1. Will the First Minister provide an update on how the Welsh Government is supporting families to meet the cost of school uniforms? OAQ54194

Llywydd, financial support for families who most need help with the costs associated with the school day was reformed and broadened in 2018-19. In the current financial year, we have more than doubled the funding for these purposes to more than £5 million. 

Thank you, First Minister. It's really useful that the pupil development grant—access can be used for funding things like equipment, sports kit, and also kit for activities outside of schools too, especially when we remember that household incomes are now £1,500 lower than they were three years ago due to the ongoing impact of the Westminster austerity agenda. How is the Welsh Government working with councils to promote uptake of the grant, and how are you working to raise awareness of the many ways in which it can be used?

Well, Llywydd, I thank Vikki Howells for that, and particularly for making the point that the PDG—access fund is extended beyond the scope of schools themselves, to youth clubs, for example, for funding for kit and equipment. And the Welsh Government, of course, is anxious to publicise the fund. On 10 June, we launched an integrated communications campaign, aimed at raising awareness amongst parents and carers. In the month since that campaign began, the PDG—access website page is the fourth most popular page on the entire Welsh Government website. And we want to do more, working with local authorities, to raise awareness of the grant. 

Let me just quote one reply that we received as a result of the campaign. It was from a parent who said,

'I've just had a letter telling me that my seven-year-old is entitled to the help for school uniform in year 3 this September. I've been worrying for weeks about the cost of uniform. This relieves so much financial pressure for me and the worry that I've been experiencing.'

We want more parents to know about the scheme and to be in the same position as the person I've just quoted to you. 

Afternoon, First Minister. In the summary of responses to the consultation on the school uniforms—we saw the summary of responses last month—one of the questions was whether people agreed that school governing bodies should have regard to the affordability of setting school uniform policy. A very sensible question. But value for money and affordability aren't always the same thing. Clothes that last longer may be good enough to pass on to other members of the family, are better for the environment and, quite often, are more ethically sourced as well. Can you confirm that the terms of the grant will not disadvantage families whose children go to schools where governors didn't just choose simply the cheapest option but the value-for-money option?

Well, I think the Member makes an important point that schools need to think carefully about all the things they can do to keep school uniform costs down. And that isn't a simple matter of cost, but cost is a very important matter for many families who live in Wales. Members will recall, Llywydd, that the children's commissioner's office published a report on the cost of the school day earlier this year, and there are some very important observations there about things that schools can do to make sure that they don't expect things of parents that make parents' ability to produce their children in school in a way that does not cause the children and parents anxiety and difficulty, that those things are properly observed. I expect schools governing bodies to think of that in the round, and the grant that we have instituted allows them to do that. 

Plaid Cymru was pleased when your Labour Government performed a U-turn last year on your ill-judged decision to scrap the school uniform grant. The replacement pupil development grant now entitles parents with children with eligibility for free school meals to apply for the grant when their children are in reception years, year 3, year 7 and year 10. I'm not surprised to hear you say that the website is very popular, because need is very high. Unfortunately though, the scheme is not enough due to issues such as full uniform costs being anything up to £250 in some cases, and children can grow a lot in between those ages where financial help is available. We then have the controversial decision by your Labour Government to lower the income threshold for free-school-meal entitlement. So, First Minister, are you aware of the networks that have been set up on social media for school uniform donations, for families unable to clothe their children? And if this doesn't focus your mind on the need to develop an anti-poverty strategy for Wales, what will it take?

Well, Llywydd, I could thank the Member for the graciousness with which she welcomed the improvements that are being provided to families across Wales. [Interruption.] It's not a matter of scrutiny, Llywydd, whatsoever; the Member's entitled to ask what she likes. I simply point out to her that the scheme that we have developed is welcomed by parents across Wales, and they welcome it in a good deal more generous spirit than she managed to assume this afternoon. I want the scheme to go further; I want the scheme to do more. I'm very glad we were able to double the number of school years that benefited from it in this year, and I'm working hard with colleagues to see what we can do further.

I'm always baffled by her point on free school meals, given that this Government has provided £5 million to schools last year, and £7 million to schools this year, so that thousands more children in Wales can benefit from free school meals. That's the truth of what we are doing, and the Member's obsession with criticising the fact that thousands more children in Wales will benefit seems to me to be part of the perversity with which she has approached this question this afternoon.

Of course, I'm aware of measures that happen in many communities to make sure that school uniforms can be reused and recycled. That's absolutely right; we want a circular economy in relation to schools, as we do in everything else that we have in Wales. Our focus is on a child poverty delivery plan, in the way that the Children's Commissioner for Wales recommended in her report. And it's delivering improvements in the lives of families that allow children to benefit that this Government has at the forefront of our planning.