Can I say that I thought it was very important the cross-party group commended the partnerships formed with the voluntary sector, because these can lead to some of the most innovative and relevant services that are available to our veterans? I want to mention one particular example in particular, and that's Woody's Lodge, which is based at HMS Cambria in Sully. I think quite a few people in this Chamber have visited it, and indeed they have held an event here in the Senedd, which I believe was sponsored by Jane Hutt.

It's an outstanding project, and it's one that provides services for armed forces veterans, recent leavers, which is a key group, I think, and reservists—many people now serve in our reserve forces, and they see combat and then come back and are working in our emergency services or the NHS or in the private sector, whatever. I think ongoing help for those people is very important. Also, Woody's Lodge has extended its services to emergency services—the uniformed services that often face profound trauma in pursuance of their duties. 

As its own mission statement says, it is there to provide a space for people to find themselves, and I think that's very, very important—that, after harsh experiences, people are given that space, but also the ability, with many people who will directly share their experiences, to reminisce on the positives as well. And, you know, there are many benefits to be had from serving in our armed forces.

The team at Woody's Lodge give support and guidance on a one-to-one basis and provide in particular help with benefits, health matters, and ways to build up confidence and self-esteem, which some people have lost, especially having left the type of atmosphere and daily routine you get in the armed forces, and then have perhaps not quite fitted back into civvy street very effectively, and then years later find themselves without any self-esteem or confidence to get out and get a job.

So, I think these are very, very important services that help, and, of course, they have a range of key partners to help in this excellent work. It really is a model of effective joint working. They work with the Royal British Legion, Age Cymru, the NHS—particularly mental health services—the Department of Work and Pensions, and many others. I would like to mention, as we've been talking about the first world war, that veterans of the second world war are now in advanced old age, over 90. There's a special project running at Woody's Lodge, Project 360 Degrees, which is  a project aimed at older veterans, which is led by Age Cymru and funded by the aged veterans fund. I think it's excellent, the work that they're doing there.

Woody's Lodge wouldn't be there if it wasn't for the group of volunteers that have raised a remarkable amount of money, both from the public sector grant bodies, but also from the private sector. I would commend the work of Dr David Trotman in this area, which has been an inspiration.

Deputy Presiding Officer, I would like to talk about one other issue—it was mentioned by my colleague Mark Isherwood—and that's the need for better data on veterans. I think we're all aware of the campaign by the British legion to have a question on the national census about service in the armed forces, and I was very pleased to sign up to that campaign, as I know many, many other Assembly Members did as well. But I think we should also put pressure on the Office for National Statistics, together with the UK and the Welsh Governments, to improve data collection on veterans whenever possible, because with better data we would be able to shape better services for veterans. I think that's a very, very important part of the covenant we have with them when they have performed these services on our behalf. For many, many reasons, including the humanitarian reasons that Mohammad Asghar referred to, they really are deserving of the fullest support we can give them, and I'm very pleased to support this motion.