So, our next item of business is the business statement and announcement, and I call on the Trefnydd to make that statement. Rebecca Evans.

Diolch, Llywydd. There is one change to today's agenda. The motion to approve the Agricultural Support (Miscellaneous Amendments) (Wales) (EU Exit) Regulations 2021 has been postponed until next week. Draft business for the last week of term is set out on the business statement and announcement, which can be found amongst the meeting papers available to Members electronically. 

Trefnydd, can I call for two statements this week, please, the first from the Minister for Education regarding antisemitism in Welsh universities? The Welsh Government and many public bodies across Wales have adopted the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance definition of antisemitism, but it's of great regret, I think, that some Welsh universities are yet to adopt that definition. As you will be aware, the UK Government has actively encouraged universities in England to adopt the IHRA definition of antisemitism, and I think that it would be very good for the people of Wales to know whether the Welsh Government is taking some similar action to tackle the scourge of antisemitism in some parts of our higher education sector here in Wales.

The second statement that I'd like is one on clarity for the leisure industry on whether gyms and swimming pools will be able to reopen in Wales. I've had a number of constituents who've been in touch with me regarding the adverse impact of the closure of their local gym and swimming pool on their physical and mental health, and, of course, many people don't realise that this is actually something that affects people of all ages, not just young people. I've had students, of course, living alone, fitness instructors who are without an income, and cardiac patients who've been unable to do their rehab, who've been in touch with me in recent weeks. The evidence that I've seen, Trefnydd, suggests that the risks of harm from infection associated with gyms and swimming pools is very low, while the consequences of not taking adequate exercise, such as obesity, are very significant. So, I think it would be prudent to have a statement on a timetable for the reopening of gyms and swimming pools as soon as possible.

Thank you to Darren Millar for raising both of those issues. Clearly, there's absolutely no place for antisemitism anywhere in Wales, and I'd be pleased to ask the Minister for Education to write to you on that specific issue that you raised, regarding the adoption of the IHRA definition.

And, on the issue of gyms and swimming pools, I'm afraid I don't have anything further that I can add to what the First Minister said at his statement on Friday in terms of the next steps and providing a specific date. But, clearly, all of these matters are under constant review, and we do recognise the important physical and also mental health and well-being contribution that both gyms and swimming pools can make to people of all ages, as you set out, and we're very, very aware of the impact that the restrictions are having on people and their lives. So, as soon as we are able to provide a date, I know that we would be keen to do so.

I'd like a statement from the Government, please, about the vital importance of helping young people recover from the crisis, particularly their mental health and well-being. I've spoken in the Senedd before about the fantastic work that the Senghenydd Youth Drop In Centre—or SYDIC—does to provide activities and opportunities for young people. I've spoken to Dave Brunton, who does excellent work for the centre, and I know of the concerns felt by him and so many others about the effects that lockdowns have had on young people whose access to extended family and friends, and the support they receive from groups like SYDIC, has been curtailed. More and more young people have come to feel depressed, lonely and isolated. Surely youth activities and support need to be central to how we rebuild after COVID; they're a cornerstone. Because of so many cuts to funding over the years, they are too often fighting for their own survival, but young people are going to need meaningful contact, targeted interventions to help overcome the social isolation and the mental health issues that have come about because of the pandemic. So, I'd like a statement, please, setting out what will be done to make young people's well-being a central tenet of COVID recovery. Thank you.

Thank you for raising the issue. As you were talking, I was looking at the questions for the Minister for Education tomorrow, and there is an opportunity specifically to address young people's and children's well-being there. But I know that you'd be keen to have a wider statement, and the Minister will have heard everything that you've had to say.

I've been pleased, in the budget for next year, to provide an uplift to the funding for mental health for young people, in recognition of the very, very difficult time that they've had, and also we've provided significant additional funding to our colleges and universities for them to also support the mental health needs of the people who they provide the educational services to. But I'm grateful to you for raising that, and for also giving the opportunity to say 'thank you' to everybody at the Senghenydd drop-in centre for the work that they have done over a long period, and I know that they're very keen to be able to get back to the fullness of their role in due course.

