Item 8 on the agenda is a debate on the Culture, Welsh Language and Communications Committee's report on the impact of COVID-19 on sport. I call on the Chair of the committee to move the motion, Helen Mary Jones.

Motion NDM7344 Helen Mary Jones

To propose that the Senedd:

Notes the report of the Culture, Welsh Language and Communications Committee on the impact of the Covid-19 outbreak on sport laid in the Table Office on 30 June 2020.

Motion moved.

Diolch yn fawr, Dirprwy Lywydd. I'm very pleased to be able to present this report from our committee to the Assembly today, and in doing so, I want to begin by thanking the witnesses who've given us evidence and of course the committee staff who serve our committee exceptionally well.

Sport, as I'm sure we all agree, is a vital part of our life in our nation, from international level to elite professional sport to community sport and to physical activity that doesn't really fall into the sporting category. I know that it's very close to the hearts of many of us in this Chamber. Laura Anne Jones reminded us again earlier in our deliberations today of how very passionate, for example, Mohammad Asghar was about his cricket.

The immediate impact of the crisis on sport has been devastating—'catastrophic' was the word that witnesses used. Immediately, a total shutdown. And the £8.5 million made available straight away—repurposed funds—by Sport Wales was indeed very welcome. It has made a huge difference—this is what we were told—but there is, of course, now the issue for longer term support.

We heard during our evidence sessions that not all of those working in the sector had been able to be supported, either by UK Government or by Welsh Government schemes, and the examples given were individuals like self-employed instructors and coaches. That's why we've recommended that Welsh Government should intervene to ensure that all of those working in the sector are eligible for an element of financial support. It is crucial that we retain that human infrastructure. I have been hearing over recent days that the Government's original proposed hardship bursary, which was targeting particularly self-employed people who hadn't yet been helped, may be in doubt. And today, I would like to urge the Deputy Minister to have some further discussion with colleagues to ensure that, if that scheme does not go ahead, there are alternatives for those people working in the sporting sector.

Members will be aware, of course, that, in response partly to austerity, some of our local authorities have created leisure trusts to run their sporting and leisure facilities. We heard during our evidence sessions that these trusts now face particular difficulties. They have, of course, no income and this will only get worse once the furlough scheme starts to taper off. That's why we've recommended that Welsh Government should work with local authorities to consider the support that might be needed to be made available to leisure trusts and to be prepared to extend some necessary public support. It is, of course, true that those leisure facilities that remain in local government hands can have a certain amount of cross-subsidy from other parts of the local authority; the independent trusts, of course, cannot. We can't afford to lose these vital community facilities.

We heard that there had been equality impacts in participation in sport and in the way that sporting clubs and organisations were affected by the crisis. We heard, for example, that women's football has been disproportionately impacted when compared to the men's game. We also heard that, whilst some people have engaged in more physical activity during the lockdown, others have been doing less. People from higher socioeconomic backgrounds tending to do more than they would've done before the crisis and those from lower socioeconomic backgrounds, in fact, many of them doing less. This is why we have recommended that the Welsh Government's recovery plan and financial support for the sector should tackle the widening gap in physical inactivity between groups, and that Sport Wales's financial support should be focused on those organisations facing the biggest challenges as we go forward.

But there are also opportunities. The very fact that all the Governments in these islands prioritised exercise by permitting an hour a day out of the house all the way through the lockdown and at the height of the crisis sends a very clear message about the importance of physical activity. Now we must build on this, which is why we have recommended that Welsh Government lead conversations with representatives from the health and the sports and physical activity sectors to set a long-term, joined-up policy direction for physical activity and public health. And it is vital that this long-term policy direction tackles those inequalities to which I have earlier referred.

