Diolch yn fawr iawn. Diolch, Cefin. Thank you, Cefin, for tabling this short debate on rural poverty, and also Mabon and Siân and Sam for their contributions as well. I think we can all agree that this a crucial issue, because we know that, across Wales, including in our rural communities, many people are struggling with the cost of living, so it's right that we look at how poverty is experienced in different communities, and also at what we as Welsh Government can help with, and where our additional asks should be as well, I have to say. To that end, I'd be very happy to receive your report and have a look at it, Cefin. And Sam, just to say, we are digesting your CPG's report as well on rural productivity, and I'd be happy to sit down with you and talk through it in due course. We've been a little busy of late, but we will, we will.

What we're talking about here is over 80 per cent of Wales that is classed as rural, with around a third of our population, one in three people, living in rural areas. And those rural areas are quite different as well. There is deep rurality and there's also rurality at the top of the Garw valley, which is quite interesting in terms of some of the support, when we talk about giving rural support. So, I really do welcome the chance to debate the approach we're taking to help people right across Wales, and to ensure that we have equal access to the support that is on offer, regardless, I have to say, of whether you reside in a deeply rural or an urban area or areas in between. And on that basis, we believe, fundamentally, that taking a strategic approach to Wales as a whole is the right way forward, whilst also recognising the different challenges in different communities, including in rural areas.

So, we're doing this, for example, through the child poverty strategy. We're clear that we need to work together over the long term to help improve the lives of children, of every child in every part of Wales, right across Wales. No child should grow up in poverty. Every child in every part of the country should be able to look forward to living happy and hopeful lives and fulfilled lives. So, in order to help achieve this, we're driving collaboration within Government and more widely across Wales to rebalance actions towards preventing poverty, whilst also mitigating its worst impacts.

The strategy also rightly acknowledges, by the way, Cefin, that rural communities can face particular challenges. So, this is why the Government's wider work as well to support rural communities is so crucial. And that's a wide range of policies. So, yesterday, for example, I set out my plans to take forward support for the farming sector over the next couple of years. We know, as you pointed out, that there's a higher proportion of self-employed people in rural areas, who are more likely to live on lower incomes. Many self-employed people work in the farming industry or the associated supply chains. So, we've tried to show here that we as a Welsh Government are indeed listening, will continue to listen to rural communities, and, hopefully, with some of the reforms being taken forward, rural communities will benefit significantly from ongoing support for the food and farming sector as well.

But let me turn to some other areas. You've rightly pointed out that certain aspects of poverty are more prevalent, more heightened, in rural areas. So, for example, the risk of fuel poverty is higher, with around 28 per cent of households using off-grid fuel. This is a real issue. Now, since June 2022, we've taken the decision to allocate nearly £4.5 million in funding to enable the Fuel Bank Foundation to introduce a national fuel voucher and a heat fund in Wales, and this is where the Garw becomes quite interesting, because the voucher scheme, which has provided more than 57,000 fuel vouchers to date, supports all eligible households that prepay for their fuel and are at risk of disconnection. The Garw is interesting, as well as deep rural mid Wales, because the heat fund in particular responds to the needs to rural communities by providing for deliveries of oil and gas to those not connected to the mains gas network, and I know there are people in deepest Ceredigion, as well as deepest Garw, who have received support from this. In fact, it's supported 311 households to purchase off-grid fuel, and, to date, these interventions have supported a total of over 143,000 people.

We're also taking action to improve access to services in rural areas, recognising the difference. Transport links, which you mentioned, Cefin, and others touched on, particularly in rural areas, are essential for connections between people and communities and services and for access to opportunities as well. So, that's why Fflecsi, even in challenging times, is offering access to public transport where, previously, there was none. We are now trialling Fflecsi in 11 rural areas, where we are seeing—it's good to see—significant passenger growth, with the trials having now been used for over 100,000 journeys. 

Now, in mid and west Wales, through the local transport funding 2023-24, we are funding just under £1 million for TrawsCymru bus infrastructure in Ceredigion, and over £3 million on the development of Haverfordwest bus station. I'm just giving instances here of how we direct investment towards our rural communities. 

You touched on digital connectivity in rural areas. It's not always as good as it is in urban areas, but I'm looking across at Luke here—it's not always good in some of our rural areas within what are regarded as semi-urban or peri-urban areas. We've got to work on this right across the piece. But we will, Cefin, continue to use the levers at our disposal to support businesses, homes and the public sector in Wales to get the connectivity they need.

So, the full fibre roll-out with Openreach has now delivered full fibre broadband to over 44,000 homes and businesses across Wales. It's backed by over £50 million of public funding. That's the difference that these devolved institutions can actually make. 

We'll continue to use these existing initiatives, including Access Broadband Cymru, as well as maintaining a close working relationship with the UK Government, to ensure that the needs of Wales are addressed through Project Gigabit. That has to reach every part of Wales. 

So, I hope this makes clear to the Senedd that, as part of Wales-wide strategies, whilst recognising the differences, there is support that particularly benefits those living in rural communities to help tackle rural poverty. And can I just say? We know that in rural areas and urban areas, and all places in between, the last 14 years have not been kind to them. We've got communities and families across Wales, including across the countryside, feeling the impacts of damage to the UK economy. We know that help is needed, so we have put in place the discretionary assistance fund and the single advice fund, providing support that is really crucial for those struggling with the cost of living. In February 2024 alone, over 2,200 awards were made from that discretionary assistance fund in mid and west Wales alone. They totalled more than £257,000 for those in most financial need. And between January to December 2023, in the mid and west Wales region alone, over 18,700 people have accessed the single advice fund services and were supported to claim over £10.4 million of extra welfare benefits. We are really trying to target and drive this home within rural areas, as well as wider Wales.

The council tax reduction scheme is helping people who are on a low income, or claiming certain benefits, to pay some or all of their council tax bill. In mid and west Wales alone, over 47,000 households are in receipt of funding through the scheme. Almost 37,500 households pay no council tax at all. And, of course, rurality and the impact of people living in rural communities should always be considered in the development of policies. I'm sure, as all of us across the Siambr will know, the well-being of rural Wales is inextricably linked to the performance of the Welsh economy. It's for these reasons that the Welsh Government is required to undertake an integrated impact assessment when developing any policy. The process brings together a range of impact assessments into a coherent framework, rather than bits and bobs of everything, but this includes equality, Welsh language, the socioeconomic duty, children's rights and rural-proofing. I wrote to you, last week—I hope you've had it—a letter setting out the approach we take and the questions officials need to consider in the context of rural-proofing when developing those policies, and it's quite extensive. Cefin.