Diolch, Lywydd. Thank you. As we approach Remembrance Day and Remembrance Sunday, it is right that we acknowledge here in the home of Welsh democracy the extreme service that the men and women of our armed forces have given, so that we continue to enjoy the freedom that we so prize. I will be representing, like many, my people of Islwyn at remembrance events in Risca, Blackwood and Maesycwmmer in the days ahead. I particularly want to thank the Royal British Legion for all their hard work throughout the year, and I would also like to acknowledge the work of Caerphilly County Borough Council’s armed forced champion, Councillor Alan Higgs, Labour’s councillor for Aberbargoed. His dedication, commitment and the time he puts in to give voice to the armed forces community throughout the authority’s area is deeply appreciated.

This debate, though, is timely on top of recent events and we must all challenge ourselves constantly to learn from the past. Warfare must always be the last resort. The Welsh Government will continue, I know, to monitor progress in Scotland after the establishment of an armed forces and veterans commissioner there, so that we can learn from developments across the United Kingdom. Whilst responsibility for the armed forces is not devolved, the Welsh Labour Government has rightly taken a lead to ensure that our 385,000-strong armed forces community in Wales is supported—and that is 12 per cent of the population. Let there be no doubt that the men and women who have done their duty for our country in uniform command and deserve the greatest respect from every single man, woman and child in Wales.

The Welsh Government, local authorities and partner organisations have demonstrated their commitment to the armed forces, with the principles enshrined in the armed forces covenant across the principality. All 22 local authorities in Wales have signed the community covenant, showing their commitment to the armed forces community, and the Welsh Government continues to work with local authorities to ensure that those commitments are delivered. In Wales, the Welsh Government has put significant measures in place to develop and co-ordinate deliverable public services for our veterans suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder, and has established the Veterans’ NHS Wales, sadly still the only service of its kind in the United Kingdom. Each local health board has appointed an experienced clinician as a veterans therapist with an interest in or experience of military mental health problems. The veterans therapist will accept referrals from healthcare staff, GPs, veterans charities and, most importantly, self-referrals from ex-service personnel. And this is a clear example of putting words into meaningful policy and actions.

Rightly today military veterans in Wales are afforded the right of priority treatment for any health condition that arises from this service. This has not always been the case. Indeed, the Welsh Government has recently refurbished its package of support for veterans and their families to ensure that they access and receive the support they rightly deserve. And this refreshed support package sets out the Welsh Labour Government’s ongoing commitment across ministerial portfolios to the armed forces community across Wales.