I thank the Conservatives for bringing this debate before us, but I'd like to start today by taking you back on a history tour—not back to the age of David and the early saints, but far enough back to a time when Tom Giffard was wearing the short trousers of primary school and Gareth Davies was eating the Denbigh plum on his mother's lap, when Jack Sargeant had no beard and when I had a lot more hair on my head. Yes, 22 years ago to the first St David's Day at the National Assembly for Wales. In the Chamber in Tŷ Hywel, my father led a debate proposing that St David's Day become a bank holiday. He said this in opening the debate 22 years and a day ago:  

'St David’s Day is more than a celebration. It is our national day and the day when we, the people of Wales, at home and the world over, can celebrate our past and present and charge our batteries for future endeavours.'

The proposal received unanimous support a lot longer ago than a decade, Tom Giffard. It had the unanimous support of the Assembly, support from all parties, including the Welsh Conservatives. But, in 2002, following delays and the dragging of feet, Paul Murphy, the Secretary of State, rejected the Assembly's request. And in 2005, with the Assembly now in its second term, and with Peter Hain as Secretary of State, my father asked for an update from Rhodri Morgan, and Rhodri's answer was: