1. Will the Minister provide an update on Welsh Government support for local Welsh-medium publications during the Covid-19 pandemic? OQ55349

Minister, you need to unmute your phone. I can't hear you. Sorry, you need to put your mic on. No, try again. No, sorry, we're not hearing the Minister.

Is that all right now?

That's fine. Thank you, Minister. Sorry about that.

Sorry, it was the extension lead that got me into trouble.

Oh, right. There we go.

Thank you very much, Mike, for that question and for asking it in Welsh, and I will answer in Welsh too. The Welsh Government recognises the importance of local Welsh-medium publications in ensuring that people in all parts of Wales have access to vital local news and information during this current public health crisis. We are working closely with the Books Council of Wales and other stakeholders to support publications during this period.

Thank you, Minister. The importance of local Welsh-medium publications—Julie James, Rebecca Evans and myself do advertise on a monthly basis in our monthly Welsh-language publication, Wilia. So, what's the Minister doing in order to ensure the continuation of such publications?

Well, Wilia is one of a network of 52 papurau bro, if memory serves me correctly, and they're available throughout Wales, and they play a crucial role in linking and connecting communities, particularly in situations such as this public health crisis. We have supported them through the mentrau iaith, and as I said at the outset, there are 52 papurau bro, and there is a grant of £97,000 that has been budgeted in order to target assistance for papurau bro during the 2020-1 financial year.

Deputy Minister, Hwb has been a fundamental part of home schooling over the past three months, but I still receive correspondence from non-Welsh-speaking parents who don't feel that they have been in a position to assist their children who attend Welsh-medium schools. So, would it be possible for you to speak to the education Minister as to how copies of papurau bro can be uploaded, perhaps, as educational resources for parents and their children? There are examples of how written and spoken words are used in particular areas and they will be very useful resources for every school, looking at the new local curriculum in particular.

Well, the papurau bro—at least half of them now, I believe—are published digitally, and therefore they are available online online as a medium that people can turn to. I would encourage the papurau bro to take advantage of the support of the Welsh Books Council, and through the books council the Welsh Government, in order to enable more people to take advantage of digital material through the medium of Welsh at a local level. Thank you.

Thank you. Question 2 is again to be answered by the Deputy Minister for Culture, Sport and Tourism. Question 2—Russell George.