I'd like to thank my colleague Russell George for opening this debate and his efforts in this campaign of highlighting it on a national stage. The air ambulance is an essential part to the people of mid Wales, and it's a lifeline to the people who live there. As a rural area, we don't have many of the things that people in more densely populated parts of Wales take for granted. You know, it's one of the blessings and a curse of living in a rural area, really, that we don't have the services that other parts of Wales rely on. As a result, services like the Welsh air ambulance take on an even greater role. It's literally a lifesaver for many people in my constituency. Shutting the Welshpool base will reduce the ability of the air ambulance to fulfil its role in my area. It's where it's needed most; it will mean longer travel times for the air ambulance coming from north Wales and a reduced ability to get to where it needs to get to in poor weather conditions, something that has been highlighted by many people.

The slow ambulance response times in parts of mid Wales are also a big problem, and also the lack of health provision—as my colleague Russell George said—that we don't have a district general hospital, and this again means the air ambulance plays more of a vital role. It really does save lives, and the public in mid Wales and in Brecon and Radnor know this. Of course, it doesn't just impact the people from my constituency; the air ambulance sometimes crosses over the border into Herefordshire and Shropshire to help people who've had major accidents there, and, if the base is put into north Wales, that will affect the delivery of that to help those people across the border who need that help in their hour of need. So, this will be felt far wider than just mid Wales; it'll be felt into England as well.

So, I recently attended a public meeting in Knighton organised by the SAVE Wales Air Ambulance campaign, and I'd like to pay tribute on the record to all their hard work and what they're doing in leading this campaign. The event in Knighton was attended by campaigners, members of the public and local councillors, and it was clear in that meeting about the passion that local people have for our air ambulance. The amount of money that is raised for that air ambulance is surely astronomical; it's probably one of the best funded charities in Wales, because people right across Wales understand how important it is. So, if this move happens and it goes away, it'll just have a devastating impact on the people of Powys and my constituency, as my colleague Russell George has said.

Of course, it is disappointing that the consultation process has been delayed, but we understand that there are huge pressures in the NHS and the staff are needed to tackle those problems. But once the consultation gets started again and gets back on track, I hope that that consultation will be wide ranging, very open and transparent, because it is clear that the bulk of public opinion is on the side of keeping that Welsh air ambulance base in Welshpool and in mid Wales.

Previously, I met with the chief ambulance service commissioner and expressed my concerns about this proposal and asked him for clarity about the consequence of a potential move. I hope, as the consultation process proceeds, that we will actually get that clarity that we want and shine some more light on the data—what my colleague Russell George has also said. But let me be clear: keeping the Welsh air ambulance bases in Wales is of the utmost importance for everybody, and if this is taken away, lives will be lost in my constituency and wider.

I'm proud to campaign for the retention of the air ambulance base in Welshpool alongside all of my Welsh Conservative colleagues here and my colleagues across the Chamber in Plaid Cymru. I call on the Welsh Government and its partners to do everything they can to make sure that ambulance base stays in Welshpool and to stand up for the people of mid Wales. I say to other political parties in the Chamber: please support our motion today in the interests of the people and the lives of the people in mid Wales. We need this service in mid Wales, so please don't take our lifeline away, and vote for our motion today. Thank you.