This is an issue that is close to my heart. I've tried to make an effort in my time here in the Assembly, and particularly over the last year or two, in drawing attention to these issues. This is in part because, just as it is close to my heart, it's also close to the heart of the vast majority of people in this country. How we treat animals is a reflection of who we are as a society and as a country, and although many people sometimes claim that there are other more pressing things the Government should focus on, I think it's important that we focus on vulnerable animals, and how we demonstrate that we are supportive of protecting them.

But we are making a stronger focus on this issue because of the work of campaigners and the public, and this petition should be congratulated as another example of the people of Wales showing their dedication and resolve to try and provide answers and input into some of these questions and bring pressure on us here too. I would like to thank my colleague Siân Gwenllian, also, who has been working diligently with some of the petitioners here today, namely Linda, who has been e-mailing us on a regular basis to raise this as an important issue in the Assembly.

The issue of circuses is one that, to my mind, isn't that complicated. As the petition notes, 74 per cent of the public have demonstrated via polls that they are against wild animals in circuses. They rightly recognise that circuses featuring wild animals are outdated and are harmful. Twenty-five countries have already banned the use of live animals in circuses, and we've already heard about bans in Scotland and elsewhere in Europe. What concerns me, however, is the slow nature of progress on this issue in Wales. I don't want to go through the timelines that have already been outlined by the Chair of the committee, but now I understand that the formal line from the Welsh Government is still—and I quote:

'I am exploring opportunities to bring forward legislation to ban the use of wild animals in circuses in Wales.'

Any more exploring of opportunities and I worry that the Cabinet Secretary is going to get lost. I understand that we have a duty to get legislation right the first time, here in Wales, and I appreciate that the public would expect this and that the Government wants to ensure that that is the case, but it's not as though we are pushing for a particularly untried and unique path on circuses, because other countries have already banned this. Wales risks being left behind the curve. There is a chance that, while we are in limbo, circus operators could apply and get a licence here in Wales. Already, we know that, in 2015, a circus operator was denied a licence elsewhere in the UK, but managed to conduct a circus tour in Wales, which, in my view, could be very harmful. I've also been told today—earlier—by campaigners that the same operator is planning another tour, is unlikely to get a licence in England, and will likely attempt to obtain a licence in Wales soon. If that was to happen, it would be an embarrassing failure, in my view, directly tied to our lack of policy speed in recent years.

We are clearly seeing a huge movement of sentiment and opinion on animal welfare. I've raised the issue of an animal abuse register many times, and campaigners have delivered almost 0.75 million signatures on that particular aspect of this debate alone. I've been critical of the Welsh Government on this agenda, but I'm pleased to see, on this particular issue, that the Welsh Government doesn't reject campaigns on any of these issues out of hand, and that the Cabinet Secretary does make her preferences clear.

I'm also pleased that there is at least movement on the questions surrounding animal welfare and some actions on a range of them, but I am concerned, as are campaigners, that the movement is too slow. We really need a timeline now as to when this ban will come into place so that Wales can, again, lead the agenda. As with many of the debates we've had this afternoon, let Wales be put on the map. Let Wales show the way and make sure that animals are protected here, in Wales, as they are in other parts of the world. Diolch yn fawr iawn.