8. Has there been any correspondence between the Welsh Government and the Future Generations Commissioner's office relating to a four-day work week? OQ57314

Llywydd, regular discussion takes place between the Welsh Government and the future generations commissioner's office on a range of issues, and that includes the case for a four-day working week.

Thank you for that response, First Minister.

Recently, I met with the future generations commissioner to discuss both a universal basic income and a four-day working week, and I was interested to hear that her office had been contacted by several businesses in Wales seeking support to pilot a four-day working week. I understand that the Welsh Government is seeking to learn from pilots elsewhere in the world, but given that there are a number of Welsh businesses looking to trial a four-day working week and raring to go, would the First Minister consider lending the Welsh Government's support to these businesses so that we can kick start Wales's journey to a four-day work week?

Llywydd, I think that where there are businesses—and I know that Technovent in Bridgend, which is, I'm sure, well known to the Member, is one of those businesses that has expressed such an interest—of course where there are businesses that decide that it's in their commercial interest to move in that direction now, the Welsh Government would be keen to support them. In general, as Luke Fletcher has said, Llywydd, we are very keen to learn from experience elsewhere. When I was in Glasgow at COP26, I had an opportunity to meet with the First Minister of Scotland, the Prime Minister of Iceland, and with senior figures from New Zealand, as part of a network to which we all belong, looking at the future of work. And I was very interested to hear of the developments that have taken place in Iceland already, and that the Scottish Government has proposed for this Senedd term. And we will, through that network to which we belong, continue to look at the experience that others are getting, bring that information back to Wales to see what possibilities there are for us. But none of that precludes us supporting local initiatives, where companies have already concluded that, for them, a four-day working week is in their own commercial interest. 

Thank you, First Minister.