1. What assessment has the Counsel General made of the Welsh Government’s powers to encourage pay bargaining in Welsh workplaces? OAQ52276

The Member will be aware that the First Minister recently launched the Fair Work Commission, which builds on the work of the fair work board, which identified the right to be heard through participation in decision making in the workplace as a key principle. The work of the commission will build on that and will examine more closely the levers we have to deliver fair work in Wales.

Thank you for that answer, Counsel General. You'll know that the Wales TUC has asked our colleague Mick Antoniw—he has just gone—to chair a group looking at ways in which pay bargaining can be extended across the Welsh public sector and also in those sectors where companies receive grants from the Welsh Government. Given what you've just said, can you outline the support that the Welsh Government will be giving to explore these options with employers and trade unions?

I welcome the work of the Wales TUC in regard to this, and the work that they project with the former Counsel General Mick Antoniw. The Welsh Government works in partnership with the Wales TUC routinely in relation to our shared commitment to improve working conditions for the people of Wales, including in relation to access to work. She will have heard the statement that the leader of the house made yesterday in the Chamber, for example, in relation to the Better Jobs Closer to Home initiative, which shows what can be achieved by that sort of partnership working.

The fair work commission, which I mentioned, is due to report in spring next year, and will look at the consideration of the powers that Ministers have to develop fair work, including around pay progression in the workplace more broadly. I look forward to contributing to the work of the commission in relation to that. As Counsel General, it's part of my role to make sure that the Welsh Government always acts within its powers, but equally acts to the extent of its powers when it needs to do that to meet its policy objectives.

She'll be aware as well of the work being done in relation to ethical procurement across Government. All organisations in receipt of public funds are expected to sign up to the ethical procurement code of practice. And the Cabinet Secretary for economy has just been answering questions as part of his new initiative around the economic contract. Pay and participation and progression are key elements of that contract as part of the broader fair work agenda, and the work of the commission will be influencing that as well in due course.

The second question is from Bethan Sayed.