Thank you, acting Presiding Officer. Can I thank Members of the Senedd for bringing forward this really important debate on the issue of closure of religious buildings throughout Wales, and for the passion with which all of you have spoken on the issue—an issue that I think is of concern to all of us? Because we all have these buildings, don’t we, in our constituencies. Alun Davies referred to the synagogue in Merthyr Tydfil, which is going to be repurposed to become the Welsh Jewish heritage centre for the whole of Wales. I think about Capel Aberfan, which is now standing empty, and the importance to that community in the immediate aftermath of the disaster in Aberfan.

Places of worship are absolutely embedded in the heritage of every community in Wales, and to hear Rhys ab Owen, Joel James, Delyth Jewell, Buffy Williams and Mabon ap Gwynfor all talking so passionately and inspirationally about examples from their own lives and their own constituencies was wonderful to hear, because collectively they contain more history than perhaps any other type of building that we see every day. There are no less than 3,000 places of worship listed in Wales, a powerful acknowledgement of both their architectural and historic significance. Many have not met the criteria for statutory listing at a national level, but they are of course still very important at a local level.

The community connections that have sustained all of those buildings over centuries are sadly wearing very thin in many areas. I absolutely agree that it is vital for Welsh Government to work with different denominations to discuss the future of these buildings. I'm pleased to report that my officials in Cadw are doing just that. It's also vital that we are imaginative and work with a range of other partners to find a sustainable future for these precious buildings that restores them to their place at the heart of our communities.