I thank the Minister for today's statement. We are discussing how to bring funds into the coffers of local authorities, and we can't ignore the pressures that there are on how that money is then spent. And we can't look at local government finance in isolation in that sense. The Government, in everything it does, in health expenditure, in housing expenditure, does have to behave in a far more preventative way in order to take some pressure off the budgets of local authorities, which have to step in very often at a time when it's very late in the day and where problems could have been resolved far sooner.

But, in turning to the system that we have in place at the moment, we in Plaid Cymru have felt for many years that council tax is a regressive tax. We don't believe that this is the best way of bringing funds in. We don't think it's fair that the pressures lie within society, and where the greatest demands are on people. Likewise, we do look forward very much to being in Government, using the capacity that the civil service has in order to look at how we can introduce a truly transformative system for business rates. We have supported and have pushed for business rate relief for many years, but the fact that that relief has to be provided at such a major scale does suggest clearly to me that there is something wrong with the business rates system itself.

I welcome the fact that a step was taken earlier this year to remove the threat of imprisonment for non-payment of council tax. That was certainly the right thing to do. It's also important that the work to raise awareness of council tax does happen, particularly in those communities where there are a high number of low-income households, which very often are very uncertain as to where to turn for support and assistance. It's also to be welcomed that the Government has delivered exceptions and exemptions for young people leaving care, but there are always ways, while we await that broader change to the system, of bringing in funding for local government. It's always important to look for new ways of understanding specific problems faced by certain groups.

I will conclude my comments by drawing one particular concern to your attention. A constituent contacted one of my fellow Members about council tax reductions. The partner of this constituent is disabled, and she is the main carer. The individual got in touch, saying that she didn't qualify for any sort of council tax reduction because the rules don't allow for such a reduction to be given where the main carer is caring for a spouse—a husband or wife. Now, is the Minister aware of that and, if so, can the Welsh Government, or will the Welsh Government, consider some steps to address that particular concern?