I want to first of all just thank the Deputy Minister and the Welsh Government for working on a cross-party basis and for bringing this debate forward today. This Thursday, of course, marks the hundred and third anniversary of the signing of the armistice that ended the first world war, a war that saw over 1 million British casualties, 40,000 of which were from Wales. And since the armistice was signed, nearly 0.5 million more British troops have made the ultimate sacrifice in wars against fascism, totalitarianism and foreign aggression. And this Remembrance Day, we don't just mark and remember those who gave their lives for the country 103 years ago, we also mark seven years since the end of the war in Afghanistan, 10 years since the end of the war in Iraq, 30 years since the end of the Gulf war, 39 years since the end of the Falklands war, 68 years since the end of the Korean war and, of course, 76 years since the end of world war two. These were wars and conflicts that saw thousands of British servicemen make the ultimate sacrifice, and it's during this and all future Remembrance Weeks that we must remember and honour them. 

It's also important that we note and celebrate the commitment of serving personnel across Wales at the moment, including reservists as well and veterans and their families, and the contribution that they make each and every day of the year, as has already been said by others. It is the commitment that our serving personnel make when they're deployed abroad or at sea for months without seeing their families, the commitment that reservists make to give up their free time to play a vital role in supporting the operations and defence capabilities here in the UK, and the commitment that veterans show when they re-enter civilian life and bring the valuable skills which they have acquired from the military with them. And it's because of that commitment that we as lawmakers and citizens must honour the armed forces covenant. That promise that we make as a nation that we will ensure that those who serve or have served in the armed forces—and their families—are treated fairly and will not face disadvantage. And as chair of the cross-party group on armed forces and cadets, I want to register my appreciation to the Deputy Minister and her predecessors and her officials for their continued commitment to honouring that covenant.

A great deal has been achieved in Wales over the years, including the establishment of Veterans' NHS Wales, the appointment of a Minister with responsibility for the armed forces, the commitment to the ongoing financial support for those very important armed forces liaison officers, the guaranteed interview scheme for veterans and of course, I could go on. They're all making a real difference to people across the country, but it's also true to say that there's still room for further improvement; there always is. And I would like to see more timely support for veterans who have mental health problems; more sustainable funding for those peer mentors that are incredibly important as part of the support programme, too.