There was an example recently where the Welsh Language Commissioner decided to investigate the impact of the closure of a small school, which suggests that there was a lack or deficiency in that process. So, will the Government consider adapting the code to reflect the situation on the ground—the fact that some pupils are in schools that aren't rural but are small schools—and to strengthen, at the same time, the processes, as far as the code is in question, with regard to the impact on the Welsh language?

Lynne Neagle (Labour, Torfaen)

Thank you very much, Adam, for that question. I'm aware that Carmarthenshire County Council have taken the decision on Ysgol Llansteffan today. It is quite a complex situation, because the legislation governing small schools is in primary legislation. So, if there were to be any change to that, that would have to be undertaken in primary legislation. However, if the school is a small school and a rural school, the proposer should still comply with all aspects of the legislation and code that relate to closing a rural school, e.g. in maintaining the presumption against closure, identifying reasonable alternatives, taking into account the factors set out in the code et cetera. And you'll be aware that I'm unable to comment on the merits or otherwise of any local authority proposals that may later be referred to Ministers for determination.

Samuel Kurtz (Conservative, Carmarthen West and South Pembrokeshire)

Can I put on record my sadness at the closure announced today of Ysgol Llansteffan in my constituency? However, I want to focus on two schools in my constituency. Firstly, Stepaside, which is being earmarked for closure, even though it's a very modern site in Kilgetty. I wonder if the Cabinet Secretary is aware of that, and if there's any future use being determined for that site in Kilgetty. And, secondly, Manorbier school, a school I've raised a number of times on the floor of this Senedd, which suffered a fire in late 2024. Promises of rebuilding that school by two council leaders in Pembrokeshire have fallen flat and now it's being earmarked for closure. This poor school is being earmarked for closure off the back of a fire that was not its fault, putting staff, pupils and the wider family of that school in a really difficult position. I'm just wondering if, Cabinet Secretary, the local authority have spoken with you or your team around Manorbier school, because there are still so many questions unanswered with regard to the insurance money for that school, which should have been available to them following the fire. They're in a really difficult circumstance. Has the local authority discussed Manorbier school with you at all?

Lynne Neagle (Labour, Torfaen)

Thank you, Samuel, for that question. I have not personally had any discussions with the local authority about the school. My officials may have, but I haven't. School closure proposals are a matter for local authorities, and you'll be aware that, in certain circumstances, those decisions can come in to Welsh Ministers for determination, which is why it's not appropriate for me to comment on the particular issues. If you'd like to write to me about things like the insurance matters, I'd be very happy to follow that up with my officials.

James Evans (Independent, Brecon and Radnorshire)

Over the term of this Senedd, what we have seen in Powys is the Liberal Democrats closing a number of small primary schools across my constituency. It's quite ironic considering the previous Liberal Democrat Member for that constituency, who was based here, brought in the small schools code. What I'm concerned about is that that code doesn't actually provide protection for those small schools. So, will you, Cabinet Secretary, commit to reviewing that small schools code to make sure it does actually protect our small schools, because, as it currently stands, it doesn't protect anybody? It actually seems as an enabler to closing a lot of small schools across places in my constituency and across other parts of Powys.

Lynne Neagle (Labour, Torfaen)

Thank you, James. Well, the protections that Kirsty Williams brought in when she was Minister were around rural schools rather than small schools, and as I just said in response to Adam Price, the provision for small schools is set out in primary legislation, and any changes to that would involve new primary legislation. But I think everybody's heard what you've said. Obviously, any review on this would be a matter for any incoming Government.

Luke Fletcher (Plaid Cymru, South Wales West)

5. What steps is the Welsh Government taking to ensure that all learners across Wales can attend the college of their choice? OQ63925

Vikki Howells (Labour, Cynon Valley)

I want to ensure that every learner, wherever they live and whatever their background, has the opportunity to gain the knowledge and skills to contribute to a strong, sustainable economy.

Luke Fletcher (Plaid Cymru, South Wales West)

Thank you for that response.

Luke Fletcher (Plaid Cymru, South Wales West)

Of course, it's Colleges Week and it's an opportunity for us to celebrate the work that our colleges do and think about what more we can do to support our learners in that setting. There's a specific issue affecting equity across Wales in terms of access to further education. Currently, apprentices receive no dedicated travel support because they're classified as employed, rather than as learners. So, as a result, they're limited to standard young persons' discounts on public transport, but, by contrast, sixth form pupils may qualify for free transport. Now, there's no equivalent guaranteed provision for college learners and this creates a clear inconsistency in how we support young people in education and training, particularly impacting apprentices, who are often also earning comparatively low wages, while often having to then spend that money on expensive equipment or clothing for their apprenticeship. This was one of the single biggest issues facing learners I spoke to when campaigning to get an increase in the educational maintenance allowance, and nothing has changed.

I understand that the Welsh Government hosted a learner travel workshop on post-16 education yesterday, so the issue, clearly, is on your radar. So, could you outline the key outcomes from that workshop and what specific actionable steps will now be taken to address these disparities in travel support for post-16 learners, including apprentices?

Vikki Howells (Labour, Cynon Valley)

Thank you, Luke, for that question, and you shine a spotlight on an important issue there. We're continuing to take a cross-Government approach to reduce transport barriers for young people accessing education. This Senedd term, we have implemented an increase in the household income threshold for the educational maintenance allowance—and I really should put on record our thanks for your collaboration and your support for that work—providing financial support to an anticipated additional 3,500 students, which can assist eligible students with transport costs, and, of course, that's £40 a week, which is the highest in the UK. So, EMA can definitely help there. We've invested £22 million over the course of 2025-26 and 2026-27 to support the £1 bus fare pilot scheme for young people under 21 years old. So, again, for apprentices who fall into that age group, they will be able to take advantage of that, and so far, over 38,000 young people have signed up to MyTravelPass—including my daughter, she's one of those—making education, training and employment more accessible and affordable.

You asked about the learner travel workshops that have come out of the learner travel summit and that does provide opportunities for key stakeholders to further explore the opportunities to improve learner travel arrangements. I believe that that workshop is being held today, so if you write to the Cabinet Secretary for Transport and North Wales, he can certainly give you feedback. But I can report that ColegauCymru, individual colleges and the National Union of Students Cymru will be amongst the stakeholders joining that particular post-16 learner travel workshop. And the outcomes of those workshops will be for consideration by the next Government, to ensure that the voices and expertise of all partners inform the next steps in our learner travel strategy and are central to our approach.

I should say as well that my call for evidence on the future sustainability of the tertiary sector looks in particular at issues that would affect learners. It is something that I have talked to learners about whenever I am visiting FE colleges, and I did that in Merthyr today. Transport is invariably a thread of that, so we expect to have strong evidence coming out of that that can help to inform the next Government also.

Llyr Gruffydd (Plaid Cymru, North Wales)

6. What assessment has the Cabinet Secretary made of the impact on education standards of recent data from Estyn about teacher recruitment and retention in schools in Wales? OQ63937

Lynne Neagle (Labour, Torfaen)

I’m grateful to Estyn for highlighting this issue. We are already working on this as part of developing our strategic education workforce plan for schools. The plan will set out the actions we will be taking to address recruitment and retention challenges and to support a high-quality workforce.

Llyr Gruffydd (Plaid Cymru, North Wales)

Thank you for the response. I take it, therefore, that you accept that the current approach is not delivering in a way that maybe was promised and people would expect. I heard your previous answer about the workforce plan being launched on 18 March. Some people might ask, this Government has been trying for three decades, what's going to be different this time? But you did explain that you've been working with many in the sector, so we'll wait to see that. But my question basically is: are we going to be able to question and quiz you as the Minister responsible on that after it's published, because this is your final question session? So, will you please bring an oral statement to this Chamber to allow us to scrutinise yourself and that workforce plan in a way that I think is our responsibility and that should happen?

