Part of the debate – in the Senedd at 2:50 pm on 21 May 2019.
Thank you for your perseverance. Secondly and finally, could I call for a statement on the Welsh Government's approach to justice for armed forces veterans who face prosecution and their engagement, if any, with the UK Government over this? This weekend, hundreds of protesters marched through Cardiff in support of veterans being prosecuted for historic offences in Northern Ireland, coinciding with protests by veterans across the UK. In 2014, it was discovered that Mr Blair's Government had done a secret deal as part of the Good Friday negotiations, in which letters were sent to known IRA members involved in terrorism, assuring them they would not face prosecution in the future. Last week, the defence Secretary, Penny Mordaunt, announced plans for legislation to provide stronger protection from repeated investigations into historical allegations for veterans in Iran and Afghanistan, but she also said, although this wouldn't apply in Northern Ireland, she intended to find a way they could be afforded similar protection—and I conclude here—saying that dealing with the treatment of Northern Ireland veterans was a personal priority for her. Has the Welsh Government taken a position on this, will it do so, given the protests in Cardiff and the impact on many people living in Wales, and what dialogue has it had, if any, with the UK Government?