Diolch, Llywydd. I very much welcome the opportunity to talk today about the important work that we are taking forward, through our co-operation agreement with Plaid Cymru, to support a broadcasting and communications framework for Wales that is fit for purpose and delivers the media that Wales deserves.

Now, I shouldn't have to convince this Senedd that broadcasting is hugely important in Wales. It plays a crucial role informing, entertaining and educating. It's a vital contributor to the growth of our creative industries, to our economy, to our language, and to our democracy. And if its value was ever in doubt, the unprecedented period of the COVID-19 pandemic has surely only strengthened the case for its continuing relevance.

However, for broadcasting to meet the needs of Wales, its framework must be right. It must be fit for a devolved context and provide us with a strong and compelling voice in any debates on broadcasting issues, and that is not currently the case. Too many times, unilateral decisions taken by the UK Government have demonstrated a complete lack of understanding of devolution and an apparent disregard for the impact of those decisions in Wales, and indeed for public service broadcasting and its founding principles in general. We only have to look at the decisions on the freezing of the licence fee and the planned privatisation of Channel 4 as recent examples of how the UK Government's proposals are risking the invaluable contribution that public service broadcasters make to Wales. There are also numerous examples of misreporting of information and insufficient references to devolved circumstances in broadcast news that highlight the need to take action to address this information deficit in the media.

Now, our co-operation agreement with Plaid Cymru recognises the broad consensus in Wales that the current broadcasting and communications framework is inadequate. It recognises that it is not capable of delivering the media Wales needs and it outlines the desire to see powers in this space devolved. So, today I'm pleased to announce the establishment of an expert panel that marks the first step in taking forward action to address the flaws in the current system. We have appointed 12 expert members to the panel, and these individuals will come from a range of backgrounds, including independent production, broadcasting, journalism and academia, and together they bring a wealth of experience that will add value and weight to our discussions in this work.

Now, the panel's work will be guided by and build on the broadcasting and media commitments set out in the co-operation agreement. It will consider a range of issues, including work to explore the establishment of a shadow broadcasting and communications authority for Wales. The panel will also provide an important role as we explore the devolution of powers to Wales, and this is particularly important as we know that this is a challenging and ambitious goal.

A range of factors will need to be understood and considered, not least in terms of the scope of what we hope to achieve and the affordability of any recommended changes to the current regulatory framework. It will be the role of the expert panel to fully consider all the potential opportunities and impacts associated with our options. Their work will be guided by evidence and will require the panel to make informed judgments on factors such as the scope of any remit of any proposed broadcasting authority, on its potential structure, accountability and fit within the regulatory framework.

For any actions to be practical, achievable and achieve the buy-in of our stakeholders, we must develop the strongest business case possible and consider a range of factors, including financial implications and alignment with an increasingly global broadcasting landscape. We also know and understand that if broadcasting is to be devolved, it will require the agreement of the UK Government, so the strength of our case will need to stand up to scrutiny both here and at the UK level—