As we close this debate, I think it's worth noting and reiterating a point Jayne Bryant made, that the daily struggles due to the cost of living are not something new, this is something that has been in the works for a decade or more. But, what we are seeing now is an amplification of those struggles, a struggle that should never exist in the first place. That amplification will lead to Victorian levels of poverty, and that's worth pausing to think about for a moment—Victorian levels of poverty in present-day Wales.

We've heard from Huw Irranca-Davies, Rhianon Passmore and Peredur Owen Griffiths about the effect that the rising costs of fuel are having. Families who were just about managing before now are being pushed over the edge through no fault of their own. We've seen the story on BBC Wales news of Judith, a grandmother, who only puts the heating on when her grandkids come for a visit, and even then she can only afford to have it on for an hour. If that doesn't wake you up to the reality of the situation, then I don't know what will—a situation that reinforces exactly what Peredur outlined on the effect of the cost of fuel on elderly people. 

We've heard from Heledd Fychan about how the cost of food and water has risen, plunging more people into food poverty. And, as Heledd pointed out, last year, nearly 10 per cent of households in Wales were experiencing low food security, and a fifth of people in Wales were worried about running out of food before they could afford to buy more. This figure was even higher for families with children. And all of us will have seen the rise in foodbank usage with our own eyes. Food and water aren't luxuries, they're fundamental to human life. We can't live or survive without them. 

We've also heard from Sioned Williams and Carolyn Thomas how wages are not keeping pace. Before this crisis, people were already working more than one job to make ends meet. And all this, of course, as Sioned Williams, Rhun ap Iorwerth and Delyth Jewell alluded to, means even more families are now making that choice between heating and eating. And for those who have already needed to make that choice, they are no doubt sick with fright about where all this will leave them. Meanwhile—and I know that there are Members who would like to sing of the virtues of this particular group—whilst 163 million people were driven below the poverty line during the pandemic, a surge in share and property prices led to the 10 richest in the world seeing their global wealth increase to $1.5 trillion. Oxfam projects that, by 2030, 3.3 billion people will be living on less than $5.50 a day. Let me put this in different terms: during the pandemic, the world's 10 richest men have seen their wealth double, as their income has grown nearly $1 billion a day, whereas the rest of the world has taken a pay cut. So, I'll ask the question again, as I've done in the Siambr before: at what point do we decide that hoarding that amount of wealth is immoral, because I think that we have long passed that stage now?

And one final point, Llywydd. There's nothing more showing of a person's humanity or lack of humanity when they say, 'Well, that's the way things are', or 'We don't live in an ideal world.' The reason why things are the way they are, the reason why we don't live in an ideal world is because of the lack of political will to get to grips with poverty. It's as simple as that. This isn't inevitable. Yet again, we find ourselves in a crisis where we have a UK Government that is unfit to govern, a Government that is more concerned with operation 'save big dog' than actually getting to grips with a crisis that will devastate families not just in Wales, but across the UK. Martin Lewis, the money saving expert, highlighted the stark difference between this place and Westminster. The biggest challenge facing families with a hike of 50 per cent in energy prices, making energy unaffordable for millions, brushed aside in one question during Prime Minister's questions. Now, I will say it does fill me with some hope that a lot of time today, not just in this debate but in spokespersons' questions in this Senedd, has seen questions raised around the cost of living. And actually, the response from the Minister was very positive, but we now need to act. Like all Members here, I deal with so many issues on behalf of constituents, but the crisis before us is the one that keeps me up at night. We're talking about my friends, my family, and it's the people I grew up with, the people who live in my community, and who live in all of our communities, who will be affected by this the most.  

Plaid Cymru's motion 

'Calls on the Welsh Government to publish an emergency cost-of-living action plan'. 

If this passes, it will require all of us, not just Plaid Cymru Members, but it will also require Labour Members and Conservative Members and Lib Dem Members from across the Chamber, to ensure that whatever plan is produced is worth the paper it's written on, and that it does work for people. And I challenge as well the Welsh Conservatives to go to Westminster and bang the drum about the fact that people in Wales right now are really struggling. They need to step up to the plate here. Too many motions and debates pass in this Senedd and are followed with delayed action or poor implementation. Well, this can't be one of them. So, I urge all Members to support our motion.