8. What policy will the Welsh Government follow to encourage and support sporting success in Wales? OAQ(5)0596(FM)

Our policies on sport are set in the context of ‘Taking Wales Forward’ and the Well-being of Future Generations (Wales) Act 2015. Our investment in sport, via Sport Wales, focuses on encouraging participation amongst all ages and ensuring sporting infrastructure is in place so that talented sportsmen and sportswomen reach their potential.

I thank the First Minister for that answer. I believe it is really important, for reasons I think all Members here would recognise, First Minister, that we support sport and physical activity at an elite and grass-roots level in Wales. So, I would like to return briefly to Newport County’s success, because I believe it’s very important for both levels. We had a local boy, Michael Flynn, as manager, taking over the team 11 points adrift at the bottom of the table, near the end of the season, and completely turning it around with a dramatic winner in the eighty-ninth minute of the last match of the season to retain professional football for next season in Newport, showing the importance, I think, of local input into team, and of course it is a supporter’s trust.

We will now have Premier League funding for grass roots community and sports activity around football into the future—long into the future, I hope—and at the same time, we’ve seen Newport rugby club shareholders vote for a Welsh Rugby Union takeover, which will keep regional rugby in Newport, and also nurture the game at a local grass-roots level. So, I think professional sport and grass-roots sport are looking strong in Newport at the moment, First Minister, and I wonder if you would join me in paying tribute to all of those people involved in making that a reality, and particularly the grass-roots support.

Absolutely. I saw the scenes at the end of the game, the scenes of joy, when the second goal went in against Notts County. In fact, I tweeted at the time. I’m more than happy to congratulate Newport County. I think the Dragons have a bright future as well—they need more financial stability, but that seems to be coming together. I fully recognise the importance of sporting development. The national football centre is in Newport, of course; the Football Association of Wales over the past few years has been transformed as an organisation, and now has, of course, a training facility in place where there was none before. And, of course, in terms of the importance of individual physical activity, I know how important this is, and I know, indeed, that the Member for Newport East has spent the last 18 years telling me how important it is, and I have failed to follow his advice.