Welcome back, everyone. A very good afternoon to you all. We will move immediately to questions to the First Minister, and the first question is from Art Wright.
The minor injuries unit at the Royal Gwent Hospital, located in the Casnewydd and Islwyn constituency, met the national target in April. Ninety-six per cent of patients were assessed, treated and discharged within the four-hour standard. But, more broadly, I expect the Aneurin Bevan University Health Board to deliver sustainable improvements to emergency care across the wider Gwent area. NHS Wales Performance and Improvement is actively providing support and reviewing the health board’s plan.
I thank the First Minister for his answer. It is already clear from my constituents what the majority of issues that they face are. Given the continuing pressures upon emergency healthcare services across Gwent, do you agree that the lack of a full and properly functioning accident and emergency service in Newport is now having a serious knock-on effect on residents in Cwmbran and the wider Torfaen area, with constituents facing longer journey times, increased waiting times and added pressure on already stretched hospitals? Diolch.
I certainly agree that the provision of suitable, effective, high-quality accident and emergency in the Member's constituency, and throughout Wales, is vitally important. We need a significant improvement on the current situation, and the Grange hospital, serving the wider Gwent area, consistently falls short, of course, of meeting the four-hour standard. Latest performance figures are unsatisfactory. Prolonged waiting times continue to pose significant challenges. So, I couldn't make it clearer than to say that my Cabinet Minister for Health and Care, and I, want to see much more being done to provide the kind of level of care that the Member references.
As a local resident, I'm very aware of some of the unacceptable delays that people have experienced in accident and emergency at the Grange hospital. I've also been struck by the number of people who have said to me that individual NHS staff members are trying their absolute best to provide excellent care under pressure. The previous Welsh Labour Government invested significantly in the Grange accident and emergency department, because the unacceptably long waits and corridor care experienced by some patients requires action to a systematic level.
An important aspect of improving emergency care is keeping people out of hospital in the first place, as well as the safe and timely discharge of patients to free up capacity in emergency departments. Whether it's working with local authorities on social care, community care, or transfers to other hospitals, like the Royal Gwent, how is the Welsh Government going to fund the integration of pathways out of acute hospital care?
We know that integration has to be at the heart of creating sustainability within the health and care service as a whole. Keeping people out of hospital is an important part of that. A strong social care sector at the back door of the hospital is key to that.
The Member references the investment made in the Grange. What this Government is determined to do is not just count the pennies but look at the outcomes that come out of investment, and that will guide us as a principle through the course of this Government.
First Minister, it's no secret that the state of our health service is one of, if not the most important issues that matter to residents across Wales. It's something that came up time and time again during the election campaign when talking to people on the doorstep. And as things stand, my constituents are sent to the Grange in Cwmbran, which is already struggling to cope with demand in an emergency situation. In Newport, there are growing calls to have an A&E department to be reopened at the Royal Gwent Hospital in the heart of the city. It's anticipated that the cost of doing this will cost approximately £10 million a year, which, in the grand scheme of things, is just a drop in the ocean when looking at the Welsh Government's budget. Not only would this alleviate pressure on the Grange, but it would also create job opportunities, something particularly needed given the recent warning that up to half of all nursing graduates in Wales may be left without a job due to recruitment challenges, despite the NHS in Wales facing unprecedented pressures. So, First Minister, will you heed my constituents' calls and engage with the health board to explore reopening the A&E at the royal Gwent in Newport? Thank you.
We hear the calls, as I will hear calls, no doubt, for investment in different parts of the country. What's important to me, I think, is to recognise the challenges that are being faced by the Member's constituents, to put together a level of service that provides for the needs of her constituents. Welsh Government officials, NHS performance and improvement, and the health board are currently working together to agree an intervention approach based on the infrastructure that we have for the delivery of health. Let's see where we can get on improving the services in that way.
First Minister, over the past six months, you know that I've had personal experience of emergency treatment after falling in Newport and tearing a tendon in my knee. I was seen at the royal Gwent, and then at the Grange, and then at St Woolos. I saw the best of the Aneurin Bevan health board at that time, but also the huge pressures on the system. The staff were professional and kind, and they did their very best under very difficult circumstances. I also saw what the pressures on the system mean for patients: long waits, lack of capacity, pressure in terms of beds. For me, the hardest thing to deal with was the difficulty in communication in terms of what would happen next. So, First Minister, do you agree that improving emergency care in Casnewydd Islwyn means looking at the entire patient journey, not just the targets, and that clear communication internally between departments and with patients and families is an inextricable part of ensuring that people are treated with dignity from the beginning to the end of their journey?
Without doubt, and it's good to see the Member back on his feet, quite literally. Our plans to improve health services are based on a whole-systems approach, as the Member quite rightly noted. Our new workforce plan, for example, will include an emphasis on better strategic planning for services in order to facilitate patient flow, drawing on best practice already in place in some parts of Wales. However, we need to extend that and embed it at a national level. We also know that the measures need to go hand in hand with strengthening community care, and I know that the Cabinet Secretary has a particular interest in ensuring that the importance of allied health professionals operates effectively and that that is reflected in our plans.
The Welsh Government is determined to improve water quality. We have committed to taking full control of our water and to tackling pollution through developing a system made in Wales, for Wales. This includes better data, cleaner rivers, and science-led, outcome-based and risk-appropriate regulation. We will act by targeting prevention and enforcement where evidence shows it is needed, using technology and nature-based solutions.
First Minister, we all know that Welsh Water is pumping raw sewage out into our rivers. Each year, they get fined millions of pounds and each year their CEO gets huge bonuses. I mean, this is so wrong. What concrete action is the First Minister going to take to address this?
I hope that Members across this Chamber will agree with Plaid Cymru's determination to take Welsh Water into Welsh hands. It is because we want to set a set of values, which could include senior executive pay, for example, into the way that water is run in Wales. What we want also, of course, is to have a system that works. We want clean rivers. We have a clear manifesto commitment to improving water quality and setting clear expectations of Natural Resources Wales, Ofwat and the water companies themselves. We want to be able to deliver, or monitor delivery, rather, through this current price review period and hold companies to account for meeting their investment and performance commitments, including on matters such as storm overflows, which pollute our rivers, and wider environmental outcomes.
Over recent weeks, concerns have been raised by residents in the Swansea valley regarding the condition of the River Tawe, following reports that a number of individuals, many children, have fallen ill after entering the water. I welcome the new Plaid Cymru Government's commitment to improve the collection and quality of data on pollution incidents, and its ambition to ensure that every water body in Wales achieves at least good ecological status. May I ask the First Minister to provide assurance to residents within my constituency of Brycheiniog Tawe Nedd that the Government will work closely with Natural Resources Wales and Dŵr Cymru to thoroughly investigate these incidents, and take the necessary action to safeguard public health and improve water quality? Diolch.
I am aware of and concerned about recent reported incidents of sickness when individuals have been swimming in the River Tawe. I have asked Natural Resources Wales to investigate the reports, and I will provide an update when further information becomes available. I can provide assurance, certainly, that I will work with all stakeholders necessary to ensure a joined-up approach to any investigations and associated responses.
River pollution is a critical environmental issue, caused by sewage, agricultural run-off, industrial waste and plastic debris, severely impacting ecosystems, human health and water quality. On the River Tawe, Trebanos pumping station is not splitting rainwater and sewage, so, when it gets full, the two choices are to let it back up and flood the houses with sewage or release it into the river. Now, as mentioned earlier, there have been reports of children being taken ill after swimming in the River Tawe. Natural Resources Wales has confirmed that work to prevent regular discharge of untreated sewage in the River Tawe from Trebanos waste water treatment works is not likely to be completed until 2030. I do not believe that is acceptable. Why do you think ending the ban on slurry spreading from mid October to January is not going to further increase pollution in the River Tawe? We know that it gets into rivers such as the Tawe, it can cause algal blooms, which block sunlight and deplete water oxygen, affecting all wildlife.
Two parts to that answer. Measures around the spreading of slurry are about avoiding environmental pollution in rivers so that agriculture isn't forced to follow the calendar and is actually able to work in a technologically based way to spread slurry in a way that doesn't pose a threat to rivers. I think that's a very important thing to remember. On the need to make sure that investment works, that is why we want the regulation of water to be done here in Wales, so that we can make sure that, when investment goes in, it provides us with the outcomes that we need, which include, of course, clean rivers.
First Minister, reports of sewage discharges in Ceredigion Penfro are also far too frequent, and my constituents are increasingly frustrated that these incidents continue to occur with little visible progress in addressing this pollution. Now, as well as tackling these discharges and storm overflows, urgent action is also needed to improve our water infrastructure to prevent these incidents from recurring. Now, as you're aware, west Wales is home to many Blue Flag and Green Coast beaches, and it's vital that these water quality standards can continue to be met so that our coast can be enjoyed by local residents and, indeed, visitors to the area as well. Therefore, can you outline what steps are currently being taken to address repeated sewage discharges in west Wales? And further to your earlier answers, what further measures will this Government introduce to tackle this issue in Ceredigion Penfro and ensure that the local beaches continue to maintain high quality standards?
I think the most important thing to do is to repeat what I said: we will act by targeting prevention and enforcement where evidence shows it is needed—that means in relation to polluted rivers, and it means in relation to polluted seas around our coast. We want to see urgent action. It is why we want to see regulation of water being devolved to Wales so that we can have as much influence as possible on the cleanliness of our rivers and our seas.
Good afternoon, First Minister. I just want to go back to the issues around Dŵr Cymru, if I may, please. In just two years, people have seen their average water bill rise by over 30 per cent, yet this has not translated into clear improvements in water quality. England and Wales remain the only countries in Europe to have fully privatised water and sewerage services. At the same time, senior pay, as we've heard, remains extremely high. The previous chief executive of Dŵr Cymru received an annual salary close to £900,000. The current, new chief executive, Roch Cheroux, who joined from Sydney Water in Australia—another large water company, which has faced ongoing challenges with sewage overflows and water quality—his salary is going to be between £420,000 and £460,000. I think that is pretty shameless. So, I would like to ask you what action you will be taking in order to address both the disparity in our water bills increasing and the pay that we're seeing for the senior executives, and ensuring that we get improved water. Diolch yn fawr iawn.
The rising cost of bills in recent times has caused real pain to people. It is an element, a significant element, for many people when it comes to the challenges of the cost of living. When you look at higher bills, it is particularly difficult to stomach in the context of very high executive pay. I am on the record previously as saying that one of the reasons that we want to regulate water in Wales is to make sure that we are able to have influence over the levels of executive pay, but it's about providing a better service, ultimately, to our customers here in Wales—so, the people that we represent—and making sure that we have the clean, clear waters and the clear seas that we all want to see.
Diolch, Lywydd. First Minister, thousands of people in Wales are still waiting more than two years for treatment on the Welsh NHS, whereas in England two-year waits were virtually eradicated some time ago, which proves that ending two-year waits can be achieved. During the election campaign, you said that two-year waits could end in a matter of months, but your new health Minister has said it will happen within four years. So, my question is: what expectations has your Government set for two-year waits? Is it the promise that you made during the election campaign, or is it what your health Minister has said more recently? And, if it is the latter, will you apologise to voters for misleading them during the campaign?
I'm grateful to the leader of the opposition for now agreeing with us that health is a priority here in Wales. Listen, I've made it very, very clear that there are two elements to what we're trying to do. We want to cut waiting lists in the short term, and we want to build a sustainable health and care service for the long term. I reiterate that a priority for us now is to tackle, in the coming months, those issues of the longest two-year waits. In fact, I'm not waiting for the next months; work has already begun to put in practice the changes that are necessary to tackle that very issue.
First Minister, 30 per cent of voters voted for Reform because they do trust us with the NHS. Ten thousand people—10,000 people—were stuck in A&E for over 12 hours last month, and ambulance handover targets are consistently missed. Health should be your top priority, and you recently acknowledged this in the Chamber, that there is an emergency situation within the NHS. But, on social media, you've highlighted the non-devolved matter of international relations as being within your remit as First Minister, an area that enjoys a £9 million budget. Now, Reform believes that that money should be spent here in Wales on the Welsh NHS. For example, it could be used to employ hundreds of newly qualified nurses. So, First Minister, why are you continuing Labour's policy of spending large sums of money abroad, when it should be spent in Wales and we should be putting the people of Wales first?
I'll begin this answer in the spirit that I want to conduct my business here, by pointing out that more people voted for Plaid Cymru because they trusted our pledges to deliver a sustainable health and care service for the future. Let's be serious about the challenges that we face, rather than the small change that is referred to by the leader of the opposition. We are talking about—[Interruption.] We are talking about significant sums of money that we are investing already through a budget deal last year into the NHS. But I can assure you of this: it's through innovation and it's through working with staff within the NHS that we provide that sustainability for the future. I remind the leader of the opposition that he leads a group in Wales from a party whose leader does not believe in an NHS funded through general taxation. That is a principle that we will defend here as we deliver that NHS that's fit for the future, for patients and for staff alike.
I'll remind the First Minister that Plaid Cymru only won 6 per cent more than Reform, and that very small lead can be eroded when you do not stick to your policies and when you do not show determination to put the people of Wales first. I'll just remind you of that.
You have made it clear that your priorities are elsewhere, but that's not surprising coming from a First Minister who, on your first call with the Prime Minister, raised independence as an issue. The public expect you and your Government to give your full attention to the NHS, to focus on the day job. You will be aware of an investigation by Audit Wales that uncovered that £10 million-worth of GP contracts were awarded without due diligence and with patients criticising the service. This is a scandal that should never happen again. What discussions have you had with the Aneurin Bevan University Local Health Board, and, indeed, all health boards across Wales, regarding financial probity? And can you reassure us that this scandal will not be repeated under your watch?
