We’ve talked a lot about economic strategy this afternoon, and I wish the Cabinet Secretary well in developing a new economic strategy for the Welsh Government. I think we are in uniquely challenging times, and I think it’s a timely moment to look at the economic strategy generally. So, I wish him well in that, and I commend him, actually, for seeking input from the people of Wales on their economic priorities for the future. I know that there is a school of thought that prefers economic strategy with declamatory statements of certainty, but I think we are not in that territory in the world at the moment. And I know, from conversations across the house, that many of us will be looking to have consultations in our constituencies about those priorities to feed into that strategy, and I think that is a positive thing for us all.

On the question of inward investment, I’ll echo what has been said many times by the Cabinet Secretary and the First Minister about selling Wales to the world. Obviously, it’s essential for us at this time to be communicating that we’re an open, trading, outward-looking economy, and that is absolutely fundamental to the success of the economy in future. Clearly, how that pans out will depend on the relationship we ultimately have with the European single market. But I just want to say that, in addition to that focus on inward Investment, I think we also need to look at the support we give to our foundational economies in Wales—those sectors where demand is growing, which are located in our communities, which are less internationally mobile, maybe, and which offer and can continue to offer employment to many, many thousands of people in our communities, if you’ll forgive my obsession with jobs for the moment. Those sectors are care, housing, energy and food. I think we also need to make sure that our policy addresses the needs of those sectors. That will require concrete choices in policy terms in the months ahead. For example, how do we fund some of those 100,000 apprenticeships that we’re looking at? For what sectors are we going to target that support? So, there are genuine policy questions around that.

I’d also endorse the work that’s underway in relation to the national infrastructure commission. It seems to me that one of the important things in the post-Brexit world that we’re heading towards is that we draw inspiration and, indeed, draw comparison with countries not just in Europe, but beyond Europe as well. So, I would hope that the Cabinet Secretary would consider pointing to that commission individuals with substantial experience of infrastructure, not just in the UK and not just in Europe, even, but beyond that as well.

I just want to say one final thing, which is about the support—. Many people who supported Brexit will have done so with the opportunity in mind to cut back on some of the valuable workplace rights that we have by virtue of our membership of the European Union. The European Union is a source of many rights that workers in Wales regard as absolutely fundamental. They’re a platform for modern work practice, for supporting family life, for clamping down on discrimination and I hope that we don’t see across the UK a pressure to move away from a settlement that protects the Welsh workforce and I hope and expect the Welsh Government will advocate a post-Brexit economy, if you like, which has a skilled, productive workforce at its heart.