Lynne Neagle (Labour, Torfaen)

Thank you very much, Llyr, for that supplementary. As I said in previous answers, challenges with recruitment and retention are worldwide. They're not just in Wales. Actually, the recent data does show a slight improvement. Unofficial data shows that overall recruitment to secondary programmes rose from 36.5 per cent in 2023-24 to 45 per cent in 2024-25. The number of Welsh-medium entrants has also increased and is 22 per cent higher in 2023-24 than in 2019-20.

Obviously, the organisation of Plenary business isn't a matter for me, but the Trefnydd has heard what you've said. We had scheduled the publication of the plan to coincide with the committee debate on recruitment and retention, which has now been—. Well, there would have been scrutiny in the Chamber, obviously, in that debate, but I'm very happy to participate in any scrutiny opportunities that are made available on this.

Siân Gwenllian (Plaid Cymru, Arfon)

7. Will the Cabinet Secretary make a statement regarding additional learning needs and neurodiversity training in schools? OQ63935

Lynne Neagle (Labour, Torfaen)

I have strengthened ALN, neurodiversity and inclusive education training across education in Wales. Dysgu are already developing a national professional learning ALN programme for local authority staff, leaders, ALN co-ordinators, specialist staff and all teaching staff. This is as well as the ‘Calm Classrooms, Thriving Minds’ training programme on well-being and child development.

Siân Gwenllian (Plaid Cymru, Arfon)

Thank you for that response. We've already seen the UK Government announcing billions of pounds of extra funding for special educational needs in England. Can you confirm today that consequential funding, which was announced yesterday, will come to Wales, and will you let us know how much additional funding will come in the current financial year and the coming financial years? It's a matter for the Government to decide how to use this funding, of course, but for the sake of transparency, publishing the figures would be useful.

In meeting the parents of children with additional learning needs in Arfon and across Wales, I hear time and time again that a lack of training on neurodiversity among school staff is leading to delays, misunderstanding and children reaching crisis point. As one parent told me recently, it should not feel like a battle to access support. So, how much of a priority is it for you to ensure national consistency in the provision, particularly in developing training on neurodiversity for schools?

Lynne Neagle (Labour, Torfaen)

Diolch, Siân, for that question. Just to say that, obviously, I welcome the UK Government's focus on inclusion. We are already some considerable way down the road on our inclusion journey. It's my understanding that Welsh Government will receive an additional £555 million in resource and capital funding over the next three years as a result of the announcements yesterday. That is mainly in respect of additional funding for special educational needs and disabilities in England and non-domestic rates for hospitality and pubs.

You raise very important points about training. I've always been really clear that inclusion and ALN are not something that sit over there. If we're going to have genuinely inclusive schools, then everyone in our schools needs to be upskilled in issues around ALN, neurodiversity et cetera. So, we've asked Dysgu to develop—they're developing and delivering and quality assuring—a national professional learning ALN programme, as I said, for all staff in our schools and for local authority staff, and they've already recruited an ALN lead to take this forward. We're also piloting Calm Classrooms, Thriving Minds, which is a whole workforce professional learning programme co-developed with practitioners to increase understanding of child development and mental health.

In initial teacher education, we've strengthened the accreditation criteria in relation to ALN, and Bangor University are currently piloting a primary post-graduate certificate in education with neurodiversity specialism. But, as part of the work that we're doing to prepare for the new accreditation of ITE, we are going to be looking to strengthen the commitment to upskilling our staff in ALN, neurodiversity, mental health, because everybody in our schools needs to be able to support young people so that they can be truly inclusive. So, training is an absolutely fundamental priority, not just for ALN, but for all the areas that we're taking forward in terms of literacy, numeracy et cetera.

David Rees (Labour, Aberavon)

And finally, question 8, Peter Fox.

Peter Fox (Conservative, Monmouth)

8. How is the Welsh Government supporting local authorities to strengthen and sustain leadership in schools in line with Estyn’s expectations? OQ63908

Lynne Neagle (Labour, Torfaen)

I’m grateful to Estyn for highlighting that effective leadership is the most significant factor in improving quality of teaching. We will support local authorities through our new school improvement arrangements, and tackle headteacher recruitment challenges through the strategic education workforce plan for schools. Dysgu will develop and deliver leadership support.

Peter Fox (Conservative, Monmouth)

Thank you, Cabinet Secretary. As you recognise, strong leadership at every level of our education system is essential, from headteachers providing clear direction in their schools to local authorities offering effective support, and, of course, Welsh Government creating the conditions for that leadership to thrive. Yet Estyn has been clear that local government support on attendance has had limited impact, and, in Monmouthshire, we've seen absenteeism worsening in recent years, not improving. At the same time, schools across Wales are struggling to maintain even basic leadership capacity because of the lack of staff and an over-dependence on agency workers, weakening the ability headteachers need to lead effectively. As we all know, good leadership is fundamental to continuous school improvement.

Given these combined pressures, weak attendance, an inconsistent and overstretched workforce, and the mounting strain on school leaders, how is the Welsh Government working to strengthen leadership at every level so that our schools can genuinely meet Estyn's expectations?

And on a broader point, Cabinet Secretary, what concrete steps should your Government have put in place to ensure that we weren't in this position?

Lynne Neagle (Labour, Torfaen)

Thank you, Peter. I know you've got an interest in school leadership, as you've raised it before. I have a ministerial headteacher advisory group, and I've heard directly from them how effective leadership can make a difference to teaching and learning, and I would like to just take this opportunity to thank my headteacher advisory group for their time, for their commitment and for their willingness to be system leaders for the whole of Wales.

We have got challenges in recruiting and retaining senior leaders, and the plan that I'll be publishing will help tackle that. We're also going to be working more closely with local authorities to make sure they use workforce data to succession plan, and so that we've got a more granular understanding of the challenges. Through our new school improvement guidance, schools are expected to work together in partnership with local authorities to secure improvement. Our professional standards emphasise the importance of a culture of learner improvement through collaborative working, and Dysgu is leading on professional learning and support for school leaders, including delivering our new national professional qualification for headship, but also developing support for aspiring new and existing middle and senior leaders, with coaching and mentoring support.

You mentioned attendance, which has obviously been a concern for Estyn. Estyn was quite keen that local authorities are given targets on attendance. Targets can have unintended consequences when you're dealing with complex issues around children attending school, but we are working with local authorities to develop some smart targets so that we can see that the trajectory is improving all the time.

David Rees (Labour, Aberavon)

I thank the Cabinet Secretary.

3. Topical Questions

David Rees (Labour, Aberavon)

Item 3 is the topical questions. There is only one topical question today, and that will be asked by Heledd Fychan.

Heledd Fychan (Plaid Cymru, South Wales Central)

1. Will the Cabinet Secretary make a statement on the implications for Wales of the UK Government's spring statement? TQ1448

Mark Drakeford (Labour, Cardiff West)

Thank you very much. The spring statement provides an additional £555 million to Wales over the next three years. The Welsh Government's settlement over the next three years is almost £6 billion higher than it would have been under the spending plans set out by the previous UK Government.

Heledd Fychan (Plaid Cymru, South Wales Central)

Thank you for that response, and thank you also for the written statement yesterday. Of course, I hope that all of us here would welcome any additional funding for Wales, particularly considering the hugely challenging situation facing the Senedd's budgets as a result of the most recent spending review, which will lead to the lowest growth in day-to-day expenditure in real terms beyond the initial austerity years, as well, of course, as capital funding that will shrink in real terms. You have already outlined in yesterday's statement how the funds are going to be allocated from one year to another and where the money has primarily come from. Can you confirm what percentage of the additional funding has come as a result of additional spending in England on additional learning needs, and what percentage has come as a result of extending business rates relief to the hospitality and pubs sector? Also, will you outline any other areas the funding has emanated from?

