Can I add my thanks to Paul Davies for bringing this legislation forward, and for the consensual way in which he’s engaged in developing the proposal to date? I think there is a consensus in this National Assembly that more needs to be done to help families with autism. And can I say that I agreed with much of what Leanne Wood said? I hope that we can all focus on what we can agree on and resist the temptation to score points.

Since we debated this last year, I have met with the National Autistic Society, I’ve met with the integrated autism service, with families, with professionals, with Paul Davies and with the Minister, and I am persuaded that legislation is an appropriate way to go forward. It is clear that the Welsh Government has made progress, and significant money has been invested, and even though there is still some way to go for this to be fully rolled out, I think it is fair to say, at this early stage, that it’s likely that further action is going to be required because of the nature of the systemic culture change that’s required to properly recognise the range of challenges that people with autism face. I’ve heard stories of the delays in referrals for assessment, delays once on the waiting list, delays in decisions, a lack of signposting once diagnosed and, in my own area, concerns of the lack of a paediatric consultant in Hywel Dda health board. Those are all fair and reasonable concerns, and I was pleased to hear the Minister say that she’s willing to put the autism strategy on a statutory footing. I think that is an important start, though I think it is unlikely to be sufficient.

I do, however, have some concerns. I’m nervous about taking an approach where we legislate for each condition. I think Lynne Neagle was right to raise that earlier. That does set a precedent that we should be cautious about. I’m also nervous about picking one particular condition when there are baskets of conditions that are related, that have similar symptoms and that affect a similar number of people, but don’t have a well-organised and vocal campaign group behind them. I must congratulate the National Autistic Society for the campaign that they have run. It has been a campaign fuelled by an understandable frustration, and at times, that has made itself clear. But we are policy makers and representatives, and we have a responsibility to look beyond the interests of those who shout the loudest. There are similar conditions, and the Welsh Government has recognised this principle in its diagnostic strategy. We have, in Wales, a neurodevelopmental diagnostic assessment pathway that acknowledges the principle that there are related conditions and families who are suffering who deserve a similar approach. I think we would be well served to take a similar approach in drawing up legislation. Why should it be that one type of neurodevelopmental condition gets specific legislation and others do not? I think that that is a question that deserves an answer. I had a tweet this morning from somebody who said:

‘None of these conditions come on their own. My son is dyspraxic with a touch of Aspergers. Support; negligible, had to fight all the way.’

I think it would be wrong to have legislation that picks on just one condition and ignores the suffering and the struggle and the pain of families who are also suffering and who also face inadequate services. So, today, I will be supporting taking this legislation forward to the next level, but I do it with the proviso that that support may not be forthcoming for future stages unless we address these concerns that I have. I would say to the points made about abstentions that, when someone abstains, they let something go through. That is not the same as opposing something. In particular, I must single out the Minister, Rebecca Evans, who has a background in this field. Autistic families have no greater friend, in my experience, than Rebecca Evans. There may be a debate in this Chamber about how best we support families, but let there be no question mark that we think families need more support and deserve more support. So, I think it is unfortunate to criticise those who are abstaining today, while the details of this proposal are still fleshed out. So, I hope that we can go forward in a unified fashion. I think that the point that Leanne Wood made is that we need to bring about a culture change that underpins how people with autism matter. That’s the challenge for us all, and the debate now needs to be had on the detail of how we best do that. I shall be voting in favour.