Questions now from party spokespeople. Conservative spokesperson, Samuel Kurtz.

Thank you, Llywydd, and first of all I'd like to thank our local authorities for their efforts to find educational placements for children from Ukraine. Every local authority has ensured that all Ukrainian children have access to education. This includes, according to the latest information, 73 Ukrainian children in Welsh-medium schools or bilingual schools here in Wales.

What's excellent about our language is that it belongs to everyone. It can be learnt and loved by anyone from any background, as is the case here. But learning our language can be difficult, not least for those who have been displaced by war. So, Minister, can you outline what additional support you have provided to Welsh-medium teachers providing excellent education to these children whilst they are guests in our country?

Well, it has been a priority for us to ensure that Welsh-medium education is available to those who want to take advantage of it from Ukraine, and we've ensured, in terms of children and adults, that there is access to Welsh language lessons, and we've worked with Parents for Welsh Medium Education to ensure that that is possible, and the resources that are available bilingually ensure that that is accessible to them. I'd like to see more and more children from Ukraine choosing Welsh-medium education if that's what they want to do, and we need to ensure that there is support for schools to be able to provide that.

Thank you for that, Minister, and I'm sure that Ukrainians the length and breadth of Wales will appreciate that answer and your support.

In terms of Welsh-medium education, I'd like to thank you for answering a letter I wrote to you about what appears to be the prioritisation of Welsh-medium education over English-medium education. You will know of offers of free transport to pupils from Welsh-medium schools but not English-medium schools. In your response, you note that local authorities have the responsibility for making their own education arrangements. However, Government guidance on the Welsh language, in the context of the Welsh in education strategic plans, encourage local authorities to discuss their individual needs with the Welsh Government. If the guidance is correct, why then is the Welsh Government approving Welsh in education strategic plans that create an imbalance in the support available?

I don't think we are doing that.

Okay. Thank you. But from the response in the correspondence from the Minister, I do think that we need to look at this again. I'm more than happy to bring further questions on the issue.

Minister, I'm sure you will be aware of my long and and gratifying membership of the federation of young farmers clubs, and I'd like to declare an interest here. The organisation is immersed in the traditions of rural communities in Wales, and has a huge impact on the development of many young people across our country. Youth organisations such as young farmers are important in delivering the ambitious objectives of 'Cymraeg 2050'. They encourage the learning and development of language skills in the community, and add to the hard work of our schools. Although I am aware of the Welsh Government's support for young farmers clubs, through funding for a Welsh language officer working on a full-time basis, I'm eager to know whether other organisations, such as the Scouts or the army cadets, are offered similar resources. Thank you.

I don't know what the specific budget for the other organisations that the Member mentions is, but of course we do have a scheme of financial support for various voluntary organisations, third sector organisations, and other youth organisations. We are currently looking to review grants to promote the Welsh language in general. An external organisation has been appointed to look at that particular review. One of my priorities, as you know, as a Minister, is to ensure that we do all we can to increase not just the number of people learning Welsh, but also opportunities to use the Welsh language and to ask our partners to look at ways of empowering people to use the Welsh language in our communities. So, that work will conclude in due course. It will be an opportunity for us to look again at the grant scheme in general, but certainly the work done by various organisations, of the kind that the Member mentioned in his questions, is very important.

The Plaid Cymru spokesperson, Sioned Williams.

Diolch, Llywydd. Prynhawn da, Weinidog. Wales's level of research and innovation investment is significantly below that of the UK and EU averages, and this picture will get worse as Welsh universities are disproportionately disadvantaged by the losses of EU structural funding given the high level of historical dependency on that funding. By now, gross expenditure on research and innovation in Wales is one of the lowest of 12 UK regions. So, given this, the Welsh Government needs to address this huge gap in funding that will endanger our research and innovation capability. So, why has the Welsh Government abandoned the strategy suggested by Professor Graeme Reid’s reivew to address this very situation? Can the Minister tell me why the Welsh Government has abandoned this strategy aimed at the long-term transformation and support of the research and innovation landscape in Welsh higher education institutions? Diolch.

Well, this policy area is not mine; it's my colleague Vaughan Gething's, who's made a statement recently in relation to the Government's response to the Reid review. Part of that is about the implementation of a number of the points that Professor Reid recommended for us to take in that review, including in relation to opening an office specifically in London to access some of the other opportunities that arise there and the increase in quality research funding, which we have increased in excess, as I recall, of that which Professor Reid recommended. But there are a number of other contexts to the Government's response to the Reid review, which my colleague Vaughan Gething outlined in a recent statement. So, I refer the Member to that.

Thank you. School reorganisation in the Pontypridd area has been a contentious issue for years now. One of the main concerns is the closure of Ysgol Gynradd Gymraeg Pont Siôn Norton in Cilfynydd, which will mean that the children living in Ynysybwl, Coedycwm, Glyncoch, Trallwng and Cilfynydd will have to travel miles further to receive Welsh-medium education. Campaigners presented evidence to Rhondda Cynon Taf County Borough Council of how damaging this is to Welsh-medium education, encouraging the council to open a new Welsh-medium school on a site in Glyncoch. This afternoon, the council's cabinet has approved a new English-medium school on this very site and refuses to introduce a Welsh-medium stream in that school.

To rub salt into the wound, the report that went to cabinet said that this new school would improve the provision of English-medium education in the area and increase capacity. From where will these new pupils come if not from Welsh-medium education? The Welsh Government will fund 81 per cent of the cost of the new school. What steps are being taken by you to ensure that the Government doesn't continue to fund such schemes that undermine Welsh-medium education in areas where there is great need for progress, if we are to reach the target of a million Welsh speakers? Do you share my concern about this situation?

In terms of the strategic plans and every local authority in Wales, I'll be making a statement as to where they are, following the reviews that will happen within the next few weeks, before the end of term, and that includes the plans of RCT council. What I've said in the past is that it's important that we ensure that not just the number of those learning Welsh increases, but that geography—the language distribution and access to Welsh education—is also important in light of those plans in the future. And I'll want to see an increase in Welsh-language provision when looking jointly at increases in the English-medium schools estate.

Question 3 [OQ58207] has been withdrawn. Question 4, Joel James.