When I went to visit the warm hub in Caerphilly at the former miners’ hospital—the Caerphilly Miners’ Centre—I met with some women who themselves were helping to work to develop a centre for children and families in the Lansbury estate. They themselves said, 'For us, coming into the centre, we can also benefit from a meal and heat and support for our children in that warm hub.' But obviously that was linked to Flying Start as well, which of course is expanding and delivering and reaching more children aged between two and three in terms of the childcare element.

But it is important that we see that the eligibility criteria for the childcare offer will mean that more parents will be able to reach out for that childcare—those enrolled in higher and further education classes. We know that well-paid work is the best route out of poverty and the greatest protection against poverty, so that significant investment of nearly £120 million will improve that childcare availability, and the extension also of Flying Start.

I think that it is important, and the education Minister—. This is very much cross-Government. Yesterday, we had a Cabinet sub-committee and all Ministers were actually reporting on ways in which initiatives that they were taking were having an impact, and that spread from education to housing to the council tax reduction scheme—all of the areas where initiatives are important.

In fact, I think the free school meals for primary school pupils—again, part of the co-operation agreement—are having an impact in terms of reaching out to an additional 45,000 pupils who are immediately eligible for a free meal in those reception classes across all schools in Wales, and also the fact that there are those universal free school meals, and also we're hoping, indeed, over the holiday periods as well, to provide that support.

And let’s not forget the importance of free school breakfasts, which I know that you've raised questions on before, Sioned, and about the fact that we're now working to ensure that we can get more take-up. It tailed off a bit during the pandemic, but actually we knew—and I've always said of our free breakfast scheme—that actually you're providing free childcare as well, because children can get into school usually at 8.15 a.m., and it’s a really important part of our social wage, and crucial to addressing the cost-of-living crisis.

Just to update on issues around the Fuel Bank Foundation and the vouchers that are being provided, I'm very interested to hear about the food bank that you visited, who weren’t aware of this. This is a fuel voucher scheme that we have entered into with the Fuel Bank Foundation, who work directly with food banks, as you know. It’s a national fuel voucher scheme. Since August, the Fuel Bank Foundation has brought onboard 69 partners who can refer households for vouchers. That includes eight national partners, alongside local partners within all local authorities. Fuel vouchers have already benefited more than 14,000 people living in struggling households. It’s important that we get the message out, in terms of the fuel vouchers, if you have links in your constituencies with partners, with fuel banks. Local authorities are all aware of it as well, and Citizens Advice. We want to make sure that it reaches out, because it is really important. And of course it’s also reaching, as the discretionary assistance fund, to off-grid households as well.

The real living wage and the way that it is paid out to social care workers is the responsibility, of course, of the Deputy Minister for Social Services. So, those comments and points that you've been making about the reach of the real living wage are important, I know, and, on a cross-Government basis, we address these issues together. But also, I think that it is important to recognise the situation of carers. I was very concerned again to see that the UK Government changes in the support that they’re giving for cost-of-living this coming year does not include any additional support for carers. And whilst many carers can qualify for other benefits, and we ensured that they were going to qualify for our winter fuel support scheme this year, we know that there are 28,000 carers in Wales who don’t qualify. So, this is something, again, that we are raising with the UK Government, and we need to make that clear.

I’m very concerned to ensure, finally, that we get this message out about taking up the £400. The UK Government has made that available, households have received that, but people off-grid haven’t all received it. I have actually had some feedback from constituents saying it’s been more complicated than that in terms of receiving it when they’ve been moved—some money has been taken off electricity bills and some off gas bills. But I’ve written to the Minister responsible, the Secretary of State responsible, and laid all of this out, and I’m very happy to share that letter with Members today.