Thank you, Deputy Presiding Officer. This is a particularly appropriate time to mark the contribution of our armed forces to the defence of our country and way of life. This year is the centenary of two of the most significant battles of the first world war. The battle of Jutland was a turning point in the war at sea and won at a cost of 8,500 lives. In France, the battle of the Somme was crucial to the course of the war and, particularly at Mametz Wood, huge numbers of Welsh soldiers gave their lives. The First Minister will represent the people of Wales at the national remembrance service in Mametz Wood on 7 July to honour those who gave their lives. I am also pleased that the Welsh Government has contributed to the memorial erected to mark the bravery and sacrifice of the 38th (Welsh) Division at Mametz Wood. We will continue to mark significant first world war events through our Cymru’n Cofio Wales Remembers: 1914-1918 programme.

The Welsh Government will continue to support and contribute to the Armed Forces Day events held in both north and south Wales. The events give the people of Wales the opportunity to show their appreciation and gratitude to those currently serving and to our ex-service personnel. They also provide an opportunity for the younger generation to learn and appreciate the sacrifices made by our servicemen and servicewomen in defending our freedom. We remain fully committed to providing ongoing support and services for our present armed forces community, and we have worked with, and listened to, our key partners and are currently refreshing our package of support. It will also now include a separate document for our serving personnel and their families, called ‘Welcome to Wales’. These two key documents will set out the support available across ministerial portfolios, and support organisations such as the Royal British Legion and Army Families Federation. I will launch these documents formally in early autumn.

Members are already aware of the importance of the defence discount service card. To date, membership of the service has increased by 89.14 per cent compared to 38 per cent for the rest of the UK—a significant difference. We will continue to work with the defence discount service to promote the benefits of the defence privilege card and look to incorporate corporate sign-up to the card.

The health and well-being of our serving and ex-service personnel is of paramount importance to us. We will provide, and have provided, £100,000 to jointly develop a free swimming initiative with the Welsh Local Government Association. We will continue to provide £585,000 a year to maintain the unique Veterans NHS Wales service, and we will explore options to improve the experience of veterans suffering from mental health issues by working with Veterans’ NHS Wales, to ensure that the existing care pathway continues to meet the varied needs of those requiring their services.

The former Minister for Health and Social Services previously announced that, from April of this year, a higher disregard of £25 would apply to war disablement pensions, received by veterans when assessing their contribution to any care costs they are required to pay. From 2017, we will totally disregard those payments when assessing care costs.

A tremendous amount of good work is being delivered across Wales. Already, all local authorities, health boards and other public organisations have covenant champions in place, providing services and support for our armed forces community across Wales. A good example of how working together has made a difference to the lives of the most vulnerable in our communities is Tŷ Dewr in Wrexham. Tŷ Dewr is a purpose-built home for veterans in Wrexham who are experiencing difficulties in their lives. Wrexham local authority, working in partnership with First Choice Housing and supported by the Welsh Government, has provided safe and secure accommodation for veterans to help them rebuild their confidence and their lives. Building on initiatives such as these, we are developing a housing referral pathway. This will enable veterans and their families to make an informed choice as to which option is most appropriate for them. I expect that work also to be completed by early autumn.

You have heard how joint working and shared good practice have resulted in initiatives that will make a difference to the lives of our serving and ex-service personnel. We will continue to work with our partner organisations by convening a covenant conference in the autumn. The conference will provide an opportunity for all attendees to build on good practice and share experiences to ensure our armed forces community receives the support it deserves.

Deputy Presiding Officer, these are challenging times and, as budgets are tightening, we need to be smarter in how we deliver services and initiatives to make a difference. Moving forward, with the armed forces expert group working collectively across sectors, we will continue to support Ministers, and this group will continue to support me in determining my priorities and focusing resources where they have to be and will make the most impact. At the next meeting of the expert group during July, we will identify key priorities and the means to deliver these. This will ensure that we can make a difference to the lives and wellbeing of our armed forces communities, providing them with the support and services they deserve.