Part of the debate – in the Senedd at 5:09 pm on 23 November 2021.
Well, thank you to the Member for those questions. I'd be very happy, of course, to collaborate with him and his committee to develop the proposals that are in the package that is being consulted on today. In terms of the influence of Dr Brooks's work on this plan and on the scheme that the climate change Minister has outlined today, I think it's at the heart of the vision that is here. It's had a significant impact on what we are announcing. Examples of that are the importance, which the Member may have heard, of ensuring that we have a tourism sector that is sustainable and that allows activity and economic opportunities locally, the importance of the local economy more widely, and that's at the heart of what we are proposing in terms of social enterprises and co-operatives.
But specifically in terms of the commission's work—and with apologies to Cefin Campbell, I didn't respond to that part of his question—we're not talking about a commission that is a statutory body being established independently of Government. We have an opportunity for the commission to look at empirical evidence, if you will, that will be the basis of our understanding of the impact of socioeconomic changes on our Welsh-speaking communities, but also to create the basis of evidence for this idea of areas of interest and significant sensitivity with regard to the Welsh language. And that, perhaps, will provide an opportunity for us to tailor a package of further interventions in future specifically for those communities that are particularly sensitive with regard to the future prosperity of the Welsh language in those communities.
The Member makes a very important point in terms of how different elements of Government collaborate. This is a priority that touches almost all parts of the range of Government responsibilities. For example, the round-table already touches on the language, the economy and now, from now on, the question of housing as well. So, the Ministers who have an interest and a responsibility in all of those particular areas have a role with regard to the work of the round-table. And there's a cross-party group that's been working on some of the issues, and the climate change Minister and myself, the finance Minister and the economy Minister have occasionally been part of that forum so that we can make a joint contribution to meeting this important aim.