4. What further steps will the Welsh Government take to reduce health inequalities in Wales? OAQ51278

Thank you for the question. We are determined to do everything that we can to address the unacceptable inequalities in health outcomes between our least advantaged and our most advantaged communities. Reducing inequality is a central ambition of 'Prosperity for All', and that requires us to work in a more integrated and collaborative way within Government and with our partners, with a continued shift towards prevention.

Cabinet Secretary, this morning, a launch took place here of the University of South Wales's report on the social impact of problem gambling. It seems clear that this is increasingly becoming a public health issue affecting people's health and well-being. There are questions about the location of bookmakers and fixed-odds betting terminals in the most deprived areas geographically, and also the problems around online gambling. It does seem that the gambling industry is targeting the most vulnerable and the susceptibility of people who badly need a financial windfall, which of course they're very unlikely to get from gambling. In that sort of context, and referring back to what you said earlier in terms of working across Government, what action do you think you might be able to take in conjunction with Welsh Government colleagues to further examine and address these increasingly important issues?

Thank you for the follow-up question. I recognise the report that was launched this morning and I know that colleagues on the Labour backbenches, including Jayne Bryant, Jane Hutt and Mick Antoniw, were involved in funding that piece of research, which was actually a useful picture for us on the current picture here within Wales, [Inaudible.] broader, UK-wide picture. To be fair to my colleague the Member for Pontypridd, he's been interested in this area before coming into Government, during his time in Government and now as well, and there's a recognition that there's a real public health challenge here as well as the financial challenges that we face, and we should not expect the gambling—. We should not simply leave it to the gambling industry, I think, to behave responsibly, because not everybody does. There's concern not just about fixed-odds betting, but actually the ease with which gambling takes place, including online, where it's much more difficult to regulate behaviour.

There's also a challenge for us about the split in powers between ourselves and the UK Government. We continue to urge the UK Government to take a more realistic approach to this issue, to recognise damage being done within our communities and, in particular, that that damage is most strongly felt within our most deprived communities. So, we'll continue to do what we can do within this Government, bearing in mind the limitations on the powers that we have, but recognising the health impact and other impacts too. I have indicated to your colleague Jayne Bryant that I'd be happy for the backbench Members who sponsored that report to meet with relevant policy officials to have an understanding of the work that is already being done as we continue to address this problem issue that will not go away quickly.

Cabinet Secretary, a year on, the chief medical officer issued a report on the persistent and growing gap in life expectancy between those living in our most and least deprived communities in south-east Wales. He also commented on research by Public Health Wales that said that investing in the prevention of adverse childhood experiences, such as exposure to alcoholism and drug use, can reduce the number of smokers and drug users in the future, providing long-term health and cost benefits. What plans does the Welsh Government have to address the problem of adverse childhood experiences to reduce health inequalities in Wales, please? 

This is a significant policy priority for this Government. We've agreed between three different Government departments to fund an ACEs hub to try and understand the impact of stacked adverse childhood experiences on individuals and families in their communities. It isn't just a funding approach; it's a policy and action approach as well. It's why I'm proud that this Government has led the way on controls on tobacco, on trying to improve our smoking cessation services, and, indeed, there are the continued efforts of this Government to try and reduce harmful drinking with, as you know, the proposals this Government has to introduce a minimum unit price for alcohol.

But this is all tied up with a broader approach, and I think about the launch of the Living Well, Living Longer programme that took place in the local government Cabinet Secretary's constituency a few years ago. This is a programme that is bearing real results and shows a different way of trying to work alongside people, having a less medicalised approach in trying to encourage people who are at risk to attend a setting, often outside something like a GP practice, making good use of healthcare support workers, and that's showing a real benefit and identifying potential risks that people are carrying as well as identifying undiagnosed and uncontrolled ill health as well. So, there are a whole range of issues, and ACEs are one of them, in which we encourage people to take more control over their own lives and make different choices. There will not be a single intervention this Government can take, but a range of them and an understanding of not just what we choose to do, but how we help the public to make different choices for themselves to lead to better outcomes.

Question 5 [OAQ51282] was withdrawn. Question 6, Suzy Davies.