I would also be grateful if you could outline how the spring statement relates to the announcement we heard recently on investment in Wales's rail network, as your statement yesterday referred to that too. At present, it is unclear to us, as well as to experts working in the field, how exactly the Welsh Government and Transport for Wales arrived at that figure of £14 billion, and what beyond the £445 million already announced in the spending review represents a firm funding commitment to Wales from Westminster during the current parliamentary period. So, can you confirm whether some of this consequential funding is linked to the announcement on railway funding, and, if not, when exactly do you expect to receive the additional funding that goes beyond what was announced in the spending review? Thank you.

Mark Drakeford (Labour, Cardiff West)

Thank you very much to Heledd Fychan, Dirprwy Lywydd.

Mark Drakeford (Labour, Cardiff West)

So, over the three years of the spring statement changes, there's £4 million in each year of general capital uplift. In the first year, there is £5 million, in the second year, £8 million, and, in the third year, £11 million in revenue that flows from decisions of the UK Government in relation to non-domestic rates support. In the first year, 2026-27, there is an additional £327 million in revenue. That is one-off money. It is a consequence of the UK Government's decision to fund the debts that had built up in English local government because of the statutory override put in place by the previous Conservative Government in relation to ALN spending. There is no money in the second year as a consequence of changes in England on additional learning needs expenditure, but, in the third year, there is an additional £208 million, which is a consequence of the new programmes of expenditure in England in relation to children with additional learning needs. The spring statement is not relevant to the announcement of £14 billion of additional investment in rail in Wales.

Sam Rowlands (Conservative, North Wales)

Of course, the headline from the spring statement yesterday was the halving of the economic growth forecast for 2026. It was originally planned to be 1.9 per cent for the UK; it's now been forecast to be at 1.1 per cent. We also heard that unemployment is rising to 5.3 per cent, the highest since the pandemic, and even more damning on unemployment is the fact that 16 to 24-year-olds are experiencing 16 per cent unemployment in the UK, much of which is as a direct result of UK Government policy. We're also aware from the spring statement that taxes are climbing towards 38.5 per cent of GDP, an historic high, and, of course, when you tax jobs and make it more expensive to hire, you don't get the prosperity that we need; it leads to stagnation. And of course, here in Wales, when UK growth slows, Wales feels it directly. Slower UK growth means lower tax receipts. Lower tax receipts mean tighter spending plans from the Treasury. And because Wales's budget is largely determined by UK spending through the Barnett formula, weaker growth in Britain means, in the long run, less money available for Welsh public services in the years ahead.

We believe, of course, that, if the UK economy grows strongly, Wales benefits through higher funding, more jobs, more investment and stronger wages. And if growth stalls, Wales is hit twice, with weaker private sector opportunity and tighter public finances. So, Cabinet Secretary, I wonder what analysis you've been able to make as a result of that weaker economic growth forecast to understand what impact that will have on investment here in Wales from the private sector and any knock-on effect to public services in Wales as well.

Mark Drakeford (Labour, Cardiff West)

Well, Dirprwy Lywydd, over the full five-year forecast period to 2030, real GDP is forecast to increase on average each year by 1.5 per cent, and that is unchanged compared with forecasts last November. There is downward revision in the early period. It's compensated for by upward revision later in the period. And over the period as a whole, there is no reduction in growth forecasts. In relation to unemployment, while the Member is right that the forecast sees an increase from the current 5.2 per cent to 5.3 per cent in forecasts, this then gradually decreases to 4.1 per cent at the end of the forecast period.

The spring statement also confirmed that inflation is falling, that interest rates are down six times since the general election, and includes growth in productivity, earnings and disposable household income over the forecast period. By the end of the forecast period, the Chancellor expects a current budget surplus of £24 billion, reached a year earlier than she was expecting earlier last year.

Jenny Rathbone (Labour, Cardiff Central)

I'm not competing on the figures, Cabinet Secretary, and I'm sure it's really difficult to understand exactly what's going on, but I just wanted to raise the difficult cliff edge that exists as a result of the shared prosperity fund, which is 30 per cent capital and 70 per cent revenue, being tapered and coming to an end, to be succeeded by the local growth fund, which is 70 per cent capital and 30 per cent revenue. We know that there are many projects, currently very successful projects, that have been funded by the shared prosperity fund, like the breastfeeding project by Blaenau Gwent council, which has had an absolute transformational impact on mothers breastfeeding—over two thirds of mothers breastfeeding substantively, not just for 10 days—and others; other local authorities have invested in speech and language services, boosting them to make them more available to those who are involved in the youth offending teams, so that those people don't go to prison simply because they haven't understood what the magistrate has said to them. So, I just wondered if there's any possibility of making that taper less brutal as a result of this extra money.

Mark Drakeford (Labour, Cardiff West)

Dirprwy Lywydd, I share the Member's concern about the transition from the shared prosperity fund to the local growth fund and the capital and revenue proportions as set by the Treasury for Wales in the growth fund. There was nothing in the spring statement that was relevant to those calculations.

Luke Fletcher (Plaid Cymru, South Wales West)

Just to pick up on that point by Jenny Rathbone, there may not have been anything relevant to the calculations within the spring statement on the local growth fund, but now we do know that there is an additional £540 million in revenue coming to the Welsh Government, £15 million additional in capital. The Industrial Communities Alliance has discussed the potential of using some of that funding that's come from the spring statement to soften that blow to local authorities, perhaps even to save some of those jobs and services that are being lost as a result of that revenue and capital split.

Here's an opportunity now for Welsh Government to rectify the situation. Thousands of jobs are on the line in our local authorities. The anxiety within our local authorities is palpable. Neath Port Talbot, for example, is looking at losing potentially five jobs in relation to the welfare programmes that they have in place, which are offering millions of pounds to our constituents on a daily basis. So, I would impress on the Cabinet Secretary to use some of this funding now, if not to save those services and save those jobs within the local authority, at the very least fund an actual transition. There is no cash for the transition right now for local authorities. So, I would impress on the Cabinet Secretary to use that funding to save those jobs, to save those services, because right now those local authorities are really struggling and the anxiety amongst our workforce is incredibly, incredibly palpable.

Mark Drakeford (Labour, Cardiff West)

Llywydd, well, the Member makes powerful points, but they are really not for me, they are for my successor, because none of the money announced in the spring statement falls into the current financial year. The final budget for next year was passed by this Senedd some weeks ago. An incoming Government will have £327 million more in revenue to spend than we knew about before yesterday, but those decisions will have to be made by a Government that has responsibility for managing the budget in the next financial year.

Andrew RT Davies (Conservative, South Wales Central)

Finance Secretary, I don't make this as a political point, but the numbers that were in the spring statement yesterday, with the events that are going on in the middle east, could dramatically change in a relatively short period of time. I heard what you said to Luke Fletcher about the fact that the incoming Government will pick up this money, and it most probably will be very welcome indeed. But I would urge—and I hope you, from your position as finance Secretary, would urge—that a close eye is kept on the economy and the support that businesses might need with energy costs, and making sure that they maintain their business operations, because the pressure on those businesses could be as severe as the Ukrainian invasion, which pushed energy costs up only recently.

Could you confirm whether there are any plans from the Treasury to reach out to finance Ministers in the devolved administrations to discuss potential sources of help that might be required in the coming weeks and months, if the worst case scenarios prevail with the events in the middle east?

Mark Drakeford (Labour, Cardiff West)

Well, I thank the Member for those questions, which, in a way, I think, raise the most profound issues we've heard this afternoon, because the Chancellor's spring statement was created, and the forecasts made, prior to the US and Israeli invasion or attacks on Iran.

I think any incoming finance Minister would be very wise not to start spending that £327 million at this point, because there may well be some very urgent calls on revenue when the next Senedd assembles, in businesses, in the lives of Welsh citizens, in our public services. When energy prices rose immediately after the invasion of Ukraine, there was an £80 million bill for the national health service alone in increased revenue costs for energy. So, I agree very much with the points that the Member has made about the need for prudent management of the additional opportunities that came with the spring statement, because that money may well be needed.

As to opportunities to discuss matters with the Treasury, I did have a discussion with the Chief Secretary to the Treasury yesterday morning, prior to the spring statement, and I will be meeting him again with the finance Ministers of Scotland and Northern Ireland at the Finance: Interministerial Standing Committee meeting later this month.

