I'd like to start my contribution today by echoing the remarks of colleagues thanking the clerking team and everyone who gave evidence that helped inform this inquiry. I think it's a really important piece of work. Around a third of the Welsh workforce is employed in the hospitality, tourism and retail sectors. The latter alone, Wales's largest private sector employer, accounts for just over 6 per cent of our national gross value added. As such, these are incredibly important parts of our economy.

When we normally conduct an inquiry of this nature, I approach the piece of work with a spirit of optimism. We investigate a problem, get some really robust data and evidence, put forward non-partisan solutions, and these, hopefully, lead to remediation of the challenges identified. However, in this case, with this inquiry, the challenges have become much more severe, even in the five months since the publication of our report. I know that this will not be a surprise to colleagues in the Siambr, to those who gave evidence, or to businesses and people employed in the sectors.

The Caterer, which covers hospitality, conducted a survey of the sector in September. Eighty per cent of respondents said rising energy prices had wiped out their profits. Three out of five feared their business would not be there in a year's time. The majority of respondents had noted energy bills had risen by more than 100 per cent, with 22 per cent saying their costs had increased by a staggering 400 per cent. The chief executive of UKHospitality, at the start of this week, issued a stark warning about the sector's extreme vulnerability to energy price fluctuations, and accused energy company bosses of profiteering. Of course, hospitality and tourism are both sectors gravely affected by people having less money in their pockets due to the cost-of-living crisis.

Similarly, these pressures are also having a tremendous impact on workers in the sectors. USDAW trade union represents shop workers. I'm a member of USDAW, and in their recent survey of retail workers, it was revealed that half are struggling to get to work due to increased travel costs, one in four workers are missing meals every month to pay bills, and three in four report that their mental health is affected as a result of financial worries. There is a clear need for this committee to undertake further work in this area, examining the impact of the crisis and scrutinising the interventions of both the Welsh and UK Governments. I hope this is a topic to which we can return and, moreover, one where future inquiries can leave me feeling a little more optimistic for the future. 

Turning to the report's specific recommendations, I just want to comment on a few key ideas. Firstly, recommendation 5 is calling for additional support from the Welsh Government for capital investment. I'm pleased that the Welsh Government has accepted this recommendation. It's something I support. However, we must realise the impact of spending pressures on Welsh Government budgets since our report was written and since Welsh Government replied to our recommendations. That's not just the cost of living and rising prices, but the economic inadequacy of successive Tory Prime Ministers and their cliques. As the finance Minister reminded us just last month, over the current three-year spending period, the Welsh Government's budget will be worth up to £4 billion less in real terms than when it was set the year prior—£4 billion less. The challenge is stark.

Reading recommendations 9 through to 12, I'm pleased by the Welsh Government's engagement with our comments. A visitor levy is, in my opinion, a common-sense approach to generate the investment to enhance the tourism offer in an area. There's nothing new about the idea, and it's standard practice in many countries and territories. Recently, Edinburgh council became set to bring in a visitor levy, which will be used to support waste and cleansing services, and to deliver improvements to public areas and green spaces. A small charge won't deter visitors, and I don't agree with the naysayers who just want to run down all that Wales has to offer. 

Finally, the recommendations relating to fair work. I note the Welsh Government's response that it is, again, a matter of fact that the interventions we called for are largely a matter for UK Ministers. However, I look forward to Welsh Ministers using the tools that are at their disposal to make sure that workers in all these sectors are valued, appreciated and receive the fair day's pay they should be able to expect. Diolch.