I think it would be remiss of me, as Chair of the culture committee, not to put on record some of our thoughts about what has been happening recently with the National Library of Wales. We welcome the announcement of funding to support the implementation of some key recommendations highlighted in the tailored review carried out last year, but our committee has been asking for the last four years for support for the national library and for the museum, at every possible opportunity.

The Deputy Minister came to our meeting on 14 January and we discussed the fact that the tailored review recommended that the Welsh Government should review the national library's funding requirements because the panel did not, and I quote, 'consider the current situation to be sustainable'. So, we were told that the Government would continue to work really closely with the national library to see where efficiencies can be made and where they can try and come in on the budget, but that it is extremely challenging. And we have gone from 'extremely challenging' to announcing £2.25 million to meet immediate operational difficulties and funding shortfalls to protect jobs and ensure the longer term sustainability of our national bodies in fewer than three weeks. Well, the committee has been pressing the Government to release the funding so badly needed and give worried employees at the library the reassurance that they will not face compulsory redundancy. Yet, when funding was announced, we were left out of the picture, and we found out via the press, just as, I think, everybody else did, with regard to that additional funding. The Deputy Minister's statement says,

'We have been in continuous contact with the library and with Amgueddfa Cymru for quite some time'.

What prevented him from discussing with us as a committee to give us some respect prior to that particular announcement? If the money is intended to protect jobs, does that mean that all talk of potential redundancies at the library is over? Can you confirm this as a Government or not?

We know that funding for the arts will come to an end in March. We want to know if that funding, for individuals especially, will continue post March, or is that Treasury dependent? It's vital that not only organisations are supported, but also individuals in the arts who have struggled during this time.