Part of the debate – in the Senedd at 4:21 pm on 13 January 2021.
Diolch, Llywydd. Can I firstly thank all the Members who've participated today, all excellent contributions acknowledging the principle and the merit of these petitions? In conclusion, the size and breadth of the petitions we have received on the subject of sports and physical activity have left our committee, the Petitions Committee, in no doubt of the importance of such activities for so many people in Wales. I am sure that few people doubt the importance of the sacrifices that we all are making and that are required to tackle this virus, and to protect the people of Wales and the NHS from its very worst effects.
It is also the case that opportunities to improve and maintain physical fitness also have a vital role in helping to protect people from serious illness and, indeed, other health conditions. Many have been touched on today by those fantastic contributions made, and, indeed, by the Minister; thank you for your response also. And, as has been expressed strongly through the petitions we have received, they also play a crucial role in supporting mental health and well-being, something that has possibly never been more important and never been more tested than now during these times.
I wish to place on record on behalf of me and the committee and our clerking team our thanks to the petitioners, and any other individuals who have allowed their personal experiences to be shared. I think we all look forward to the day where we can see our gyms, our golf courses, our swimming pools, our amateur football teams out there, but, at the moment, I'd just like to thank everybody, really—the Members—for their interest in this subject. Diolch yn fawr, Llywydd. Thank you.