I want to begin by expressing my deepest sympathies to the victims of the despicable grooming gangs that we have heard so much about in the news.

I am in awe of the courage of the survivors who have spoken out, a move which takes incredible bravery.

The news of a national inquiry into grooming gangs across the United Kingdom is long overdue and I hope that the Welsh Government will fully cooperate.

It is deeply concerning that when the leader of the Welsh Conservatives Darren Millar raised this issue in the Senedd, he was shouted down and heckled by many MSs across the chamber.

Darren was the first party leader in Wales to call for this inquiry and has raised issues that have come up in conversations with “Emily”, a Welsh survivor who was groomed as a teenager and trafficked across the UK.

I am glad that Darren has urged the First Minister to ensure that devolved bodies, including social services, local authorities, the NHS and the Children’s Commissioner, fully cooperate with the inquiry.

I hope that the First Minster meets with Emily herself and listens to her harrowing story.

All of our communities across Wales and the United Kingdom have been impacted by this utterly horrific scandal and my thoughts go out to everyone affected.

I sincerely hope that this inquiry will deliver the answers that the survivors deserve.

This is such an incredibly difficult topic to be discussing, and we must do so with the utmost care.

The language that we use must be tempered and non-inflammatory and ensure that we do not end up isolating members of a community who have done nothing wrong.

With that in mind, we must also ensure that this inquiry is thorough and has the full backing of the Welsh Government.

No stone must be left unturned, and the victims of this horrific scandal must see justice done and get the answers they need.