I welcome the fact that UKIP have brought this debate to the Chamber this afternoon, and I must say it's difficult to add to Caroline Jones's opening passionate and excellent contribution, which covered so many different areas and aspects, not only of how we got into this position, but also the real suffering that some women are going through in this position. Also, you quoted your own personal experience as well.

Can I start by saying that I have, like all other AMs, great sympathy for the women affected by these changes to the state pension and, as I said, what they're going through at this moment? One of my members of staff is actually in a similar position herself to that set out by Caroline Jones, so it's a sensitive issue in my office so I have it close to home. So, I'm not just speaking about this issue today from a distance, as clearly not a WASPI myself—[Inaudible.]—but from personal experience of friendships and colleagues.

I'm sure that all AMs here have been approached at some point by women in this situation, and, as Caroline Jones did today, the WASPI women make a very strong, passionate case, so it is very difficult not to be compelled by what they have to say. And as politicians, Assembly Members, that is our job. Some of the stories that Vikki Howells mentioned do touch the heart strings.

Of course, to say this is purely an issue that happened under this UK Government is not true. Certainly, some of the changes that happened in 2010-11, you're quite right to point those out, but as you said, the changes, actually, are a consequence of going back as far as the Pensions Act 1995, which set this train in motion. Back then, the changes were deliberately held back for a length of time with the intention, at least, to give the women affected time to plan for their retirement. Now, of course, we know that that process—. Well, to say it was far from perfect is an understatement; it clearly hasn't worked.

Whilst it is a Conservative Government in power at the moment, of course, this has happened under a number of Governments. It's happened under a coalition Government, going back to the 1990s it was a Conservative Government and, of course, the Labour Government in between. So, along the line, there has been a successive failure of effective communication between UK Government and the WASPI women and that is regrettable, but as you've said, Caroline, it's difficult, not always impossible, but difficult to correct past mistakes, and so what we have to do, as Vikki Howells said as well, is see how we can best support those women.

Now, this isn't a devolved issue; Julie James has had nothing, well, very little to do with the changes in legislation at UK level. I must say, though, I did find the Government amendment, which changes the call for the Welsh Government to work with the UK Government to the Welsh Government to 'urge' the UK Government a little pedantic. I'm sure there was some—. Well, you can probably explain the reason for that drafting. But, I think that the public would not mind, Julie, if the Welsh Government, even though it isn't a devolved responsibility, was actually working with the UK Government in this instance. We do have two Governments, as we know—we've got the UK Government at the other end of the M4, as Plaid are often keen to point out, and we have the Welsh Government here. So, I think there does need to be co-operation. Even though the levers of power on this are in Westminster, I think there does need to be a concerted effort here to get the UK Government—