Motion NDM6132 as amended.

To propose that the National Assembly for Wales:

1. Notes that, according to the Royal British Legion’s 2014 Household Survey, there are 385,000 members of the current, and former, service community in Wales.

2. Recognises that those who serve or who have served in the armed forces and their families, should be treated with fairness and respect.

3. Believes that Wales should be at the forefront of implementing the Armed Forces Covenant, which is intended to ‘redress the disadvantages that the armed forces community may face in comparison to other citizens, and to recognise sacrifices made’.

4. Calls on the Welsh Government to examine ways in which the needs of veterans, and the communities they live in, can be championed and promoted, looking at best practice elsewhere.

5. Notes the work of organisations such as ‘65 degrees north’ that help the rehabilitation of veterans, and calls on the Welsh Government to work with the Ministry of Defence to ensure people about to leave the Armed forces are aware of such organisations.

6. Welcomes the steps taken by Welsh Government in partnership with the armed forces community, including:

a) the invaluable work of the Armed Forces Expert Group;

b) the development of the Welcome to Wales booklet for serving armed forces personnel and their families on being deployed to Wales;

c) the improved support for armed forces and their families, including the development of a Housing Pathway for ex-service personnel and their families;

d) the Armed Forces Employability Pathway which enables young people to build skills and confidence, gain qualifications and secure employment;

e) the continued work to progress health and welfare provision for ex-service personnel including the annual funding of £585,000 given to Veterans NHS Wales, free swimming and the total disregard of the war disablement pension from April 2017.