Diolch yn fawr, Llywydd. May I begin my contribution to this debate this afternoon by thanking the staff of our committee, the witnesses who contributed to this short inquiry, and my fellow committee members? I think they would all wish me to say that the staff have been exemplary through this very difficult period. I think, when the history of this time comes to be written, the excellent, sterling work of the staff of the Senedd in keeping our democracy going in these very difficult times will deserve at least a chapter of its own. 

The Government of course has some time before it's required to respond to our report, and we're grateful already to the Deputy Minister for the way that he has engaged with the committee and the information that he's provided. But, we wanted to table this motion for debate today because of the urgent nature of the crisis being faced by the arts sector. 

We know, for example, that the Wales Millennium Centre has already announced that it will remain closed until January, placing 250 jobs potentially at risk. And while the support already provided by the arts council has been welcome, and some venues have been able to take advantage of other sources of support such as the job retention scheme, it is clear that it will be some time until all venues can open, and when they can do so it may be hard for them to do so profitably because of social distancing.

We're clear that the arts and the cultural sector will need longer term public support, and this is why we have recommended that the Welsh Government recognises that our major arts organisations may not be financially viable for many years to come and that the Government should be prepared to extend the necessary public funding to ensure their survival. 

It is also why we have recommended that Welsh Government urges the Treasury to review the self-employment income scheme so that freelance workers, who are of course the absolute backbone of the arts sector, do not fall through any gaps in eligibility, and that the Welsh Government lobbies Westminster to continue the job retention scheme and the self-employment income support scheme beyond October for some sectors in which people will not be able to safely return to work. Our arts sector cannot afford to lose the creative innovative people who make it what it is. 

Venues may not be able to open for some time, but they need to be planning now for when they can do so. And this is why we have recommended that Welsh Government provide guidance on reopening by 1 August, to give time for venues to make any adjustments to premises and to working practices in a timely manner. We've also recommended that Welsh Government establishes an entertainment and events working group to enhance Government co-operation and collaboration with the sector. 

And finally, Llywydd, in the field of the arts, as across society, this crisis is an opportunity for us as a nation to rethink and reset. We have seen the social value of the arts throughout this crisis, from innovative online performances from elite companies and individuals—albeit performances that don't raise any revenue, of course, because most of these can't be charged for—to the hospital choirs lifting the spirits of the front-line workers, to children's rainbows adorning our neighbours' windows. Now is the time for us to reaffirm our commitment to the arts, not only for their importance to the economy, though that matters enormously of course, but also for their value in enabling us to explore who we are as individuals and communities and as a nation, and to explore what matters to us. 

And it is also a time for us to reflect on the need for the arts to truly reflect our nation in its full diversity. The Black Lives Matter campaign has led us all to reflect on the under-representation of black and minority ethnic people in our cultural life, and this must be addressed. Now is the time for us to think, to look ahead, and to plan, and that is why we have recommended that the Deputy Minister should work with the sector to set a long-term policy direction that is sustainable, inclusive, and accessible.

We will need a vibrant, diverse and inclusive arts sector as we recover as individuals and communities and as a nation from this unprecedented shock, and that sector can only be sustained and secured at this time with long-term, practical public sector support.