Thank you, Deputy Presiding Officer. I'm pleased to take part in this debate this afternoon. The previous speakers have championed the importance of the FE sector here in Wales, and highlighted some excellent examples of the skills and courses that our FE providers deliver. As we leave the European Union, it is essential that our providers are able to continue to deliver these vital skills.

In my own constituency, as the Minister knows, Pembrokeshire College offers a wealth of different programmes from traditional A-levels to apprenticeships to work-based learning courses, and it's that variety of choice that makes FE so attractive to many people across Wales.

Now, not everyone can study between the hours of 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., not everyone is suited to a structured academic degree, and so the flexible learning opportunities offered by FE providers are vital to parents, older people and those in full-time work. FE providers like Pembrokeshire College open their doors to students of all ages, not just to young people between the ages of 16 and 21, and so they're very much at the heart of upskilling the nation and providing lifelong learning opportunities.

Of course, it's especially important to recognise the vital contribution that further education and vocational skills make to learners, but they also make a very important contribution to the Welsh economy too. A recent study, conducted by the economic modelling company, Emsi, has shown that we receive £7.90 in return for every £1 invested in FE colleges in Wales, with the average annual rate of return on their investment being 24 per cent. I think we should take a moment to reflect on just how valuable that investment is. 

Colleges bring wealth into their region through the employment of staff spending on goods and services, and workforce skills that are added to a region by students who find work in the area after leaving. In that sense, FE colleges and providers are very much social enterprises, working with learners of all ages by increasing their employability and raising their individual potential. Members will have heard me call for more of this type of activity within our school system as a way of promoting enterprise and life skills, and I hope the Welsh Government will look at encouraging secondary schools to establish social enterprises to be managed and run by pupils.

Of course, one of the most important ways of delivering a strong FE sector in Wales is by ensuring that the sector is funded on a more long-term basis, as Mohammad Asghar mentioned earlier. The Wales Audit Office has called for a more integrated and longer term approach to delivering FE funding in the past, because a longer term approach would certainly help colleges plan more effectively in the medium term and address sustainability issues within the sector. 

Now, I remain unconvinced that the move to introduce one-year funding allocations has resulted in better support for FE institutions to plan for the medium term, and, in fact, it's more likely to be the case that this has had a negative effect on attracting students. The inconsistent funding arrangements in the sector have also hit staffing numbers too. We know that the total number of staff in FE providers was just over 9,300 in 2012-13. It then dropped to around 7,800 in 2015-16, before then increasing to around 8,500 in 2017-18. Therefore, it's quite clear that the FE workforce needs investment to make sure that its skills and expertise remain up to date and can maintain links with other industries.

Wales is an ambitious nation, but we now need to underpin that ambition with the right networks to ensure that local opportunities are on offer. We also need to ensure that any strategy is co-ordinated with other Government departments so that the full picture is being considered. For example, it's crucial that local areas have public transport networks that encourage learners to take up courses, particularly for learners in rural areas. We also need to ensure that learners have the opportunity to study through the medium of Welsh, and we also need to ensure that learners with additional needs also have access to further education opportunities. Therefore, when the Welsh Government considers how best to support the FE sector in Wales, it is essential that it takes an approach that encompasses all departments, so that Ministers are considering the bigger picture when it comes to supporting the sector.

Deputy Presiding Officer, for Wales to flourish in the future, we must ensure that the FE sector is sufficiently supported and that learners have access to the courses and programmes that they offer. Further education providers are responsive to the skills needs of their local area and work closely with local employers. Pembrokeshire College recently hosted their fifth employer lunch event, sponsored by Dragon LNG and supported by local employers like the Port of Milford Haven, Pembrokeshire County Council and the Hywel Dda University Health Board. It's this type of collaboration that we must build on and develop to help ensure that learners are leaving education with the skills they need for the workplace. Therefore, I urge the Minister to work with stakeholders to carefully consider the future shape of the FE sector and ensure that it receives the crucial investment that it needs, and I therefore urge Members to support our motion.