Thank you very much, Dirprwy Lywydd. And may I say at the outset how much of a pleasure it is for me to be on my feet on a weekly basis here in the Siambr discussing issues with regard to the creative industries? I’m very grateful to the Conservatives for raising this matter. And it appears that we, in this debate here, have discovered something very interesting here in the Senedd across the parties, at last. And I see that the First Minister is smiling once again, after the celebration yesterday, that we have a basis for unanimity in e-sports. And I think that the term for e-sports in Welsh, ‘chwaraeon electronig’, explains more clearly what the nature of this sport is. So, it’s play in the digital arena and in the electronic area, that often happens on the internet.

But I’m very grateful to all Members who have contributed, and I think that we have had a debate that is the basis for us to develop our policy as a Government further. I did refer in the statement last week on the creative industries to this particular sector, but I accept that we can’t call a sector where there are 450 million people playing worldwide a sector that is exclusively a gaming sector—it is a digital practice and an electronic practice and there’s an opportunity for Wales to contribute in that regard, and that is an issue that is of particular interest to the Welsh Government.

I accept that the Bazalgette review, which is referred to in the motion, has quite rightly highlighted the importance of innovation within the creative industries and the possibility of developing that sector on the agenda of the UK. And it’s important to say that we in Wales are already contributing in this direction. There's the contribution of Mochi Mode from the University of South Wales in 2017 as a new business start-up and the success that they have had. There’s also the contribution made by Glyndŵr University in north Wales, which was recognised in 2018 as hub of the year in this particular field, and that too is a very important contribution for us as a Government to benefit from.

Now, these growth areas do develop intellectual potential and we agree with that. And I think it’s very important that we don’t set up a false argument in terms of this intellectual development with regard to e-sports against the idea of physical development through physical activity, because both things are just as essential for young people, I would imagine, and for people of all ages in their development as citizens and as people. And in that regard we do welcome the inquiries that the DCMS has held into this field, and we will be following what they do very carefully and try to benefit from that research as we develop what we do here in Wales.

It’s important for me to say—and this was the point of our amendment as a Government—that the Welsh Government has actively supported the growth of the video games sector. We had a trade mission to the games development conference in San Francisco, where eight Welsh games companies demonstrated their products. They had an opportunity to meet with investors and to attend networking events, and the indications that we’re aware of are that these businesses from Wales have secured over £300,000 worth of new work to date, following the conference, with a further £1 million worth of deals in negotiation.

We accept that this is a new sector, and that there are challenges faced within it. But, it's important that we are already looking at several initiatives across Government in this particular area. The major events unit, within the department that I share with the Minister, is working proactively with partners in Wales, the UK and internationally, including a number of e-sports rights owners and organisers, to identify and pursue opportunities to attract major e-sports events to Wales. These include discussing with the UK Interactive Entertainment Association, the European Gaming League and ESL, the owners of several major international properties in this sector. Sport Wales has also had discussions with the British Esports Association.

It appears to me, therefore, that we have a basis for agreement on this issue today, and I do welcome that very much. Having accepted that, we do see that there is a challenge for us as a Government to be more interactive and proactive, and to recognise that e-sports does develop new technologies that allow people to increase their social activity. We don't see e-sports as something that is necessarily isolating for people, but that there is an opportunity, rather, for them to take part in an extended global society. So, there is no conflict, as I suggested earlier, between physical health and interest in the digital sphere and e-sports.

So, to conclude, because I don't see any serious opposition in this debate, for once—and that gives me great pleasure as one of the Assembly Members who thought, after devolution, that almost every party in Wales could work together—perhaps we've had a glimpse of a happy digital future today. Thank you.