It's going to be a very long Senedd term if it starts in this way, that we got a certain percentage more than you in the election. Listen, we have a programme for government that we have laid in front of the people of Wales that absolutely gets to grips with issues such as that which was referred to in Aneurin Bevan. We want to make sure that we cut out decisions such as the one that he referred to so that we can focus spending on where it makes a difference—to the patients that we all are here to serve.
The programme for government, I remind you, is this: it is about creating better jobs in all parts of Wales; it is about raising education standards; it is about a childcare offer in order to help with the cost of living; it's about standing up for Wales; and, No. 1, it's about creating an NHS and care service that is fit for the future. That was our pledge and that is what we are determined to deliver in Government.
First Minister, again, we are seeing the terrible impact of rising energy costs across Wales on our citizens, on our businesses and, of course, on our public services. Our dependence on energy from overseas must end, not only because it threatens our national security, but because it also subjects our people to immense global instability. Do you agree that, alongside renewables, the building of as many as eight small modular reactors at Wylfa offers enormous opportunity to provide energy security, lower bills and 8,000 jobs, 3,000 of which will be in your constituency?
Yes, I have, on a personal level, always taken the approach of fighting for the economic benefits that come to that particular part of Wales from that development, which is a reserved matter. But the key thing is here that my Cabinet Minister for energy will be focused on the same thing. It's about looking at how we make the most of this opportunity, in terms of job creation and in terms of the environmental impact of that, and the Member has my assurance that that will be the principle that guides us.
I'm very grateful to the First Minister for his answer, but can we just have absolute clarity on what the Welsh Government position on small modular reactors now is? I ask because your manifesto failed to reference nuclear energy, failed to provide support for SMRs at Wylfa and, of course, your energy Minister has said that the party, Plaid Cymru, at a national level, must be clear in its opposition to Wylfa B. Does this Plaid minority Government support the building of eight SMRs at Wylfa, which will likely generate more energy than a single gigawatt facility?
I remind the leader of the Labour group that his party used to say that it supported the ordinary working man and woman. My position on Wylfa is very, very clear. This is a reserved matter, and the manifesto coming into this election said that there were matters that were reserved, which absolutely includes Wylfa. We will work positively on that particular plan because of the economic benefits locally that can flow from it—and across the wider region—plus on the elements of the environmental positives associated with it.
Thank you. First Minister, can you tell us what action your Government is going to take to deal with the repeated chaos as a result of the frequent closure of the Menai suspension bridge? It's causing misery for residents, commuters and businesses across north Wales, and of course that bridge, and the Britannia bridge, serve an island community of 70,000, which you represent, which is home to one of the most strategically important ports in the United Kingdom and will soon be home to a very important nuclear power facility as well. My colleague, Janet Finch-Saunders, has responded to the anger on the ground by taking the lead and organising a public meeting in order that this can be discussed on 12 June in Llangefni so that a long-term resolution can be brought forward. You've previously spoken loudly and clearly in the Senedd in favour of a third Menai crossing. So, now that you're sitting behind the First Minister's desk, can you show some leadership, attend that public meeting on 12 June, look residents in the eye and outline precisely what action your Government is going to take to bring forward that third Menai suspension bridge as soon as possible?
I think most people can see who's been fighting for a long time over that particular issue, and I'm certainly not planning on waiting until 12 June. People in Ynys Môn have been let down for too long when it comes to the resilience of the Menai crossings. It is unacceptable that we have been in this position where deadlines have been missed time and time again, and where work to fix a bridge that could and should have been done a long time ago is still dragging on year after year. Where previous Governments refused to see this problem as a priority, this new Welsh Government will act with greater urgency and focus. As I say, I won't wait until 12 June; I've committed to renewing the process of developing solutions to improve the resilience of transport links across the Menai strait. That's why we have already begun work within Government with a view to ensuring short-term measures around the Menai crossing, and long-term solutions for resilience across the Menai strait. And yes, the third crossing is a part of those considerations. But let me remind you of this: it's not a structure that we need; it's an answer. Let's get the answer and move there quickly.
We absolutely need a solution, and, of course, you had an opportunity. Every time you did a budget deal and a legislation deal with the previous Welsh Government, you could have actually brought forward some solutions and put some money in the tin in order to get this project on the go. But you didn't, did you? Because it wasn't one of your priorities. Instead, you and the Plaid Cymru MSs at that time voted against major investment in our road infrastructure across the country, not just in north Wales, but also, of course, on the M4 corridor in the south as well. You actively blocked major road-building projects across this country. Now that your party is in Government, you have nowhere to hide.
The previous Labour administration wasted £150 million developing an M4 relief road project that they then ditched. You welcomed the decision to ditch that project and chuck that money down the drain. And meanwhile, the gridlock around Newport continues to strangle growth, deter investment and leave thousands of people every single day trapped in traffic jams. During the election, you changed your tune; you promised to resolve the issue.
The public want action, not words. So, can you tell us, First Minister, when will we see action—not just on the Menai crossing, which you've referred to, but the M4 relief road too?
It's a very long question, but with a very short answer. The Brynglas tunnels are a well-known bottleneck and an economic constraint for Wales, and it's clear that action is needed to address congestion on the M4. Money was wasted, I must say, in getting to a place where nothing has happened in recent years, and this Government is already doing the work to identify the solutions that will be effective, and economically and environmentally responsible, in order that we can deliver long-term benefits socially and economically for the people of, yes, the south-east of Wales and the Brynglas areas, but we know that it's much wider than that too. But that doesn't take away from the work that also happens to improve infrastructure and improving public transport and so on.
3. How will the First Minister ensure that progress in responding to the nature and climate crisis across Government portfolios is transparently and meaningfully measured and reported, without a specific Minister for the environment? OQ64072
Across all of our commitments, this Government will measure progress through a clear, data-led and disciplined approach, tracking what is actually changing on the ground so that we can see what is working. The Cabinet holds collective responsibility for the cross-cutting issues of climate and nature, and we're committed to clear public reporting on Wales's progress towards net zero through an accessible online dashboard.
Diolch, First Minister. The homes of my constituents in Nantgarw were devastated by flooding in 2020, and they live in constant fear that this will happen again. The devastating impact on communities of extreme weather is only going to become more common as the climate crisis develops. As Greens, we believe Government effectiveness must include effectiveness in tackling the climate and nature crisis, and a joint-working approach between the Minister for Rural Resilience and Sustainability and the Minister for Government Effectiveness and the Constitution, with termly reporting, would be the best way to approach this. How will you measure and report on the effectiveness of action taken by the Welsh Government in tackling the climate and nature crisis, to ensure accountability to this Senedd and to the people whose lives are affected?
I agree very much with the sentiment that has been expressed there, and it's in the title of the Minister: Cabinet Minister for Government effectiveness means exactly that. It's making sure that, as a Government, we are able to break down those silos and encourage co-operation between Ministers, making sure that there aren't walls between those different elements of potential delivery that can address the climate challenge. It's not just the Cabinet Minister for Government Effectiveness and the Constitution and the Cabinet Minister for Rural Resilience and Sustainability. It's the way that that dovetails with the work of the Cabinet Minister for Enterprise, Connectivity and Energy. It's the way that we educate our young people through the Cabinet Minister for Education and the Welsh Language. I really wish this to be a hallmark of the way that this Government works and operates, and as I said in my initial answer, we will be providing the tools by which you hopefully will be able to hold us to account, including these digital dashboards that we are so determined to bring forward.
First Minister, this question raises how progress on the climate and nature emergency is measured and reported across Government. In my constituency of Blaenau Gwent Caerffili Rhymni, we see very clearly why that matters. In Cwmtillery, a devastating coal tip landslide over a year ago brought home how the climate crisis directly impacts our lives. With 85 tips in the highest risk category across Wales, communities are asking not just where the work is happening, but how progress is being tracked and shared.
I welcome this Plaid Cymru Government's commitment to remediation and to working with the UK Government on funding, as well as linking this to jobs in former coalfield communities like mine. But without cross-Government reporting, people on the ground can struggle to see how these commitments translate into measurable change. So, can I ask the First Minister what mechanisms will be used to ensure that progress on coal tip safety and wider climate resilience work is measured and reported across portfolios, so that communities like Cwmtillery can have confidence that risks are being reduced and opportunities delivered? Diolch.
The Member is right. This Government is committed to dealing with the consequences of our industrial past and ensuring justice for our coalfield communities. I did visit Cwmtillery myself after that recent landslip, which really brought home the threats that so many communities are facing. We know that addressing threats associated with coal tips will need a sustained programme of investment. The mining industry, of course, predates devolution, so we're clearly of the view that it's the UK Government that should foot that bill, and we'll make the case for that. As part of our suite of measures, we will obviously want to enable Members across this Chamber to be able to measure progress against that stated aim.
First Minister, for the policies of the Government to be effective in the environment portfolio, you need some of the best land managers in the world to be looking after our countryside, and we have them in Wales in the farming community. One of the key issues, though, to make sure that they stay on the land, is to really make progress on bovine tuberculosis. Your Government has indicated via the Minister that there will be a new approach to bovine TB, so can you confirm what your interpretation is of the science that makes your approach different from the failed Labour approach that used to prevail here in Wales, and will we see that new bovine TB plan before the Royal Welsh Show and the summer recess?
The Member is right that my party is determined to bring forward a new approach. I'll put it this simply: it has to be based on the science. We will be ensuring that we work with those experts now who are able to provide us with the answers, and the Cabinet Minister will bring details forward in due course.
4. Will the First Minister commit to offering separate physics, chemistry and biology GCSEs, and reverse the previous administration's plans to offer only combined science? OQ64074
I think the First Minister knows that there is a review of that over the next two years, and I'm disappointed that he can't at this stage commit to saying that he would reverse that review over a two-year period. I should declare an interest: I'm a member of the Institute of Physics, and I'm also a member of both the Association of School and College Leaders and NASUWT teaching unions.
I was reminded seeing the film recently—the quite delightful film—of the First Minister singing back in 1983, and I also recall that, back in the 1980s, like myself, you probably had a choice of six or even seven subjects for O-level or GCSE. The key stage 4 curriculum has been so squeezed with so much compulsory content that this has become an issue of time for the three sciences, time for music, time for computing, time for modern foreign languages and so on. I just wonder whether the First Minister would consider looking at the wider issue of key stage 4 and how we can give our pupils more options, in terms of the curriculum, so that we can develop some of those subjects that are so important for an advanced economy.
I'm glad the Member enjoyed my singing in 1983. Had the cameras been following my entire teenage years, they would have seen me studying physics at GCSE and physics at A-level too.
I support the principle of those three sciences being able to be taught separately and, yes, there's a review in autumn 2028, but I think it's important that we do have a review and have a current understanding of whether the curriculum is doing what we need it to do. We remain committed to the successful roll-out and delivery of the Curriculum for Wales, but a review of the curriculum is something that we are eager to see as an ongoing thing, to ensure that we have the kind of depth and breadth that the Member mentions when it comes to what is offered in terms of school study and qualifications. What my Government wants to do, of course, is to make sure that we have the staff needed to deliver that, that they have the support, and make it an attractive profession to go into, so that future generations are in good hands, whether they study physics or music.
5. What steps will the Welsh Government take to raise education standards for all to ensure that every child has access to high-quality learning in every school? OQ64081
Education is at the heart of our ambition for Wales, unlocking opportunity for every child and helping build a more confident, innovative and productive nation. That is why raising standards in every school is a core mission of this Government. Through our new foundational literacy and numeracy plan, and by supporting attendance, behaviour and our education workforce, we will ensure every learner has the strong foundations they need to succeed.
Thank you. In recent weeks, I've spoken with many parents across my constituency in Cardiff who are worried about falling standards in literacy and numeracy, and the increasing challenges teachers face in supporting pupils with additional learning needs. Many parents simply want reassurance that their child will receive the funding, support and opportunities they deserve, and that goes for children attending Welsh-medium and English-medium schools. How will the First Minister turn his mission of improving standards and supporting every school community into action, to give all children in Wales the best possible start in life?
I'm glad the Member used the word 'mission'. This is a personal mission of ours—it's a mission for this Government. We have been clear that education and standards in our schools are an absolute priority for a Plaid Cymru Government. We are proud that we have led the debate on this, trying to give education, once again, the priority of esteem that it deserves within the broader public service environment in Wales. Progress is already under way for our new foundational numeracy and literacy plan, for our review of the Learner Travel (Wales) Measure 2008, and our assessment of additional learning needs provision in Welsh-medium education as part of our first 100 days commitment, and we'll be providing more detail on that later this term, as well as a timeline for the plan.
In the spring statement, the UK Labour Government announced a further £555 million for Wales over three years. Most of that funding arose from extra money allocated to meet the needs of children with special educational needs and disabilities in England, and included £300 million extra for Wales this year alone; money that came too late to be allocated in the final Welsh Government budget. We face exactly the same funding pressures, with rising numbers of children with ALN with increasingly complex needs in Wales. First Minister, how much of that £300 million is your Plaid Cymru Government going to spend addressing the needs of children and young people with additional learning needs?
The Member has more knowledge than most, from her previous role, of the challenges that we face in education. It's important to point out, of course, that the money in England was in order to clear historic debts. Now, it's not for me to praise the former Labour Minister, but those debts were not here in Wales, so it is not additional funding, as it were, for ALN. I think that's something that is for us to bear in mind when we recognise what this funding actually was. The former Government managed to take that pressure off.
But what we also know is that there is extreme pressure on the whole ALN issue, and we are all, as Members, made aware of the difficulties that families the length and breadth of Wales are facing because of challenges with delivering ALN. Already, measures have started to be put in place by my Government to look at how we make sure that what we have is a sustainable level of ALN provision, so that parents understand what they are able to get for their children through the education system, and that Government is in a sustainable position to deliver that.
