I thank the Conservatives for bringing this debate today. In recent years, there have been huge strides in the prevention of cervical cancer through the introduction of the human papillomavirus vaccine programme. That vaccine was first rolled out in schools in the UK for teenage girls in 2008 and has been available for boys since 2019. It has had a hugely positive impact on cervical cancer rates since its introduction. A recent study including decades of research showed that cervical cancer rates were reduced by 90 per cent in women in their twenties who had that vaccine at the age of 12 or 13. HPV is a name given to a common group of viruses, many of which do not cause any harm, but some HPVs are known as high risk because they are linked to the development of some cancers like cervical cancer. In fact, HPV is linked to 99 per cent of cervical cancers.

It's important to note that this has not eradicated the need for smear tests—that’s been mentioned here today—and that they are still as important as ever, because no vaccine is 100 per cent effective, and it's still possible for the virus to be transmitted despite that vaccination. But it has been a huge breakthrough in women's health, and it's been found to be effective in protecting women against other gynaecological cancers—that is cancer of the vulva and the vagina. Uptake of this vaccine in Wales has generally been high since its introduction—roughly around 80 per cent. There was a dip, as we all know, between 2019 and 2021, as routine vaccinations were paused. An 80 per cent uptake seems a really good uptake, and it is, but if you compare it to MMR, that has an uptake of 90 to 95 per cent. So, I'd be keen to know what actions the Welsh Government are taking to increase the uptake of the HPV vaccine in 12 to 13-year-olds.

I know that Jenny was trying to mention endometriosis, so I shall pick up that—the link to undiagnosed endometriosis within women and the fact that the longer that women are living with it undiagnosed, the potential for the spread and the likelihood of that becoming a cancerous spread happens. Therefore, I will call on you, Minister—I’m sure I’m pushing at an open door—to look at that.

The other thing is that ovarian cancer is known—and Rhun mentioned it—as the silent killer. We have to do more to educate those people working in the field, but also those people suffering symptoms, to know what it is that they're dealing with. It shouldn't be a silent killer—we should be bringing it to the fore and making sure that women and girls, and also their partners and the people around them, are informed about the signs and symptoms from a very young age, and also the risk factors associated with cancers and the steps that they can take to help reduce that risk, like vaccination, diet and lifestyle. I’d certainly like to see a real drive in helping to raise awareness of these issues. I ask you, Minister: is that something that you might be including in your women's health plan for Wales?