9. Will the First Minister make a statement on local authority-managed car parks in Wales? OAQ51390

Yes. Local authority-managed car parks in Wales are managed by local authorities. [Laughter.]

I thank the First Minister for that illuminating response. It was recently revealed, following a freedom of information request to all local authorities by the BBC, that councils are making hundreds of thousands of pounds a year out of pay-and-display parking machines that don't give change. Only six of the 22 local authorities were able to provide the information, but, for them, this amounted to £650,000 over three years. Is this not an abuse, and should not these profits go back into the development of car parks or related services to improve parking facilities in towns? At the minute, there is no statutory requirement for local authorities to do that, but where profits are being made in this way, so that they're not just going to be a rip-off on the motorist, shouldn't the money be used for related purposes?

Well, there are three things. I think, first of all, technology has progressed to the point where any new machines should be not just coin machines, but machines where people can use apps to park, or, indeed, machines where people can use their card to pay. Now, I'm fortunate to live in a very progressive Labour-controlled authority in Bridgend where that is possible in the car parks, and indeed, they have a policy where parking is free in a multi-storey for the first two hours, showing that they deliver for the people of Bridgend. Bear in mind, of course, that any money raised from car parking does go back into local authority coffers for the benefit of the local community. But I do take the point: I do believe that, as new machines are replaced, they should offer people the option of a number of ways to pay, whether it’s by phone, by app or by chip and pin.

Finally, question 10, Jayne Bryant.