Thank you, Deputy Presiding Officer. I'd like to thank Members for their views on this important issue that we've discussed before and I hope we can discuss again in the future once a decision is made. The United Kingdom's independent expert panel on immunisation matters that we've heard about today—the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation—gave further consideration to extending HPV vaccination to boys at its latest meeting on 6 June. Reports on the discussion at that meeting have appeared in some parts of the media, but the JCVI has yet to publish a statement giving its final conclusions and advice. I expect that to be available very shortly, and certainly before the end of July. So, the advice is imminent.

Now, I can't, despite the urging of Members today, pre-empt what that statement will say, but I do want to respond to some of today's discussion. As has been said, on the advice of the JCVI HPV vaccination has been routinely offered to adolescent girls since 2008, and a recent study by Public Health England showed that, since its introduction, the number of young women infected with HPV has fallen dramatically by up to 86 per cent between 2010 and 2016. Protection is expected to be long term, and eventually saving hundreds of lives a year. As a number of Members have said today, this is about saving lives. The good news is that the HPV vaccination in girls does provide some indirect protection for boys, and I know that Rhun ap Iorwerth's commented on this, and in particular he commented on vaccination rates. Actually, vaccination rates in Wales are relatively high. The last figures were 83 per cent and improving, with 89 per cent in Cwm Taf and 79 per cent in Powys. So, there is always more to do. But, in April 2017, again in response to the JCVI's advice, we introduced a targeted programme for men who have sex with men, and that was done in a prompt manner, acting on the updated advice from the JCVI.

Notwithstanding those positive developments, I note from today's debate and previous correspondence from others, including a range of clinicians in a number of different spheres, that concerns remain about the issues of equality of access to HPV immunisation and the reliance of herd immunity rather than offering direct protection to men and boys. I am aware that these concerns were raised with the JCVI by a number of sources as part of the consultation following the publication of its interim statement last year. Now, their review since then has taken longer than anyone of us would have wanted, but it is now reaching a conclusion, as I referred to in my earlier remarks. That review looked at a number of complex issues that the JCVI itself is best placed to assess, not least in respect of cost-effectiveness, albeit there will be a decision for me to make at the end of it. I don't think we should shy away from cost-effectiveness being important because we need to fairly, consistency and robustly evaluate the potential benefits of national programmes. We need to deliver value for money and the greatest health benefit possible to the population.

I do disagree with Angela Burns's point about how easy it could be to remove four or five named items from the prescription list. I don't think you could avoid reintroducing an expensive means test to do so, and I don't think it either is easy, as was suggested, or, indeed, that you would deliver the cost savings that she refers to, and, of course, there are differences of principles about our continued free prescriptions policy.

But I just want to make this clear because I know a number of people referred to evidence and the views of other campaign groups and interest groups in this area who all want to see positive change, but I just don't think you can put aside the JCVI as the authoritative body that the whole of the NHS UK family relies upon to help make evidence-led choices on immunisation and vaccination. Once their statement is available in the very near future, I will, of course, listen to the advice carefully before deciding how best to proceed in Wales. However, I do want to assure Members that I will prioritise consideration of that advice and I will then make a decision for which I will be accountable, but I will do so in a timely manner, certainly without any lengthy delay.