Thank you very much to Llyr. Llyr, all I can say is if you want to argue for larger classes alongside the Welsh Conservatives, that’s your prerogative; that’s not what this Government is about. You ask, ‘Why are you referring to an Estyn report in 2003?’ That’s the last time that Estyn did substantive work on this issue. But can I tell you, there have been a number of international studies carried out over a long period of time up until now—I’ll send you the details of the exact studies—and only three out of over 100 studies actually did not find the evidence? So, the overwhelming conclusive evidence from international studies is this makes a difference. I would say to the Member, examples of education systems that have undertaken class-size reductions and smaller class policies in recent years include Denmark, Finland, Israel, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Sweden, Tennessee in the United States, Wisconsin in the United States, California, Ontario province in Canada, as well as other parts. The examples of institutions that have produced positive research include universities across the world.

The Member said that the Liberal Democrats were in charge of education when we were in the coalition. I’m trying to remember back, but if my recollection is correct, we were never in charge. Arts, culture, libraries—yes. Economic development and rural affairs—yes. Actually, if I could remind the Member—and you can go back and have a look—there was indeed, as part of that coalition, an infant class size reduction policy that was pursued by that Government and there was dedicated funding that was made available by that coalition Government to implement that policy. What is perhaps more curious, Llyr, is what happened to the commitment in the One Wales Government, to which Simon Thomas was a special adviser—and you can look up the document on the internet—that said that that Government would reduce class sizes? I’d be quite interested to know what action actually happened in the One Wales Government. Hmm—maybe not so much.

The Member is quite right to quote the Liberal Democrat manifesto commitment at me, and, if he did it in full, he would know it said we would start with the largest classes first. I would love to reduce class sizes for all of our children, but I have to do that in the context of the budgets that are available to me, and the Member says I need to use best value for money and that is why we will target those classes where the evidence says it will make a difference. So, we will start with the largest classes first, and I will say quite clearly again, if I didn’t say it clearly enough: this money will be available for infant class sizes, because that’s where the evidence tells us, if we’re to get best value for money, then that’s where we need to target our support.

The Member is quite right to talk about sustainability; that’s why it’s mentioned in the statement. I don’t want to create problems for school budgets, and I’m sorry I did not answer Darren Millar’s question about what happens after four years. I don’t know what’ll happen at the end of this period of Government, in four years’ time. I can only talk about what this Government will do for the next four years. What happens after that will be the preserve of a different Government, a different education Minister—who knows? All I can do is talk about what I will do and what this Government will do while we’re in office. That’s why it is for four years. I can’t commit beyond that, because there’ll be an election and who knows what’ll happen after that?

The Member has asked about the £100 million; £6 million of this policy will come out of the additional £100 million that has been made available for school standards and the rest of the budget—the £30 million—will be out of the education budget that I am in charge of.