Llyr Gruffydd (Plaid Cymru, North Wales)

Thank you, Cabinet Secretary, for the breakdown and the analysis that you gave of how much money would come as a result of which allocations were made in the spring statement yesterday. It is important, in terms of transparency, that we get that information, but shouldn't that have been in your written statement yesterday, rather than us having to have a topical question to get that information?

Mark Drakeford (Labour, Cardiff West)

No. The Member must allow us a small amount of time to make sure that we understand the exact translation of decisions made behind the spring statement and where the money that flows to Wales comes from. I'm very pleased to have been able to set it all out for you this afternoon, but it does take a short period in order to be able to get behind the headlines in the spring statement and to understand exactly what the £555 million, which was announced in the spring statement, is made up of and how the various years work out, and how the split between capital and revenue works out, and so on. I'm glad to have been able to make it available to Members as soon as I was able.

David Rees (Labour, Aberavon)

I thank the Cabinet Secretary.

4. 90-second Statements

David Rees (Labour, Aberavon)

Item 4 is the 90-second statements. The first statement will be from Joel James.

Joel James (Conservative, South Wales Central)

Thank you, Dirprwy Lywydd. On Sunday, many of us celebrated St David's Day, a proud commemoration of our shared national heritage and identity. But 1 March was also World Seagrass Day, a reminder that some of the most powerful forces shaping our environment lie quietly beneath the waves. As the Welsh Parliament's seagrass champion, I'm proud to be working alongside fantastic organisations such as Project Seagrass, the Marine Conservation Society, Seagrass Network Cymru, Wales Environment Link, and WWF Cymru to advocate for its protection and restoration.

Though modest in appearance, seagrass is one of our oceans' greatest allies. It can sequester carbon up to 35 times faster than tropical rainforests. It filters pollutants, improves water quality, provides vital nursery habitats for marine life, and protects our coastlines by reducing wave energy and flood risk. It is rightly described as one of our most important natural solutions. It is therefore essential that we do everything possible to protect and restore our seagrass meadows and confront the challenges that threaten them. As we mark St David's Day, let us also remember that protecting our natural environment goes hand in hand with protecting our communities and investing in Wales's future. Thank you.

Sioned Williams (Plaid Cymru, South Wales West)

It was St David's Day last weekend, and there was a first-rate celebration in the Swansea valley this year, with a new local eisteddfod being held. Eisteddfod Cwm Tawe was held at Pontardawe Arts Centre on Saturday. It was the fruit of many months' work by volunteers who were eager to continue the activity and to build on the support for the Welsh language locally after the Urdd Eisteddfod was held in Neath Port Talbot, the Dur a Môr Eisteddfod of last year.

There were 88 competitions for singing, recitation, instrumental performances and homework, with over 500 participants. It was a deliberate decision by the organising committee to try to encourage Welsh learners to take part, and they did so with gusto. Over 1,000 people came through the doors. So, we must congratulate everyone who played a part in making Eisteddfod Cwm Tawe such a success.

The Dur a Môr Urdd Eisteddfod has also inspired the establishment of the Neath eisteddfod, which will be held at Dŵr-y-Felin Comprehensive School in Neath on 25 April this year. Choosing an English-medium school as the location is a deliberate decision again by the organisers, in order to build on the excellent number of local English-medium schools that competed in Margam park last year.

The Welsh Language Commissioner has noted this week the importance of ensuring that there are more opportunities in the community for using the Welsh language. So, I would like to extend my heartfelt thanks to the organisers of both of these new local eisteddfods in Neath Port Talbot, and, in doing so, ensuring the continuation of our language and culture in the home of Gwenallt and Dafydd Rowlands.

Julie Morgan (Labour, Cardiff North)

Last week was Eating Disorders Awareness Week. This year, it focuses on the theme of community, a theme that could not be more important here in Wales. At least 62,500 people in Wales are living with an eating disorder, with hundreds of thousands more affected as family members, friends or colleagues. Yet, despite these numbers, many people experience eating disorders in profound isolation. Eating disorders can change how people relate to others, often leading to withdrawal from social life and deep reluctance to speak about what they're going through. Those who support someone with an eating disorder can also become isolated, facing stigma, misunderstanding, and, in some cases, being forced to step away from work or education.

We know that early intervention offers the best chance of recovery, but isolation can delay help-seeking, when people do not recognise the problem, don't know support exists, or feel they are not ill enough to ask for help. And that is why community matters. Compassionate, informed communities, whether found in families, workplaces, peer support groups or online spaces, can be a lifeline. As one participant in the Beat online support group said, 'I feel a bit better just having a place where I can talk about these things comfortably.'

This Eating Disorders Awareness Week, I urge us all to support Beat's work, raise awareness, and help build communities where no-one faces an eating disorder alone. Diolch.

David Rees (Labour, Aberavon)

Thank you to Joel, Sioned and Julie.

5. Nomination under Standing Order 10.5 for the appointment of the Auditor General for Wales

David Rees (Labour, Aberavon)

Item 5 is the nomination under Standing Order 10.5 for the appointment of the Auditor General for Wales, and I call on the Chair of the Finance Committee to move the motion. Peredur Owen Griffiths.

Peredur Owen Griffiths (Plaid Cymru, South Wales East)

Thank you very much. The Auditor General for Wales is a Crown appointment, made on the nomination of the Senedd under section 2 of the Public Audit (Wales) Act 2013.

As the committee with delegated responsibility for overseeing arrangements relating to the Wales Audit Office, and the Auditor General for Wales, the Finance Committee has been involved throughout this recruitment process, and full details are outlined in the committee’s report.

Peredur Owen Griffiths (Plaid Cymru, South Wales East)

As Members are aware, the auditor general is an essential role in Welsh public life. They ensure that our public bodies manage finances with efficiency and transparency, to the highest standards of governance. Their independence is fundamental to the integrity of the audit function, and it is this independence that underpins public trust in the way that Wales is governed.

Dirprwy Lywydd, I am pleased to move this motion today, on behalf of the committee, to nominate Catherine Mealing-Jones to His Majesty for appointment as the new auditor general.

I would like to begin by thanking the current auditor general, Adrian Crompton, for his dedication and significant contribution during his last eight years in post. Adrian has been an outstanding public servant and has served the post with distinction. I have had the pleasure of working with Adrian during my time as Chair of the Finance Committee, and I want to thank him for his positive and constructive engagement with us, as well as the insights and authority he has provided to the Senedd as a whole, which has informed our scrutiny work.

As outlined in our report, it is vital that the process of recruiting the auditor general is conducted in a way that removes it from any suggestion of political interference. As such, we ensured that two parties were represented on the appointment panel. Mark Isherwood and I represented the committees we chair, and we were joined by two other esteemed individuals, the chair of the Wales Audit Office board, Ian Rees, and the Comptroller and Auditor General for Jersey, Lynn Pamment.

Following the interviews, the preferred candidate attended a public pre-nomination hearing of the cross-party Finance Committee on 29 January, where members of the Public Accounts and Public Administration Committee were also invited to participate.

Peredur Owen Griffiths (Plaid Cymru, South Wales East)

The committee firmly believes that a pre-nomination hearing ensures open and transparent scrutiny of the candidate identified as the most suitable. During the hearing with Catherine, we explored her professional competence, how she is planning to undertake the role of auditor general, and the experience and expertise she would bring to the position.

Catherine has shown a deep commitment to public service throughout her distinguished career to date, and has also demonstrated the key attributes required of this position. I therefore ask the Senedd to agree the motion to nominate Catherine Mealing-Jones to His Majesty for appointment as Auditor General for Wales. Thank you very much.

David Rees (Labour, Aberavon)

There are no other speakers. Therefore, the proposal is to agree the motion. Does any Member object? There is no objection. Therefore, the motion is agreed in accordance with Standing Order 12.36.

