Thank you very much, Deputy Presiding Officer, and I'd also like to thank the Business Committee for giving me this fantastic opportunity to address the Senedd this afternoon and bring forward this proposal. It’s a great honour, as one of the Parliament’s newest Members, to be bringing forward the first proposal for legislation of the sixth Senedd. The fact that this proposal has had support from across the Chamber shows that all parties here care about the rights of older persons.

According to the Office for National Statistics' latest mid-year population estimates, Wales has the highest proportion of over-65s of any home nation. Over one in five of our population are past state retirement age, and the numbers of people over 65 outweigh the number of people under the age of 15, meaning that we're an ageing population. Over the next two decades, the number of people aged over 65 is set to grow by around 40 per cent. While our demographics are changing, our society is not adapting, meaning that the rights of older people are being eroded.

We have taken steps in Wales to protect the rights of children and young people—and rightly so. We have, thanks to this institution, embedded the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child into Welsh law, and have placed a duty on Welsh Ministers to have regard to the UNCRC in everything we do. I want to afford our older generation the same protections enjoyed by our children.

The proposal for legislation before you today will, if taken forward, ensure that public bodies providing services that affect older people have had due regard to these, the UN principles for older persons. This two-page document was adopted by the UN General Assembly nearly 30 years ago in 1991, and sets out 18 principles. These core principles are grouped together in five themes: independence, participation, care, self-fulfilment and dignity—things that most of us take for granted. But these things are not always afforded to our older generations, unfortunately, as has been highlighted during the past 15 months.

The coronavirus pandemic has hit over-65s harder than any other age group. Older people are more likely to die from the virus, more likely to suffer from loneliness and isolation as a result of lockdown measures, and more likely to suffer as a result of measures put in place to reduce the impact on our NHS. A recent survey undertaken by Age Cymru, Active Wales, Cymru Older People's Alliance, Pensioners Forum Wales, National Pensioners Convention Wales, Women Connect First, and the Welsh Senate of Older People discovered the true impact the pandemic has had on older people. Respondents told of how lockdown not only affected their mental health, but also their physical health as well. A staggering seven in 10 outlined a negative experience in accessing healthcare, with one in five having cancelled appointments. What really hit home, however, was the comment by one respondent. She said, 'I am concerned that when lockdown is over, we will struggle as service providers return to neglecting the needs of those of us who have always lived in lockdown, regardless of the pandemic.'

We cannot allow the needs of older people to be neglected any longer. My proposed legislation will ensure that the rights of older persons are respected and protected. I urge colleagues to support the motion before them this afternoon. Diolch yn fawr iawn.