Llywydd, in calling for the devolution of policing to its natural place, Plaid Cymru recognises that that would involve sensible and mature co-operation between Welsh Government and Westminster. It is vital that at the heart of the process is a framework for close co-operation between Welsh and Westminster policing Ministers and between forces in Wales and forces in England, beyond its devolution. A clear and robust framework for mutual aid will be vital and indeed we already have good examples of mutual aid agreements between services that are devolved to Wales and their counterparts in England and across these islands. Mutual aid agreements exist between Scotland and Westminster and there is close co-operation between the police service of Northern Ireland and the An Garda Síochána, particularly following the Patten report. The very complex challenges facing law enforcement across the world make co-operation essential.

Plaid Cymru support for devolution of policing isn’t motivated by some narrow dream of digging a policing Offa’s Dyke, but rather to deliver better outcomes for citizens, coherence across Welsh public service delivery and greater accountability. Plaid Cymru’s vision for policing in Wales would seek to build upon the very best of Peel’s principles of policing by consent and his central principle that the police are the public and the public are the police. In that spirit, we can build on the work already done by Welsh forces in being innovative and sharing best practice with partners elsewhere in the United Kingdom and beyond.

I hope that, in this debate today, Members from all parties can support Plaid Cymru’s motion. I am particularly looking forward to hearing the Welsh Government’s position, its vision for how the current Wales Bill can be salvaged to secure greater devolution to Wales, and I would particularly appreciate an explanation from the First Minister on the position of his colleagues in the Labour Party in Westminster following the amendment put down by Plaid Cymru in the House of Commons this week on the devolution of policing to Wales. Diolch yn fawr.