Can I thank the Minister for his statement today and for giving us an advance copy of it? Obesity, as we know, is a major public health challenge in Wales, and you've referred to a number of important statistics today and the impact that obesity can have on people's health, including, very importantly, their mental health and well-being.

We know that, back in 2017, Minister, the Welsh obesity alliance made 18 recommendations on their views of how to tackle obesity and to address the assumption that, and I quote, 'being overweight has become normal in Wales'. That, of course, is something that you repeat in your consultation document. A number of issues have been incorporated into your strategy from the recommendations that the Welsh obesity alliance made, and I'm very pleased to see those referred to and I'm very pleased to see that the Government is consulting on taking action to address them.

One of the points that they have quite rightly raised is the need for increased regulation in the media around advertising of unhealthy food products, and I know that that is something that we as a National Assembly do not yet have devolved responsibility for. But I wonder whether you can tell us what discussions you've had with the health Secretary over the border in the UK Government regarding the opportunities that there may be to be able to work with them, so that we can actually get some UK-wide approach to resolving this issue of media advertising, because I know it's a matter of great concern to many people.

We, of course, all want people to eat healthier meals. We want people to reduce their reliance on ready meals, with very often high salt content and a high proportion of processed foods, and the obesity alliance have suggested that providing cooking lessons, not only in schools, but also to adults, to teach them how to maximise the benefits of self-prepared food, is one way to help shift people's behaviour. Obviously, this is quite a complicated problem, but I would be grateful if you could advise as to what sort of strategy the Government might have to reach those people who are already adults, but we haven't got them as a captive audience in our schools, so that we can equip them to make those lifestyle choices to prepare more food themselves in an affordable way, particularly in those areas where poverty can sometimes be a problem, and the affordability of food in shops and supermarkets is higher than some people can afford.

The 'State of Maternity Services Report' back in 2018, which was launched in November by the Royal College of Midwives, also highlighted the problems associated with obesity rates and pregnancy, and, again, I was pleased to hear reference to that in your statement today. I wonder what you can tell Members today is in place, as it were, or what proposals you're putting forward, to help to address the high rate of obesity. We know that there are many more caesareans in some parts of Wales in our hospitals than might be necessary, and some of that is linked to obesity. So, what action are you taking to address that problem, particularly in those areas where we've got a cluster of obesity problems in relation to pregnancy?

Another issue that was raised by the obesity alliance was that we need to publish data on obesity rates to ensure that there's transparency so that we can measure some progress and inform future policy decisions. I wonder whether you can tell us what the key performance indicators might be in order that we in this Chamber can hold the Government to account for making some progress on what is an extremely important issue.

Can I also ask that you'll look at the whole issue of social prescribing and whether it's proving to be effective? I know that many GPs these days are using social prescribing in terms of prescribing exercise or participation in local gyms. But I don’t think, frankly, that it's promoted as widely as it could be. We know that social prescribing can have a huge impact on people's mental health as well as helping them with their weight, and I'd be grateful to know what the prevalence of the use of social prescribing actually is in Wales, and whether you can give us any information on how we as Assembly Members can hold our own local health boards and GP services in our own areas to account for the delivery against that.

A couple of years ago, as well, there were two health boards in Wales that were flouting some of the Government advice that had been given to them in relation to banning sugary and fatty foods from being sold in vending machines, particularly on the hospital estate. There was data at that time that showed that Abertawe Bro Morgannwg's Morriston Hospital had 18 vending machines that were selling soft drinks, sweets, et cetera, and Singleton and the Princess of Wales hospitals, also operating in that health board area, had 16 soft drinks machines between them. Cwm Taf said that six of its hospitals also offered canned drinks, chocolates and sweets via 37 vending machines. You made reference in your statement to the need for leadership to be shown, and I'm not sure that that represents the sort of leadership that either you or I want to see the NHS actually having. So, can you confirm that sugary drinks, chocolate, other unhealthy snacks in vending machines and hospitals, will be obliterated by your Government in the future?

But I just want to—