Diolch, Dirprwy Lywydd. I would like to thank Paul Davies for his continuing efforts to make an autism Act for Wales a reality. This Bill will help deliver what those on the ASD spectrum have been calling for for years—action to improve autism services in Wales. Action that the ASD action plan has, so far, failed to materialise.

The Minister has, on a number of occasions, denied that there is any need for this Bill, but it is clear that previous strategies and current legislation have not done enough to improve services for children and adults on the autism spectrum. And my casework is evidence of this. It should be a matter of national shame that, in many parts of Wales, there are no clear pathways to the diagnosis of autism, despite the roll-out of the integrated autism service.

I'd like to highlight a case that came to me. A young lady with autism, on the autism spectrum, was not allowed to go to the prom because she did not have 85 per cent attendance at school. Her attendance, because she self-harmed, sometimes she simply couldn't face going into school; other times, she wanted to just be on her own. And I think that this is one area that really startled me, that the discrimination, because a child—well, a young lady—had tried hard with 79 per cent attendance to go to the prom and she was not allowed. So, if Paul's Act does anything, then, Paul, I hope it would highlight and abolish situations such as this.

As Paul Davies has already highlighted, this Bill would place a duty on every single health board to make sure that there is a clear publicly available pathway to diagnosis. The Bill will ensure that staff working in our NHS and the social care sector in Wales are better trained and better equipped to support those on the autism spectrum, and will help put an end to the gaps in the services. People on the spectrum receive services that are either focused on additional learning needs or on mental health provision, and many, unfortunately, fall through the gaps that exist between our health and education services.

It has been 10 years since the publication of the autism strategic action plan, and very little has changed for those on the spectrum. We are long past the need for words. I support the intention behind this Bill and look forward to ensuring its swift passage through the health committee. 

Paul, can you expand upon the support this Bill has from the wider public? Did you get the impression that the Bill was not just preferable but essential? There are those who say such measures are costly. Paul, has any assessment been made of the costs of not introducing this Bill? Finally, there are concerns that introducing condition-specific legislation will lead to calls for legislation for many other conditions. So, how would you answer those concerns?

I thank you once again for bringing forward this Bill. I look forward to undertaking detailed scrutiny and ensuring the Bill becomes an Act as quickly as possible. Thank you.