Part of the debate – in the Senedd at 7:48 pm on 9 February 2021.
Thank you, Deputy Presiding Officer, and I thank the First Minister for introducing this important debate to the Senedd today to reflect on the annual report and note its contents. The first amendment, I think, is wholly appropriate, and I'm pleased to hear about the First Minister's support for that amendment, paying thanks to everyone involved in the extraordinary endeavours both of the Government, but of society at large, we must reflect on, because it is the people at large who've bought into the measures to try and suppress the virus across the length and breadth of Wales, but in particular public servants and the role that they've played, whether that be in local authorities, health boards—or in the Government itself, in fairness. I'll put my thanks—I might disagree with some of the policies that Government have come out with, but I know a lot of these policy decisions have been debated vigorously within Government, and the floor of the Chamber is the place for us to debate the differences, but I know the pressures that the First Minister and Ministers have faced as well, and, whilst I disagree on some of the policy positions, I know they've worked around the clock to try and endeavour to breach some of the shortfalls that people have felt in their everyday lives across Wales. That's why I think it's important that—I hope the whole Assembly will be able to endorse the first amendment, because, all too often, it's easy to say thank you, but you must mean it.