Three hundred and thirty-three years after the formation of the first regiments that would later become the Royal Welsh, we commend both this motion and the content of the proposed amendment. In 2022, the Royal British Legion is, in fact, remembering and commemorating military and civilian service. As they state,

'the act of defending and protecting the nation's democratic freedoms and way of life is rarely without cost for those who serve. Physical, mental or emotional injury or trauma; the absence of time with family; or the pressures and dangers that come from serving, highlight why the remembrance of service is so important.'

We also thank active service personnel for their critical work in assisting the emergency services in Wales during the pandemic. 

As we heard, 2022 is the fortieth anniversary of the Falklands conflict, the first military action since the second world war that used all elements of the armed forces, with 255 British personnel losing their lives. As we heard, the Welsh Guards lost more than any other unit—33 soldiers and many casualties, mostly onboard the RFA Sir Galahad when it was attacked by Argentinean aircraft.

It's almost 18 years since I first raised the need for traumatised ex-forces personnel to access mental health care and receive priority treatment, after meeting ex-service personnel with service-related mental health issues, including post-traumatic stress disorder, at Tŷ Gwyn in Llandudno, then the only residential respite centre for ex-forces personnel in the UK, whose service had ranged from the Dunkirk retreat to the Falklands. Despite this, it was allowed to close with no alternative provision put in place. 

The Welsh Government did eventually launch Veterans' NHS Wales, providing veterans living in Wales with non-residential assessment and psychological treatment for mental health problems, including PTSD. As Veterans' NHS Wales have told me, they're grateful for their additional recurrent funding, which, of course, we had been calling for. I'm told, however, that there is a need for a peer mentor in each local health board, and I hope the Deputy Minister will commit to additional funding so this can be implemented.

I led a short debate here in January 2008—actually after speaking at the legion in Flint on the same subject—supporting the Royal British Legion's Honour the Covenant campaign, concluding that 'this must be fought until it is won', and welcomed the publication of the UK armed forces covenant in May 2011. The Welsh Government and all local authorities in Wales signed the covenant and subscribed to work with partner organisations to uphold its principles, as have health boards, police and businesses since. October’s Welsh Government armed forces covenant report both thanks the armed forces for their support during the pandemic and looks to the future, including the role of the armed forces in supporting Ukraine through training and materials. Last December’s UK Armed Forces Act 2021 enshrines the armed forces covenant in law for the first time to help prevent service personnel and veterans being disadvantaged when accessing essential services like healthcare, education and housing. The UK ‘Armed Forces Covenant and Veterans Annual Report 2021’, published last December, also covers actions taken by the UK Government and the devolved Governments. The Royal British Legion has long been a supporter of the armed forces liaison officer or AFLO posts in Wales, and understands that the Welsh Government has the intention to continue funding these posts across Wales, as we heard. However, they urge the Welsh Government to commit to funding these posts for the long term, so the sector can have more certainty and the AFLOs can continue to provide the level of support currently provided to the armed forces community in Wales.

Last year, the legion published their Wales manifesto, with recommendations for the Welsh Government to improve the lives of the armed forces community in Wales, and I call on the Welsh Government to respond to their calls in their manifesto, for example to ensure injured veterans can consistently access chronic pain treatment, to extend priority housing need, and to update the veterans substance misuse treatment framework and deliver better support to veterans with substance misuse issues.

We welcome the UK Government’s £320 million investment in the armed forces estate in Wales, including a new reserve company of the Royal Welsh at Wrexham’s Hightown barracks, and the retention of Brecon barracks. Finally, having hosted the launch event celebrating the launch of the first national veterans awards for Wales here in 2019, I’ll conclude by stating that it was great to receive an update on the awards from their founder, Sean Molino, at the recent Reserve Forces’ and Cadets’ Association for Wales annual briefing at HMS Cambria in Cardiff Bay, celebrating the great achievements of so many of these ex-forces personnel. Diolch yn fawr.