At Westminster and at local councils, the budget and the budget debate are major events, even when there is no doubt the budget will be passed with a large majority. At the Senedd, it's considered only worthy of a one-hour debate. The debate on the budget is not part of scrutiny, which I think is something that some members of the Government—and I don't mean Ministers, I mean civil servants—haven't quite grasped. We're not scrutinising the budget, we are setting the budget, and I think that is an entirely different position. It is a binding vote on Government expenditure; try losing one and you'll find out how important it is. Surely it is worthy of a full afternoon's debate. Will the Welsh Government consider this request and report back to the Senedd?

Yes, thank you to Mike Hedges for raising the budget. Of course, we do have four opportunities to debate the budget on the floor of the Senedd: we have the early budget debate, which, over the last two years, has been brought forward and led by the Finance Committee, so that we can reflect on the work that the Finance Committee has done in terms of its engagement work; then we have the statement on the debate of the draft budget; and then the debate on the draft budget; and then the final budget debate further on in the year. I do recognise that there is keenness to have longer debates, and it will be for the next Government now to determine the length of those debates. I'm sure that there will be opportunities to have discussions, potentially, within Government and within the Business Committee in terms of tabling those future debates, but I think that's a matter for the next administration now.

Can I just add my support to the request made by Darren Millar regarding a statement on antisemitism within our universities? I'd have asked that myself as well, but I've got two other requests, if I may. One is for the education Minister, seeking a statement setting out some guidance to schools on graffiti on school walls, and the speed at which that should be dealt with. It's been brought to my attention that Ysgol Bro Hyddgen in the Dyfi valley has been sporting a 'Cofiwch Dryweryn' sign for some months now, and, while that is a valid commemoration of an important event in Welsh history, we all know it's become associated with a particular political movement now, and therefore I would say that it's inappropriate for a school to still be sporting that.

And then, finally, could I have a statement, please, from the environment Minister? I repeat a call to her to advise Members on any changes to guidance that help public bodies balance competing priorities when they have to make decisions that stem from Welsh Government policy decisions. Trefnydd, you'll know yourself about the dilemmas that certainly my constituents in Mayals have been facing in choosing between an active travel route and chopping down trees, but, even when there's enthusiasm for an active travel route, how do we ensure that wildlife, habitat and biodiversity aren't trashed in the process of creating an active travel route? You'll probably know about this because of the Clyne section in Gower. It just strikes me as slightly odd that we have a policy that's intended to improve health and reduce pollution, but that can be implemented in a way that destroys significantly important local habitat. So, I'm wondering if you could request a statement on what guidance is currently available to help with that decision, and what remedies are available to constituents who believe that consultation processes haven't been followed adequately. I'm sure that Members would agree with me when I say that judicial review is no remedy at all for the average constituent, because of the cost of this. Thank you.

Thank you for raising both those issues, and I'll ensure that the correspondence to which I referred in my answer to Darren Millar is also sent to you as well. In terms of the first question, regarding the speed at which graffiti should be removed, could I ask you to write to the Minister on that issue, and I'm sure that they will be able to provide some more information and point you to any guidance that might be available? And then on the issue of the changes to guidance and the difficult way in which various priorities have to be balanced, I will ask the Minister to write to you. I know that there are some specific issues regarding the active travel route at Mayals, and my understanding, from discussions with the council, is that those trees would have had to have come down in the near future anyway, but I think that those are detailed discussions, perhaps not for the business statement, but I'll be sure that you do get the information that you're looking for.

