Can I also thank the Cabinet Secretary for her statement? I think it is disappointing, of course, that the announcement was made to the media yesterday rather than in this Chamber. But we are having a statement today, and at least that gives us an opportunity to ask you some questions about the plans that you have announced. I want to welcome the establishment of the endowment. It is a key recommendation that has been taken forward and I think it’s important that we put on record today the fact that, very often, we’re talking a lot about the STEM subjects—we’re talking about maths, we’re talking about English, we’re talking about science, we’re talking about Welsh—but we ignore the arts at our peril. I think it’s really important that we do more for the arts here in Wales, and that’s why I want this endowment fund to be a success and to grow. I wonder what discussions you have had with potential philanthropic sources to expand this fund rapidly, so that it can begin to get some cash out of the door and into people’s pockets, in order to support them in the development of the arts in their own lives.

I think, also, I am a little disappointed, or perhaps confused, as to the timing of the announcement, because of the ongoing work of the committee, which is looking at some of the aspects of music provision at the moment, and I think that, if we’re going to see a sort of joined-up working in this Assembly between the National Assembly and the Government, it is important that, sometimes, Ministers hold back from making announcements when there are useful discussions actually already taking place. I noted that, just a few weeks ago, in the culture committee, Dr Owain Arwel Hughes was talking about music, and he was saying that we're at this crisis point at the moment here in Wales, where investment is needed if we’re going to deliver the sorts of success that you mentioned we've had historically. Do you agree with Owain Arwel Hughes’s analysis that we are in a bit of a crisis when it comes to music education in Wales? I noted that the uptake of students taking music at GCSE and A-level, for example, seems to suggest that there has been an exodus from music examinations. We've seen a fall of 25 per cent in people taking music at GCSE, and 35 per cent taking music to A-level. Is that a concern to the Cabinet Secretary, and what action specifically will you take in order to address the decline that we've seen in people taking up music as a GCSE and to A-level?

Can you also tell us, in terms of the taking forward of those task and finish group recommendations, you mentioned in your response to Llŷr that many of those recommendations are the responsibility of local government. I appreciate and understand that that was the case, but, as has been the case on so many occasions here in the National Assembly, it often takes the leadership of the Welsh Government in order to realise those things, even when there are recommendations made to 22 different local authorities, all very often with different approaches to things. So, I wonder, are you going to show some leadership on this, not just in terms of establishing this fund, but in terms of taking forward your role in leadership across Wales in terms of education to make sure that music isn't overlooked in the future? And what discussion have you had with Professor Donaldson to ensure that music does feature within the new curriculum that is being developed? It's not been something that I've heard a great deal about in terms of the work of the pioneer schools, for example, but I'm sure that there is work going on and perhaps you can tell us a little bit about that.

You will know also that the culture committee's inquiry has been looking at examples in Scotland and England in terms of their music education provision, and that, in both of those nations, there's been an element of ring fencing of funding that has been made available to local education authorities, and that there has been some innovation in the way that musical instruments have been procured and that other services have been delivered via hubs coming together. I wonder what discussion you have had with colleagues, or your officials may have had with colleagues, over the border in England and up in Scotland, about those arrangements and what Wales might usefully learn from them. And can you also tell us what role the regional consortia might have in delivering improvements in music education and access to music education in the future? I didn't hear any reference to the regional consortia at all in your statement, and I think it is important that we understand what their role might be in future arrangements. So, perhaps you can just share a little bit about your thoughts on that. Thank you.