6. Plaid Cymru Debate: The rail network

David Rees (Labour, Aberavon)

Item 6 on our agenda is the Plaid Cymru debate on the rail network, and I call on Peredur Owen Griffiths to move the motion.

Peredur Owen Griffiths (Plaid Cymru, South Wales East)

Once again. Thank you, Dirprwy Lywydd. For decades, Wales's railway network has suffered chronic underfunding. While major projects have been funded in London and beyond, Wales has had to wait: wait for electrification, wait for improvements, and wait for fairness. This is not a matter of political theory; it's a clear pattern of prioritising investments in one part of the United Kingdom over other parts.

And when major announcements are made, Wales gets the headline, but not the certainty. We've seen this before. We were promised electrification of the north Wales main line. We were promised transformation. But when it came time to pay, the commitments disappeared following the election result. Now, we hear mention made of £14 billion. But what exactly does that £14 billion mean? Is it a funding promise? Is it a commitment with a clear spending profile? Or is it a nebulous and long-term estimate, depending on political goodwill at Westminster? Because if it is the latter, as I suspect, then there is no definite and dependable funding settlement. It's a hope written on paper or a convenient election pamphlet. Wales has lived on hopes like these for too long.

Peredur Owen Griffiths (Plaid Cymru, South Wales East)

Last year, Professor Mark Barry made the point that if there is no political will on either side of the M4 to hand Wales full responsibility for its rail network, then Wales should be entitled to a ring-fenced fund of £2 billion to £3 billion over the next 15 years. In the most recent UK Government announcement, there is no confirmed additional funding within the current spending review period to March 2030. In practical terms, this is an uncosted announcement. At the current rate, it would take decades—dozens of spending reviews—to deliver what has been trailed. What we have been presented with is not a fully funded rail settlement, it is a long-term pipeline presented as a guarantee.

The £14 billion headline is not a cheque written to Wales, it’s an estimate of what projects might cost if future Governments decide to fund them. Within this spending review period, only a fraction is confirmed. The rest depends on political will, the very political will that Wales has too often found lacking. If this was genuinely locked in, Ministers could publish the year-by-year funding profile. They could confirm that the capital allocations are guaranteed, irrespective of who forms the next UK Government. They could show the Treasury line. But they cannot, because this is not certainty, it’s aspiration.

When a round-numbered, eye-catching £14 billion transformation appears on the eve of an election, without binding allocations or delivery schedules, people are entitled to ask whether this is infrastructure planning or electioneering. Where have we heard this type of thing before? We heard it on electrification of the north Wales main line—a promise delivered on the eve of another election that even the current Secretary of State said she was very, very suspicious of. When community groups across Wales that have worked tirelessly on making the case for new railway stations are encouraged by visits from the Prime Minister promising goodies, I fear they might be disappointed. I hope, for their sake, that the UK Government will follow through, regardless of election results.

Coming to the fundamental issue, as long as rail infrastructure remains reserved, Wales does not control its own destiny. We wait. We lobby. We negotiate. And, too often, we lose out. When rail powers were devolved to Scotland and Northern Ireland, they received funding adjustments. Wales did not. Regrettably, the Welsh Government has had to spend in non-devolved areas to plug the gap. Historically, the Welsh Government has funded most south Wales projects from the block grant, and has even offered to increase its contribution so that further schemes could get off the ground.

We saw this again recently, when the Welsh Government had to commit £21 million towards improvements at Cardiff Central station, stepping in where Westminster has fallen short. In 2020, we got operational control of the core Valleys lines when they were transferred to the Welsh Government. But without a fair corresponding uplift to the block grant, can we honestly describe that as full devolution?

Indeed, the Cabinet Secretary himself, in his first stint with the transport brief, made precisely this point in 2020—when the core Valleys lines were transferred to the Welsh Government—that unless the block grant was adjusted accordingly, then it is not in the spirit of devolution. We are now six years later, and it’s still the case.

We have been required to top up the funding from within our existing settlement, placing pressure on health, education and local government to cover projects that should have come with resource attached. Full devolution of rail infrastructure, accompanied by a fair and permanent adjustment to the block grant, would end this uncertainty. It would lock in a change to the funding formula, it would remove reliance on goodwill, and it would allow long-term planning instead of short-term patchwork. Certainty instead of press releases, delivery instead of headlines. Wales deserves a rail network that is properly funded, properly planned, and properly accountable to the people it serves. Only a Plaid Cymru Government will stand up for Wales and deliver the new leadership that it so desperately needs.

David Rees (Labour, Aberavon)

I have selected the amendments to the motion. If amendment 1 is agreed, amendment 2 will be deselected. I call on the Cabinet Secretary for Transport and North Wales to formally move amendment 1, tabled in the name of Jane Hutt.

Ken Skates (Labour, Clwyd South)

Moved.

David Rees (Labour, Aberavon)

I call on Sam Rowlands to move amendment 2, tabled in the name of Paul Davies.

Sam Rowlands (Conservative, North Wales)

Diolch, Deputy Presiding Officer. I move the amendment in my colleague's name, Paul Davies, as laid out on the order paper. As Welsh Conservatives, we believe that good transport is not just a luxury, it's the backbone of a modern, growing economy. Today we are debating not just railways, but whether Wales chooses connectivity and co-operation within the United Kingdom, or whether we allow Plaid Cymru to drag us further down the well-worn path towards separation from the United Kingdom.

The Welsh Conservatives' amendment is clear. We recognise the importance of good transport connectivity to the economic prosperity of Wales. We know that investment in rail infrastructure that criss-crosses our nation is fundamental to ensuring Wales is fully connected within the United Kingdom.

Heledd Fychan (Plaid Cymru, South Wales Central)

Will you take an intervention?

Sam Rowlands (Conservative, North Wales)

Certainly.

Heledd Fychan (Plaid Cymru, South Wales Central)

Do you, therefore, regret that the previous UK Conservative Government didn't deliver on this for Wales either?

Sam Rowlands (Conservative, North Wales)

What I do acknowledge, absolutely, is that the previous UK Conservative Government, in control periods five and six, invested £750 million and £350 million respectively, far surpassing what UK Labour are investing, £445 million. We think that it's absolutely essential that we're part of the United Kingdom, unlike the separatists in Plaid Cymru, who want to pull us away from the United Kingdom. We call for fairness—fairness in funding, fairness in classification, and fairness for the people of Wales.

Let me start with Plaid Cymru's central demand within this motion here today. They, obviously, seek full devolution of rail infrastructure. But let's be honest about this. It's not about creating better efficiency. It's not about creating better service delivery. It's all part of Plaid's strategy—incremental powers, one by one, designed to edge Wales further toward their ultimate objective, which is independence. Of course, we know, according to the UK Government, the cost of that independence is around £20 billion to taxpayers here in Wales. That's £11,000 per taxpayer here in Wales.

Rhun ap Iorwerth (Plaid Cymru, Ynys Môn)

Will you take an intervention?

Sam Rowlands (Conservative, North Wales)

Certainly.

Rhun ap Iorwerth (Plaid Cymru, Ynys Môn)

I'm not as ideologically driven as the Conservative Member is. Can he confirm that he is happy for Wales to be underfunded for rail, as long as rail stays centralised at Westminster?

Sam Rowlands (Conservative, North Wales)

We're absolutely calling for investment into Wales, and that's why we joined colleagues across this Chamber to ensure that HS2 funding comes through to Wales, not seen as an England and Wales project. Plaid Cymru is involved in every debate. Every debate they're involved in becomes the same debate. Every issue becomes a constitutional grievance, and rail infrastructure is simply the latest vehicle for that agenda. The Welsh Conservatives firmly oppose—

Jane Dodds (Liberal Democrat, Mid and West Wales)

Can I make an intervention, please?

Sam Rowlands (Conservative, North Wales)

I'll take an intervention, yes.

