Diolch, Llywydd. I very much welcome this debate and the contributions made by Members today. This is not the first time we have debated 'Future Wales' or the national development framework, so Members will know that I consider this plan to be vital in making our planning system focused on the big issues we face. This debate again proves that we all have ideas on how the planning system should operate, what its priorities should be and whether 'Future Wales' will achieve our ambitions.

Members have highlighted a breadth of issues addressed in 'Future Wales', including the climate emergency, social and affordable housing, transport, the economy, green infrastructure, the Welsh language, digital infrastructure and our energy supply. I will, of course, be spending the next couple of months reflecting in detail on the Senedd's recommendations, and, due to time constraints, I cannot cover them all here, but I will address just a few of the points raised so far.

Mike Hedges and a number of others raised concerns about the ability of the plan to respond to COVID, and whilst, of course, it's important not to be complacent, this is a plan committed to improving health and well-being throughout the planning system. The policies on green infrastructure, active travel and town centre first will be crucial to aiding the recovery. In terms of a number of contributions, it's also important to remember that 'Future Wales' is not the whole of Government policy. It does not replace our other major strategies, rather it works with them.

And, Llywydd, the Bill we passed only last week establishes CJCs as corporate bodies, so I can reassure Members that they are covered by all Welsh Government policies, including the Welsh language.

It's great to see the committee and Jenny Rathbone recognise the value of introducing the green belt, both in the south-east and the north-east. The green belts will, of course, help to achieve place-making objectives in places like Newport, Chepstow and Cwmbran, in Wrexham and Deeside, and they will ensure we avoid irresponsible, sprawling development on productive agricultural land. And, of course, 'Future Wales' has affordable and social housing provision at its core. Indeed, we commissioned new needs data specifically to support that element.

Llywydd, I will be opposing the Plaid Cymru amendments today. They seem not to have noticed that changes have been made following consultation on the draft plan, nor recognise the role of cross-party committees and their own Members in arguing for those changes. I agreed from the outset that any regional planning footprint should reflect an existing footprint, rather than creating a new one. My initial view was to use the economic action plan three-region footprint, but I agreed to change to the four-region footprint more favoured by Senedd committees and local authorities. If I may, Llywydd, I would like to draw attention to two consultation responses to the draft NDF. The Plaid Cymru-led Ceredigion council said, and I quote, 'The NDF must recognise mid Wales as a discrete region, drawing on the development of four growth deals across Wales'. Meanwhile, the Growing Mid Wales Partnership, which is, of course, a joint undertaking between Ceredigion council and Powys council, said, 'Strategic planning issues across mid Wales would be best addressed by collaborative work between Ceredigion and Powys local planning authorities.' So, Llywydd, we have listened closely to what the regions have told us. I fear that Plaid Cymru's amendments would contradict the views of the regions, and we will be opposing them for that reason.

Llywydd, this is likely to be the last debate on the plan before it is published, so it seems a good opportunity to reflect a little on my experience of developing 'Future Wales' and bringing it to this stage. I have found the process has been a blend of working within existing structures and of being able to introduce fresh ideas and new ambition. This plan does not set overarching Government policy, but rather it sets out how the planning system can help achieve it. For example, we want a healthy population and environment, so the plan will deliver more green spaces and places that get us out of our cars. We need to decarbonise, and therefore the plan focuses the biggest developments on the areas where public transport and active travel are or can be made most resilient. We want a fair and prosperous economy, so we have big growth areas and we are seeking to spread the development of jobs right across them, rather than concentrating on the biggest city centres.

Writing a national plan is a balancing act between taking action on every possible subject and remembering that local planning is often the best place to address the challenges. It is also a balance between repeating another document and not ignoring a topic. I've also found that people welcome the 20-year time frame for the plan, but expect immediate solutions as soon as the plan is published. Many people want a plan that is flexible, but are uncomfortable when outcomes are uncertain. Our energy policies are a great example of this. We have developed evidence-based policies that will help achieve national targets for electricity from clean sources that protect our designated landscapes. We have done this while working with communities and the development sector. We have considered our geography, thought about what will be needed in 20 years' time, and how society might be different by then. We looked at where existing infrastructure is, and where there is a skilled workforce ready to take advantage of new opportunities. We looked at where it is windy or sunny and we thought about what electric vehicles would mean for demand. We recognised that the planning system and its duty to act in the public interest raises unforeseen issues, so we've made sure that there are more options available to developers than will be needed. And yet I'm told that this plan should be more specific on where new wind turbines will go, more focused on offshore wind, on local and micro generation, and that projects will take too long to come to fruition.

Llywydd, the great potential of this plan is in the fact that the planning system looks at all our big issues—health, the economy, Welsh language, the environment, the climate emergency—and thinks it can do something to improve the situation in a holistic way. Whether or not you agree with the content of 'Future Wales', every decision we have taken has been tested through formal consultation in stakeholder engagement events and using impact assessments. We also have a monitoring framework that will help us to reflect and refine the plan over time. The public involvement in stakeholder engagement work has helped us to deliver a plan that we are confident will have a great and positive influence over our planning system.

I welcome the scrutiny this plan has received, and I'm looking forward to considering the Senedd's recommendations. In February I will publish a report setting out how I've responded to all the recommendations, as well as the final version of 'Future Wales'. Diolch yn fawr.