We have seen the beginning of the return to elite sport behind closed doors, and that has been, of course, very welcome. And, clearly, it is not time yet for the return of crowds, and we received no evidence from the sector suggesting that they wish to push the process faster than was safe for their audiences. However, witnesses did tell us that the sector needs time to prepare for the point when they will be able to welcome their audiences back and that they need more clarity. So, for example, the Football Association of Wales told us that they need a clearer definition from Welsh Government about what constitutes a large crowd, and they made the point that a large crowd in one size of a stadium would be a very small crowd in another. So, for these reasons, we have recommended that Welsh Government should issue guidance on mass gatherings for sporting events, developing this in collaboration with the sport governing bodies and facility providers, and that they should develop this guidance as soon as possible to enable sporting venues to prepare for when audiences may be able to return.

Dirprwy Lywydd, sport and physical activity are central to our health and well-being as individuals, as communities and as a nation. The sector at this time—and I know the Deputy Minister is well aware of this—is very vulnerable in a number of ways. Leadership is vital if this important sector is to be protected. I commend our report to the Senedd, and I look forward to Members' contributions to this debate.

Deputy Presiding Officer, that was a very, very comprehensive and full report on what, I think, is an excellent short report that has been to the point, that has provided a considerable amount of very important data on the impact on sport. And the important point out of it, really, to me, is this: firstly, it's going to be the grass roots that are going to be really heavily affected in our communities, and that is where we need to have some focus.

Many clubs are now preparing to return. I'm very pleased that some of our councils have had foresight to try and do work to prepare for that. For example, Rhondda Cynon Taf in my own area have been cutting the fields because of the risk of actually losing those fields for a year or two from the fact that they are not regularly cut. So, at least some preparations have been taking place.

For me, what we've been able to start identifying, I think, is a new way of looking at sport. Because the interaction between sport, health, morale, community, well-being, the linking between education and health, it seems to me, are very, very important. And how we go forward, I think looking at sport and the role it plays in a different way, I think, is going to be extremely important, and that point, of course, came out in the evidence that we had.

I'm also particularly concerned about some of the lesser-known sports that quite often have quite a degree of support: for example, basketball, Team Wales basketball, who've performed very, very well, and Team Wales ParaCheer, who performed in this Assembly not so long ago. Now, they don't fall within the normal identification of sports, but they are sports—a combination of sport and dance. And, of course, there are other sports around. I would actually describe some of the dance schools as sports.

In my constituency, we have Dance Crazy Studios that has 600 pupils, that's produced UK champions amongst young people. It is an absolutely incredible and fantastic performing body. But, of course, they are still within the same position as, for example, gymnasiums and others are, unable to perform, even though there are so many young people, children, who, during this summer, I think, would relish the opportunity now to be able to engage in activity. And I know, for example, with Dance Crazy, they say, 'Look, we'll do it outside; we will socially distance; we will do everything that is necessary.' And I think we have to actually look at some of these in our communities in terms of the specific contribution they will make to young people's well-being and welfare over the coming few weeks.

There is the challenge now of our leisure centres, which we know do have real challenges, and the impact on local authorities in terms of the lost income, but also in terms of the fitness, because many of our leisure centres are predominantly based in our working-class communities. The proportion of people who use them rather than private gymnasiums, and so on, are very much from our working-class communities. So, actually, support for councils who have lost that income, and even when these leisure centres start running again, they will be on reduced numbers.

And the final point I make relates to recommendation 3, which is with regard to the point that Helen Mary Jones made so well, which is to do with the issue of inequality. It is the working-class communities that are going to be hardest hit; the most deprived communities are going to be hardest hit culturally, in terms of activity, in terms of health and in terms of access. It seems to me what would be a very attractive option would be if Welsh Government did a very specific equality assessment in terms of sport and the impact on our communities for when it comes to actually prioritising those very resources that we have available to us. Thank you.

Can I commend this report? I think it's a really good piece of work and brings six very coherent and connected recommendations, and we're debating this the day that test cricket starts again. I'm not sure if any play has been possible today in Southampton, as July continues to pretend it's October, but to see the West Indies again—and many commentators think it's the best side they've fielded since the 1980s—lifts the heart. Many people that no longer, like me, are playing cricket, have retained a great desire to watch it. So, I think, for public morale, elite sport is very, very important.