The reality is, of course, the former Welsh Labour Government, propped up by Plaid Cymru, have let down our pupils, our teachers and school staff across Wales, and that's been for 27 years. For too long, standards have fallen whilst excuses have risen. Our schools are underperforming, are underfunded, and are failing to deliver the outcomes that our young people deserve. Wales has the lowest Programme for International Student Assessment results of all UK nations. Attendance remains below pre-pandemic levels. One in five pupils is reported to leave primary school functionally illiterate. The evidence is clear: standards have slipped, discipline has deteriorated, and too many children are left behind. To be fair, when it comes to ALN—
Yes, okay. When it comes to ALN, they are the unheard children of Wales. Will you now, as the First Minister, commit to delivering a purpose-driven curriculum that raises standards, ensuring that every young person develops the essential life skills they need to reach their own full potential? Diolch.
This is the first opportunity for us to have a Plaid Cymru Government, the first opportunity for us to put our principles into practice in Government. Striving for the highest possible level of education standards is a core principle, as well as a policy, of my party and of the Government that I lead. We have a proud record as a nation in the delivery of education: we were one of the first literate general populations anywhere in the world. Those standards and those levels of achievement have been allowed to slip. We will, as a Government, not turn a blind eye to that, and I hope the Member sees that, in placing this among our key priorities—education, health, job creation, cost of living, and standing up for Wales—we are serious about delivering. Already, the work has begun on that foundational literacy and numeracy plan. We expect to be held to account for our work and our record in raising standards that are long overdue in Welsh schools.
We will drive change across social care to tackle pressures and improve access to support. We will shift care closer to home, helping people live independently for longer. We will improve joined-up working, support unpaid carers and set clearer national standards. To build a resilient system people can depend on, we will progress our national care service and move closer towards care that is free at the point of need.
Thank you so much for your response. As a carer myself, across Pembrokeshire and Ceredigion in my constituency, Labour has reduced the clinical role in our rural hospitals, but the community care to fill the gap has simply not been put in place. The results are delayed discharges, families left struggling, and many people denied the chance to spend their final days at home with their loved ones. We have providers across west Wales handing back contracts, refusing referrals and shelving expansion because they cannot recruit the workforce. So, after 26 years of Labour-led Government supported by your party, isn't it the truth that rural social care has been neglected and left to pick up the pieces? What concrete action will your Government take to restore front-line social care in west Wales? Diolch.
We are determined in everything that we do to deliver a more joined-up health and social care system, to reduce fragmentation and improve the patient experience. We must do everything that we can, always, to ensure consistency of care in all parts of Wales. Call it the postcode lottery if you like. Whether it's quality of care or the level of provision, we have to make sure that no area is disadvantaged. The delivery of rural healthcare and care services is something that is particularly relevant to that. As we progress towards a national care service, we have to remember that that word 'national' means something, that that care service is something that has to be relevant and sustainable in all parts of the nation, bringing health and social care together with shared, clear accountability. People in rural Wales should know that this Government is on their side, as people in urban areas should too.
First Minister, we see so many people across Wales stuck in hospitals because of the lack of social care. To make sure our social care system works as it needs to, in your manifesto you said there is a need for workforce expansion and pay reform. To deliver that, you will be expecting, no doubt, local government to invest more. To enable this, can our councils expect a significant uplift in their future funding, or will you be expecting councils to find this within their existing resources?
Local government is a key partner, as the Member knows, in the delivery of care. It was one of the reasons why we ensured, through the agreement on the budget for 2026-27, that the firmest possible foundations were laid for local government, because of the significant pressures that they face on care, as with many other issues. We look forward to having those constructive relationships with local government leaders throughout Wales to deliver the sustainability that we can within the resources at our disposal.
Our manifesto included a range of specific commitments to help reinvigorate our town centres, including reform of the non-domestic rates system. We will explore how to use all the levers available to us to support a thriving, modern hospitality sector, working in collaboration with businesses and communities.
The hospitality sector in Wales generates £5 billion in economic activity, and supports sectors like sport and tourism. Alongside that, venues like pubs, restaurants and cafes act as social hubs across Wales to help combat loneliness and give people a place to meet with friends and family. The industry also employs more than 160,000 people. Like many people, my first proper job was working in a pub. The experience that that gave me helped me develop foundational skills that I carried forward through the rest of my career. Unfortunately, that pub I used to work in has now been forced to close. Like many other hospitality businesses, they simply could not cope with rising costs across the board. Will the First Minister commit today to reviewing the business rates system for all hospitality businesses in Wales to make the industry more competitive, support local businesses and grow the Welsh economy?
The Member touches on many things that I certainly agree with, such as the role of the community pub as a third space, as it was described to me recently. You have home, you have the workplace or school, perhaps, and then you have that other place where we need to congregate. It may have been chapels in days gone by. But we need to look at how we build those community hubs. Certainly, the pub can be a big part of that.
We are determined, in looking at that rates issue, to put it in a wider context. Yes, we will look at what we can do around rates relief. It is a manifesto pledge of ours. The town centres taskforce, in our first 100 days, will explore the options for reformed business rates that better support high-street regeneration. But we have to put it in a wider context as well. There are other measures that we're determined to take to create a new vibrancy on our high streets, including looking at how planning helps. It certainly will be one of those issues that our new national development agency will look at—how we support those businesses to thrive and, by that, bringing new life into our town centres.
We will take forward proposals to incorporate key United Nations human rights conventions, which includes the United Nations convention on the rights of disabled people, into Welsh law. This will build on existing rights and protections, and embed international standards in the way devolved public services are designed and delivered. We're also committed to delivering a robust and action-oriented disabled people’s rights action plan, with clear lines of accountability and regular and transparent reporting on progress.
First Minister, removing barriers and embedding disabled people's rights in law and public life must begin with a clear commitment to a social model of disability, and recognising that it is society, not impairment, that disables people. That requires a rights-based approach across government, with clear duties on public bodies to promote equality, inclusion and accessibility in everything they do.
But this cannot remain at the level of intent. We need a robust disabled people's rights action plan with measurable outcomes, clear accountability and transparent reporting to this Senedd. We must also remove barriers to participation in employment, transport, housing and public services, and actively support disabled people into leadership roles. Crucially, disabled people must be central to decision making, shaping services and ensuring accessibility by default.
How will these commitments be enforced? How will progress be measured? What formal role will disabled people have in holding Government to account? And with 21 per cent of people in Wales being disabled, why is there no dedicated Minister for disabled people?
I agree with the points made on the need to embed in everything that we do the rights of disabled people. Here, I would hope that we could have agreement across this Chamber on the approach, and it is about building on work done by the previous Government too. We have a disabled people's rights plan, published in December of last year. It's a 10-year plan with actions ranging across Government, and an external advisory board established to ensure actions are transparent, accountable and responsive. The next meeting is taking place later this month. We will build on that. I certainly want to invite Members here to be able to contribute to that work. Yes, there should always be a role for disabled people in formulating and enforcing policy. I’ll end by saying that I absolutely, of course, agree and align myself with the social model of disability. We are fully committed to that as a Government.
You'd expect me to talk about fair work, as the former general secretary of TUC Cymru—so that’s me declaring an interest. Fair work was a key priority for the last Welsh Government, and because many workers in Wales—
Diolch. We will deliver fair work by embedding social partnership at the heart of public services and Government, recognising workers as experts, and ensuring they are heard in shaping service delivery and working conditions. We will also adopt a 'fair work first' approach to encourage fair, safe and secure work rooted in dignity and respect. These were central messages in one of my first engagements as First Minister at said TUC Cymru congress.
I'm a newbie in town, so I'm still learning. As I was saying, fair work was obviously a key priority for the last Welsh Labour Government, because lots of workers in Wales still face serious issues such as low pay, job insecurity and weak employment rights, which the UK Labour Government is now addressing by introducing the employment rights legislation. Having addressed the TUC congress, it's really good to hear that you are committed to fair work, but the proof will always be in the pudding. It's very important that every public sector in Wales understands that they will not be in a position where, all of a sudden, they will see their terms and conditions downgraded or Welshified negatively.
The proof of the pudding will indeed be in the eating, and the eating in this case will be about whether we measure up to the promises that we have made on our commitment to not just continuing but strengthening the social partnership model that was previously in place, and not just delivering but strengthening the fair work being embedded as a principle at the heart of our public services. It's about delivering better jobs, it's about delivering stronger public services, a fairer Wales. Workers, employers and Government sit as partners on the social partnership council, and my job is to make the most of that partnership and deliver for the people of Wales.
Agriculture is the backbone of our rural economy and the beating heart of our rural communities. This Welsh Government will provide strong support for our farmers. In our first 100 days, we will confirm a multi-year funding cycle instead of the current one-year sustainable farming scheme payment, commission an independent review of the bureaucratic burden on family farms in Wales, and begin work on a new and comprehensive national food strategy.
First Minister, over two decades, the Welsh suckler herd has fallen by over 40 per cent here in Wales, and that's put a huge pressure on our critical mass of livestock numbers. We've seen it in our abattoirs across the country. With the numbers dropping, that puts huge pressure on jobs and future security for those abattoirs. Your party in the past has supported the Climate Change Committee's recommendations on lowering livestock numbers. So, can you today—? You have, First Minister; I've seen you support policies in this Chamber on it. I see you indicating that you don't agree with me. First Minister, I want to know clearly, and I'm sure the agricultural community do as well, what is your Government going to do to make sure we increase the number of livestock units across Wales to safeguard our food security and make sure we protect jobs in our abattoirs across Wales?
Our job is to support agriculture as a key pillar not just of the rural economy, but of rural society. This Government has not supported or called for a reduction in livestock numbers. This Government has supported environmental policies. The farmers that I know, and those that I speak to, want to be seen as being environmentally responsible. All the actions that we want to pursue as this Government are to help agriculture be more sustainable, more profitable and more environmentally sustainable.
The Member might believe that that's not possible, but I'm afraid he's fighting a losing battle there. We have to make it possible, and the agriculture industry is telling me that they want that to be the case. We can make our family farm more sustainable. We can use tools at our disposal to support agriculture in many different ways, and I've referred to some of them already—on TB, on nitrate vulnerable zones, on the food plan. Measure us on our success in doing so, but we will be supporters of the Welsh family farm in a way that no Welsh Government has been before.
Thank you. I should have declared a point of interest on the supplementary question on bovine TB, and I would like that to be on the record. Thank you.
Item 2 is a motion under Standing Order 9.1 to agree to the First Minister's recommendation to His Majesty of a person for appointment as Counsel General. I call on the First Minister to move the motion—Rhun ap Iorwerth.
To propose that the Senedd, in accordance with Standing Order 9.1, agrees to the First Minister's recommendation to His Majesty to appoint Elfyn Llwyd as Counsel General.
Thank you, Llywydd. It's a pleasure to nominate Elfyn Llwyd for the role of Counsel General. A barrister and an experienced parliamentarian, I know that Elfyn will step into the role with the same dignity, the same passion and the same pragmatic attitude that defined his career in Westminster and that drew respect from all parts of the House of Commons. He worked on a cross-party basis to create an offence of stalking. He campaigned for veterans and for a justice system for Wales.
Elfyn foresaw this moment in an interview with Dewi Llwyd six years ago, sharing that one ambition remained, namely to become Counsel General in the Senedd. He didn't say that to me, but he did say at that time, and I quote:
'I would like to contribute as much as I could to developing the new Wales through that medium.'
Llywydd, I have no doubt that that contribution will be a very valuable one, a thoughtful one and a principled one. I ask Members to support this nomination today. Thank you very much.
Thank you, Llywydd. Of course, it's an honour to have been nominated by the First Minister for appointment as Counsel General for Wales. If the Senedd agrees with his recommendation, I pledge to maintain the standards expected of me by the ministerial code, and to undertake my duties, as required, looking at integrity, independence and respect for the rule of law. I commit to provide clear, robust and unbiased advice to the Welsh Government, and to work to strengthen the quality and credibility of Welsh law as we take the next significant step in our devolved history.
I therefore commit to work constructively with the Government, and with you, the Senedd, recognising the crucial role that the Senedd has in scrutinising Government, and ensuring transparency in the way legal decisions are made. I also pledge to carry out my duties fairly, by working hard, with a clear focus on insisting on the best for Wales always, and with the new energy steering the vision of this Government, for the benefit of the people of Wales. Thank you very much.
Therefore, the proposal is to agree the motion without amendment. Does any Member object? There is no objection. Therefore, the motion is agreed in accordance with Standing Order 12.36.
Next we move to item 3, a motion to appoint the Senedd Commission. I call on a member of the Business Committee to move the motion formally. Heledd Fychan.
To propose that the Senedd, in accordance with Standing Order 7.1, appoints Peredur Owen Griffiths (Plaid Cymru), Laura Anne Jones (Reform UK), Vikki Howells (Welsh Labour) and Andrew RT Davies (Welsh Conservatives), as members of the Senedd Commission.
Thank you. The proposal is to agree the motion. Does any Member object? There is no objection. Therefore, the motion is agreed in accordance with Standing Order 12.36.
Trefnydd, Chief Whip and Cabinet Minister for Culture and Sport
Thank you, Llywydd. Since the last Plenary meeting, two additions have been made to today's agenda. The Cabinet Minister for Health and Care and the Cabinet Minister for Enterprise, Connectivity and Energy will each make an oral statement on their portfolio priorities. Draft Plenary business for the next three weeks is shown on the business statement that is available to Members electronically.
