Mark Isherwood opened this debate with a compelling and comprehensive case for this Bill, and I’ve been rather taken aback by some of the interventions by Labour AMs. I think I am right in saying that Lee Waters and I first met in a hustings in Llanelli organised by the National Autistic Society. I know him to be, of course, a very humane person. All I would say to him is: don’t make the best the enemy of the good. We need action now. There’s been talk for far too long. Let’s put some flesh and blood on the intellectual arguments that have been advanced today from all parties.

I have a constituent who has written to me with two children with autism. She says that the journey through the various systems in place has been very different despite them both being on the autistic spectrum. She says:

‘My son was diagnosed fairly early in life, just after his third birthday. He was given a statement and awarded a support worker for two and a half hours a week, increased to four hours in holiday periods. We were awarded 24 days a year respite, after an almighty battle, but only at a time convenient to the service provider, not to us as a family. My daughter wasn’t diagnosed until much later in life, at seven and a half. I had to take the local authority to a tribunal before they would carry out a statutory assessment of her educational needs, even though by this time she had been diagnosed with Asperger’s. A battle also ensued over support worker provision, and eventually she was awarded two hours a week, with no increase in holiday time. Another battle, and it was eventually upped to two and a half hours. Despite repeated requests, my daughter has not had any nights of respite provision awarded, ever. Currently, I am awaiting a carer’s assessment, but it is 12 months overdue. I am also awaiting news on whether we can attend some family therapy sessions, as my daughter has recently revealed that she doesn’t feel male or female and would therefore prefer to be addressed solely in gender-neutral terms. This has resulted in various bouts of self-harm, including head-banging, biting her arms and scratching her face. Thankfully, as yet, there have been no cutting incidents, and I fervently hope there never will be. People talk about postcode lotteries when it comes to the availability of services, but there is also a diagnosis lottery at work. We need this Act to sort autism out in Wales.’

I’ve got another constituent who has also written to me in very emotional terms, but this is her daily life. I won’t read all the letter. In talking about her son, she says:

‘He has attended an additional learning needs unit in his school for over two years, attending in the morning and attending mainstream class in the afternoon. This ensures that he has help to concentrate on lessons and not be distracted by others or distract others himself, and that he integrates also into class and mixes with his peers.’

She says:

‘I found out yesterday, without discussion with his parents, he now attends the unit all day, and I’m awaiting an explanation for this. Whilst it will undoubtedly improve his attention, I worry he is missing out by not mixing with his classmates. He’s currently not diagnosed. The health board are of the opinion that he makes good eye contact and is sociable. These are just two markers in a very wide spectrum. Why should my boy suffer without the correct methods to help him? I worry that now he is in year 4, it’s not long until he starts comprehensive school. With an apparent lack of cohesion between the education and health department, combined with an obvious lack of understanding of the condition, how many children will be failed and destined to live a life where they are unable to fulfil their full potential? He may not grow up to rule the world, but he’s my world, and there should be no obstacles in his way to stop him reaching for the stars.’

She says,

‘Many with autism don’t have a voice or have obstacles in their way that prevent that voice being heard. Please stand up and be heard. Be their voice; the voice of the future.’

That is the opportunity that we have today and, yes, I understand the intellectual arguments that we’ve heard from Labour AMs, but what we need is action. We need now to act on this, not to spend another 20 years talking about whether we could improve upon what is being put forward today. If you think you’ve got a better way, put it forward. If you haven’t got one, then let us vote for this Bill.