We see our two championship teams, Swansea and Cardiff, with a chance of the play-offs, particularly Cardiff, and I do extend my best wishes. A bit disappointing, the result last night, but still, they've made a really good return to form in the last few games and have picked up very valuable points. So, I'm still very hopeful.

I do commend the broadcasters as well for putting so much of premier and championship football on free-to-view on television. I am a keen watcher of the football. It's a strange, vacant, echoey experience at the moment to watch these games behind closed doors, but it's a lot better than nothing.

When it comes to rugby at the elite level, I am profoundly worried that it is in much more difficulty than even football is, and footballing, we have to say, is at elite level, quite distinguished between premier and championship and then the lower leagues, which do not have television income and are in much more difficulty. But I think professional rugby in Wales is facing a crisis. This will have a big impact on our national team as well, if we're not careful, but certainly regional rugby, and on our ability to attract big events and, really, what we feel as a nation. So, these things have to be very, very carefully looked at, and I do hope the Welsh Government can work with the professional authorities to ensure that as much of our rugby culture survives as is possible.

But, quite rightly, our main focus was on community sports' scope for the people, and I do think the way we've connected things like the need for physical activity, the need to connect sport and public health is very, very key, in my view. As we just heard from Mick Antoniw, we do need to concentrate our resources in the poorest communities, which often have the least amount of open space and good sporting facilities. So, I know councils looking at this to ensure that they get the maximum support possible as things open up again.

I think recommendation 2 is very important—the way we work with local authorities to support community sport and clubs. Again, there should be some bias, I think, to those in most need in the more marginal communities, because the work there that goes on and encourages people of all ages—. There's a sport for everyone to play; that's the wonder of it. But also, for our children and young people, having sporting opportunities is so important, and it's not all based at school; it needs to be based in the community as well.

So, I'm delighted to commend this report, and we're very grateful, Deputy Presiding Officer, that time has been given to discussing this report, as it was recently to our report on the arts sector. These are very, very important areas, but not always do they receive the attention, perhaps, they need for the health of national life. So, again, I commend your report. I thank the Chair for her leadership, and also our secretariat, who enabled us to carry out this excellent piece of work. 

Can I start by thanking the committee for producing this report? It's a timely opportunity to look at the impacts of the coronavirus pandemic on sport, and also scrutinise the Welsh Government's response. On that note, I was heartened to read that sporting bodies across Wales were positive about the way the Welsh Government has handled and helped them though this crisis, and, of course, that money has been made available to support sport and physical activity organisations, which, of course, have been negatively impacted by the crisis. In this contribution today I would ask the Minister to continue to support these organisations, including the wonderful resource that is the grass-roots sports clubs and physical activity groups we have here. When doing this, Minister, I look to you to have in mind the joy that sport can bring to those who participate, but also those who spectate, and I know this only too well. Deputy Llywydd, I must say I've been waiting for this opportunity, to stand in the Welsh Parliament—because it's right that we stand in the Welsh Parliament—and say this: during lockdown, my beloved Connah's Quay Nomads won the Cymru Premier league title, and they've had a fantastic season, so I speak on behalf of this Senedd and the Alyn and Deeside constituency when I say how incredibly proud we are that the trophy is coming back to Wales. A great year for the Nomads—they played some amazing football, and it's lovely to see that six of our championship-winning squad are in the team of the season. I know that many of our Members here and Members across Wales, will be delighted that Champions League football will be in the Quay next year.

So, Minister, please take away the important messages from the report. Real thanks to the members of the committee again for this. Please protect grass-roots clubs in Wales of all types of sport, like Mick Antoniw mentioned in his contribution, and please remember the joy that sport can bring.

I think the strong themes in the report that have been echoed in the Chamber today are very important and very timely, and very useful at the current time, and I very much hope that we see speedy action on the points and recommendations.