Thank you, Llywydd. I would like to ask for a further statement from the Deputy Minister for Transport regarding the closure of the Menai bridge over the half term and again this morning. I very much welcomed the statement that the Deputy Minister made over recess, and welcomed even more the firm steps taken by the Government to prevent, further, overly heavy vehicles from crossing the bridge.
It was a busy week in Bangor Conwy Môn, as we welcomed all of the visitors and competitors to the Urdd Eisteddfod, but thousands of local residents depend on the bridge year-round. Therefore, measures need to be taken to ensure that the bridge is always open.
The Deputy Minister will be aware that the previous Government had promised that the maintenance work would have been completed over a year ago, but that there have been several delays since then, and it's understandable, therefore, that there's a great deal of frustration felt locally.
I have every faith that the Plaid Cymru Government will be far more proactive in its response, not just to ensure that the current maintenance work is completed as soon as possible, but also that a long-term solution will be found to ensure that there are no barriers facing people as they travel between Ynys Môn and the mainland. A further statement on these steps would be very much appreciated by the residents of Bangor Conwy Môn.
Thank you for the question. As one who was on the island, and one who is originally from Anglesey, and I was there for the Urdd Eisteddfod, yes, there was frustration, but, clearly, for the people on the island who live with this on a daily basis, and the uncertainty that they face, it is an issue that needs resolution, and I'm sure that the Member will have heard the comments made by the First Minister earlier during First Minister's questions this afternoon.
People on Ynys Môn and across north Wales have been disappointed for far too long in terms of the resilience of the Menai crossings, and today proves once again why we need to find a solution. Whilst the previous Government had failed to see this issue as a priority, this Government will take action with more urgency and focus in order to try and respond to the situation.
I know that the Deputy Minister for Transport is looking at this issue as a matter of urgency, and he will be pleased to bring an oral statement to the Senedd next week.
There is nowhere to hide now, there are no more excuses, the Supreme Court has ruled, the guidance has been published and the law is crystal clear. Can the new Welsh Government please issue an urgent statement defining what a woman is for these purposes, and give us a definitive timeline on when policies and guidance will be changed to abide by the law, so that this Senedd can finally seek to protect women and girls across Wales? Diolch.
The Welsh Government respects the Supreme Court's judgment and is assessing the implication of the judgment and the Equality and Human Rights Commission's code of practice for devolved services and responsibilities in Wales. The judgment sets the current legal position, and work is under way to ensure devolved policy and practice remain compliant. The Welsh Government will continue to discharge its equality duties and expects all individuals to be treated with dignity and respect. We will support duty bearers to implement the law fairly, consistently and lawfully. But let me be absolutely clear from the outset: this Welsh Government remains steadfast in our commitment to inclusion. Trans people remain a valued part of our communities in Wales and continue to be protected in law from discrimination and harassment.
Trefnydd, can I ask for two statements? The first is from the Cabinet Minister for health and social care. On the back of the Audit Wales report into Aneurin Bevan health board's dealings with the eHarley partnership, I and the Torfaen MP made representations to Audit Wales. The report that they've published found that the health board did not conduct proper due diligence before letting multiple contracts to the eHarley partnership. But the report also says that Welsh Government guidance in this area has not been reviewed since 2006. So, I would like to ask for a statement from the Cabinet Minister setting out how the Government will respond.
I would also like to ask for a statement from the Deputy Minister for Skills and Tertiary Education. I was really concerned to see in the list of responsibilities for his new post that, given the huge challenges that we face in tertiary education, the No. 1 item was reform of the Seren programme. Now, I am really proud of our Seren programme. It enables our young people to go to some of the very best universities across the UK, including in Wales, and I am sure that none of us would want to see a situation where the opportunities of our young people are limited. I would like to ask for a statement setting out the priority that this will be for the Government.
Thank you for those two questions. On the first point, you will be aware, as you mentioned, of the inquiry by Audit Wales. Certainly, Welsh Government officials are reviewing the findings and recommendations in full, and are updating national guidance to strengthen the required due diligence in order to ensure that arrangements continue to be robust, proportionate and consistent across Wales.
In terms of Seren, you will be aware that, in our first 100 days plan, the Welsh Government will look at options to reform the Seren Academy to focus more on tackling the participation gap, to support learners from our most deprived communities in Wales, as well as to better enable learners to make applications to higher education institutions in Wales. The Deputy Minister for Skills and Tertiary Education will make a written statement on this issue in due course.
Trefnydd, I'd be grateful if we could have a statement from the Cabinet Minister for Enterprise, Connectivity and Energy on the 182-day vacancy threshold policy for furnished holiday lets. Now, this policy is having a significant impact on the tourism industry across Wales. The latest annual owner survey conducted by the Professional Association of Self-Caterers UK indicated that the vacancy threshold remains the primary concern amongst operators. Now, while the Welsh Government has indicated that this policy is under review, tourism businesses in Ceredigion and Pembrokeshire, and across Wales more broadly, require greater clarity on the timescales involved in reviewing this policy and when any decisions will be made regarding potential changes to the threshold to better support the industry. Therefore, I'd be grateful if we could have a statement from the Cabinet Minister at the start of this Senedd outlining the Welsh Government's plans for this policy area, so that the tourism industry can be clear about this policy and be clear that the Welsh Government will be taking action to address their concerns.
Thank you very much for that question. You'll be aware that this Government acknowledges the value of the tourism sector to Wales and that we are committed to look at this issue. The relevant Minister is in the Chamber—they will have heard your request today.
Good afternoon, Trefnydd—welcome to the role. Could I ask, please, for a statement from the Deputy Minister for Public and Preventative Health on the urgent gaps in gambling harms here in Wales? Following the introduction of the gambling harms levy, £1.3 million in funding was awarded entirely to Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board. But since April, the newly funded service has been unable to meet the needs of all referred clients, leaving dedicated third sector organisations to pick up the pieces and self-fund treatments. Equally concerning is the continued delay by Public Health Wales in establishing prevention commissioning arrangements. With around two people every day in the United Kingdom dying by suicide linked to gambling harms, timely access to support truly can mean the difference between life and death. So, I wonder if you could take that back to the relevant Deputy Minister. And it is great, actually, to see all of the Cabinet and Deputy Ministers here listening to these questions. So, I do hope that we're able to get answers and responses to our statements. Diolch yn fawr iawn.
Thank you very much for raising such an important issue. You are right that the relevant Ministers are all here and have heard that directly today. You will be aware of the fact that the First Minister has appointed a Deputy Minister who looks specifically at these areas of this Government's commitment to look at how we can ensure, across portfolios, that we can support people better. We do appreciate also the huge pressures on the third sector, which does invaluable and important work, but also how vulnerable many of those services are. And certainly, it's a fact that we have heard that clearly—thank you for raising it. I'm sure that the Ministers will want to be working with Members who have the same views that you've expressed today.
Trefnydd, there are particular challenges for the health and social care system in Ceredigion Penfro, where long distances mean that the centralisation of services away from Withybush and Bronglais hospitals has not worked for people or communities in mid and west Wales. Hywel Dda University Health Board is now consulting again on changes to the way stroke services are delivered, and there are concerns locally regarding the impact of these proposals. Could the Government consider, therefore, making a statement on equal access to health services in rural Wales? Diolch.
Thank you for the question and for expressing these concerns. There are a number, of course, who have drawn attention to these issues, and we understand, particularly in rural areas, where transport infrastructure is difficult, how concerning all of this can be. As you know, the health board has already made the decision on general urgent surgery, but the health board has not yet reached a final decision on stroke services. So, we would, as a Government, like to remind patients, families and stakeholders to participate in the public consultation that will run for eight weeks. This will provide an additional and important opportunity for stakeholders to review the proposals and to raise any concerns or to give further feedback. It is important that the concerns regarding the original proposals are recognised, and we need to see improvements in stroke services, particularly in rural areas.
As you will be aware, it is the health board that is responsible for planning and providing services to the local population, but in delivering this role, the Government expects the health board to hold thorough assessments for any proposed changes and to engage with the communities in accordance with national guidance. The Cabinet Minister for Health and Care is in the Chamber—he will have heard your request today, and he will also be making his statement on priorities later today, so there's an opportunity to question further then.
Trefnydd, constituents in Kenfig have raised serious concerns about the condition of the afon Kenfig following sewage discharges. In fact, this is so serious that the river is devoid of life, and little progress seems to have been made in addressing this serious issue. In fact, some Members in this house have even addressed this today. So, could we have a statement from the Cabinet Secretary on what action Welsh Water is taking and how this Welsh Government will hold them to account?
Thank you for that question. I hope that you will have heard the First Minister's response earlier and all of the commitments that he made. Certainly, the relevant Cabinet Minister is here this afternoon. This is an issue that we take seriously. I hope you will have heard that clearly from the First Minister. Clearly, there will be an opportunity for you to engage further with the relevant Cabinet Minister.
Trefnydd, I'd like to welcome you to your new role.
Along with environmental campaigners, I was very concerned to hear the recent comments from the Cabinet Minister for Rural Resilience and Sustainability on slurry spreading. The regulations that are in place were brought in by the previous Welsh Government because of the very real threat of climate change and the failure of attempts to protect our waterways through voluntary measures. When so many of your Government's promises seem to be getting kicked into the long grass, it's really concerning that priority has been given to measures that can only damage our environment. So, please, could we have a statement from the Cabinet Minister giving the real detail on what this means and how water quality will be protected?
In addition, on the same matter, I do find it really disappointing that Senedd protocol was not followed and that this news was announced to the media before MSs had a chance to properly scrutinise it. The regulations that are in place were voted on by the previous Senedd, so it's only right that any changes should be considered here first. With that in mind, could I also request a statement from the Welsh Government on how it will ensure announcements are made here and subject to the appropriate scrutiny, going forward?
Thank you to the Member for those kind words at the beginning of that question.
Certainly, you will have heard the response of the First Minister earlier this afternoon on this topic. You'll be aware that there'll be an opportunity to ask questions of the relevant Cabinet Minister next week. But, let's be perfectly clear, in terms of everything that has been said about this area, this relates to the environment, in terms of ensuring that we follow the science. There was no announcement or firm decision made. The commitment made was to review. The Cabinet Minister will be giving an update, and we will be taking further questions and comments, of course, from all Members of this Chamber.
Trefnydd, can I ask for two statements, please, and the first in relation to school funding? I was heartened to see the comments last week that recognised the challenges that schools face across Wales by the new education Cabinet Minister, and I hope to be able to work with her to improve the quality of education for young people here in Wales. But it seems to me that one of the big challenges that many schools face is the annual struggle to make budgets meet. Obviously, there's quite a disparity between local authorities in terms of funding, and I wonder whether the new Welsh Government will consider the implications of a national school funding formula and whether that is something that could be pursued, instead of leaving it to local authorities to make those decisions, given the big disparity. So, a statement on school funding would be welcome.
Secondly, can I ask for clarity on the arrangements for notifying Members of this Senedd when ministerial visits take place in their constituencies? It was great to see the new Cabinet Minister for Health and Care taking the opportunity to visit Glan Clwyd Hospital, one of the worst-performing hospitals in the whole of the United Kingdom, in Bodelwyddan in my constituency of Clwyd, but I was very disappointed that no notification was received by me or other Members of the Senedd for Clwyd. I think that that is something that we need to resolve in the future, because it is a matter of courtesy for all Members.
Thank you very much. I'm sorry to hear that that happened. Certainly we will raise that. All Members should be aware of such visits, and thank you for making me aware of that. I did not know, and it is important that Members do tell me so that I can find solutions to these problems. We, of course, respect all Members in this Chamber.FootnoteLink
In terms of the initial point, I hope that you will have seen that the Cabinet Minister for Education and the Welsh Language will bring forward a priorities statement soon. Clearly, funding is an important part of this. We do understand the difficulties faced by a number of schools. That has been well known through casework and all the communications that there have been from Members to this Government and the previous Government. So, certainly, there will be an opportunity to question the Cabinet Minister for education very soon on that issue.
I cannot tell you how proud I am standing to ask a question to a Plaid Cymru Minister for the first time, especially a Minister I respect—but I've always respected all Ministers. [Laughter.] That's my style. That's my style.
Trefnydd, can we have a statement from the Cabinet Minister for Finance on what support can be available to the businesses that could lose out following the decision to end greyhound racing in Wales at Ystrad Mynach? Most of the last Senedd Members, including me, voted to end this practice. I think it was the right decision, as times and public attitudes have shifted. But it's right, too, that we offer support and assistance to businesses that participated in supplying what was once a very popular sport in Wales, and any statement on how we can help mitigate these impacts would be welcome. Thank you. Diolch yn fawr.
In terms of the question, clearly we will respect the decision made by the last Senedd. The Prohibition of Greyhound Racing (Wales) Act 2026 provides a clear transition period from April of 2027 to 2030 to support the winding up of the industry in an orderly manner. This timetable was put in place to enable the businesses and communities affected to access targeted support as the changes come into force. Through the action group, the Government will be working closely with the industry to manage the impacts and to provide practical guidance.
Diolch, Lywydd. Trefnydd, as it's Volunteers Week, I'd like to ask for a statement on support for the voluntary sector. There are over 46,000 voluntary organisations in Wales, with one third of the adult population volunteering. And we also know that many young people choose to give up their time to help others. The Wales Council for Voluntary Action have calculated that, last year, voluntary organisations saved the public sector around £1.4 billion, and their total contribution to Wales in 2025 was estimated to be at least £9.1 billion. The Gwent Association of Voluntary Organisations, GAVO, is the largest county voluntary council in Wales, and it's fast approaching 100 years of supporting volunteers in Newport and Islwyn and wider Gwent. As a Co-operative Party member, I was very glad that Welsh Labour pledged to double the number of co-operatives and community-owned businesses, safeguard funding for community cohesion workers, and expand the system of volunteering credits. So, I'd like a statement on how the current Welsh Government plans to support volunteers and voluntary organisations, who are the bedrock of our communities all year round.
