May I sincerely thank everyone who’s contributed to the debate? I don’t remember so much unanimity on any motion—apart from the references to voting at 16, perhaps. But certainly in terms of the content of the motion itself, I do think that the mandate will be clear and unanimous, and I’d like to thank all Members who’ve contributed, and everyone else who will support the motion.

It was entirely appropriate that we heard at the opening of the debate about the way in which this Assembly has been in the vanguard and has been innovative in terms of the rights of children and young people, and in terms of the creation of a children’s commissioner for Wales, and also, as an institution, in the way in which we take pride in our accessibility as an organisation to young people, and the work that we do with schools and the 20,000 children and young people who visit annually as part of those plans. ‘No brainer’ was Lynne Neagle’s description of this concept of having a children and young people’s parliament, and I think we would all endorse that sentiment. Of course, it was important that she reminded us of what the UN has said in terms of the lack of provision currently.

I’d like also to thank Julie Morgan for reminding us of the UK youth parliament. I have seen pictures of young people on those green benches in Westminster and they are very powerful images, I have to say. It’s not just middle-aged men in grey suits but young people, and all of a sudden you see the House of Commons looking far more lively and far more relevant, and politics, as a result of that, becomes far more lively and far more relevant to the young people who perhaps feel that they are disengaged from politics as it currently exists in this country.

I don’t necessarily agree with Neil Hamilton that the establishment of a youth parliament is some sort of halfway house. I would like to go the whole hog, as they say, and to provide a vote for those aged 16 as well as a youth parliament, and to do more, because this is an ongoing process, not something that can be achieved and left alone. I think that the youth parliament of Rwanda that we heard mentioned poses a challenge to us all. Just imagine a youth parliament where a member of that parliament can actually sit in the full Parliament. Now there’s a challenge for us all. I do think that that would be an excellent thing for us to emulate and it would certainly encourage debate as to what the next move should be in terms of empowering and giving young people a voice in this country.

Of course, after the referendum in Scotland, we did see a wave of young people in Scotland, but also across the UK, who became part of politics and who engaged more with youth politics. We were reminded that those fora do exist in other parts of the UK to channel much of that enthusiasm. Young people, as we know, do have real concerns—about Brexit, about austerity, about their lack of rights in the rental sector, and much more—but far too often, those concerns aren’t heard, never mind listened to, which is another issue altogether, of course.

But, where is the voice of young people in the debate on Brexit today? We know that the First Minister established a consultative group on Europe, but I don’t think that there is a young voice on that particular group, so how can we ensure that we hear the views of young people within that discourse and discussion? The youth work charter that we have in Wales, which was published by the Government some six months ago, does mention young people’s rights, and I quote, to have:

‘Opportunities to participate in decision-making via informal and formal structures for youth engagement locally and nationally’.

Well, there is certainly a void at a national level, and the picture is very patchy at a local level too.

Fel rhywun a ddechreuodd ei yrfa yn y sector gwaith ieuenctid, fel gweithiwr ieuenctid flynyddoedd lawer yn ôl, caf fy atgoffa o rai o egwyddorion sylfaenol gwaith ieuenctid yng Nghymru, sy’n sôn am roi cyfleoedd mynegiannol i bobl ifanc, cyfleoedd sy’n grymuso, cyfleoedd i gymryd rhan. Eto i gyd, ar fater gadael yr UE, mater a fydd yn diffinio nid yn unig ein cenhedlaeth ni, ond cenedlaethau’r dyfodol yn ogystal wrth gwrs, ble mae llais y bobl ifanc? Os cawn hyn yn anghywir, yna hwy, yn amlwg, yw’r rhai a fydd yn talu’r pris.

Cawsom ein hatgoffa o’r gwahaniaethau yn y pleidleisio. Gwyddom hynny, wrth gwrs, rhwng y cenedlaethau iau a hŷn, ond y nifer is a bleidleisiodd hefyd, ymhlith y genhedlaeth iau—30 y cant, rwy’n credu oedd y nifer o blith pobl ifanc a bleidleisiodd yn y refferendwm penodol hwnnw. Nawr, wrth gwrs, nid cynulliad ieuenctid yw’r ateb, nid dyna’r unig ateb, ond mae iddo arwyddocâd ymarferol a symbolaidd iawn, rwy’n meddwl, fel y mae’r drafodaeth hon heddiw yn ei adlewyrchu.

Therefore, I congratulate the Llywydd on her comments. Clearly, this debate started very early after she was elected and very early on in this fifth Assembly. It is an opportunity for us as a young institution, as we were reminded, to innovate. If Westminster, which isn’t famed for being innovative, is able to achieve this, then certainly that reflects on the disappointing situation that currently exists in Wales. I welcome the commitment made and the confirmation of that commitment made by our Llywydd, and I’m grateful that the conversations and the arrangements are already in train.

Achieving a national assembly for children and young people is our aim. I am sure that we will unanimously support this motion today, hopefully. But, as I said, this is part of a continuing process. Achieving that will be a milestone. Let us actually achieve that milestone as soon as we can. Thank you.