Questions to the party spokespeople now. Spokesperson for the Welsh Conservatives, Mark Isherwood.

Diolch, Lywydd. Last Friday, I spoke at the Meaningful Change conference in Llanrwst in north Wales, organised by the Co-production Network for Wales, which focused, amongst other things, on learning about inspirational examples where co-production has been effectively adopted and discussed ways in which we can increasingly involve people in the design and delivery of services in accordance with the Wales well-being goals. Given the figures from the End Child Poverty Coalition last week that 28 per cent of children in Wales are living in poverty—that is still the highest amongst the UK nations—how do you feel or what consideration have you given to an application of co-production principles to help you to tackle that, as you take forward new models for tackling poverty in Wales?

I think it’s a fair question from the Member; I think it’s just about the use of language. I think what we’ve actually done in Government is legislate for this in terms of the well-being of future generations Act. Forty-four public bodies now are being enabled to deliver on the five principles of the Act, where intervention and engagement are part of that process. So, the Member uses the term ‘co-production’, but I don’t think it’s far away from the principles of the WFG Act, which was legislated for last year.

I hope you’ll agree with me that actually it’s not just not far away, but core to it, because last week’s Future Generations Commissioner for Wales ‘Talking Future Generations’ report gave many examples from stakeholder group meetings across the length and breadth of north Wales, including north-east Wales, where we both live, and she said that there’s a

‘Need for change in cultural thinking within public bodies, making changes real…empowering local decision making, demonstrating leadership and appetite for delivery, overcoming institutional inertia’, and then specifically saying

‘This…needs to be co-produced, taking into account community engagement, power sharing and sharing. Everyone has expertise.’

Do you agree with the commissioner?

I don’t disagree with the commissioner; I think it’s the use of language. As I explained earlier, I think the commissioner’s role as WFG commissioner is typical of the way we’ve embedded policy development in this organisation and the other public bodies that she also holds to account.

Thank you. Clearly, it is language, but this is a global movement with a global term, to which hundreds of organisations across Wales have now signed up. So, finally, you may have heard me—I think you did yesterday—refer to a report sent to me by the North Wales Women’s Centre, ‘Leading change: the role of local authorities in supporting women with multiple needs’, and although an England report, they referred to the information being applicable to our aims and joint working in Wales. This, again, states that meeting women’s needs should

‘be complemented by working with them to develop their own strengths and to build resilience—an approach sometimes referred to as “asset based”…places emphasis on a person’s strengths rather than on their “deficits” ’.

That is, the core principle at the core of co-production. How, therefore, do you respond to that and to their statement that seeking to identify and address unmet needs in young women, applied properly, would lead to

‘how many fewer women might be in abusive relationships if young women developed resilience and self-esteem through projects such as this; and how many fewer children would be involved in child protection proceedings or in local authority care if young women were supported in their own right and not just in relation to parenting abilities/capabilities’?

That is, turning it upside-down and applying co-production principles.

I agree with the principle of the organisation and what they’re trying to set out, but I have a duty to make sure that we have consistency across all of Wales. That’s why we recently announced the issue around resilient communities and what they look like. Engagement is a key part of that, making sure that we understand from stakeholders and service users about their real-life experiences. That’s why I’ll be seeking to invest in an ACEs hub, which will start to understand how we make early interventions and prevention for the very issues the Member raises with me in the Chamber today.

The Plaid Cymru spokesperson, Bethan Jenkins. 

Thanks. My first question is to concentrate on Rent Smart Wales and the ongoing publicity now that the registration is coming to an end. We’ve seen that there’s been a final burst of publicity, which might cause problems with the administration processes in handling a high volume of applications, including those who opt to do the training online. Will there be enforcement action against those who try to register before the deadline but then don’t complete the process until afterwards?

Anybody who has been active in the way of engagement in terms of seeking to register will not be the first port of call for any enforcement action.

Thank you for that. A recent court case about the legislation found that there are only nine enforcement officers employed by Rent Smart Wales. Will you commit to urgently publishing details of how you will be implementing the new legislation, and would you agree with me that there should be extra resources given to Rent Smart to enforce the law, ensuring it focuses on rogue landlords?

I think the Member is right to raise the issue—not particularly about Rent Smart Wales and process, but actually the reason why we introduced this in the first place, and the Member is right in raising the issue about rogue landlords. What we do know is that there are many good landlords in the system, but there are far too many rogue landlords. It is disappointing, but not unexpected. The deadline date is upon us in terms of Rent Smart Wales, and there is a rush to register. I understand that, but there’s been a long lead-in time for people to register in that process. I said earlier on we won’t be seeking anybody who is proactively looking to have registered or has, through no fault of their own, been unable to register and can evidence that, but what we are keen to do is make sure that, once we’ve got the registration profile in place, then we look at the people who haven’t engaged in the process to make sure that we are able to start enforcing the legislation. I’m confident that the local authorities are in a position to be able to do that, but it’s early days in the system.

Thank you, and I’ll obviously want to track progress on that particular issue.

My third and final question is: obviously, you will know I met your officials last week with regard to financial inclusion. The Money Advice Service report out this week shows that two thirds of 16 to 17-year-olds cannot read a payslip, while a third have never put money into an actual bank account. Now, this report is very worrying, especially at an age when children are potentially leaving their homes to seek higher education elsewhere. Has the Welsh Government compared the cost of providing financial inclusion to adults in the community against providing it to young people in schools, and is the approach that the Welsh Government is taking to teaching financial education sufficient to provide them with the skills that they need as adults? I have recently written to the education Minister with regard to the work stream with regard to financial education, but I think it’s urgently now in need of progress to ensure that our young people are leaving schools with those key life skills.

I think the Member has continued on her plight to ensure that we get the best outcome for young people in terms of financial literacy. It’s a conversation I’m grateful she’s able to have with my officials. I saw the minutes of the meeting that she had this week, and I would urge her to continue those discussions with my team and that of the education Minister to see how we can get a better offer for young people and, indeed, adults that are in need of financial literacy, and it becomes the norm, as opposed to an add-on.

UKIP spokesperson, Michelle Brown.

Thank you, Presiding Officer. Will the Cabinet Secretary make a statement about mental health provision for young people In north Wales, please?

Mental health provision in north Wales is still a position that we continue to support. There is a fine facility in Darren Millar’s constituency, and it’s something that we recognise in that there are pressures in the system, but it’s an important one that we must continue to help.

Okay, thank you. This year, the Children, Young People and Education Committee held a follow-up inquiry into adoption services in Wales. Whilst progress has been made in setting up a national adoption service in Wales, evidence from the casework has indicated that access to post-adoption support and life-story work remains inconsistent across Wales. Can the Cabinet Secretary make a statement on adoption services support in Wales and how you’re going to improve coverage, please?

Well, I think we’ve done—the previous Government and the Ministers involved in the creating of the National Adoption Service did a great job, and I think what we are learning continuously is about where there are pressures within a system that we either have not recognised, or they’re new to the system. I will take into consideration her question, and will issue a written statement on the position of the National Adoption Service in the near future.

Thank you very much, Cabinet Secretary. And my last question is: can you make a statement about school transport arrangements in Wales, with particular regard to the closure of John Summers High School in Deeside?

That would be referred to Ken Skates, in order—. He’s the Minister for transport, and the Member may wish to write to the Member.