Well, may I thank the Member for raising an issue of great importance? Volunteers, of course, play such a crucial role and a key role, and you will have heard many of us who are now in the Cabinet when we were opposition Members expressing concerns about the lack of support for these organisations and how vulnerable many services were because of the need for volunteers, but also because of how difficult it is for volunteers to continue in these crucial roles.
The relevant Minister will have heard your call. I know that she is eager to have an opportunity to make a statement on this, but, certainly, I can tell you unambiguously, and all Members here, that we do appreciate this sector very much, that we thank every volunteer for the tireless work that they do in our communities every day, and, certainly, you will see that commitment to support them from this Government.
We'll move on now to our next item, which is a statement by the Cabinet Minister for Health and Care: health and care priorities. I now call on the Cabinet Minister for Health and Care, Mabon ap Gwynfor.
Thank you very much, Llywydd. I'm proud to speak in this Chamber for the first time as Cabinet Minister for Health and Care and to represent a sector that in so many ways reflects our very best qualities as a society and as a nation. But I'm under no illusions that this Government has inherited a health system beset by crises and that is perhaps more precarious and more vulnerable than at any point in its history.
Across a range of areas, patients and staff alike are being let down. The waiting list backlog encompasses a significant proportion of the population, with some having been in this position for years on end. Emergency departments are buckling under the strain of relentless demand and insufficient capacity, whilst unsafe practices, such as corridor care, are becoming normalised.
Standards of care for conditions such as cancer continue to lag far behind where we would expect them to be. Health inequalities along the lines of geography, class, race and gender remain stubbornly entrenched. Our valiant but beleaguered workforce is stretched, and financial pressures remain acute. Meanwhile, demand is rising, our population is ageing and needs are becoming more complex. Simply put, the symptoms are stark and nothing less than bold, radical action can be the cure.
During the election campaign, I promised to channel the spirit of Bevan and to lead a process of renewal in our health and care system, to restore our precious NHS to its rightful place as the pride of our nation, and the envy of the world. This won’t be easy and it won’t be done overnight, but the work starts now, and we will seize the mandate for change voiced so clearly by the people of Wales at the ballot box to relentlessly deliver the improvements that they sorely deserve. I know that the legions of devoted and dedicated staff across the health and care system share this same burning sense of ambition.
My immediate priority is to tackle the waiting list backlog. These, for too long, have been a debilitating millstone around the neck of the NHS and are imposing unacceptable strains on staff and patients alike. Having to wait years for treatment, with all the pain and anxiety that that entails, is an intolerable reality for far too many people the length and breadth of Wales, and I am determined to turn the page on this sorry legacy once and for all.
We will do this by implementing an ambitious national programme to expand surgical and diagnostic hubs across Wales to reduce waiting times, improve access and increase capacity. My officials are already in the process of convening the expert independent group who will be responsible for developing the delivery plan for 10 such hubs over the next four years, and I look forward to regularly updating the Senedd on its progress.
We're also finalising a new approach to planned care over the next 18 months, clinically led, nationally directed, and with a clear emphasis on service modernisation. Through these measures, we will see two-year waits eliminated within a matter of months and the overall backlog reduced to pre-pandemic levels before the end of this Senedd term. But this isn’t just a case of addressing the immediate pressures of long waits, as urgent as they are; it’s putting the foundations in place so that we’re never in this position again and to ensure that the NHS can sustainably manage demand. That's why our plan for surgical hubs is predicated on reinforcing local capacity and expertise first and foremost, creating centres of excellence for long-neglected specialisms such as ophthalmology, and providing vital training opportunities for medical graduates.
No more will the Welsh Government chase short-term sticking-plaster solutions at the expense of long-term planning, strategic coherence and prudent, targeted investment. This will be complemented by long-overdue reforms in both primary and social care. It's abundantly clear that, from a structural perspective, the health and social care landscape reflects the needs of yesterday, rather than those of today and tomorrow, and the implications of the chronic neglect of primary care and social care are plain for all to see: A&E has become an extension of the GP surgery, while hospital beds have become long-term homes for far too many people whose needs could be better and more holistically served in the comfort of the community. That's why we will expand access to out-of-hours primary care to ease pressure on hospitals, underpinned by our commitment to recruit up to 100 new salaried GPs. Work is already under way, with our partners, to scope a detailed review of funding for general practice to develop options that are balanced, transparent and evidence based.
We're proud to have been the party that initiated the programme to establish a fully integrated national care service for Wales, and, in Government, we will make further purposeful strides in this direction so that wherever people live in Wales they can expect the same high standard of care and support. We will also expand community care, strengthen discharge planning and work in partnership with local government and carers to build a system that truly wraps around the individual, because, for too long, the system has been centred on hospital care. We are shifting focus so that people spend less time in hospital and more time living well, independently in their own homes and communities.
Llywydd, the health and well-being of our population and the future of the NHS depend on preventing avoidable ill health and delivering care earlier, in the right place at the right time. I will bring together system leaders, local authorities and clinicians to drive that shift and to transform how services are planned, commissioned and delivered across Wales.
There must be a focus on prevention, demonstrated by the appointment of the Deputy Minister for Public and Preventative Health. We will act across Cabinet and with partners to tackle the wider determinants of poor health, to reduce inequalities and to improve health outcomes, including tackling child poverty, healthy eating, physical activity, housing and employment. We will move away from managing sickness to ensuring that people have the means to lead healthier and happier lives. And on my watch, I won’t measure success on the basis of the number of people in hospital, but rather by the number who didn’t have to go there in the first place.
Finally, we must also be alive to the very real threats to the status of the NHS as a publicly owned institution that is free at the point of need. I'm a passionate believer that the NHS belongs to the people of Wales, today and forever, and I pledge to defend it with every fibre of my being against the unaccountable billionaires and their political pawns who would seek to profit from our most precious national asset.
Llywydd, what I have set out today are the first steps along a long-term path of renewal. I'm under no illusions as to the scale of the challenge, and I won’t promise that the benefits of our agenda will manifest immediately, because I'm not here to indulge in quick fixes and easy answers, and nor should anyone who truly has the best interests of the NHS at heart. But, through our laser focus on the ultimate destination, I'm confident that, by the end of this Senedd term, we'll have started to write a bright new chapter in the history of our health and social care system. With urgency, decisive action and ambition, we will protect the NHS and build a healthier, fairer Wales with a health and care system that puts people first and delivers the change our nation needs. Thank you.
Can I thank the Cabinet Minister for his statement today and welcome him to his new role? I’d like to take this opportunity to thank all our NHS staff and health and social care staff across Wales.
Health and care is one of the greatest responsibilities any Minister can hold, because behind every statistic is a person, a family, and often someone who has waited far too long. You have said, Cabinet Minister, that the system is beset by crisis. You’ve said patients and staff are being failed. You’ve said emergency departments are buckling. You’ve said corridor care is becoming normalised. You’ve said cancer is lagging behind. You’ve said the workforce is stressed and financial pressures are acute. On that assessment, Cabinet Minister, you are right. But here is the problem: you cannot diagnose a crisis and then prescribe another strategy. The people of Wales do not need another speech about renewal. They need treatment; they need appointments; they need operations; they need an ambulance to arrive on time, and they need to see a GP. The Welsh NHS doesn’t need any more slogans; it needs delivery.
You talked about the spirit of Bevan. Well, Bevan did not build the NHS with a press release or something swanky on social media. He delivered it. And now that is the real test for you. And there are areas where we can agree. We support a health service free at the point of delivery. We support better prevention. We support GP services, faster cancer diagnosis, improved dementia support, proper support for unpaid carers, and a social care system that treats care workers with the respect that they deserve. But warm words will not be enough: Wales has had plans after plans, target after target and promise after promise, and what patients need now is a Government prepared to be judged on results.
On waiting lists, you said the immediate priority is to tackle the backlog. You promised that two-year waits will be eliminated within a matter of months and the overall backlog will be reduced to pre-pandemic levels before the end of this Senedd term. So, let us have a straight answer today: how many months? Three, six, nine? Because 'within months' might sound good in a press release, but it means very little to someone who’s waiting in pain at home for their operation.
On surgical and diagnostic hubs, I welcome the principle—high-volume elective care hubs can make a real difference in areas such as orthopaedics, ophthalmology and general surgery. But you said an expert group is being convened to develop a delivery plan for 10 hubs across four years. So, where will they be? Where will each one open? Who will staff them? And how will rural patients be able to access them? Because a hub without staff is just a sign on the door. Wales has had enough of announcements that sound big on the day and then disappear into a system never to appear again.
Thank you, James, for those comments. I'd like to thank the opposition Member for raising some of the issues that he has. The Member was quite right in stating that we need to ensure that we thank the NHS and care staff in Wales—absolutely. They are working hard out there in very difficult circumstances, and I also extend my gratitude for all the work that they are doing. The Member said that he agreed with my assessment. If only he could agree with the diagnosis and the ideas that I have put forward as well. He did when he shared the committee with me, so I look forward to co-operating with the Member over the next few years in delivering these.
When the Member says that it's not time for any more slogans, we need delivery, that's exactly a slogan in itself. But he says that the party that he's a member of supports an NHS free at the point of delivery. I welcome hearing that, but that's not what the leader of his party says in London. The leader of his party constantly refers to—[Interruption.]—constantly refers to the NHS not being paid out of taxation. How does he propose to pay for the NHS in Wales? I don't know. That's why we are committed to making sure that the NHS will be free at the point of delivery and owned by the people of Wales while Plaid Cymru is in Government.
The Member spoke about the backlog that we have in the waiting times, and I referenced that in my opening speech, and, absolutely, this is about delivery. That's why we've spoken about delivering elective care hubs across Wales, making sure that we can get those people seen quicker, the high-volume treatments done, and people can go home on the same day. We know that there's a lack of efficiency and productivity in the NHS in Wales. That's why we will ensure that theatre space and theatre time is utilised to its maximum.
The Member also referred to primary care and the fact that—. He says that he didn't have any idea about what we were proposing. Again, I mentioned that in my speech. We've already started a process, as part of our 100-day delivery, of identifying how we can shift resources from secondary care to primary care. We've already started looking at employing the 100 GPs that we spoke about.
The Member also spoke about care assessments. Plaid Cymru has a proud record of making sure, when we came to an agreement on the last budget with the previous Welsh Government, that we would ensure that local authorities were funded so that we could deliver on those promises.
Then the Member talks about cancer. I had a meeting yesterday with the chief nursing officer and the chief medical officer to start the delivery of a cancer plan in Wales.
Finally, the Member spoke about the need for a workforce plan. We've been waiting 15 years. We've already started that work, and I will deliver a high-level workforce plan in the autumn.
I'd like to thank the Minister as well for his statement, and, on behalf of Welsh Labour, I'd like to thank the incredible health and care workforce across Wales. For complete transparency, Llywydd, can I declare that my oldest brother works for Novo Nordisk?
NHS waiting lists have now fallen for 10 consecutive months, thanks to the incredible work of NHS staff and the previous Welsh Labour Government's £120 million of investment. There is still more to do, and it is now for Plaid Cymru to ensure that progress doesn't falter.
Whilst I appreciate the Minister's statement, there do remain some significant questions about various areas of service that remain to be answered. In opposition—. This is a question that has been asked twice now, I shall ask it for a third time. In opposition, you pledged to eradicate two-year waits within months. Minister, by when will two-year waits be completely eliminated in Wales?
And the Minister will be aware of the current industrial dispute affecting specialist nurses in the Cwm Taf Morgannwg University Health Board area. Minister, will you intervene to ensure that the health board respects the job evaluation process? And by when can you commit to have the issue resolved?
Back in November 2024, when you were in opposition, you promoted 29 recommendations in a document entitled, 'The Welsh Health System: Accountability, Performance and Culture'. I see very few of your recommendations reflected in the statement of priorities today. And amongst them was a recommendation to establish pay parity between social care workers and NHS staff. So, do you still stand by all 29 recommendations? And by when can social care workers expect pay parity?
You previously said,
'We won't be able to afford new hospitals of the size of the University Hospital of Wales, clearly, because the UK Government don't provide the capital funds for things like that.'
Funding for capital projects like this doesn't rely on direct UK Government funding. Welsh Government chooses what to spend its record levels of capital funding on, and we in Welsh Labour planned to spend £4 billion on rebuilding hospitals, including the University Hospital of Wales and Wrexham Maelor Hospital. Minister, will you rebuild UHW and Wrexham Maelor Hospital? And how much of the Welsh Government's circa £4 billion of annual capital funding will be spent on our hospitals, not just on hubs?
And finally, can you guarantee, under this Plaid minority Government, that you will not reduce investment in primary, secondary or social care? Diolch.
Thank you to the Member for those points that he raised. Now, the Member referenced waiting lists. His previous Government didn't have the proudest record in tackling the waiting lists, and that's why we are having to take radical action in making sure that waiting lists are decreased now. We've spoken about establishing 10 elective care hubs across Wales. That is what we will do. We've spoken about ensuring that we have a validation process, that those people on a waiting list should be on a waiting list, and those who don't are seen in the appropriate place, making sure that people are seen sooner and with the care that they need. That's why we know that the plan that we have, and we are confident that what we are putting forward will make sure that those two-year waits will be eradicated in a matter of months.
The Member spoke about health visitors in Cwm Taf. Well, I met with the chair of Cwm Taf Morgannwg University Health Board's board a couple of weeks ago. I've also spoken, previously, to Unite officials, and I'm clear that both parties need to work together, in social partnership, in order to find common ground and resolve this as soon as possible, because the work of health visitors is absolutely essential. When we talk about the preventative agenda, we know that they carry out crucial work in making sure that people are seen earlier and things don't escalate.
