Oh, sorry, I can’t stop laughing.

6. Will the Minister provide an update on the Communities for Work programme? OAQ(5)0068(CC)

I thank the Member for South Wales West for her question. Communities for Work is operational across Wales. It plays a key role in supporting my commitment to increase employability as a route out of poverty. The programme is already making a real difference to people in our most deprived communities, supporting 5,630 people, of which 898 have entered direct employment.

Thank you for the answer. You came to the equalities committee, where I asked you some questions on this, and I would just like to have more information on the programme’s budget, how many staff it specifically employs through the budget from your department and how many people it has helped since its birth. Because, on the website, it says that a lot of this money comes from European funding, and I’d like to understand, when that funding comes to an end, how you will be able to progress with this particular programme, and also, if it is there to replace Communities First, how you, potentially, will expand on it, or if you will expand on it, if you think that this is the right scheme to go ahead with.

I think it would be fair just to clarify about the Communities First programme. I’ve not made a decision on that yet, as the Member well knows, and I’ve also not said that this programme is intended to replace a Communities First programme, albeit I have said, as long as we can maintain a programme in Lift and the Communities for Work programme, I will continue to do so, despite that being a 12-month budget round. But I am keen to pursue that for longer. I will give the Member a more detailed response on finance, and I’ll write to the Member, if I may, in terms of the breakdown between European funding and investment from Welsh Government. But, as I said, our overall target process—the milestone of providing 4,000 opportunities by the end of November is nearly complete, with 3,919 of those training programmes already being opportunities for individuals across Wales.

Can I thank the Cabinet Secretary for his answer, because I think I also have concerns over the future of this programme, and the Lift programme in particular, which helps people back into employment and targets deprived areas? I think he gave reassurances that they are there for the future. Can he also give assurances that, as he considers and deliberates on the consultation following his mind to end the Communities First programmes, how those will work in those areas, because they actually are focused upon Communities First and they are partly integrated with Communities First at this moment, so that we can ensure they go on beyond a possible end to Communities First?

Again, not to pre-empt my decision, of course, and I know the Member wasn’t intending to suggest that, I believe that the Lift programme and Communities for Work are doing a great job in our communities. I have asked my officials to discuss with the Welsh European Funding Office options to extend the Communities for Work programme beyond April 2018. I've asked them to submit advice to me on this and, again, as with Bethan Jenkins and yourself, I will keep you informed, and other Members, in the statement I’ll make in the new year.

Cabinet Secretary, we know that the major cause of poverty is economic inactivity, and this programme is aimed at helping those most distant from the labour market. They’ve either always been economically inactive or have been for a very long time, and aiming at low skills, aiming to get mentors who can talk to these people and inspire them and give them the confidence to go forward, and to give them that training in places where they will be comfortable to receive it—it’s not easy to go to an further education college if you feel intimidated by that sort of environment. But these programmes are heavily reliant on EU funding—£7 million in the latest round, and we must protect this funding. It must be given priority, as we plan for future budgets.

The Member is absolutely right, and I believe that, as I mentioned earlier in my contributions, the two areas of concentration for this Government have to be around economic regeneration and building the jobs, skills and opportunities and confidence for people to get into the market, to give them long-term stability. This programme, Communities for Work, and Lift are just one of the elements of the jigsaw, including the 100,000 all-age apprenticeships and the childcare pledge, which is a suite of tools to enable people to get back into the market. I certainly recognise the significant European investment. I’m grateful for the Member’s recognition also, and it will be useful to join forces when the exit programme from Europe comes about, to ensure that we are fully funded to an amount that does make a difference in all our communities that are represented here in Wales.