Thank you, Deputy Presiding Officer, and thank you very much to Caroline Jones for tabling this debate today and to all of the speakers for giving us the opportunity to explore how we can tackle the issue of loneliness and isolation in our Welsh communities, and I wholeheartedly agree that this is an issue that can only be properly addressed if we do work in partnership.

Loneliness and isolation can have a significant impact on both physical and mental health and well-being, and that’s why ‘Taking Wales Forward’ sets out a specific commitment to develop a cross-Government strategy to deal with loneliness and isolation. We recognise the need to work together across Government and we also recognise the need to work with the public and our external partners. This is an approach that we’ve already used successfully in a number of areas, including the work we have taken forward through the Social Services and Well-being (Wales) Act 2014. The approach is about what Welsh Government can do, what statutory bodies and the third sector and independent sector can do, but also, importantly, it’s about what people and what local communities can do.

As highlighted by Jane Hutt in the previous debate that we had on this subject recently, our communities have had a long tradition of being places where people do their best to help each other. However, as society changes and families become more dispersed, more people are experiencing loneliness and isolation, and I think that the examples given by Mike Hedges really brought that home to us this evening.

We’re already taking action to tackle loneliness and isolation in Wales through a range of programmes and initiatives. Whilst this is primarily focused on older people, we do recognise that loneliness and isolation isn’t just an issue facing older people, and I’m grateful to Janet Finch-Saunders for reminding us of that fact as well. In terms of some of the work that’s been put in place, it includes a three-year programme of volunteer-led community networks, referred to as Compassionate Communities, and we also know about the importance of befriending. We’ve provided a range of funding to support this agenda, and this includes support for the Ageing Well in Wales programme, which has a specific work stream looking at loneliness and isolation. We provide also funding to a number of third sector organisations to tackle loneliness and isolation in our communities. For example, Diverse Cymru are undertaking a campaign with support from other organisations to help combat social isolation in BME and LGBT communities. Sight Cymru are working on a project to deliver bilingual expert patient-led support programmes, designed to combat the social isolation that can often come from losing your sight. Gofal’s Journeys programme aims to enhance and expand the current model of peer support groups who provide people with mental health problems the opportunity to share experiences, build self-esteem and confidence and reduce social isolation. And we’ve also funded Mind Cymru’s My Generation to improve the resilience and well-being of older people at risk of developing mental ill-health as a result of isolation.

I recently attended the launch of Ffrind i Mi—Friend of Mine—in Newport. That scheme aims to recruit as many volunteers from local communities as possible to provide support to others, and in doing so it aims to match volunteers to people with similar interests and backgrounds, such as veterans supporting veterans, for example. And I do believe that real friendships will develop through this model, which will benefit both the individual and the volunteer. This is a really good example of what people can do locally, and it fits in well with our model of developing compassionate communities. I was very interested to hear about the Welcome Visitor home project—that’s not one that I was familiar with before—in west Wales and the Pembrokeshire Disabled Bowlers Club too. Thanks to Janet Finch-Saunders again for highlighting the importance service that the Silver Line can offer.

I think that this debate does provide us with a really good opportunity to recognise and thank all of the volunteers who are willing to spare some of their time to support other people, including Joyce Watson’s constituent, Stephen. Whilst there are many examples of other similar schemes, we know that there is more to do and we don’t underestimate the seriousness of loneliness and isolation, and the impact on people’s mental health and well-being. Some of those figures that Caroline Jones spoke of very starkly at the start of this debate in terms of demonstrating the impact on health, I think, were really quite something as well.

Since the previous debate on loneliness and isolation that took place last month, the Health, Social Care and Sport Committee has published information on the inquiry that they will be undertaking. They will consider: the evidence of the causes and the scale of the problem; the impact on older people and whether it disproportionately affects certain groups, such as people with dementia; the impact on public services, particularly the impact on health and social care; and evidence of what works and what interventions can really help, and current policy solutions and their cost-effectiveness. So, I’m really looking forward to the outcome of this inquiry, and we will ensure that it’s considered as part of the way in which we develop our strategy across Government to address loneliness and isolation.

So, to conclude, I’d like to reassure Members that we are committed as a Government to doing all we can to address the issue of loneliness and isolation. Whilst this is a particular issue for older people, and while we will continue to focus on this group, we’ll also take the opportunity to ensure that other groups of people who experience loneliness and isolation are also supported. We all have a role to play and we will need to work in partnership if we’re to provide support to friends, family members, neighbours and colleagues who may be experiencing loneliness or isolation.