I thank the Deputy Minister for her statement this afternoon. I don't think we can over-emphasise the significance of this point in time in terms of the attention we give to mental health. It has been positive to have the 'Together for Mental Health' strategy to give us a focus on the work that needs to be done, to understand the problems that we face in terms of mental health and well-being in Wales, and now, as we're at that point where that strategy is being reborn, we must get it right.

Yes, steps have been taken over recent years. Yes, there has been an increase in investment in mental health, but the fact that we continue to face such intense problems in this area tells us that something is still wrong. Just as we talk of the need to invest in the preventative in the context of the NHS in general, I'd like to hear from the Minister what intention she has to ensure that even more of a percentage of the budget is invested in tackling problems at an early stage, before they develop into problems that are a greater burden for the individual, but are also a greater burden on the acute services, which are so expensive to provide, and create more heartache for the people who need those services.

I would like to know what work the Minister is intending to do at this point to ensure that, in future years, we won't continue to face problems in the provision of acute mental health services of the kinds that we've seen in north Wales in recent years—the ongoing problems at the Hergest unit in Ysbyty Gwynedd, where staff are still turning to us as local representatives and describing problems of low morale and concerns about patient safety. That isn't acceptable, so I would like to hear more about the kinds of ideas that the Deputy Minister is developing in this area.

And finally, I need an assurance here that more will be done to prioritise children and young people. We know that, despite the increase in expenditure and despite the additional focus on mental health—and we welcome that—we are still failing to move children and young people into mental health and well-being services at an early enough stage, and that means that the problems that could be resolved do become more difficult to resolve. I know of people who have given up entirely on NHS services and have decided that there is no option for them but to go private, and that’s in all sorts of areas, including eating disorders.

I need an assurance from the Deputy Minister that there will be a renewed focus on this and a rebalancing of priorities for young people, but also for that transition period between young people's services and adult services. I would be grateful for some comments on that too. We know that Mind Cymru and their plan, Sort the Switch, deals with this area specifically. So, once again, this is a key point. I will support the Government in making the right decisions now, but I do look forward to seeing that strategy being more robust than it has been in the past when it’s before us very soon.