First of all, I thank the Member for her questions and her contribution today. I absolutely agree with the Member in terms of supporting volunteers across the length and breadth of the UK and Wales. In particular, I pay tribute to two of my good friends, Leanne and Bernie Attridge, who put the nets up at the local football club in rain or shine, and without them the game wouldn’t go on. So, a big thank you to people just like them. I think it is really important, no matter what they do, that there’s an action that helps community spirit and bond communities.

I will look very closely at the issue of sanctions. I think volunteering gives lots of people an opportunity who have been socially excluded, actually; it’s often an opportunity back into communities, and I think it would be something that I would be very concerned about if the DWP have a negative view on that. I will take that up and I will write to the Member following that conversation.

I can’t guarantee—I know the Member asked and rightly so, and she’s been lobbying—I can’t guarantee any long-term funding for managers in posts anywhere across my department. The reality is that finances are very challenging. But what I do acknowledge is the work that managers and organisations do in securing the bigger opportunity of training and support for volunteers on the ground. So, I am sympathetic, and I will do all I can, but I can’t promise the Member long-term funding in that guise.

Volunteering shouldn’t be an alternative to public services, but there is a balance in terms of her other point around asset transfer as well. What I’d like to see more is the partnership of public services working with the voluntary sector, and how can we secure sometimes some great assets in our communities, such as swimming baths. I know we’ve seen community groups taking over publicly owned swimming pools into their community, and they do a very good job of that as well, not-for-profit organisations. But this is about enablement, making sure that we can help support people who have the will and want to do this. How can we as Government and organisations help them have the confidence to make sure that they can make a real difference in their communities? We have so many volunteers, young and old, and I’m really impressed by the enthusiasm that our young volunteers bring to communities. I’ve seen some great projects already in a very short time in this portfolio now, but in my previous role, when I looked after volunteers before, I saw some great and incredible projects where young people were interacting with elderly people, and I think it breaks down some real significant barriers—the personal anxiety between the two groups can be dissolved by just sitting round with a cup of tea and talking about things collectively. So, I genuinely thank the volunteers across Wales and thank you for your contribution.