Over the last week, I've been inundated with complaints from parents in the Rhondda who've been unable to secure a place for their child or children at the school's breakfast club. Now, this is an issue that came to my attention towards the end of last year, when the last round of breakfast places were all snapped up very quickly, leaving many parents not just disappointed but in despair. At the time, I wrote to Rhondda Cynon Taf County Borough Council and your Government calling for breakfast club places to be prioritised for vulnerable children and those of key workers, and I was told that this couldn't be done, as it's not permitted by the legislation. While that was disappointing to hear, that would only have been a temporary solution anyway. We need major investment in breakfast clubs in schools across Wales in order to increase the capacity so that supply can meet the demand that's out there. So, can we have a Government statement about the current breakfast club situation in Wales, and could you let us know if your Government intends to do anything about this problem, which keeps cropping up each time there's a new round of applications?

I will speak to the Minister for Education about the issue of breakfast clubs to understand how widespread the issue of capacity is, with a view to exploring what more a future Welsh Government can do in this area, but, if you could send me some more information about the level of the additional demand that you're aware of, that would be very useful. I know that we'll also want to pick it up with Rhondda Cynon Taf council as well.

Just in relation to the call by Darren Millar and Suzy Davies for a statement on how we combat antisemitism in our universities, could that statement clarify that, whether or not universities are signatories to the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance, all universities must abide by the Equality Act 2010, which, obviously, protects Jewish people as people of protected characteristics? I think that would be an important thing to clarify. The Equality Act was passed by the last Labour Government in the UK.

Secondly, I bicycled down to the Angel Hotel in the centre of Cardiff at lunchtime to congratulate them on their offer of a place of safety to all women and girls who think they are at risk, and that's a very important contribution to ensure that people feel safe to be out in Cardiff once we resume nightlife. But, clearly, the murders of Sarah Everard and Wenjing Xu spotlight the daily violence that all women are threatened with, sadly, every day of the week. I note the Deputy Minister's statement on International Women's Day highlighting the extra funding that's been given for the free helpline, and we also have the new relationship and values education in the curriculum, which I think are both very important contributions to combating misogyny that, unfortunately, they still haven't got round to in England. I just wondered if there's anything further the Welsh Government might be able to do to make women feel less anxious in relation to these two murders.

And lastly, I was very disappointed to read that Bridgend council seems to be hostile to the idea of locating the new residential women's centre there. Therefore, I wonder if the Government's able to clarify what work has been done with the UK Government to identify Cardiff as a potential alternative, where I'm sure we would want very much to host such an important centre so that women who have offended don't need to be sent to prisons in England, and can instead be rehabilitated closer to home.

Thank you for raising both of those really important issues, and I'm pleased that you highlighted the statement that the Deputy Minister and Chief Whip has issued just today, reflecting on the recent tragic events that have, I think, reminded us how often women feel unsafe. I think it's really, really positive that businesses such as the Angel Hotel in Cardiff, but also hotels and shops across Wales and across the United Kingdom, now are coming forward to say that they will be a safe place for women who need them. I think that that demonstrates that this isn't just a role for Welsh Government, despite all of the good work that we're doing, which was encapsulated in the written statement of today, but actually there's a role for all of us as individual citizens and as people in our professional roles and working roles, regardless of where that might be. So, I think that the intervention of individuals and shops and so on has been really, really helpful in this regard.

In terms of the residential women's centre, it is a key commitment in the female offending blueprint that will provide intensive rehabilitative support for women as part of a community sentence, where they would otherwise have served a short custodial sentence. I'm not aware of discussions that the Ministry of Justice has had with the Welsh Government in terms of identifying a site; that doesn't mean those discussions haven't taken place, but I haven't had them come across my desk. But I will ask the Deputy Minister and Chief Whip to provide you with an update on that. I do understand the Ministry of Justice has said that they're looking at three sites and are currently looking at submitting a planning application. That's all the information that I have currently, but I will ensure that you have some further detail. 

