Part of 1. Questions to the First Minister – in the Senedd at 2:12 pm on 8 May 2018.
Diolch yn fawr, Llywydd. I'm obviously in your good books this afternoon, and long may it continue. [Laughter.] First Minister, Cynon Valley is the third least economically active constituency in Wales, and we know the association between economic activity and prosperity. The main reason that people remain economically inactive, when they could, actually, for health reasons, be fit enough for work, is that they don't have the basic skills to enter the job market, as it changes rapidly. Therefore, investment in basic skills is as important as driving towards the great knowledge-based economy, which, of course, we also want to see in Wales. These programmes are what we really need in areas like Cynon Valley.