Minister, could I agree with your assessment of the value of the funding that has come from the EU over the years? I don't agree every time with the way in which that money has been spent, but that funding has definitely brought benefit and there was potential, of course, to continue with that. I do agree also that there are several principles that are vital as we move forward—first of all, that we have to ensure that not a penny is lost, and it's not just the shared prosperity fund that we're talking about here. We've already heard mention about Erasmus today and that is a separate pot. Well, we have to ensure that that comes as well. So, No. 1—not a penny less. And, secondly, this principle that we have to respect the devolution settlement.

We haven't yet heard what we need to hear from the UK Government. Yes, there are a number of warm words that have emanated and promising signs from the new Secretary of State for Wales. But as we are now within a year of losing that EU funding, warm words are not enough. They weren't enough a year ago, but by now I do agree with the Minister that we should be in a much stronger place, and we will support the Government as you move towards having the kind of assurance that you're asking for.

There's not much in this statement today beyond those statements, that is I agree with them. You're talking about the announcements that will be made in the next few months about thinking about different ways of targeting funding on a regional basis. So, just two questions suddenly on that. What kind of targets do you want to put in place to ensure that that funding does bring results? That is, we as a part, have supported having growth targets and prosperity targets on a regional basis for many years and we would wish to see that kind of target driving Welsh Government policy.

And, secondly, how flexible are you willing to be as a Government in terms of what kind of regions we're talking about? For example, I was talking to a member of the leadership team in Gwynedd Council a few days ago who was talking about the benefit that could come to Gwynedd through working regionally across north Wales in some contexts; in working with Ceredigion and Powys when it comes to issues relating to south Gwynedd; and then working across west Wales, on the map that we've come to know as Arfor, in other contexts. So, how flexible are you willing to be in terms of the regions that you're going to create, if the creation of regions is the intention?