I’d like to thank the Cabinet Secretary for his statement this afternoon. I should also say that I’ve had a lot of positive feedback about the bus summit as well, which was held last month. I am grateful as well that the Cabinet Secretary extended the invitation to Assembly Members to also attend that event.

I’m sure you’ll agree with me, Cabinet Secretary, that the long-term stability and continuity of funding support from the Welsh Government is absolutely crucial to help the industry to plan ahead in providing services and ensure continued investment. You referred to the need to develop funding solutions that offer greater stability to the bus industry. Therefore, I would be grateful if you could outline whether the merits of introducing a multi-year funding agreement will be considered to provide, of course, the certainty for operators to plan and invest in their services, rather than funding on a year-by-year basis.

You also mentioned in your statement, just for clarity, that public sector investment in our public transport network is in the region of £0.5 billion annually. Can I just check, because this is a statement on buses: is that all for buses? Can I just check that as well? Also, could I ask: how are you looking to tackle the ongoing issue of late payments from the Welsh Government to bus operators, which causes problems specifically for smaller and independent operators? I hope you would agree that this isn’t acceptable and must be addressed.

In your statement, you also recognise that there has been, historically, a lack of integration between bus services and other local public services. I’m pleased you’ve mentioned that. I’ve had quite a bit of casework on that very issue in regard to the lack of integration between bus and train timetables, which has been an issue, I think, that does require some improvement. So, I would be grateful for any more information on what the Welsh Government is doing to deliver a more integrated transport system in that regard.

It’s previously been proposed that franchising could be introduced. Now, this suggestion isn’t in your statement, so can you confirm whether this is a consideration as part of the consultation, and will you outline what representations you have received so far from the industry in response to this suggestion?

With regard to improving passenger experience, it is clear that the availability and frequency of regular bus services is a major issue within many areas of Wales. Having irregular bus services in operation clearly discourages local residents from using bus services on a regular basis. So, can I ask what steps you will be taking to provide a more frequent and reliable bus service that residents can trust?

You also said in your statement that you have an aim to increase the number of people using buses for their daily transport needs, but there is still a cultural perception that buses are not a viable mode of transport for all. I’m not sure if you agree with that or not, but that’s my perspective. And this is demonstrated by the fact that you only managed to attract just 10 per cent of eligible young people to apply for the Welsh Government’s mytravelpass scheme. So, I’ll ask what specific measures you will take to incentivise more people to make the change from other forms of transport to buses through measures such as smart ticketing. Can I also ask you to commit to properly advertising the mytravelpass scheme to young people in Wales? You refer to the role of the bus operators in south-east Wales and north-east Wales metro transport systems; will the metro projects aim to incorporate or replace the small coach businesses currently in operation when they are implemented?

Finally, I would be grateful if you could provide an assurance today that the formation of any future Welsh Government plans will be as a result of constructive and positive dialogue with representatives of the industry, operators and with local authorities?