Diolch, Dirprwy Lywydd. May I thank everybody who took part? I think it's clear that there is a strong consensus about the importance of these issues, and also, in general, the sort of steps that are necessary to deal with them. But there was also, I think, something of a consensus around the fact that that consensus that I've just described has been in place for quite some time, but we haven't really seen a continuation of the progress that had been taking place over recent years. So, we need to redouble our efforts and renew our focus, and I hope very much that this report will be a catalyst for that.

Mark Isherwood began by talking about the need to work with owners and understand their individual circumstances. And I think that came across strongly in the evidence that we received that that is the approach from local authorities. In the first instance, they obviously want to work with owners rather than coming at problems with a heavy-handed approach. They want to work with owners, understand their circumstances, and see if they can help those properties to be brought back into use. But, obviously, that's not always possible, and that's why I do welcome the commitment that the Minister gave us towards the end of her speech that, yes, it's necessary to work with owners as effectively as possible, but if some owners—and I'm sure it would be a minority—are not amenable to whatever suggestions and whatever help is offered, then, obviously, there has to be a fall back that's about enforcement and a robust way of ensuring that those properties do come back into useful use.

Mark also spoke about housing associations and how involvement with Welsh Government and local authorities needs to be genuine, and, again, I think everybody would agree with that. Mark touched then, and also came back to it in his later intervention when the Minister was speaking, on a community approach. And, again, I think there was quite a lot of support for that. We had wonderful examples from Vikki Howells and indeed Huw Irranca-Davies in terms of how those approaches are bearing fruit. RCT was rightly, I think, mentioned in the report, and it was great to see Vikki actually setting out some of the component parts of their effective strategy, and rightly calling for that to be recognised and, I would hope, good practice spread around Wales.

I know Huw has a great involvement with the co-operative sector and community groups, and it must be that bottom-up approach. As was said, it has to be genuine. It really must be about that co-production that's meaningful right from the very beginning, and there's no sense of anything being imposed or a lack of openness and necessary communication.

I think Leanne described some of the difficulties—Leanne Wood—of layers of government being involved and powers not always being used effectively, and, of course, the effect of austerity over the last 10 years and lack of resource. And I think, again, many of us here will recognise that, and I think that's something as well that came through the committee's evidence gathering. So, I hope what the Minister said, and the Government's written response, would go some way to satisfying the concerns around those matters.

Caroline Jones talked about the need to help address housing need, and, indeed, Vikki Howells started off by mentioning Shelter's report and the continuation of the terrible homelessness position that we have, and, of course, the ability of empty properties brought back into use to make a contribution towards increasing that supply of affordable housing. And that's one very important aspect of this report, isn't it, and its significance.

David Melding talked about inherited property, and how the social housing sector might engage with inheritors of property who are having difficulty, really, in finding a way forward for those homes. And I think we need innovative approaches and we need many ideas to be put forward, and I welcome all ideas and potential initiatives that are put on the table. 

And it is very important, as David Melding said, that we have the right data that's going to properly inform us as to where we are and also let us know whether we're making the sort of progress we have to make. So, I think our recommendation 5 is significant and will be an important improvement in what we have now. 

I think the Deputy Minister addressed many of the concerns and talked about the significance of blight. And you know, this is at the heart of these matters, isn't it? And we heard that as a committee—that empty properties are a real blight on communities. They attract environmental health problems, anti-social behaviour, they make regeneration and investment in communities more difficult, and they also make people who live in those areas feel—they have a lower sense of well-being as a result of those empty properties and that blight than they would otherwise have. So, it's really, really significant in so many ways. Some of it's very practical and some of it is about the image and the reputation of an area. So, I was very pleased, as I said, to hear the Deputy Minister's commitment to really focus and prioritise these matters now, act on the committee's recommendations and take our views and recommendations forward. 

And just in closing, I would echo what the Minister said, that all of us, as elected representatives, would be aware of these issues; I'm sure they've been brought to all of us by our constituents in surgeries and otherwise, so none of us are under any misapprehensions or illusions as to the need to make progress on this report.