In my own experience, Dirprwy Lywydd, in Newport we have Newport Live, which is an arm's-length trust set up by the local authority. As we heard earlier, there are, of course, different models—some in the private sector, some local authority retained and others at arm's length—but all of them are doing a really important job in delivering the leisure opportunities that mean so much to people, and linking very much with health and tackling deprivation. Newport Live, for example, has some really good facilities, such as the Geraint Thomas velodrome, the 25m swimming pool, Newport Centre, which is a leisure centre, but also for entertainment as well as having a gym and a family swimming pool, and there are other facilities such as the tennis centre. So, all of those are really, really important to people keeping active and healthy and having those sporting opportunities, and it's elite level, but very much grass-roots as well. In fact, the Geraint Thomas velodrome at the moment is being used for COVID-19 rehabilitation, which I think is really impressive to see—the organisation reaching out and working with the health centre in that way at a time of crisis such as the one we currently face. They do an awful lot in terms of alternative curriculum education, dealing with deprivation factors by taking sport and activity out to the most deprived communities. All of that work, I think, that breadth and depth of work, Dirprwy Lywydd, really does reinforce the opportunity to build new partnerships between the leisure, sport, physical activity and health sectors. I'm glad that's highlighted in the report and it's good to hear other Members reinforcing that as well. That's well overdue and really should be a strong part not just of the longer term, but what we do short term as well.

Newport County, of course—I congratulate Jack on the success of the Connah's Quay Nomads—but Newport County, I know, is also dear to Jack's heart, and one of the reasons for that is the very good work that the club has done on mental health issues, and Jack has been involved and Jayne Bryant's been involved. We've all been supporting that. It's an example, again, of the football club understanding its importance to Newport in terms of people's sense of identity and belonging, and the wider work that they can do using the power, the status and the role that they have. It has been really powerful in terms of their mental health campaign, and it has reached many people and it's something they wish to strengthen and develop further.

It is true to say, Dirprwy Lywydd, that clubs like Newport County are very much dependent on the gate money that comes through when they have their home games, and they're not in the privileged position of some other clubs higher up the football pyramid, where there's an awful lot of money washing around and a lot of wealth concentrated amongst the ownership. We really do need, I think, a rethink towards a much more sustainable model of football that's much more about the grass roots and clubs at the lower levels of the football pyramid, and all of that money in the premiership needs to filter down to much greater effect than is currently the case. This is now an opportunity—the issues around COVID-19 and the football world—to look at all of that and get to a much more sustainable model, and one that would have much greater public support. I'm sure all of us are very familiar with people taking a very cynical and, I would say, realistic view of football at the top level and the amount of money around and the way that that money is used and how it could be much better used for the grass roots and clubs lower down the pyramid. Again, I hope that's something that comes out of this current crisis and is strengthened by the work of our committee and the report.

Just one final matter, Dirprwy Lywydd, and that's around activities. We think very much of schools at the moment, in terms of returning to as much normality as possible, and that's really, really important. Another aspect of that are all of the activities that children do, the classes they go to, the coaching that they have, whether it's cricket, football, tennis, athletics, dance, gymnastics. That's a really, really important part of children's development and enjoyment of life. It's something they did enjoy, it's something they miss, and it's something they and their families want to get back to as quickly as possible. 

I understand that I sometimes give the impression that I'm more of a spectator of sport than a participant, and recent months have taught me the dangers of participation in some activities, I have to say. But I would like this afternoon, if I could, in a few short moments, to make a plea to look again at how we do reopen the facilities that enable physical activities and sport within our communities. 

I enjoyed reading the committee's report. I felt that there was a very good balance in the report between its focus on the major organised sports—and I agree very much with the analysis provided to the committee by representatives of these sports—and the impact also of COVID on the wider issues of fitness, health and well-being in our society, issues that John Griffiths has just been describing in Newport. And he could have made that speech as well about Blaenau Gwent and about many other communities up and down this country. There are a number of areas where sport is important for our overall health and mental well-being. 

It was about a year ago to now that I was in Cwm Primary School in my constituency participating in the daily mile and the physical activity the children were doing in that school. The headteacher was very, very clear that the outcomes of that physical activity aren't just in the health and well-being of the pupils in the school but in their educational outcomes as well. And as we've been through these last few months, I am very, very aware that these children and young people, particularly in this case, are losing out on those opportunities.

