8. What progress is being made to encourage more young people to read? OAQ(5)0138(FM)

Thank you, Jayne. We recognise the importance of fostering a love of reading from an early age. Our national literacy and numeracy programme and its key policies, including the national literacy and numeracy framework and our grant-funded literacy interventions, support us in achieving this aim.

Thank you, Cabinet Secretary. The big challenge for teachers is not simply getting students to read, it's getting them to enjoy it, too. English literature can ignite lifelong passion for reading. With changes to the way literacy development is measured at key stage 4, it's vital that we ensure that pupils continue to take up English literature at GCSE level. As one of my constituents, Rajvi Glasbrook Griffiths, who is a teacher, recently wrote:

‘cultural literacy is one of the most powerful modes of social mobility and progress’.

With this in mind, what steps is the Welsh Government taking to ensure that teaching English and Welsh literature continues to play an important role in inspiring and nurturing booklovers of the future, particularly for those who don't have access to books at home?

Thank you for that. I am aware of concerns on the issue of literature in key stage 4 and that some schools have been lobbying for increased emphasis on literature in performance measures. I have already signalled that school accountability is being reviewed as part of our education reforms and our national mission to improve education standards. We introduced new programmes of study for both English and Welsh in 2015, which require all schools to teach both language and literature elements for all until the end of key stage 4. I am keeping under review entry into Welsh literature and English literature GCSEs, and I will also be asking Estyn to review school practice in the teaching of literature at both key stage 3 and key stage 4.

And finally, question 9—Lynne Neagle.