Diolch, Llywydd. This week we celebrate National Science Week and what science offers society. However, as we use this week to promote science, today we have seen the loss of one of the UK's great scientists in Professor Stephen Hawking. I'm sure Members across the Chamber will join me in sending condolences to his family and his friends on their loss. Many wonderful comments have been made by people from all aspects of society—politicians, academics, people from the media—regarding his work in driving an understanding of how the universe exists, and on his humanity. We must also recognise the impact he has had in bringing science, and in particular physics, into the lives of people. His book A Brief History of Time sold 10 million copies, and I have been told it's actually back to the top of the Amazon book list today. He was one of the first to make science attractive to a wider audience, and that must never be lost. He even appeared on The Simpsons, to make sure that that message was going forward. 

National Science Week gives us an opportunity to reflect upon how important science is to the Welsh economy. In one sector alone, the life sciences, we have 361 companies in Wales, listed over nine industries, with turnover estimated at £2 billion and with over 11,000 employees. Science truly underpins many industries within Wales, including the future of steel making in my constituency, and it's crucial that we continue to develop the future generations of scientists and engineers that will continue to drive that forward, and we address the gender imbalance that exists in science as well, and we remove the stereotype that exists, so we can then put out the appeal of the world of science to all young people and their parents.

In closing, Llywydd, as we remember Professor Hawking, let us all work to ensure his beliefs in the positivity of science permeate through all our actions.