And the Member refers to the document that I published a couple of years ago now, on governance. I'm glad that he read the document, and it's a good document for others who might want to read it—[Interruption.]—even if I say so myself, absolutely. And in that, yes, absolutely, we talk about pay parity, and that's why, once again, I refer to the proud record that Plaid Cymru has of starting the process of merging health and social care, and that's what we will be completing as a Plaid Cymru Government. At the moment, my colleague Delyth Jewell will be looking at that and ensuring that that is delivered, and that we can see the fruits of that under a Plaid Cymru Government.
Finally, the Member spoke about £4 billion for capital builds, for hospitals, which was proposed by the Labour Party. The Member forgets that we are now in Government and we see those figures too, and that was completely unrealistic, those proposals put forward by the Labour Party at the time. We have a backlog worth £1.5 billion in hospitals across Wales, including Glangwili, including Glan Clwyd, including Bronglais, across the whole of Wales, that needs to be looked at. So, we will be prioritising those backlogs, making sure that everybody across Wales gets parity of care.
Firstly, I'd like to congratulate the Cabinet Minister on his new role and thank him for this afternoon's statement. Cabinet Secretary, I really hope that we can work constructively together over the course of this Senedd term to help deliver the improvements our health service needs and our constituents rightfully deserve. It's no secret to anyone in this Chamber and beyond that our health service is in a perilous state, and whilst most of the blame can be laid at the previous Labour Government's door, there's no getting away from the fact that Plaid Cymru are equally culpable for the damage they have caused, supporting Labour time and time again over the previous Senedd terms.
Plaid Cymru has a real opportunity to make up for the past errors now that they are in Government, but where is the immediate action, Cabinet Minister? NHS waiting lists remain shamefully high, with patients in all four corners of Wales languishing in pain, yet detail on how to tackle it remains very vague. Cabinet Minister, you have vowed to eliminate two-year waits within a matter of months—and I hope for the sake of residents that you are indeed successful—but how exactly are you going to achieve this, because we cannot afford for this to be another broken promise?
Improving access to care where needed is paramount. In Newport and Islwyn, there are growing calls for an A&E department at the Royal Gwent Hospital to be reopened, something I raised with the First Minister directly myself earlier today, and I'm now going to try my luck with you. The Grange hospital is under immense pressure, and by reopening an A&E department at the Royal Gwent, my constituents could access care closer to home, and this would hopefully ease some of the burden at the Grange. Based on the information from the health board itself, it will roughly cost around about £10 million to bring back the unit in the Royal Gwent—not a great deal in the grand scheme of things. Cabinet Minister, will you and your officials engage with Aneurin Bevan health board to look into potentially reopening the A&E department at the Royal Gwent, as it is something that my constituents are desperately crying out for? I'd also really appreciate, Cabinet Minister, if you could shed a bit more light on how the Government is going to alleviate the pressure on other A&E departments and free up capacity in hospital wards across Wales.
Cabinet Minister, I want to raise the UK National Screening Committee's decision not to recommend a national prostate screening programme. This is incredibly disappointing, as we know the earlier cancer is caught, the better, and given that prostate cancer doesn't often present with symptoms, testing is indeed key. I hope my colleague Paul Davies MS doesn't mind, but I'd like to take this opportunity to pay tribute to the great work that he's done—and continues to do—in raising awareness and campaigning for improvements in this area. So, Cabinet Minister, will the Welsh Government commit to introducing routine prostate cancer screening for men here in Wales?
Thank you to the Member for those points raised. The Member started by accusing Plaid Cymru of being, what she said, 'equally culpable', in the demise of the health service. Now, this is our first time leading Government, may I just remind you, but your party also proposed to support the budget of the previous Government. We managed to secure extra funding for the NHS in the previous Government, putting money where our mouth is.
The Member also asked about details on the action plan, which I have already set out in my previous statement earlier today. And that 100 days plan has spoken about how we're going to start with looking at the validation of the waiting lists, the elective care hubs that we're going to develop, the investment in primary care and improved diagnostics—all of that I've already set out.
The Member also, twice there, asked about engagement with Aneurin Bevan health board. I and my officials have regular engagement with Aneurin Bevan health board, and I am happy to raise issues that the Member might want to do so at those discussions. If she writes to me, then I'll be more than happy to do that.
Regarding the screening of prostate cancer, that's an interesting development that we've seen, absolutely, and we will carefully look at and consider the evidence put forward by the UK National Screening Committee, because as we've heard several times in discussions this afternoon, we have to follow the science. We have to make sure that we follow what is best for the patients and that we have the best outcomes, because we, as a Government, are outcome led. We want to improve outcomes for the people of Wales.
And on dentistry, the Member will know full well that it was Siân Gwenllian, on the front bench here, that put forward the plan to develop a dentistry school here in Wales for north Wales, working jointly with others, and that's what we will start to do. We're starting that process to look at how best to ensure that school delivers dentists as soon as possible. And then issues were raised about maintenance, which I've touched on in previous responses, and efficiency, which I've also touched on in previous responses, so I won't repeat those.
So, finally—I'm testing the patience of the Llywydd, I know—data and digital are key. The Member realised that digital is key, but we're also pushing forward with data, so that we have consistency of data gathering across Wales, and that's part of the programme as well.
Diolch yn fawr iawn, Llywydd, and good afternoon, Cabinet Minister. Welcome to your new role. I just wanted to ask about social care. I know you and I have both raised this issue in the previous Senedd. We know that, right now, 1,275 people are stuck in hospital beds unnecessarily. They are waiting for social care, either for delivery of the services or for assessments. These people, the ones deteriorating in wards when they should be at home, are the ones that need urgent results. We know that the Welsh Local Government Association has projected a social care funding gap of over £200 million this year alone, yet the previous budget provided only £180 million across both health and social care. In November, your good self described social care as the most underfunded and overlooked pillar of Welsh healthcare, and you were absolutely right. So, could you please outline exactly what your response is to those people stuck in hospitals right now? Diolch yn fawr iawn.
Yes, thank you to the Member for the points that she has raised, and she's absolutely right that social care is crucial. If we are going to resolve the issues facing our health service, we need to resolve the issues facing social care, but the issues facing those who are being delayed from discharge, those who can't get a care package, are more than just the social care, they're also in primary care. It's the whole-system approach, which is what we're looking at here, ensuring that we invest, yes, in primary care, making sure that people don't clog up the system on that front end, and then making sure that people can be discharged safely, so that there's care in the community. And that's what the plans we've put forward look at, ensuring that that care is in the community, closer to home, so that people are seen closer to their home.
And finally, just to touch on something I mentioned earlier, that's part of the reason why we want to ensure that we merge that health and social care, so that we make sure that there are no gaps in that system, that people are working together, organisations talk with each other. That's also why we've proposed—and I put forward the idea earlier—ensuring that regional partnership boards work effectively, so that local authorities and health boards do talk to each other and that people don't slip between those gaps. So, absolutely, the Member is right in pointing out the importance of this.
My final point is that we will also instruct Llais to appoint a social care champion. I will be working with my Deputy Minister to make sure that happens, and that champion will be meeting regularly with the Deputy Minister to bring forward any issues.
Diolch. Minister, Members, I know I used to be the worst offender when I was in that position—[Interruption.] Thank you. But if we can keep the contributions short, and the answers as short as possible as well, though we want the information, we can try and get through as many Members as possible.
We know that NHS waiting lists in Wales under Labour have been far too big and far too long, with the latest figures showing that a little over 666,000 patients are still waiting for their treatment to start. Of those, almost 25 per cent are now waiting over 36 weeks.
In my experience as an ophthalmologist, too many people are waiting far too long for treatment for conditions like macular degeneration, and are becoming blind as a result. It's clear that we need fundamental change to the way that the NHS operates, and I'm pleased that the new Plaid Cymru Government will not continue with business as usual.
So, Cabinet Minister, will you outline what further steps will be taken to decrease waiting lists, and how will the Government ensure sustainable improvement, rather than depending on short-term measures like outsourcing to private corporations? Thank you.
I thank the Member for his question, and I'd like to thank him for his previous work within the NHS. I'm very proud to have him as a member of the group so that he can advise us on many health-related issues.
The Member is right to highlight the particular pressures faced by ophthalmology, for example. It has been neglected particularly by the previous Government, something that was strongly highlighted by the report from the health committee that I was a part of.
But to respond to the Member's specific question, we have an ambitious programme to establish surgical hubs across Wales, as I've mentioned, in order to deal with the pressures on waiting times, which are far too great. I visited such a centre in Neath Port Talbot recently in order to see the real impact on patients.
But it's also important to emphasise that it's not just a case of dealing with the pressures that currently exist; it's also a way of incorporating the requirements of elective care more sustainably into regular NHS activity in the long term, and to ensure that we're never again in the situation that we have been in.
Our elective care plans, therefore, supported by an independent review of NHS performance, will drive that progress. In this regard, we won't have to just rely on buying external capacity at the expense of strategic investment in strengthening local services; we will be investing in our capacity in the NHS in Wales.
Welcome. No, 'congratulations' I should say, actually, not 'welcome'. You just mentioned ophthalmology. Before the election, funding had been identified to tackle the growing cataract surgery waiting list, but progress was reportedly put on hold during the election period. Now that the election is over, will the Welsh Government commit to delivering that funding in full, and can the health Minister provide a clear timetable for when patients waiting for cataract surgery will see the benefits of this investment? Thank you.
I thank the Member for that. The point that she raises is particularly important. As I said, I was part of the report of the health and care committee that looked into ophthalmology, and I'm aware of the deficiencies that we have in that regard. That's why we, as part of the process of reducing waiting lists, have talked about these hubs. An element of these hubs will be looking at the high-volume needs that we have, with cataracts amongst them, to make sure that people who are suffering are seen sooner and can go in for treatment and can be released on the same day. As well as that, we'll be looking to ensure that a national strategy for ophthalmology is delivered to ensure that people aren't suffering more than necessary.
I welcome the Cabinet Minister to his role. One in three deaths in Gwent between 2018 and 2022 happened prematurely and some of those were preventable. The three main causes were cardiovascular disease, diabetes and cancer. In my constituency, both County in the Community and Dragons Rugby Football Club work extensively with people of all ages, and both men and women. Newport County's Fit Fans programme is a great example of sport taking a leading role in preventative health for both men and women. Grass-roots sports clubs play a leading role as well, and their impact is far-reaching. Sport helps to tackle obesity and prevent other physical and mental health conditions, whilst also tackling loneliness and social isolation. I was surprised that there was no mention of mental health, and also surprised there was no mention of women's health, in the Minister's statement today. But Plaid Cymru's manifesto included a commitment to investing in sports and physical activity as part of the preventative health agenda. Can the Minister tell us how much that investment will be and where the money will come from?
Thank you for the points raised. If I can go straight to the point around mental health and women's health, that's why the First Minister has appointed a Deputy Minister with those points exactly in her title. She will be looking with a laser-like focus on ensuring that we develop the mental health projects that we need, and working on the good practice developed by the previous Government with the women's health plan and improving that even further and strengthening it. I'm looking forward to working with Delyth Jewell on those programmes.
When it comes to sport and the preventative agenda, again, the First Minister has made a point of appointing a Deputy Minister with the preventative agenda in mind, making sure that the preventative agenda is at the top of what we do and what we look at. That's why Nerys Evans will be working with Heledd Fychan and with others across the front table here in ensuring that we look collectively in Government at how we can ensure that that preventative agenda is embedded in everything that we do. We know that the greatest social determinant of ill health is poverty. That's why Nerys will be working with Adam Price. We know that housing is an issue. That's why Nerys Evans will be working with Siân Gwenllian. We know that health illiteracy is a problem. That's why she'll be working with Anna Brychan. You see the pattern. The preventative agenda is absolutely crucial.
Cabinet Minister, you've suggested that there's too much of a focus on hospital care in your statement today, and you seem to be hinting that you think that there are too many hospital beds. Can you tell us whether that is your view or not, and whether you will guarantee to the people of Wales that you will not close any hospitals on your watch as a Cabinet Minister over the next four years? In fact, can you tell us whether you will deliver the long-promised new north Denbighshire community hospital for the people of Rhyl and the whole of the north Denbighshire coast? They've been waiting for that hospital for 13 years, and it is absolutely essential that it is delivered, but not at the current scale, which suggests that there will be just 14 beds. We need to make sure that the original scale of that project is delivered, which is 30 beds, in order to alleviate the problems at Glan Clwyd Hospital down the road, which, as we all know, is one of the worst-performing emergency departments in the country. That needs to change, and that project can deliver it.
Llywydd, the Member suggests that I said there's too much focus on hospitals and that I would like to see hospital beds reduced. I haven't said that at all. In fact, if the Member had read our manifesto, he would have seen differently—that we need to strengthen that hospital bed base. That's why, absolutely, I do support the north Denbighshire delivery, because, as the previous Government, in fairness, said at the time, having those extra beds in the community will ease pressure on Glan Clwyd. That's what we need to see: making sure that we've got those step-down facilities, those recuperation facilities in the community, so that people can leave general hospital and be cared for closer to home. That's why, yes, we're absolutely committed to developing that north Denbighshire hospital, and I look forward to opening it when it's finished.
