Thank you very much. The debate started this afternoon with Neil Hamilton agreeing with much that is in the ‘Reaching the Million’ document. So, I don’t quite understand why we have to go after one aspect alone in the amendment that doesn’t genuinely contribute to the vision and leadership that we need in this area.

Suzy Davies emphasised the need to increase confidence, and I agree with you entirely on that. You asked for an explanation of the clause—yes, I agree with Adam—that is a little bit ambiguous, which is ‘sustainable current regimes and systems’. As Adam mentioned, it’s those heartlands, those Welsh-speaking areas where the Welsh language is the natural everyday language, and the need to maintain that network of communities through economic measures—that’s at the heart of that particular aspect.

Simon Thomas talked about the fact that the Welsh language is now very dependent on the world of education and that there are advantages in that, and that there are educational advantages to bilingualism. He spoke about the challenge facing local authorities and the need to set specific targets and milestones on the journey to creating 1 million Welsh speakers. He also talked about the importance of thinking about the workforce, and even though one in three teachers can speak Welsh, they’re not necessarily teaching through the medium of Welsh.

Jeremy Miles talked about the discussion in the committee, and I’m very grateful for the work that has been done by that particular committee and the recommendations in its report. He went on to talk about and agree with what Adam and I have been arguing for: that the prosperity of the Welsh language is intrinsically linked to the economic prosperity of the communities where there are many people who do speak Welsh, and the need for that emphasis to be made in the economic strategy—the long-awaited strategy—and that we hope it will include that particular aspect. Jeremy also talked about the need for the WESPs to be much more ambitious, and he spoke about the need to create demand as well as respond to it.

Adam then talked about our failure, if truth be told, to separate economic prosperity from linguistic prosperity, and that the economic foundation for the Welsh language is a historical thing that we can trace and that we need to maintain now. And as we look at the discussions with regard to local government reform, there’s an opportunity here to look at regionalisation, and that we don’t just regionalise across the north and around the city regions, but that we also, as a counterpoint to that, think about creating a region for the west that would work hand in hand with the city regions, and that would be some sort of forum of collaboration around the vital issues that do require collaboration with regard to the Welsh language. Adam spoke specifically about outward migration and reminded us of the Llwybro scheme and the need for the infrastructure to be far better connected between north and south and east and west in our nation, as well as out from our nation.

I also think that creating a forum, starting with the four councils—Anglesey, Gwynedd, Ceredigion and Carmarthenshire—where the Welsh language-speaking communities are particularly strong, would be a means of sharing the good practice that’s seen in some of those councils already with regard to the Welsh language. You only have to look at how the language policy in Gwynedd and the education policies in Gwynedd have succeeded in maintaining and safeguarding communities with a high percentage of Welsh speakers, and that that’s happening despite the decline in other areas.

Gareth Bennett said that he agrees with this need to maintain the heartlands in economic terms. Yes, that’s what we’re saying. But we’re also saying, hand in hand with maintaining the heartlands economically and creating prosperity in those areas, that we need to encourage growth across Wales. We wouldn’t say that we would want to go back to some bygone age. We need to expand across Wales as well, but without the heartlands, it’s difficult to do that. That’s what our argument is. But it gladdened my heart to see thousands of people in Tafwyl over the weekend, in the capital city, in Cardiff, enjoying the vibrant modern Welsh culture in a new context. So, the context is changing, people are moving around, and we need to acknowledge that as well.

Whilst Tafwyl was on in Cardiff, and one of my sons happened to be there, I was in the Felinheli Festival. Another event; a completely different event; a Welsh-medium event, again, but it was a village event, in the area where the Welsh language is the daily language in the shop and on the street.