I call for an urgent Welsh Government statement on support for outdoor education providers in Wales. A sector representative e-mailed me yesterday stating, quote, 'I wanted to make you aware of this issue that is affecting rural Wales and, indeed, north Wales most severely. I ask that you take the matter forward to the Welsh Government. The situation has reached a critical point and, quite frankly, the way this sector is being treated by the Welsh Government is nothing less than shambolic. I'm appalled that most recently an open letter sent to both economy Minister Ken Skates and First Minister Mark Drakeford, signed by 49 companies and organisations across Wales, was only seen fit to receive a cut-and-paste stock response with the reply that Ministers were too busy to respond in person.' 'The way that this sector is being treated', they said, 'is awful, and the Welsh Government's attention to rural Wales is again very poor.' 'Furthermore', they said, 'I've become increasingly concerned for the mental health of those working within this sector, which has not been able to trade for a full 12 months and seemingly has no way of making their voice heard to the Welsh Government. It does also beg the question of why run a business in Wales at all.'

As the open letter referred to states, 'On 16 March 2020, residential education centres closed their doors to children and young people on school trips from across the UK. Unlike many sectors of the economy, Welsh Government regulations have prevented us from reopening at any stage since.' And as the open letter concluded, 'Will the Welsh Government recognise the essential role the sector will play as a part of the post-COVID recovery solution, or will it allow the decline of quality educational provision for this and future generations?' The sector desperately needs both targeted financial support and constructive dialogue with Welsh Government to enable it to survive the coming months and years. I call for a statement accordingly.

Well, we've all received the same correspondence and I know that I've asked for a copy of the response that the Welsh Government issued in the first instance regarding outdoor education, because of course we recognise the important role that outdoor education plays both in children and young people's learning experience but also in terms of building their self-esteem, their confidence and those other skills that you just can't learn in the classroom. So, when I do see a copy of that, I'll explore what more we can do in terms of understanding what, if any, support has been applied for by those particular businesses, because our approach has been not to provide individualised, very, very narrow support, but to provide packages of support through the economic resilience fund to capture as wide a base as possible. But, when I have had the chance to review that letter, I'm sure we will respond further.

Many of the issues that were set out in the lead up to the Senedd and Elections (Wales) Bill unfortunately didn't become part of the final Bill, specifically the number of Members in this Chamber. Now, one way of improving the workload and scrutiny problems that have been clearly set out in the past few years would be to really consider the issue of job sharing. This is becoming more common in business now and it allows women, particularly women with families and underrepresented groups, to return to work in a way that's appropriate to their way of life and can resolve issues that we know exist within our societies, such as work-life balance and flexibility. So, can we have a statement on this, and could the Trefnydd comment on whether she would like to see any future Government in May taking these issues seriously in the next Senedd?

The second request for a statement I'd like to make is: many of us will have seen distressing developments in the case of Mohamud Hassan, a black man, as you'll be aware, who died following a stay in police custody earlier this year. We know today from the family lawyer, Lee Jasper, that four police officers now face a formal investigation in this case, and developments since suggest police actions were completely at odds with initial statements made by South Wales Police. Yet South Wales Police are still communicating via press release, they have still not released body cam footage, and it's my understanding that the officers involved have still not been suspended while this investigation is carried out. This is all completely unacceptable. A family and a community are not being treated fairly or in a just way. So, would I be able to have a statement from the Welsh Government as to their communications with South Wales Police on this particular case and be able to assure us that this investigation is being conducted in a fair and impartial way?

Thank you for raising that issue, and we've said previously that it's really important that that investigation was undertaken very quickly and came to its conclusions quickly, given the real sensitivities that there are and the hurt that's been felt within the community. So, the Deputy Minister and Chief Whip has our main role in terms of liaison with the police and I know that she'll be raising this issue particularly with them.

And on the issue of how we can encourage a more diverse group of people into politics, I think that that is something that is going to be really important to take forward in the next Senedd. We've had lots of good cross-party work, I think, undertaken in terms of shaping ideas to ensure that the future Senedd is one where all people can play their part. Clearly, we're not in a place where we'll be making changes with the elections coming up just a few weeks from now, but certainly, you would hope that these are discussions that will be continued in the next Senedd with a view to ensuring that the Senedd is a more accessible place for everybody.

I thank the Trefnydd.