Jane Dodds (Liberal Democrat, Mid and West Wales)

Thank you so much. I'm not Plaid Cymru. I'm the Welsh Liberal Democrats. We don't believe in independence, and yet we want the devolution—full devolution—of rail funding to Wales. So, could you just amend your position, please, to say that it's not pro-independence? Because it's not. Diolch.

Sam Rowlands (Conservative, North Wales)

It sounds like quite a confused message from the Liberal Democrats there, which is nothing new for them either.

We firmly oppose any further devolution of rail infrastructure. Wales's economy depends on that cross-border connectivity. Businesses in Wrexham trade with Chester, of course, and firms in Cardiff trade with Bristol and London. Our rail network does not stop at our borders, and nor should our strategic planning.

To be fair to Plaid Cymru, they do seem a little confused, as we've seen from the Government's amendments that they've laid today. Let me read out the Government's amendments. Their first point in the amendment says:

'Regrets Plaid Cymru's mistaken belief that the core valley lines are not devolved.'

There's certainly some confusion there. The second amendment from the Government says:

'Notes devolution of the core valley lines took place in 2020'.

[Interruption.] A fourth intervention, Llywydd, just for the record.

Peredur Owen Griffiths (Plaid Cymru, South Wales East)

Were you not listening when I said in my contribution earlier that it can't be full devolution if you don't get the funding and the block grant adjustment?

Sam Rowlands (Conservative, North Wales)

I clearly wasn't listening closely enough, but there's clearly some confusion amongst Plaid Cymru ranks as to how the devolution of rail currently works.

The second part of the confusion, I think, from Plaid Cymru ranks, is in their amendment on 4(b), where they are calling for this rail infrastructure devolution in line with powers already exercised by Scotland. Of course, rail infrastructure in Scotland is run by Network Rail. So, by rolling back the already devolved powers on the core Valleys lines, Plaid Cymru are actually looking to move further away from the devolution of rail if they want what Scotland has, as I say, because that is fully managed by Network Rail.

On the funding, HS2 is where we may be able to agree. HS2 has been classified as an England and Wales project, and yet not a single mile of track will be laid in Wales. That's simply not good enough. The Welsh Conservatives consistently said that Wales should receive that consequential funding from HS2, and we said that when we were in power as well as Welsh Conservatives. A matter of—[Interruption.] A fifth intervention, Llywydd.

Lee Waters (Labour, Llanelli)

Just for accuracy, Sam, that was not the Conservative position until the election when you joined the Senedd, and the position of the Tory group changed. Initially, the Tory group resisted the calls of many in this Chamber who wanted HS2 consequentials devolved. And also you are forgetting the broken promise by the Conservative transport Secretary to electrify the railway line to Swansea, which was then cancelled on the grounds that the Department for Transport didn't think it was good value for money. That is why we need to devolve rail funding, because it allows us to make those judgments ourselves based on the consequential share of the England railway fund, rather than be judged according to schemes in other parts of England.

Sam Rowlands (Conservative, North Wales)

I think what the Member isn't acknowledging is the strategic importance of that cross-border planning, and why actually we need to work across the United Kingdom. On HS2 funding, though, Welsh Conservatives—certainly during this term that I have been a Member here—have consistently called for that funding to come through to Wales.

When we talk about honesty in this debate, let us look at the recent £445 million UK Labour Government announcement for those new stations, which, of course, is an investment that we welcome here in Wales, but these are stations that have already been announced previously. It is not new money; they are repackaged commitments. The £14 billion support package being trailed remains speculative and without firm delivery timelines, to say the best of that.

As I said earlier to the Member who intervened, let us not forget that during control periods 5 and 6, the previous UK Conservative Government invested £750 million and £350 million respectively into Welsh rail infrastructure, far surpassing the commitments by the current UK Labour Government.

Llywydd, I believe my time is probably getting to an end, so I will draw my comments to a close. I want to be clear on what it is that we stand for. We stand for strong transport links across Wales and across the United Kingdom as an enabler for economic growth. We stand for fairness in funding. What we do not stand for is constitutional grandstanding disguised as infrastructure policy. Plaid Cymru see rail as another stepping stone to independence. We see rail as a means to create jobs, grow businesses, connect communities, and strengthen Wales within a successful United Kingdom. I urge all Members to support the Welsh Conservative amendments. Diolch yn fawr iawn.

Heledd Fychan (Plaid Cymru, South Wales Central)

I think the Member that has just gone before me perhaps refused to acknowledge the historic underfunding by his own party and tried to justify that historic underinvestment.

I will start with a positive in my contribution. I do welcome the publication of Transport for Wales's plans. I think there is a lot to be positive about there. I regret that it has taken 27 years to get a plan in place. And also, I think we do have to reflect on the fact that the Secretary of State for Wales, the current one, Jo Stevens, did defend the historic underfunding continuation that we saw in the spending review by saying that the Welsh Government got everything it asked for. Everything it asked for. So, it is about time that we had this plan.

Over the past week, the Welsh Government has spoken with great enthusiasm about the UK Government's latest rail investment announcement. And if these commitments were firm, funded and guaranteed, they would indeed be welcome. I would think that every Member of Welsh Labour would want to be here and contributing to this debate. But they're not, are they? Because Wales has faced decades of chronic underinvestment by successive UK Governments and there's no sign that that's going to change. The damage is real. That underinvestment, those false promises, are real.

But we in Wales have learned time and again to treat such promises from Westminster with caution. We have earned the right to be sceptical because we've been let down too many times. We remember the commitment to electrify the Cardiff to Swansea main line—dropped overnight. We remember the pledge to upgrade the north Wales main line—allowed to fade away without explanation. We remember Labour's promise to reverse the injustice of the high speed 2 line, only for it to evaporate as quickly as Labour got the keys to Downing Street. I don't know how the Secretary of State for Wales can justify that u-turn.

Peredur, too, outlined—and I hope Sam will be listening now, because I will repeat it for his benefit—the transferring of the core Valleys line to the Welsh Government in 2020, but without the corresponding adjustments to the block grant. Hence why respected experts such as Professor Mark Barry referred to the devolution of the core Valleys line in inverted commas. Why are we treated differently to both Scotland and Northern Ireland?

And when it comes to this latest announcement, when we scrutinise the detail, the numbers simply do not add up. And I'd be grateful if the Cabinet Secretary would outline in his response how the figure was calculated. And of the headline £14 billion being touted, only £445 million relates to the current spending review period, and even that is spread thinly over a decade. For context, Wales needs around £250 million every year simply to keep pace with England's rail investment. There has been no clear explanation of when any additional money will be released, what it will fund or how these projects will move beyond the page into delivery stages and, more importantly, delivered.

Most of the so-called investment is hypothetical, resting on decisions a future UK Government has yet to make. Hope is not a funding strategy. What is particularly concerning is the sudden willingness of Welsh Ministers to accept these announcements at face value and present them jointly to the people of Wales. In the past, the Welsh Government was vocal about the systematic underfunding of Wales's rail network. Their own 2020 analysis exposed that Wales had been short-changed by billions since devolution. Yet when calls were made last year for an updated assessment, reflecting continued inaction, those calls were ignored. Instead, scepticism has been replaced by political cheerleading.

If we want to understand the UK Government's real attitude towards rail investment in Wales, we need only to look at the facts. Wales's transport comparability factor has fallen further under Labour, reducing the share of transport spending recognised as applicable to Wales. The injustice of HS2 has been repeated with the reclassification of the Oxford to Cambridge east-west line, and our already limited capital budget is projected to shrink throughout this spending period, making large-scale infrastructure delivery even harder. The Welsh Government cannot credibly claim a victory when the fundamentals remain unchanged. Warm words will not rebuild lines, modernise stations or deliver the rail network Wales deserves. The people of Wales will not be fooled.

Until firm, funded commitments are in place, commitments that address historic underinvestment rather than rebranding old money, the UK Government announcement will join a long list of broken promises. Wales needs more than slogans. We need honesty, clarity and a genuine strategy for rail investment. IOUs are meaningless. And if it were a Conservative Government doing this, I know the Government's response would be very different. We deserve honesty from our own Government. The people of Wales deserve honesty. Can we have some from the Cabinet Secretary?

