Thank you—diolch. Can I start by thanking the members of the Children, Young People and Education Committee for the scrutiny of this Bill, and Members for their consideration of this very important legislation? 

This Bill is a simple one, with a very clear purpose: it aims to remove the defence of reasonable punishment. It removes the defence to an existing criminal offence, it doesn't create a new offence, and it seeks to provide children with the same level of protection from physical punishment as adults.

I've carefully considered amendments 1 to 5, relating to the duty to raise awareness. As you will be aware, the Bill already places a duty on Welsh Ministers to raise awareness, which I am fully committed to doing. Amendment 1 introduces a reference to public understanding, which I believe—in my view— adds nothing to the Bill.

Awareness raising will form one aspect of our efforts to inform the public, including parents, about the change in the law. We already provide a broad package of support for parents, which includes the 'Parenting. Give it Time' campaign as well as Flying Start, Families First and our universal health visiting service. We are engaging with a wide range of professionals who provide these face-to-face services for parents, including through our parenting expert action group, which has been set up as part of our implementation group. They obviously have a key role in ensuring parents are aware of the change in the law and how they can use positive approaches to behaviour management. 

Our communications strategy includes a comprehensive stakeholder engagement exercise, which will take place before commencement. This will include a wide range of organisations and individuals who work with children, young people and their families in Wales. Janet Finch-Saunders raised this proposal for an open-ended awareness-raising duty, and it was discussed and rejected at Stage 2, and my views on that have not changed.

But let me assure you that, by commencement, if this law is passed, this messaging about the change in the law will be absolutely integrated into the communications parents receive from health and other professionals and in a wide range of parenting resources, including the new parent information resources replacing 'Bump Baby and Beyond', given to all pregnant women and new parents.

I am fully committed to raising awareness, and I thank Helen Mary Jones for her comments. The Government is fully committed to raising awareness and have agreed to a focused and high-profile awareness-raising campaign. If this Bill is passed, the campaign will run for at least six years and will be refined based on regular research, including levels of awareness and changes in attitude. Therefore, in my view, an ongoing duty referring specifically to the law change is not required.

The updated explanatory memorandum sets out our plans to awareness raising with children, including our intention to consult with representatives of young people. Similarly, setting out specifically the topics that need to be covered in the awareness-raising campaign, which is suggested in amendments 2 and 3, I do not believe is for the face of the Bill. However, let me assure you, there is a clear plan that will ensure the campaign is effective and properly evaluated.

Also, don't let us forget the family information service within each local authority, our 'Parenting. Give it Time' campaign, and professionals working with parents, and they already signpost parents to available support.

All these issues are being considered by the parenting expert action group and their thinking should not be constrained in any way by specifications on the face of the Bill. We have a duty to have an awareness campaign, but I do not think we need all these details on the face of the Bill.

This Bill does not create a new offence. In this context, it doesn't make sense to include a provision requiring the provision of information about how a person may raise concerns if it appears to them that a child has been physically punished. And I repeat: safeguarding is everyone's business. As now, the public have a role in highlighting to relevant services if they are concerned about a child. This Bill does not change that.

In my view, I think it is unhelpful to highlight particular aspects of awareness raising over others. I believe there should be a flexibility to adapt and adjust the awareness-raising campaign, including taking into account ongoing research, and evaluation will be an integral feature of this campaign. This will ensure we find the best way to communicate with individuals, families, groups and communities as they will all need to be aware of this change in the law. Information, raising awareness: the information will be built into resources provided to parents as part of ongoing professional development. So, we will make sure that all this information is absolutely endemic. I don't think it's necessary to highlight particular groups, such as visitors to Wales. This will be built into all our communications. Indeed, I know Members of the Senedd have been putting their views into articles in different parts of the press, and I think that's very good, because it's also highlighting this.

I've already said that we are reaching out to hard-to-reach groups, and Janet Finch-Saunders mentioned those who don't use the internet. We already provide information in face-to-face discussions, support and in printed material. I do think we need to trust the public, as we do now. And people make decisions now about whether to raise concerns with social services and the police. I think it's important that we ensure parents are signposted to where they can receive help, support and advice on positive parenting, and this is what we are taking forward with the implementation group.

We have got fantastic commitment and enthusiasm on the implementation groups. I can't really think of a greater effort of work that is being made by our officials, by the—[Interruption.] Yes, certainly.