We know that primary care is often the first point of contact with our NHS, yet, across Wales, GP services have faced significant pressures for many years, particularly around recruitment, retention and long-term sustainability. In my constituency, communities have faced real uncertainty following threats to local practices, driven largely by difficulties recruiting and retaining GPs. Recent statistics show that Wales has once again seen a reduction in both the number of fully qualified GPs and the number of practices over the past year, while organisations, including the Royal College of General Practitioners and the British Medical Association, have warned that GP retention is now one of the most urgent challenges facing NHS Wales. I therefore welcome this Government's commitment to strengthen GP services. Cabinet Minister, will you outline what measures will help stabilise GP services, support recruitment and retention, and ensure that communities across Wales can continue to access local primary care services? Diolch.
Those are vitally important points that, in part, answer the question put forward by the leader of the Conservatives. Primary care is where over 90 per cent of patient contact with the health system happens, and yet the prolonged neglect of this vital pillar of the system is exacerbating both costs and pressures further along the line. We are committed to shifting resources to rebuild and strengthen the foundations of primary care, which has been sapped so badly over the past decade. I will soon be convening a summit of health board leaders to develop a sustainable road map to this end.
Central to our plans for primary care is to recruit up to 100 additional salaried GPs to expand out-of-hours activity, focusing in particular on more deprived areas, which face disproportionate barriers to accessing services, working in conjunction with the Deep End programme. We'll also be introducing a specific grant to support the overhead costs of GP practices, which we know is deterring recent graduates from setting up their own practices, and exploring technological innovation to reduce administrative burdens on clinicians, thereby unlocking more time for face-to-face contact with patients. We've also gained valuable insight from our engagement with primary care leads in Northern Ireland, where the federated model has proved highly successful in terms of staff retention, and this is something I'm very keen to replicate here in Wales.
We now move on to our next item, a statement by the Cabinet Minister for Enterprise, Connectivity and Energy: enterprise, connectivity and energy priorities. I call on the Cabinet Minister for Enterprise, Connectivity and Energy, Adam Price.
Cabinet Minister for Enterprise, Connectivity and Energy
Thank you very much, Llywydd. Wales is open for business. We are a nation with considerable economic strengths. Across our country, we see thriving enterprises, globally competitive industries, strong universities, a highly skilled workforce, and real opportunities in sectors such as advanced manufacturing and clean energy. These are assets that many nations would envy. And yet, for too long, we have not translated those strengths into the level of economic performance we should expect.
It's not a lack of potential that's the central challenge we face, it's a failure to fully realise it. Too often, the different parts of our economic system—investment, infrastructure, academia, skills, export, planning and innovation—have not worked in alignment. When these elements across the private and public sectors connect and reinforce one another, growth follows. And when they do not, opportunity is lost.
That's why this Government is placing productivity at the heart of its approach. Productivity is the foundation of long-term prosperity. It underpins wages, living standards and competitiveness. Today, Wales continues to lag behind, with productivity around 15 per cent lower than the UK average. But productivity is not an abstract measure; it's about raising incomes, creating better jobs, and ensuring prosperity is shared all across Wales. At its heart, productivity depends on two things: the capabilities of our people and the performance of our firms. It is shaped by whether businesses can innovate, scale, adopt new technologies and compete in higher-value markets, and by whether people have the skills to contribute, adapt and progress.
That's why we are adopting a new approach, a mission to tackle productivity and a target to reduce Wales’s productivity gap by half with the UK within 10 years. And now the work begins to realise that ambition. We're moving towards a whole-system model. Our mission is clear: to strengthen productivity, enabling firms to grow, invest and innovate, supported by a skills system that equips people not just for work, but for progression. Entrepreneurs, education, finance, innovators and businesses are the engine of economic growth. Our responsibility is to create the conditions in which businesses can succeed. That means removing the blockers they face—whether in planning, access to energy, access to finance, or infrastructure. It also means ensuring that the support around them—skills, research and innovation—actively supports their development and growth. We will make Wales the easiest place in the United Kingdom to start, grow and invest in a business.
This is not about lowering standards, it's about improving how the Government and its partners work, being clearer about priorities and faster in decision making to join up the systems on which businesses depend.
A key challenge we must address is business scale. Too few Welsh businesses grow to the size where they can invest confidently in innovation, make full use of available skills and compete in higher value markets. So, we will focus on supporting firms to grow, to scale up, while strengthening the foundations that enable that growth.
Reform of our skills system is central to this. We will align skills provision more closely with economic need, ensuring it supports higher value activity and enables individuals to move into better paid roles. We will strengthen links between education, employers and research institutions, so that knowledge flows more effectively into the economy.
Alongside this, we will build a stronger innovation system, supporting firms to adopt new technologies, invest in research and development and benefit fully from Wales’s significant research strengths. We recognise too that some of the factors shaping our economy lie beyond devolved control. That's why we will work constructively with the UK Government, aligning policy and investment wherever it is in Wales’s interests to do so.
Partnership will be critical at every level. We will work closely with businesses, who understand the barriers to growth in real time. We will identify the barriers firms face, assign clear responsibility for resolving them, and ensure that they are addressed quickly and effectively. When a business in Wales wants to grow, innovate or invest in its workforce, it should know exactly where to go. And when something stands in its way, it should know exactly who is responsible for fixing it. Likewise, we will work with trade unions, who bring essential insight into workforce conditions, skills needs and the lived experience of workers across our economy. Their combined perspectives will help ensure our policies are effective, inclusive and grounded in reality.
But delivering this agenda also requires change in how we operate as a Government. A key step will be the establishment of a new national development agency. This will be a modern, agile organisation operating at arm’s length from Government and drawing, crucially, on private sector expertise. Its purpose will be clear: to support growth of Welsh-owned businesses, attract inward investment and strengthen innovation and capability across sectors. This new agency will provide focus, connecting businesses with finance, investment-ready sites and premises, advice, skills, innovation, research and export markets. I look forward to announcing the next steps, including the establishment group, in the coming weeks.
Llywydd, This is a moment of opportunity. Wales has the assets, the talent, and potential to succeed. What is now needed is leadership and delivery. It requires focus and a relentless emphasis on delivery. It requires a Government prepared to make choices and act with pace. And it requires a clear mission, one that puts productivity, people and firms at its core. That is our mission. Diolch yn fawr.
Thank you for your statement, Minister, and congratulations on your appointment. I have to relay my initial concern about the direction of the Welsh economy if the answer to the challenges that we're being presented with is to bring back a failed Welsh development agency. History tells us that it was another unnecessary bureaucratic quango that was linked to illegally inflated redundancy payments, where directors flew first class around the world while communities across Wales were left behind. And this—this—is Plaid's answer to the economic decay that infects our towns and valleys. The same model, the same results, not even new branding.
The Welsh Development Agency did, indeed, create some jobs, but it also created a hollowed-out Welsh economy that enabled the easy transit of organisations out of the country. When it became cheaper to operate elsewhere, foreign companies left and they took thousands of high-skill jobs with them. Between 1998 and 2008, Wales lost 171 foreign-owned sites, around 31,000 jobs. Still now, Wales suffers weak productivity, low wages and significant economic underperformance compared to the rest of the UK. And while Wales has just one FTSE 100 company, Welsh businesses are closing at an alarming rate. And that is the WDA legacy. Perhaps that's what they talk about in Boston, but Reform would do things differently. No additional bloated quangos, no new layers of bureaucracy and no abdication of ministerial responsibility to unnamed and unaccountable civil servants. Reform would put Welsh business at the heart of everything we do. We would leverage the tax system to create the environment in which companies, directors, entrepreneurs and risk takers succeed, cutting barriers to relocation, speeding up planning approvals and reducing regulatory burden, making Wales genuinely competitive and attractive for investment. And that is the difference a Reform government would make.
Now, Minister, let's talk about our high streets. Across Wales, illegal shops masquerading as businesses are polluting our high streets. In Caerphilly, we saw a car wash exposed as a people-smuggling network worth millions. Dilshad Shamo and Ali Khdir illegally organised the smuggling of thousands of migrants into Europe. And, Minister, your leader might not believe illegal immigration exists, but our communities up and down this country will tell you it does. And it affects every single one of us, whether you want to admit it or not. Even in my own constituency, shops have sold illegal tobacco and vapes to children while openly displaying drug paraphernalia in shop windows sold as cultural ornaments. Reform will put an end to this black economy. Reform will put genuine Welsh businesses first and work with the UK Government to stamp out criminality on our high streets.
Well, could I first of all congratulate the Member on his appointment to this important opposition position? I look forward to engaging with him, both in the course of scrutiny in this Chamber, but also more widely as well. There is no monopoly on good ideas, and I think it's important that we engage to the extent that is possible, in a constructive way, to try and collectively help Wales achieve its economic potential.
I'll start with—in that spirit—there were some elements in there where there was common ground, and we're keen to build up the common ground, ultimately. As a nation, this is a collective endeavour. We all have a role to play. Opposition parties—I know; I've occupied that position—also have an important role to play, not only in contributing ideas, but also holding us accountable to the target that we've set.
We agree that creating a business environment that is the most conducive in order to allow businesses to achieve their potential is absolutely essential. We're committed to do that, and we've said we want to hear the ideas of business, principally, because of course they will have the best information about how we can do that. But if the party of the Member from Reform also has practical ideas that we can put into place, short, medium and long-term, then he will find that my door is open.
We're all about building consensus where we can. There was an interesting kind of consensus there between the opposition spokesperson and, indeed, the previous administration, because they both agreed that there was no need for a development agency. I would say: look, we want to be evidence led, and the evidence from right across the world shows pretty conclusively, if you ask pretty much any leading economist in this area, that development agencies are the tried-and-tested tool for any nation, region or anywhere else that has driven up the kind of trajectory in terms of productivity growth that I've described. Is it the only thing that you should do? Absolutely not. We're not going to achieve it just through the development agency, but it's a pretty necessary tool in the toolbox, based on the experience elsewhere.
In terms of the town centres, we absolutely are committed to having a revitalised town-centre strategy for town centres the length and breadth of Wales. They are important in their own right as employers, but they're also critically important in other ways. If we want to attract and retain talent, the quality of place in our communities is absolutely intrinsic in order to achieve that goal as well. So, they are right four-square, front and centre, part of our economic strategy. We will be setting up a town-centre taskforce. We're committed to do that in the first 100 days, and, again, if there are ideas—. I heard a lot of negativity, but if there are positive ideas from the party behind me or anyone else, we are in the business of taking the best ideas that we have, and turning Wales into the best place to set up and grow a business to drive our economic progress along the ambitious but achievable goal that I've set out today.
Thank you to the Cabinet Minister for his statement. We've heard a lot about the Government's plans, of course, about the new Welsh development agency, but people aren't asking for promises—they want action, and they want it now. Creating a new sort of agency takes time, it takes effort, it takes money and it takes focus, of course, and people in Wales don't want or need quangos or structures just for the sake of it. What we need is more well-paid, skilled and secure work in every single part of our country, because right now families are genuinely feeling the pressure. Making ends meet, paying the bills—that is the stark reality.
Just last week, we saw the energy price cap go up again. Too many people are still facing impossible choices, rationing their energy at home, with adults skipping their meals in order to make sure that their own children are being fed. Those are the things—and just getting into debt—those are the realities of the everyday person out there. The people that we represent, they can't afford to wait any longer. So, our focus, my focus, will be on the outcomes for working people. How many well-paid jobs are going to be created in all of our communities? That will be the measure of success.
In the 12 months leading up to the Wales investment summit, Wales attracted £4.6 billion of inward investment. That meant real opportunities and real jobs all over the country. Now, we know that Plaid talk about their ambition for Wales, and, of course, we all share that. We know, because—. The reality is: will those actions then match it? Can the Cabinet Secretary tell us whether his new development agency will beat this figure?
Welsh Labour established, of course, the Welsh way of working, that Social Partnership and Public Procurement (Wales) Act 2023, hand in hand with the trade union movement. So, I will ask, of course: will social partnership remain at the heart of decisions that you are then taking in terms of the development agency and the results it produces in terms of jobs, investment and opportunities?
Right now, we're seeing major changes to the economy and, of course, jobs being done in Wales due to the adoption of artificial intelligence and the transition to net zero. If these are done well, with workers at the centre of Government thinking, we can see real opportunities. The Cabinet Secretary—the Cabinet Minister—talks about the need to close that productivity gap. So, when we're thinking about the opportunities of AI in various sectors and services, we need to then, of course, make sure that any economic reward lifts workers up, not comes at their expense and at the expense of their jobs.
We're being told that we need to move faster on greener energy to create jobs and bring down bills, but, at the same time, the Government is creating uncertainty about how that energy is going to be delivered, because, again, the reality is this: the fastest and most affordable way to deliver green energy at scale is wind power, supported by overhead infrastructure. So, which is it: getting that energy to people quickly and affordably or holding it up, with higher costs and delay? People want cheaper, cleaner energy, but they also need it delivered quickly and at scale. Delay, uncertainty and inaction will not bring down bills. So, how will the Cabinet Minister ensure that these decisions don't slow down investment, push up costs and block the very same jobs that they promised to create? And how will you then, of course, make sure that delivery is fair, that communities like mine in Caerdydd Ffynnon Taf, which feel very much left behind for too long, actually see and feel that benefit first? Because people in Wales have heard, honestly, enough about ambition and they are tired of the pilots. They want things to go and they want things to move really quickly.
They need more money in their pockets. They need more secure work. They need jobs and opportunities in the place that they call home—good, fair work jobs. So, can the Cabinet Minister be clear: when will these jobs be created, where will they be created, and how will people know that progress is actually being made?
