I know the committee has had concerns about the number of recommendations that were rejected, so I’d like to use this opportunity to expand on the reasons why and also to reassure Members that it’s not because I necessarily disagree with the findings.

Recommendation 1 asks for a new national approach for participation in sport and physical activity in disadvantaged areas. I am not convinced that a new, wholesale approach is required. The reason for that is that Sport Wales’s vision and strategy for sport in Wales was, and continues to be, developed by the sector through an extensive consultation. One of the many important strands in the vision is to ensure that sport is accessible, inclusive and affordable, leaving no-one behind. This underpins a key message in the strategy, which is that every young person has the skills, confidence and motivation to enable them to enjoy and progress through sport, giving them foundations to lead an active, healthy and enriched life.

I’ve also made it clear to Sport Wales in their remit letter that I expect them to ensure the broadest range of vulnerable groups can engage with sport and physical activity and are not excluded from participation. This should include identifying and delivering specific opportunities that enable people in vulnerable or disadvantaged groups and those in underrepresented communities to benefit from sport and physical activity. Sport Wales, through its annual business plan, has responded positively to these objectives in the remit letter and it is right that they should be given the opportunity and the time to deliver against it. To respond to your points specifically, Tom Giffard, I do meet regularly with Sport Wales for updates and to review progress, and I will continue to do that.

Although not a specific recommendation in the report, there has been mention made about adverse health conditions, and I think it’s probably worth mentioning that the Welsh Government has committed to developing a national framework that enables delivery of social prescribing in Wales that is of a consistent, effective and high-quality standard. Sport and physical activity play a central part in delivering those goals, and that is predominantly in most of our deprived areas. In short, and I think as was acknowledged by Delyth Jewell, there is much good work going on already to address participation in disadvantaged areas, underpinned by the clear vision and strategy for sport in Wales, which, as I’ve said, came directly from the sector. A different approach now risks undermining the progress that has already been made.

Several of the recommendations touched on funding, and it’s worth pointing out that the majority of Welsh Government funding for sport is of course channelled through Sport Wales. I expect them to use their funding, and the funding that they receive via the National Lottery, to deliver the objectives set out in the term of Government remit letter, but it is also about the effective use of funding that is allocated to them. It’s worth repeating that we intend to invest more than £75 million over the next three years for Sport Wales to deliver those aims and objectives. This is in addition to support through other Welsh Government funding programmes, such as sustainable communities for learning and the community facilities programme, which were mentioned by Carolyn Thomas.

We’re also investing over £13 million in a range of programmes across 2022-24 as part of our delivery plan for our Healthy Weight: Healthy Wales strategy. But of course, funding isn’t solely a Welsh Government responsibility—sources such as the National Lottery, prize money from major tournaments and local authority budgets also have a role to play in providing support for disadvantaged communities. I have to acknowledge, as Heledd Fychan and others have pointed out, that there is a wider issue around deprivation that cannot be met by sporting investment alone. It is important that there is a whole-Government approach to tackling poverty and deprivation. Of course, we all know that we have been off the back of 10 years of austerity, we are in the middle of a cost-of-living crisis and we are doing what we can as a Welsh Government, but the key levers to addressing some of those key factors are with the UK Government, and not with the Welsh Government. The committee did—