According to the Electoral Commission report on the last Senedd elections, although the Democracy Box partnership project, which was supported by the Senedd and the Government, was a positive step, we need to extend the reach and impact of these programmes. They acknowledged that we need not only to improve current resources, but also to develop support programmes for those working with these groups. This was a neutral information programme. As I've mentioned, there is also a need for a general understanding of the ideas and ideology, which is the crucial context to governmental elections. There's nothing to prevent this from being delivered from a neutral perspective, such as with contentious moral and ethical issues.

We also need to remember about the thousands of young people who have left school settings and education settings since they were given the right to vote and haven't been inspired to vote. The ongoing weakness of our national press and media actually contributes to the lack of awareness that they so desperately need. So, could the Government therefore consider providing opportunities to tackle that in community education and further education settings, or through informal learning in workplaces, to ensure that all our young citizens can play their part in creating the fairer, greener, more prosperous Wales that we all want to see?

Therefore, in welcoming the progress and the opportunities that exist in the future, I am making the case for ensuring that we don't deprive those young people who have been enfranchised by us, but aren't properly empowered, to use their vote and to understand the power that they hold. It's clear that each one of us in public life has a role to play in this regard, but it's the duty of Government to create citizens who can contribute to the nation.

Young people are less likely to vote than older people, and unless you vote at a young age you are less likely to vote in the future. There is a very real risk that young people today who won't benefit from the new curriculum will grow into adults that don't vote in the future. We need to break this vicious cycle for the benefit of our democracy, our Senedd and our nation.