I wish to very much welcome this debate and the innovative and groundbreaking principles within this Bill for the young people that we all represent. I wish to thank the Minister for the strong, robust and resilient work in this regard, and also the ongoing work of the Children, Young People and Education Committee and its Chair, Lynne Neagle. This innovative Bill, I believe, has potential to be on a par with other firsts for Wales, such as the organ transplantation Act, the violence against women and domestic abuse Act and groundbreaking environmental legislation. This Bill will add to a portfolio of innovation in Wales and is needed with regard to some of our most vulnerable young people. It is absolutely right, however, that we get it right.

This Bill will have an impact for over 100,000 pupils with ALN and SEN—one in five pupils across Wales—and centres rightly on person-centred planning. It is right that this Bill focuses on the needs of the learner, strengthening pathways and frameworks, increasing ALN awareness and planning, and improving provision and delivery as part of the wider additional learning needs transformational programme in Wales. Parents, carers and our young people of Wales deserve no less, and the anticipated and desired impacts of this Bill are profound and positive. Whilst I recognise this, we must also recognise the desire to increase expertise and knowledge across the sector. So, would the Minister consider the necessity of increasing to a Master’s qualification for ALN co-ordinators as an essential requirement when ‘desirable’ will also maintain both consistency and capacity within the sector? So, to conclude, I very much welcome this innovative Bill. Thank you.