Diolch, Dirprwy Lywydd. I think at the root of this debate today is the fact that all of us here live in a secure, stable and prosperous part of the world, but as we all know, and as we’ve heard already, and as the briefings from Oxfam Cymru, Save the Children and the Red Cross provided for this debate show with their tragic statistics, very many people in the world are not in that fortunate position and live with death as a daily reality—unnecessary death and suffering, poor sanitation, poor health standards, lack of educational opportunity, and lack of economic opportunity. And also, of course, great war and turmoil. So, we are very fortunate, and that does give us a moral responsibility to help people in that dire need.

I’m very proud, actually, Dirprwy Lywydd, that our Welsh Government has taken forward the programme for Africa, recognising our moral responsibility. I was very fortunate to go to Mbale in Uganda and see at first-hand the children, the women, the families that have benefited from the work—the health work, the educational work, the economic development and environmental work—that Welsh people are doing in partnership with people in Mbale, and it’s very heart-warming, when you walk around the orphanages, and you see at first-hand how much it matters to people, and I applaud that work.

I also very much applaud the last UK Labour Government for setting up the Department for International Development, for tripling the aid budget, and I very much applaud the UK Conservative Government for meeting the 0.7 per cent target. That is absolutely fantastic to see, when you look at the need around the world. In terms of the displacement and the mass movement of people across the world that that displacement of over 60 million people creates, with the war and turmoil behind it, and economic migration coming from impoverishment, we know that that not only creates those very obvious problems for the countries directly affected, but for the whole world, because mass movement of people does create issues and difficulties for everyone. Obviously, as has been said already, if we build up the economies of countries that are currently impoverished, then they are strong future trading partners. So, there is a direct benefit for us in the so-called developed world if we help the so-called developing world.

So, I think that is the true background to this debate today, Dirprwy Lywydd, which has, I think, seen some very strong statements. I join people in being absolutely appalled that UKIP has brought this motion to the Assembly today. I think it does reveal UKIP in its true light, and it will be very interesting to see what people outside this Chamber and organisations involved in the field of international development make of this debate and the contributions to it.

Can I just say in closing, Dirprwy Lywydd, that I completely and fundamentally oppose this UKIP motion and the values, attitudes and politics that lie behind it? I believe, as I think the vast majority here today do, in internationalism, in equality and fairness, in Wales, the UK and the world. Thank goodness that Welsh Government and UK Government recognise their international obligations and are sufficiently principled and courageous to put them into practice to save lives and to improve life in those places, those parts of the world, in greatest need.