Diolch, Dirprwy Lywydd, and can I thank Members for contributing to this afternoon's debate? We've heard strong views from Members today on the challenges faced by workers, businesses and communities across Wales. As the Minister has rightly said, more has happened since we published our report in July than we could ever have imagined, but we all agree that we want to support our constituents through these very difficult times.

Now, Members have spoken about the lack of evidence base on how cost-of-living pressures are affecting different communities across Wales, and the need for the Welsh Government to ensure regular Wales-level data is available. We must have a more accurate picture of the impact of the cost of living on households, so that we can better understand the impact of cost-of-living pressures on different socioeconomic groups.

Of course, Members have eloquently highlighted the impact of the rising cost of living on households. We know that people are having to tighten their belts and make difficult choices, and that’s why the Welsh Government must work hard to ensure that those who are struggling are aware of the support on offer. Members have also referred to the pressures on the workforce, and we know that certain economic sectors are under more pressure than others, with an increased risk of cost-of-living pressures on employers being passed onto employees. And the Member for Bridgend, and Sioned Williams, the Member for South Wales West, have reminded us that many people and families are already facing huge challenges on a day-to-day basis. I'm also grateful to the Member for Cardiff Central for highlighting the debt some are already facing in struggling with day-to-day bills. 

Now, the Minister was absolutely right to say that the impact of energy costs on businesses, and, indeed, on public services, is just as eye-watering and just as consequential as those for consumers. Like the Member for North Wales, Carolyn Thomas, the committee welcomes efforts to lift more Welsh workers onto a real living wage and to support economic sectors and workers who are particularly vulnerable to the impact of escalating living costs, and I want to assure Members that we will continue to scrutinise this area further.

I believe we have put forward some constructive suggestions to fill what we identified as the gaps in support. We know that the pressures have increased and we have to see what tomorrow’s autumn statement brings. In the meantime, I can confirm that this committee already has plans for future scrutiny in this area. In the next few weeks, we will be holding a one-day inquiry called ‘Cost of Living 2’, where we will be listening to Welsh business representatives about what has changed for them since July and how they are coping with the increased costs of doing business. And also, very importantly, we will look at the impact of cost-of-living pressures on skills and in-work training for those trying to enter the job market or reskill. This work will include looking at the Welsh Government's employability plans, in particular the young person's guarantee and how cost-of-living pressures are impacting on those recovery efforts.

We are also intending to undertake some work on the escalating cost of doing business. Members such as Luke Fletcher, the Member for South Wales West, have also raised the impact of these pressures on businesses, many of whom still haven't fully recovered from the pandemic. And for that reason, it's more important that the Welsh Government uses the levers it has to help our businesses through business rates relief, grant support and by establishing an emergency support funding programme, using similar mechanisms to the COVID support programmes, to help the businesses mostly acutely affected through the peak of the cost-of-living pressures.

Now, Members such as the Member for Carmarthen West and South Pembrokeshire have also raised the rural premium, and we know that the rising cost of living is being more acutely felt by those living in rural communities, both in terms of accessing services and in relation to energy costs, and that is why we've called for the Welsh Government to ensure its plans to support off-grid households through this winter are robust, and we've also called for more research to be done on the rural premium and the impact that the cost of living is having on our rural communities.

Dirprwy Lywydd, the committee continues to give a high priority to examining these matters, given that they are so important for the Welsh economy. We will also be welcoming the Minister for Economy to meet with us on 7 December, where I'm sure cost-of-living pressures will feature on that agenda. And so, in closing, can I thank those who contributed to the debate this afternoon? We look forward to receiving further updates from the Welsh Government on their work in this area and in relation to the implementation of our report recommendations. Diolch yn fawr.