Jenny Rathbone (Labour, Cardiff Central)

Thank you to Plaid for bringing this debate, because we definitely need to understand a bit better exactly what money is on the table and what isn't. So, I do congratulate Eluned Morgan and the Cabinet Secretary for transport on putting together a package that appears to be going in the right direction. You know, £14 billion has been promised for Wales, but we now need to unravel exactly—[Interruption.] Yes.

Rhun ap Iorwerth (Plaid Cymru, Ynys Môn)

Fourteen billion pounds has not been promised to Wales. This is a list of projects that need to be done in Wales. I agree, you could add to it, but there is no promise of money to Wales.

Jenny Rathbone (Labour, Cardiff Central)

Thank you. Thank you for that clarification. But in the short term, what we have is a commitment to push ahead with the south Wales metro lines that are incomplete at the moment. For my constituents, that is incredibly important, because at the moment there are just far too many people commuting into Cardiff by car because the opportunities to go by train simply don't exist at the moment. So, I'd like to think that the argument over funding has been resolved, but, clearly, we have to be looking at the detail, because my constituents have long-standing memories about past promises that have never been delivered. The electrification of the line to Swansea is one of them, which has impact on my constituents, because it means that the trains that arrive from London to Cardiff, in order to go on to Swansea and beyond, have to then move on to diesel, which means a massive injection of pollution into the air, which is particularly damaging for the people who live around Cardiff Central station.

So, what exactly does it mean for my constituents? My top priority has always been the upgrade of the south Wales line running east of Cardiff to the English border, because that is what enables us to ensure that we can get people out of their cars and onto the trains. Lots of other people like to talk about stations, but, frankly, the bit that will only ever be done by the public sector is the upgrading of the lines, because that is not the sexy bit. The stations are important too, because people have got to get on and off them safely, but I wasn't particularly happy about the creaming off of £155 million for the facelift on Cardiff Central station, and I represent Cardiff Central. So, we had this conversation with the Cardiff capital region, because it doesn't appear to be any benefit to the actual running of the transport system. It just appears to be an additional retail opportunity, which didn't make sense to me.

So, the top priority is definitely, for me, the south Wales relief lines, and I have asked for some detail on exactly what work is beginning and why hasn't it happened already yesterday. So, I'm told that the development work will start in April, with demand forecast, design timelines, materials they'll need to use, how they're going to build it, how they're going to manage the demand for the lines while they're being worked on, and, obviously, how they'll procure the project for the work to be done. However, I don't understand why that work can't be going on now, because that is a core job of Network Rail. They've done it before, it's tried and tested, they know what needs doing, and they know the companies out there who are capable of doing it. So, I'm frustrated, as it's going to take several months, at least, to get to the point where they even commence procurement and, for me, it's get-on-with-it time.

So, I'm told that that work is relatively straightforward and can be completed fairly quickly. However, there is a shortfall. Given that we've lost £145 million of the original £445 million, we only have £300 million from the comprehensive spending review to play with. According to Mark Barry, it will cost £600 million to £700 million to actually complete this work. So, we know what's happened in the past, because the Welsh Government funded most of the south Wales Valleys lines from its block grant, which means money that could otherwise have been spent on other things, and has indeed offered to contribute more so that we could start further projects now. So, that becomes, for me, a really serious issue. We say we're going to make progress and there's an awful lot of other things to make the south Wales metro function correctly, which isn't even mentioned in this. Crwys Road station would be an additional thing I would like to see, and the Coryton line running from Cardiff Bay up to Coryton would obviously make it a lot easier for people to come into the bay to work, or for other people to go up to Coryton to relocate their businesses. So, there's a lot that we don't know and we really do need to ensure that there's some clarity over the funding, so that we're not leading people up the garden path.

Cefin Campbell (Plaid Cymru, Mid and West Wales)

I wholeheartedly agree with the points that have been made by my colleagues in this debate. Quite simply, this is a headline figure that has no funding commitment behind it at all. But I want to focus on one issue in particular, and that is connectivity within Wales and within my region. We are once again seeing rural Wales and my region being left on the margins, because when we examine UK Government's funding announcements, one thing becomes immediately clear: west Wales is once again largely excluded. The UK Government spending review announced no rail funding for Wales further west than Cardiff or Deeside—not Swansea, not Carmarthen, not Aberystwyth, not Bangor, not Holyhead.

There are a number of examples in my region where investment is needed, such as a west Wales metro and direct railway links from Ammanford to Swansea. Instead, we are left disconnected. And these initiatives and the need for improvements on the Cambrian line and the development of a new St Clears station are identified in Transport for Wales's plan. However, with no clear funding to support these infrastructure projects, this will raise false hopes, create uncertainty for the local economy and ultimately result in broken promises.

And even when we look at the broader set of unfunded projects from the 'Today, Tomorrow, Together' plan, the emphasis too often appears to be on cross-border connectivity, strengthening links to English cities rather than improving connectivity within Wales. Let me put this into perspective. In the 'Today, Tomorrow, Together' plan, Aberystwyth is mentioned twice, Bangor four times, Carmarthen four times, London is mentioned four times, Bristol four times, Manchester four times, and Liverpool 26 times. The reality is that we don't control the levers that matter most, and we can't guarantee that investment decisions reflect Wales's national interests rather than Westminster's political priorities.

Cefin Campbell (Plaid Cymru, Mid and West Wales)

It's right, therefore, Llywydd, that we question a strategy that prioritises links with major English cities, while communities in Wales face poor, slow, infrequent and unreliable services. I wonder, even if this programme is ever delivered in full, whether the Government could tell us that there would be improvements made to journey times between, for example, Swansea, Carmarthen and Aberystwyth? What reduction would there be in travel time for passengers travelling between Cardiff and Holyhead, for example? How much quicker would services become between Bangor and Porthmadog?

Because for people living in rural areas and into west Wales, that is the test—not how quickly you can get to Manchester, but how easily one can travel from north to south and from east to west in our own country. And for too long, the rail infrastructure has reflected an economic model that draws economic activity over the border, rather than that investment strengthening the economy within Wales itself. If we are serious about seeing economic development taking place, rural regeneration and decarbonisation, then we must invest in improving connectivity within Wales.

And to conclude, Wales therefore needs more than warm words. We need a Government that is willing to stand up for Wales and demand what we are owed.

Carolyn Thomas (Labour, North Wales)

My contribution today focuses on the rail network in north Wales, mainly. It was extremely welcome to hear the announcement of the £14 billion generational investment in Welsh rail, a commitment to development—

Rhun ap Iorwerth (Plaid Cymru, Ynys Môn)

Will you take an intervention?

Carolyn Thomas (Labour, North Wales)

Yes, I will.

Rhun ap Iorwerth (Plaid Cymru, Ynys Môn)

Does the Member accept that there is no announcement of a £14 billion investment in rail in Wales?

Carolyn Thomas (Labour, North Wales)

There was an announcement of a £14 billion generational investment in Welsh rail. It was a commitment developed over the past two years by the Cabinet Secretary, Ken Skates, and significant enough to be required to be signed off by the Prime Minister, as it was. The First Minister rightly demanded fair funding for Wales, and that determination was delivered, and has been delivered by the Prime Minister. [Interruption.] I took one before. Let me make—[Interruption.] This announcement sits—. Let me make progress. This announcement sits alongside the publication of Transport for Wales's rail plan, ‘Today, Tomorrow, Together’, which clearly sets out where investment will take place and provides indicative costs, including for the electrification of the north Wales main line, which was mentioned earlier. The network north Wales programme also outlines delivery timelines and, in short, we now have a pipeline of projects, timetables, secured funding and work already under way.

Cross-border connectivity must always be central to our planning. Much of our transport network runs west to east, connecting communities with Chester, Liverpool and Manchester. Whether road, bus or rail, we must continue working closely with neighbouring authorities and Governments. Where initiatives such as care caps or concessionary passes are introduced, they must operate seamlessly across the border.