But we also know—and I thought the report was very, very clear on this—that over the last three months, we've seen differential levels of physical activity within our communities; that wealthier communities, wealthier families, wealthier people appear to be able to increase physical activity and be able to do more in terms of health and well-being, whereas we've seen poorer people, people coming from poorer backgrounds and in poorer communities, doing less physical activity and having the opportunity to practice sport and well-being to a far lesser extent.

What that does, of course, is to increase and to widen the inequalities we already see in our communities in terms of wider health and well-being, and there's a very real danger that this impact of COVID will have the clear and obvious impact that the virus has immediately on our communities, but it will also leave a legacy of inequality in our communities, and I hope that the Government are able to address some of these issues. I want to see how the Government is designing a plan to open up the facilities that will underpin the health and well-being of different communities, understand how swimming pools can be reopened, understand how leisure centres can be reopened again, gyms and fitness studios.

We're already talking about how outdoor sports have been able to restart over the last few weeks, but also indoor sports as well. I'm patron of the wheelchair sports club in Ebbw Vale, and I've seen how the wheelchair sports club there have been able to develop not only the club in terms of their activities, but also address fundamental and important issues of health and well-being for its members. And when we are talking about sports, I think we also need to take that more holistic view of what sport actually is. It isn't just watching some of the national and international sporting fixtures, but it's also what happens on a Saturday afternoon, a Saturday morning and a Tuesday night in our communities up and down the country.

I would be in terrible trouble at home if I wasn't also going to use this opportunity to say that my nine-year-old son is desperate to get out and play football again, and I'm sure there are families with nine-year-old sons right up and down this country who want to get out and play football or rugby, or whatever it happens to be. So, we do need to look at how we're able to do this.

Let me finish on this point, Deputy Presiding Officer; I know I'm testing your patience. This is another report indicating a lack of effective engagement from the United Kingdom Government with the Welsh Government. This has been a constant throughout the last few months, and I hope, Deputy Presiding Officer, in accepting the report this afternoon, that this Welsh Parliament will also note that we need to address this fundamental issue of engagement from the United Kingdom Government. 

I hope you'll forgive me for standing up and contributing to this debate. Obviously, this is my first day, but I was Conservative spokesperson for sport in 2003 so I felt the need to stand up and say something. I wanted, first of all, to commend the report myself; I thought it was a very—. What Helen Mary Jones said; I want to thank her for that and thank the committee. I thought they were very sensible recommendations and very necessary recommendations.

I think sport and physical activity have played a vital role over the last three months during lockdown in terms of well-being. I know from my own children, it has saved our lives in a lot of ways. There's a gentleman called Joe Wicks—I'm not sure if you're aware of him—that did PE with Joe at home. But again, for those families that don't have iPads at home or any form of computer, they were missing out on that. It was great for those that could afford those facilities to enable them to use that, and that is something that we should look at, going forward—that schools should maybe take that role rather than having to rely on a celebrity like him. But I thought that was fantastic, what he achieved. 

Also, I've been enjoying tennis along with my son, because that's come back in terms of one-to-one tuition now, which is great—it's great to actually do any sort of sport as a sport nut myself, and my child, obviously. But we're looking forward to that progressing to enable more children to play together in matches, and so forth. 

I also want to just make the point, which hasn't been raised yet—you've all made very good points; Mick Antoniw, John Griffiths, et cetera—that we need to look at the vulnerable children, as I've just outlined. They are the ones that we need to target, particularly when it comes to sport, and we need it to reach them, because the benefits just are so huge, in terms of health and well-being and so on. But we need to realise that, as things open now, probably in the winter, there is going to be 'rain stops play' sorts of things in certain areas. For example, in Newport, you've got a mass of 3G, 4G pitches to play on, so it ensures that children have that continuity and are able to play sport.

