Diolch, Lywydd. Can I thank Members for their contributions today? As most speakers have noted eloquently, zero-hours contracts can place enormous pressure on individuals and their families. For those who earn a living on a zero-hours basis, the uncertainty, instability and insecurity under which they work can weigh very heavily on their lives.

I believe very firmly that organisations that rely on models of employment that pass risks on to individuals and their families in this way fail society and ultimately fail their own businesses as well, because people are what make a success of any enterprise, whether it’s a business in production or service, high-tech or administrative, or an organisation in the private or the public sectors. When individuals in any organisation or firm do not feel valued or respected, nobody wins—neither the individual nor the organisation.

As a Welsh Government, we have long recognised the pernicious effects of inappropriate use of zero-hours contracts. It is why we have committed in our programme for government to limiting the use of zero-hours contracts across Wales together with other bad employment practices. We work closely with our trade union partners in raising awareness of the very clear benefits of trade unions for both firms and their employees. For individuals, the benefit of trade union membership is collective strength in standing up against poor employment practice. For a company, effective relationships with employees through recognising a trade union leads to a much more productive workforce.

Public procurement policy is a significant lever for the Welsh Government as we try to recognise responsible and ethical employment practices from businesses that deliver contracts for the Welsh public sector. We have already led the way across the UK by introducing procurement policy that supports the Welsh public sector to address unacceptable employment practices such as blacklisting and the use of umbrella agencies.