Diolch yn fawr, Deputy Llywydd. Periods are natural. They are not a choice. We all either have them, have had them, or know people who do. They are not dirty and they are not something to be ashamed of. No-one should be disadvantaged because they have periods. Everyone should have access to period products, as and when they need them, to use in a private space that is safe and dignified. But, unfortunately, this is not always the case.

We last held a debate on this issue in 2018, when research by Plan International brought to light the impact of period poverty on girls in the UK. Four years on, people in Wales are facing an unprecedented cost-of-living crisis, fuelled by soaring energy bills. The Bevan Foundation's snapshot of poverty in December revealed that more than a third of Welsh households do not have enough money to buy anything beyond everyday essentials. I speak to stakeholders about this issue often. I have heard directly from women in Wales that, when choosing between paying for food, rent, bills or period products, period products are the first item to be left off the list. And let me just say that again: there are people in Wales today who are forced to go without basic period care so that they can feed their children. The Welsh Government cannot, and will not, accept this.

That is why, earlier this month, the Welsh Government committed an additional £110,000 to local authorities in Wales to ensure community venues such as foodbanks and libraries are fully stocked with free period products to assist those most in need. We are also allocating over £400,000 to expanding the reach of the grant in 2022-23, and this is in addition to the £3.3 million we already provide every year to schools, colleges and community groups across Wales. And it's also why we're working to ensure that there are free products in women's refuges across Wales. We've been committed to addressing period poverty for many years, and, since 2018, we've provided over £9 million of funding to ensure there are products available in every school and college in Wales and across communities for those on low incomes. We established the period dignity round-table, bringing together expert stakeholders, activists and young people to work together, and the round-table has offered advice and counsel throughout our work on period dignity, and I'd like to take this opportunity to thank its members for their support.