I want us to remember that, in rural areas, even though Monmouth is seen as a largely affluent area, it is not—we have severe pockets of deprivation. But in terms of sport provision and facilities in rural areas, we are very poor, and, literally, we can't play grass-roots football or rugby or anything. And I'm thinking of my children's sports here; it is vital that our children get to play sport, and they can't if those facilities aren't there. So, I'm hoping that this committee will persuade the Government to look at rural areas, and ensure that we have the same facilities and the same opportunities as those in cities and our bigger towns. Thank you.

Can I now call the Deputy Minister for Culture, Sport and Tourism, Dafydd Elis-Thomas? Sorry, we can't hear you. Could you try again? Sorry, Deputy Minister, we're not hearing you at the moment. I wonder if somebody can just—or whether it's the sound barrel on your headset.

Is that better? That's it—is that better?

That is it. We can hear you now. No, we can't hear you now. It was whatever you did before, probably with the sound barrel on the headset. That's probably the answer to that. Shall we have a couple of minutes' technical break? We'll have a couple of minutes' technical break, and then somebody perhaps can see whether they can get the Deputy Minister to respond. So we'll have a couple of minutes' break. So hopefully the technicians get on it, and hopefully we'll be back in shortly.

Plenary was suspended at 17:23.

The Senedd reconvened at 17:24, with the Deputy Presiding Officer in the Chair.

That's okay now, Deputy Minister.

May I thank everyone who has contributed to this debate and thank you for the opportunity to have such a debate on sport and the impact of this public health crisis on sport, which is similar to the debate that we had on the arts? I think it’s wonderful that the Assembly can contribute in this way in setting the agenda for Government as we respond to the crisis that we’re currently facing.

Helen Mary Jones, thank you for emphasising the contribution that we’ve made through Sport Wales. Sport Wales is the body that implements sports policy here in Wales and the £8.5 million will certainly ensure that there is greater participation in sport within the nation in general. We have been seeking, over the past three years, to develop a policy of using health funding in partnership with sport, and I can assure you that that will continue.

Thank you to Mick Antoniw for emphasising the importance of the less prominent sports, such as basketball, and the Dance Crazy company, who I saw perform in the Senedd, and for emphasising the need to avoid inequalities in the use of leisure centres. That is certainly an issue that I will want to discuss with local government and with those responsible within Sport Wales.

Thank you to David Melding for mentioning cricket and for emphasising the way in which sport maintains public morale, and the need to have appropriate provision on a regional level and across Wales. I’m pleased to say that we have been in discussions recently with the Welsh Rugby Union. We are aware of their current funding crisis and we are seeking ways of helping to resolve that.

I’d like to thank Jack Sargeant for emphasising football in north Wales. I have been watching Connah’s Quay Nomads and I think that they’ve done superbly. Bala, unfortunately, haven’t reached the same levels. But we’re very aware of the need to strengthen the role of community football and we will be doing that in collaboration with and through the funding that we provide to the FAW.

I’d like to thank John Griffiths for highlighting, once again, the huge diversity of sports available in Newport. We’ve had an opportunity over the past two and a half years to visit Newport on a number of occasions and to support the development of the velodrome, the swimming pool and other activities in that area. Therefore, the partnership and the inspiration provided to the city of Newport by Newport County as a football team is a model that we can hopefully adopt across Wales.

And then, Alun Davies, thank you for emphasising the connection, once again, between physical fitness and mental health. This is an important lesson for us during this crisis because as we start to understand the importance of sport, we can see how a whole community can emerge from a crisis. I do think that the inspiration that sport can provide in a situation such as this one is something that we can be particularly proud of.

May I also thank Laura Anne Jones? It’s wonderful to see her back, in very sad circumstances of course. But I thank her for her comments on the importance of ensuring that different sports, such as tennis, and 3G facilities, are available in rural areas, not just in urban areas, and perhaps we can have a particular conversation on that point in order to ensure that we can take this forward.

In conclusion, may I emphasise that I have responsibility not only for sports and the arts, as was discussed last week, but I also have a more general responsibility to take an overview of physical activity? And I think that the commitment I would like to give, for the rest of my term, as Minister for sport, is that I will give particular emphasis to that overview, so that we can celebrate physical activity more generally, as one of our national virtues. Thank you.

