9. Will the First Minister make a statement on the importance of Welsh cities to the development of the economy? OAQ52034

Our 'Prosperity for All' strategy and the economic action plan do set out our actions for all parts of Wales to contribute to and benefit from economic growth. That obviously includes enabling our cities and large towns to be engines of growth that benefit their wider region.

First Minister, I agree with what you've hinted at there—that our cities are a great resource with regional and national responsibilities. But, as you will know, under the Planning (Wales) Act 2015, no regional planning schemes have yet come forward on a voluntary basis. I'm glad that you're going to consult on this and whether we need to take firmer action. I wonder whether you could give an indication of the Government's thinking.

Our thinking is that local authorities need to collaborate more in order to produce regional development plans. If that doesn't happen, then we will have to consider what steps to take next, but we'd encourage local authorities to do so. The reality is, of course, that political boundaries are completely ineffective when it comes to the way in which the economy works. The reality is that the economies of many local authorities are intertwined inextricably with Cardiff. I live 20 miles away from Cardiff, but I know that many, many, many people commute to Cardiff every day to work, and it acts—. Even though Bridgend has its own economy and its own employers, Cardiff still is an important source of work. I do think we do our public a disservice if local authorities simply see planning and the availability of housing purely as something that exists within their own boundaries. So, it is important that local authorities work together. If they don't do that, then clearly we'll have to take steps to make the planning system more effective.

And finally, question 10—Julie Morgan.