Thank you, Dirprwy Lywydd. The large number of second homes and short-term holiday accommodation we have in some parts of Wales have provoked strong feelings for some years. In these communities, there is an understandable sense of injustice that people can be priced out of their local housing market by those purchasing second homes or homes bought as short-term lets.

Wales has always been a welcoming nation, and we always want that to be the case. Tourism is an important industry in Wales, but too much holiday accommodation and too many second homes that are empty for much of the year can have a negative impact on the vibrancy of these areas and the sense of community. Often, second homes are concentrated in Welsh-speaking communities and can reduce our opportunities to use our language in those communities. Also, if young people cannot afford to live and work in our Welsh-speaking communities, that can also be to the detriment of the language.

As ever, it's easier to describe the problem and call for action than it is to solve it. But we are breaking new ground here in Wales in the solutions that we are bringing forward to face these challenges, and many beyond Wales have expressed an interest in what we are doing. We are pioneering, with linguistic considerations now included in discussions surrounding affordability and second homes. And that is what I am going to talk about today.

I want the 'Welsh Language Communities Housing Plan' to play a central part in our response to the numerous challenges facing Welsh-speaking communities. We received 800 responses to the consultation on the plan—the largest number we have received on an issue relating to the Welsh language, which shows the strength of feeling and the desire to act. The people of Wales want to safeguard and protect the Welsh language as a community language, as do I. So, diolch o galon to everyone who responded.

The main aim of this plan is to help communities to plan for themselves, to address particular challenges in their areas, drawing on local insight and energy. This is not just a housing plan. It draws together, for example, the work that the Minister for Climate Change, Julie James, has been doing in housing, as well as the work of Government on the economy, community development and language planning. It really is an example, Dirprwy Lywydd, of mainstreaming the language within other policies.

I am also announcing today a package of almost £500,000 to realise some of the plan’s objectives. To give you a flavour of these objectives: we want to create more co-operative enterprises, led by the community. There was considerable support for this idea in the consultation responses. These will be spaces where people can work and use the language freely—specifically Welsh-speaking spaces.

We also want to work with those who have a key role within the housing market—estate agents, solicitors, mortgage companies and local authorities. We have an opportunity to work with these local experts in order to share information about support available to help local people to purchase or rent properties that are affordable.

We will also create a network of cultural ambassadors. These will be local people who know their communities well. They will explain cultural issues and the language situation in order to help integrate newcomers. People are more willing to be part of a community when they understand the community in which they live.

We frequently hear of houses being sold before reaching the market, or being sold quickly to buyers who have the means to purchase them, often without the need for a mortgage. We also hear of sellers accepting lower prices from local people, and allowing adequate time for a loan to be arranged. There are examples of sellers helping buyers, and we must bear in mind that it is not estate agents who decide who buys a property—the ultimate decision is in the hands of the seller. We will therefore establish a fair chance scheme, to raise awareness among sellers or prospective sellers of the options they have to support people who want to remain in or return to the communities where they were brought up. This will be a voluntary scheme, highlighting what can be done to help local people access an affordable house to purchase or rent.

During the National Eisteddfod this year, I launched the Commission for Welsh-speaking Communities. The commission will respond to challenges facing Welsh-speaking communities. Based on information provided by experts in the field, the commission will compile a report within two years, making policy recommendations. The commission has already met, and I expect its conclusions may be challenging to many, but it is essential that we ground our policies in evidence and reality.

An important part of the plan will be to safeguard Welsh place names, which also features in our programme for government. We received a strong and constructive consultation response to this issue. We know that the names of houses, businesses, lakes and mountains impact the character of an area, and that people are concerned about this. And that is why we committed to do all we can to safeguard Welsh place names, so that future generations may enjoy them too. We need to develop our evidence base for action, not only concerning the number of names that are changing, but how and where they are changing. So, we are commissioning rigorous research to help us in that regard. We will also continue to work with local authorities to establish the exact state of affairs, and a variety of solutions will be needed in order to make a real difference.

The economic health of Welsh-speaking communities is important to the flourishing of the language. Members will have seen from announcements earlier this week that further funding will be provided to build on the work of the previous Arfor programme. This will support businesses and create employment opportunities in some of our Welsh-speaking communities, adding value to our mainstream programmes and to the 'Welsh Language Communities Housing Plan'.

If we want local people to have a realistic chance to live in our Welsh-speaking communities, to maintain the vibrancy of the language as a natural part of everyday social and economic life, to ensure the flourishing of Welsh in our communities and across our nation, we must act boldly. The Welsh Government, in co-operation with Plaid Cymru, has done so, and today’s announcement of the 'Welsh Language Communities Housing Plan', alongside the range of other measures we have taken, is the latest step in that journey to make a practical reality of the hawl i fyw adref.