Thank you. Can I now call on Helen Mary Jones to reply to the debate? 

Diolch yn fawr, Dirprwy Lywydd. And I'm very grateful to all Members who've participated in the debate. It's impossible, of course, to respond to what everybody has said, and I think there were many common themes that I will come to, in a moment, but I must mention one or two individual Members. I cannot not congratulate the Connah's Quay Nomads or Jack Sargeant would never forgive me. It's a great achievement, and I'm sure we all want to share the congratulations that Jack Sargeant brought to the Senedd this afternoon. And I must personally welcome Laura Anne Jones back to our Senedd, albeit under very tragic circumstances. Laura and I, of course, served together in the past, and, I must say, it's very pleasing to see another woman in the Chamber. So, croeso nôl.

I think what struck me, Dirprwy Lywydd, was the common themes that came out of the contributions of all Members: the way that sport can inspire us, the way that it can lift our spirits in hard times—David Melding talked about being pleased to see the cricket back—but also the common theme about inequality and about how important it is to ensure that people in our poorest communities have access to physical activity opportunities. And I was very pleased to hear what the Minister said, right at the end of his contribution, about the commitment to promoting all physical activity, not just what we traditionally think of as sport. 

In John Griffiths's contribution, I was very much struck by his in-depth knowledge of the sporting world in his own community and constituency. And I think that's shared commonly across the Chamber. It certainly came across in Alun Davies's contribution. Members have also referred to the really huge importance of physical activity for children. I'm sure there are a lot of—to go back to Alun Davies's contribution—nine-year-old girls and boys who are desperate to get out and to be able to play together again, as soon as it's safe to do so. 

Mick Antoniw's contribution, where he again highlighted the importance of public facilities to enable poorer people to continue to participate or to begin to participate in physical activities, people who cannot afford, for example a private gym membership—. And I very much hope, when the Deputy Minister formally responds to our report, that he picks up on that issue of the leisure trusts and those facilities that are no longer in full local authority hands and therefore have more potential to face even bigger challenges than the leisure centres that are owned still by the local authorities.

I am grateful to everyone, as I've said, Dirprwy Lywydd, for their contributions. I want to mention Mick Antoniw's suggestion of an equality impact assessment. It's not a formal recommendation from the committee, but it's certainly come out of everybody's contributions today, and came up in the discussions that we had as a committee. We know that we cannot—.There'll never be enough money to do everything for everybody. And I think there's a clear message to the Government, from our committee and from this Chamber, that, when priorities are determined, we must support people who have the least opportunities. We didn't, for example, get any formal evidence, under this session, about the participation of black people and people of colour in sport at community level. But we know, from previous work, that they can have more of a challenge in gaining access.

So, I would suggest to the Minister that, as he looks to prioritise, going forward, he really does undertake an equality impact assessment of the support that's already been provided. He is right to say, of course, that the support that's already been provided through Sport Wales was very warmly welcomed by the sector when they gave us evidence. But they were equally clear—and I know that the Minister and the Deputy Minister know this—that that support, though it was very welcome, will not be sufficient in itself to take us through. 

So, I will end, Dirprwy Lywydd, by thanking all participants in this debate and everybody, once again, who participated in the committee's process, the written and the oral evidence and, of course, as others, including David Melding, have mentioned, our exceptional staff, as a committee, for whom we are very grateful. We look forward to the Government's formal response to our report, which we know will come in due course. And I'm grateful to the Minister for responding informally in this debate at this time.

With that, Dirprwy Lywydd, I would like to commend this report to the Senedd and look forward to scrutinising the Government further, as their support for the sport and, very importantly, physical activity sector continues at this very difficult time. 

Thank you. The proposal is to note the committee's report. Does any Member object? No, I don't see an objection, therefore the motion is agreed in accordance with Standing Order 12.36.

Motion agreed in accordance with Standing Order 12.36.