1. What assessment has the Welsh Government made of the decline in the number of Welsh speakers in Carmarthenshire according to the most recent census data? OQ59088

Developing Welsh-medium education and improving the language outcomes of all our pupils as well as understanding better what lies behind the further decline in Welsh-speaking communities is a priority. Language use is at the heart of this. We will undertake further analysis when further data are available.

The Minister will have seen the figures, of course, and they are concerning, aren't they? It varies from a fall of a little under 3 per cent among the youngest cohort, 3 per cent of those between 16 and 64, but 9 per cent in those over 65. There are different factors, of course, driving those different statistics, but, certainly, they paint a picture that is worrying. I know that the Commission for Welsh-speaking Communities is going to be driving progress across communities and will make recommendations as to which areas should be designated as areas of linguistic sensitivity. But can the Minister tell us more now on the kinds of interventions you as a Government think would be appropriate for the situation that we're facing in Carmarthenshire? And as we await the commission's report, would you be willing to meet with myself and other elected members within the council and other stakeholders to discuss what can be done immediately to tackle the challenges we're facing in Carmarthenshire?

Thank you for those important questions. I met with the education director and the council leader of Carmarthenshire last week to discuss their strategic plan, and the message of the county council was clear, in that they see themselves that there is a need for action to be taken in a purposeful and deliberate way without delay. We have full faith that they will do so. The cabinet is unanimous in support of the plans that they have, which is very much to be welcomed.

As the Member said, the picture is a complex one in the sense that different cohorts in terms of age groups have been impacted in different ways. There is a geographical element too, with specific concern regarding the Amman valley, for example. So, understanding the data in its context is important. There are positive elements too in what the county is doing, specifically in terms of investment in immersion and the ambitious plans that they have to move 10 schools along the linguistic continuum to provide more increasingly through the medium of Welsh. I'd be willing to meet with him and others. I was intending to have a series of regional meetings in different parts of Wales to discuss with local stakeholders, and it would be very appropriate to do that in Carmarthenshire too, I think.

Minister, one of the best ways of increasing the use of the Welsh language is to encourage its use in informal settings. Working with organisations such as the Young Farmers across Carmarthenshire could be a key part of ensuring that we meet the target of Cymraeg 2050. I recently raised with the Minister for rural affairs the fact that the only financial support that the Young Farmers receive from the Welsh Government is through the language grant. Although this is to be welcomed, I do think that more could still be done to support other community groups to promote and use the Welsh language. So, how are you working with your Cabinet colleagues in order to ensure that financial support for organisations such as the Young Farmers and other groups can support their success and promote the Welsh language simultaneously? 

I thank Sam Kurtz for those questions. The contribution made by the YFC to youth work in our rural areas is priceless. I'm very pleased about the financial contribution of almost £125,000 that we provide to the Wales federation and the county federations to ensure that their important work can continue. The enthusiasm and commitment of young people in the world of agriculture and wider rural communities in Wales is inspirational.

We already provide a source of funding for other bodies in different sectors. I announced a fund last week, or the week before, increasing those this year as a result of the cost-of-living pressures and inflation on those budgets. As the Member will know, we are currently reviewing our grant programme to ensure that that aligns with the Cymraeg 2050 project. I know that he'll welcome that.