Unlocking capacity at Chester is crucial to improving services right across north Wales. It is also an important training hub for Transport for Wales drivers, and I'm pleased that improvements there are included in this programme. In Holyhead, a new £10.5 million automatic train wheel lathe facility opened last October. This allows on-site reprofiling of worn wheels, significantly reducing the need to send trains to Cardiff, improving fleet reliability and lowering maintenance costs. Safety improvements are also progressing as services become more frequent and faster, dangerous level crossings are being closed and replaced with safer alternatives, including bridges. At Shotton, a long-awaited bridge connecting the two lines will be delivered over the next few years, a major priority for the area, joining up those two lines. At Padeswood, work is already beginning to remove freight bottlenecks by enabling trains to shunt clear of the main line more efficiently, and effectively freeing up capacity for additional passenger services. Improvements at Buckley station, including enhanced safety measures, will support increased service capacity and will be delivered soon.

Tap on, tap off ticketing will be introduced across north Wales this year, making rail travel simpler and more accessible by allowing passengers to just turn up and pay as they go. I've long campaigned, alongside Ken Skates, for a station at Deeside industrial park. Thanks to this new funding, that ambition is becoming a reality, with a trial modular station set to be delivered rapidly.

It’s important to remember that many of these improvements were twice denied under previous UK Conservative Governments through the levelling-up funding. While electrification of the north Wales line was announced, no funding was ever allocated, and no mention of the priority schemes that had to be done first. Those are happening, in the pipeline.

Sioned Williams (Plaid Cymru, South Wales West)

Will you take an intervention?

Carolyn Thomas (Labour, North Wales)

I was—. Yes.

Sioned Williams (Plaid Cymru, South Wales West)

Yes, you quite rightly criticise that no funding was allocated for the north Wales electrification, but no funding has either been allocated for this, for the Transport for Wales plan. It is not in any Treasury budget line. We didn’t hear anything about it in the spring statement. Do you accept that it is the same kind of promise?

Carolyn Thomas (Labour, North Wales)

I do not. I do not. There's a pipeline of schemes that they are working through. They've started on them already—[Interruption.] They have started on the schemes already. Sorry, I shouldn’t respond in a conversation. I must remember that. But there are—

Elin Jones (Plaid Cymru, Ceredigion)

I would ignore them if I were you, and carry on with your contribution.

Carolyn Thomas (Labour, North Wales)

I was really keen—[Interruption.] I was really keen in my contribution to outline the schemes that are already being done now and the pipeline before electrification can take place. It is a generational amount of funding that needs to be there, worked through one at a time. Over the past decade, Wales has built this home-grown capacity. I was pleased to see presentations from Flintshire County Council and Transport for Wales, both of which have dedicated officers now focused on delivering network north Wales. As well as having the UK spending review funding, they're also using the investment zone funding and also the local growth deal, which is really important as well. Wales has built home-grown capacity, capability and expertise to deliver these transformational transport projects, and I'm so pleased that there's now a dedicated officer from Transport for Wales to deliver in north Wales.

The Welsh Government has made transport a priority, and now, with a UK Labour Government in place, we have the opportunity to move forward at pace and turn these plans into lasting delivery for the people of Wales. In Wales, we have protected and made sure that we keep guards in place, that we have passenger companions and that we haven't closed any stations. Transport is always a priority. Thank you, Llywydd.

Jane Dodds (Liberal Democrat, Mid and West Wales)

There is befuddlement and confusion at large. We've heard talk of the £14 billion for rail in Wales. It does sound impressive, but beyond the £400 million already announced in last summer's spending review, funding meant to last until 2030, much of that figure is actually not in place. We deserve clarity about when the funding will arrive and what it will actually deliver, and I feel that that is what the focus of this debate is about today.

For Wales, we have been systematically short-changed on rail funding. We know that major projects based entirely in England have been labelled 'England and Wales', and we've lost out as a result. It feels like we should accept that and be absolutely clear with our communities that that is not acceptable.

The Welsh Liberal Democrats in Parliament have tabled an amendment to the UK Government's Railways Bill to fully devolve rail powers to Wales, putting us on the same footing as Scotland. The amendment would remove rail infrastructure from the list of powers reserved to Westminster and require the transfer of responsibility for rail infrastructure, services and funding to Welsh Ministers within two years. It would mean Wales could plan, fund and deliver its own rail network properly and stop relying on warm words from Whitehall. So, I would like to hear from the Cabinet Secretary: will he publicly place on record his request that Welsh Labour MPs at Westminster back that amendment to fully devolve rail powers to Wales, so that we have the same control over our railways as does Scotland?

Like Cefin, I represent a very rural area and we are incredibly short-changed, but we have one good example in the Heart of Wales line, which most certainly needs more funding. I was pleased when I got an extra—just one extra—a fifth service. That's all—five services a day coming through. And I want to be more ambitious and to go for eight trains a day, because five trains is simply not enough for our young people to go to college, for people to go to work, for our tourists to come in and out. It is simply unacceptable for a rural area such as ours. So, I'm asking the Cabinet Secretary: would he work with Transport for Wales to secure those eight services a day?

Just to finish, apart from my opening phrase about the befuddlement and confusion, I think we deserve in this Siambr to be absolutely clear what the funding situation is. Our understanding is that there is, and has been, underfunding of the Welsh rail network. We are the poor cousins left behind, picking up the crumbs from underneath the table, and that is not acceptable. Diolch yn fawr iawn.

Lindsay Whittle (Plaid Cymru, Caerphilly)

In 1968, I was 15. I sat in a room of over 800 people and I listened to Gwynfor Evans, the grandfather of our very own Mabon ap Gwynfor, demanding the electrification of railways in Wales. That same 15-year-old in two weeks turns 73, so you may understand why I have little confidence in successive Westminster Governments delivering for my country. When we talk about devolution, in particular the core Valleys lines in 2020, we have to ask ourselves a very simple, honest question: can we truly call it devolution if the cheque book didn't follow down the tracks? In Scotland and Northern Ireland, when rail infrastructure was devolved, the funding arrangements were modified to match; they got the powers and the pounds. But, here in Wales, we were handed the responsibility, told to get on with it and then forced to cannibalise our existing budget to pay for it. You've heard this three times in this debate. Professor Mark Barry rightly puts 'devolution' in inverted commas when talking about the core Valleys lines. It deserves repeating three times, because it hammers the message home: it's a devolution in name, but a drain in practice. Every penny we have to divert to prop up underfunded rail infrastructure is a penny taken away from schools in my constituency in Caerphilly or a hospital wing in any hospital across the whole of Wales.

I am certain that the Cabinet Secretary will stand up today and boast about the £48 million announced in the spending review. Look, we never turn our noses up at extra funding in Wales—of course we don't—but let's look at the fine print, the part, of course, that the Labour Government seems to have conveniently forgotten how to read since the general election. That investment is spread over 10 years. It's worth repeating: 10 years. It's a fact that Wales needs £250 million extra every single year just to reach parity with England. It's a fact that this top-up is a drop in the ocean. It's a fact that it's a sticking plaster on a gaping wound caused by Westminster's systematic underfunding. The reality is this: we wouldn't need these one-off gifts if the UK Government had adjusted the block grant fairly in the first place.

What I find most telling, Llywydd, is the sudden outbreak of silence from the front bench. When the Cabinet Secretary held this brief previously, chwarae teg, he was vocal about the unfairness of this transfer. He knew then, as we know now, that Wales was being short changed. Yet, today, the Welsh Government seems to have developed a case of political amnesia now that their own party holds the keys to No. 10. If the Conservatives were still in power—

Elin Jones (Plaid Cymru, Ceredigion)

Are you giving way, Lindsay?

Lindsay Whittle (Plaid Cymru, Caerphilly)

Sorry. I didn't hear. Sorry, Carolyn, I didn't see you.