I welcome the opposition spokesperson, the Labour spokesperson, to her post as well, and I look forward to engaging in detail on all of the issues that she raised. I think that it's important to bring us back, isn't it, to the focus of today, which is the announcement of a goal, a target, which we lacked for 20 years. And one thing that we—. Nobody can absolutely predict the future with 100 per cent certainty. It's not possible, right. But one thing we can predict: if you don't have a goal at all, if you don't have a target at all, you'll never achieve it; you can't even measure progress. And that's why the first step in any plan to revitalise the Welsh economy is to be clear about the direction of travel. In the absence of that clarity in the previous administration, we had decades of drift, didn't we? So, we are setting that right. Actually, I think we've broken all governmental land speed records here. I'm not even three weeks in to being Minister for the economy, and yet we have set out clearly the goal that we are setting for the Welsh economy over the next decade.
And what flows from that then? Many of the things that she's talked about, I agree with. Look, we have to increase the speed of decision making, but part of that comes from aligning your actions, keeping a focus, and you can't do that unless you have a clear goal. Now that we have that, of course, work is already ongoing—many of the elements that she referred to, in terms of the development agency and the role of the development agency. Yes, foreign direct investment will remain, for our economy, as for any economy, an important element within our economic strategy. What it cannot be—. To reference some of the comments from earlier as well, it can't be the only element. It has to be balanced with actually investing in the capability of our own business base, because, of course, they are rooted firms, they are embedded firms, they will actually deliver the platform for long-term growth. But, of course, foreign direct investment can play a part in building up clusters and sectoral competitive advantage, and we will use the development agency to deliver that kind of knowledge and action in a way that will be far more effective than was possible under the previous administration.
We'll have a further opportunity to talk about how the different elements within my portfolio, connectivity, enterprise—. We've made it very clear, of course, that all of these things—economic infrastructure, which includes transport and digital infrastructure, which includes energy as well—all of that needs to be aligned towards this single economic mission goal. If we get that right, if we get the different parts of the system, then, actually, we can really motor. It's important, though, that that energy system delivers for the needs of Wales. We've been here before at other energy revolutions, haven't we, which didn't deliver for Wales. Part of that is about ownership, part of that is understanding what are the energy needs of our communities and our businesses. And yes, that should actually be reflected in competitive advantage for businesses from our energy potential but also, wherever possible, through community ownership actually delivering lower bills for our people as well.
Congratulations, Adam, on your new role. I have to say that I'd like to stop, right from the start of this new Government, where we talk Wales down—and I don't mean you; one of the spokespersons here today, actually, was just about talking Wales down. Now, I have more confidence and some faith in the new Government; we have to give them—. I've worked with them for over 15 years, many of their Members, so I'm willing. And Rhun knows, when we both were elected on that day, I said, 'I'll be watching you, and I'll be watching Reform too.' But the thing is that we've got to be positive now, because, as has been said here today, Wales is in a mess business wise, and there's a lot to be done.
Now, today, they've mentioned about the Menai bridge, and I am disappointed that I did put an urgent question in—it was a very urgent issue, and I do feel that it merited the urgent question—but, for some reason, that question was denied. But it won't stop me doing it when urgent issues—. So, last week, in May half term, whilst competitors from schools from all over Wales were competing in the Urdd Eisteddfod—and I'd like to pay tribute to everybody involved in that and the organisation, massive organisation, that went on behind it—it was bedlam, and we've still got bedlam today, on the Menai bridge. So, when you've said that you want to meet with me—and, Mark, you've said the same—that will be one of my priorities, and the A55, those roundabouts. And generally, though, in your statement today, I haven't seen much about infrastructure, enterprise, connectivity, and that's what the portfolio is all about.
As you know, I've got my meeting next Friday in Llangefni. I've made it cross-party; we've invited the Bangor Conwy MP for Labour and also Llinos Medi, the MP in Ynys Môn, and I've invited all the other MSs, the other five, and county councillors from Anglesey, because I believe that it's time to start working together more collectively. When I was out knocking doors, people were saying, 'Why are you always arguing? Why don't you work together more cohesively?' And where you've got good ideas, I'll work with you, Rhun, and I'll be bringing many good ideas to you, as will other Members, but we've got to be positive.
Now, I've mentioned previously about junctions 15 and 16. I do believe that, on broadband connectivity, the previous Welsh Labour Government let us down fundamentally, because 96 per cent of all households was their commitment, but it's around about 93 per cent that actually have broadband connectivity. But there was no mention at the time about businesses, and I have businesses now who are really struggling to function. We want more and more Welsh businesses starting up, staying in business, but they need that broadband connectivity. So, you're not going to have a good economy in Wales unless you've got good road infrastructure, good broadband connectivity.
I really welcome the spirit in which the Member has offered her remarks, and I certainly will be taking up her offer of working together, where it is possible, to design solutions to the problems that the people we all represent collectively face in their daily lives, and, in this context, in ensuring that we get the best possible economic outcomes. New ideas from any direction, I think, are absolutely incredibly valuable, and we will approach this important responsibility that we have in a collaborative manner, in the way that she described.
In relation to some of the specifics, the Member is right to point to the absolute centrality of infrastructure. If we think about the productivity goal that we've set out as the mission today, then, you know, most economists would say that there are three key elements in terms of the long-term success of achieving that kind of productivity growth. One is skills, the other one is innovation, the third one is infrastructure, and so getting the infrastructure right so that our businesses then have the platform that they need in order to deliver their own business potential. So, absolutely, we will be focused on that, and you're right to keep us focused on that, and we look forward to further opportunities to explore how exactly we do that.
In relation to the situation in terms of some of the key strategic corridors that she mentioned, one of them has been mentioned several times today, the Menai crossing, and we as a Government are absolutely clear on the importance of that and the resilience of that crossing. We understand absolutely—directly, I think I can say—the urgency of coming up with solutions that are both short-, medium-term and long-term durable ones.
Indeed, just, if I may, Llywydd, to correct the statement that was made earlier about budget agreements, Plaid Cymru actually did agree a budget agreement with the then Labour administration in 2017 for £3 million precisely to support the design and development of a third Menai crossing. To quote Max Boyce, I know because I was there, and that has given us the platform so that we can now, in an accelerated and focused way, move forward.
That work has already started in scoping, and, indeed, we've also had similar conversations in the context of Brynglas as well, and we want to look holistically at the entire network. I can say that the Deputy Minister and I have also had our first expansive discussion about potholes as well. Maintenance is also part of the picture, isn't it, in terms of maintaining our infrastructure. I look forward to continuing this engagement in the manner that she set out, in a constructive way, so we can actually collectively achieve progress on behalf of the people of Wales.
The Cabinet Minister now has the distinction of the first quotation from Max Boyce of the seventh Senedd term. [Laughter.] We look forward to many more.
Diolch, Llywydd, and diolch, Cabinet Secretary, for your statement today.
I consistently hear from young people all across Wales that there is a lack of opportunities for work and training in their communities. In Wales, we've consistently had one of the highest proportions of 18 to 24-year-olds not in education or training, limiting their life chances and holding back our economy. This also leads to young people leaving Wales. Too many people my age and younger feel like they have no choice but to leave Wales. So, in light of missed apprenticeship targets and the previous Labour Government's poor record on supporting young people into work, will the Cabinet Minister outline how this new Welsh Government will improve access to education, employment and training, and ensure that young people, particularly those who have grown up in poverty, are able to build their futures in Wales?
I'm really grateful to the Member for putting this right at the core of our discussion this afternoon, because if we think about the engine of the economy, the absolutely central engine is the potential of our young people, which far too often, now and in our past, has been wasted potential. Young people have been locked out of opportunity, and our productivity mission is about building the bridge back, so that those young people can achieve their true potential, and that includes young people who, through necessity, have left Wales, and that's why, as part of our diaspora strategy, we will be trying to create opportunities for those who want to return to Wales to work and to set up businesses.
And in relation to skills, as I said earlier, that has to be right at the centre of our strategy. So, in the first instance, understanding in as clear a way as possible the needs of business, what are the challenges and opportunities through a skills audit, having a skills summit then, so that we can design a skills system that delivers for Wales, but absolutely central to that is delivery for the young people of Wales and ensuring that they have the opportunity to achieve the potential that they undoubtedly have.
In relation to the question I'm going to ask, I'd like to declare that I have a small self-catering unit next to my home.
All the economic impact assessments that I've read recently relating to the tourism levy, which your party supported, show a potential reduction in gross value added and a loss of jobs. So, how can the 'grow, invest and innovate' mantra of this new agency also apply to the tourism sector?
The tourism sector is an absolutely key part of our economy and it has great potential to grow. We don't, for example, at the moment, achieve a sufficient proportion of international visitors to the UK. I was glad to welcome some Canadians in the inaugural flight from Toronto. There are many things that we can do with the tourism sector, and we're keen to have that approach, a close working relationship with them.
The tourism levy, of course, is ultimately a decision for local authorities. The conditions and the context in Wales will be different in many places, but there's an opportunity for that levy to be used to support the tourism sector, to actually turn it into a sector that delivers for our economy, but delivers sustainable high-wage employment opportunities throughout the year for our young people, and we are absolutely ready, willing, keen, able and enthusiastic about working with the tourism and the wider hospitality sectors, because we have a fantastic product. We have great opportunities, so let's actually realise that potential together.
Thank you, Cabinet Minister, for your statement. I'd like to welcome you to your role. I know from working with you previously on the economy committee that this is a portfolio area that you are truly passionate about.
I'd like to focus on energy. We've all seen how rocketing energy bills are having a devastating effect on family finances across Wales because of unstable global markets, so it's more important than ever that we produce the home-grown, clean energy that we need, faster than ever before. Building on a point raised by my colleague Shav Taj, we know that Plaid Cymru have said that they would prohibit large steel lattice pylons immediately. Now, we all want to protect our landscapes—let's be clear on that—but this immediate approach risks making it slower, less attractive and more expensive to produce the clean energy that we need. So, I do believe there are crucial questions for this Plaid Cymru Government to answer. Can you guarantee that the cost of this new infrastructure won't be passed on to consumers in even higher energy bills? And can you guarantee that we will meet our legally binding target of 100 per cent of electricity from renewables by 2040, with these limits in place?
I think that the Member is absolutely right to raise the question of energy costs: it's true for individual consumers and families; it's true also for businesses as well. So, I think that the question for us is: can we get smart and creative in using the potential that we have in terms of clean energy in ways that actually deliver lower costs?
We believe that one of the most effective ways of doing that is to build community-owned, locally owned infrastructure. There's proven evidence that that can deliver a lower cost to households. But we'll also be looking at how we can actually use that principle and apply it to businesses as well—so, looking at things like onsite generation, behind the wire, using 'private wire' as in the jargon, which means that you then can avoid some of the network costs that drive up the price. So, we are absolutely keen to have that conversation. Our position on pylons, on new distribution lines, is absolutely clear. Just on cost, building long new lines of distribution over many, many kilometres is not the best way, possibly, to address the cost issue. There are other ways—the ones that I've described—that actually can deliver lower costs for families, for communities and for business, and we'll be focusing creatively and innovatively on those areas where we can have the greatest impact.
As Plaid Cymru's economic strategy outlined, Wales has a wealth of small businesses and a relatively high proportion of large firms, especially in the economic powerhouse that is Fflint Wrecsam. It's clear that supporting microbusinesses to scale up has been an issue in Wales, and the business support available is fragmented. The plan for a new development agency is therefore very welcome and will have real benefits in supporting the growth of Welsh businesses, improving their export functions, while also supporting international investment in Wales. Could the Cabinet Minister therefore outline the work being undertaken to establish this agency, and how it will ensure that foreign direct investment works with and for Welsh businesses and communities?
I really welcome the Member's question and you're right: I think it's long been a shared understanding among those who have looked at the question of why Wales, over many decades, has underperformed compared to its potential that it's this missing middle. We have many micro and small businesses in Wales, which actually are very, very important in terms of our local economy, as we previously described. But what we do lack is those businesses at scale, and getting from small to medium and getting from medium to large, as well, with home-grown businesses, that is a critical element in any country or region that has achieved its economic potential. And so, that will be one of the key areas of focus for the new development agency. And then it's about understanding, 'Look, what are the constraints and what are the opportunities?' They'll be different on a business-to-business basis, and that's why having account managers that are actually then able to tailor that support package—. It might be finance with a particular business. It might be a business that has identified a new export market. Well, that's the kind of very agile, dynamic approach that a development agency can deliver.
I thank the Cabinet Secretary. I should declare an interest; I've worked with Lord Grimstone in the UK's Office for Investment, so I deeply care about this, as someone who's seen at close hand what can be achieved when you've got the true ingredients together. A properly designed body in this circumstance, according to his own figures, attracted well over £50 billion. That experience makes me more rather than less exacting about delivery. Such a body only works with genuine commercial freedom and clear accountability, and Wales has tried various models that have lacked this in the past. So, my question is clear: why is this different to other models that have come in the past? How will this agency recruit the expertise the standard model cannot? And what other clear targets, so that success can be measured, so this creates a one-stop for investors to come into Wales and to invest?
I think that's a really great question, and I really look forward, maybe, to having a further conversation with the Member, drawing upon her own evident experience and expertise. I think, how can we get it—? You're absolutely right. We need, actually, if we're going to create the kind of business-facing, agile and dynamic organisation that we need, then we need to draw on business expertise, people that have run, founded and, in some cases, turned around major successful business organisations, both within Wales and internationally. We'll have more to say about this in the next few weeks, but drawing upon that commercial expertise is going to be critical, not just in the design phase that we will be going through, but then in the operational phase as well.
Of course, a public agency always has to have guardrails. There was reference to what went awry in the previous Welsh Development Agency. We understand there needs to be a framework, doesn't there, but also you need to empower and enable an agency to work in a different way than is possible for the centre of Government to do. So, there are some examples that we can draw upon. So, as well as tapping into business acumen and expertise, the other thing we need to do is look around the world, internationally, and say, 'Well, who are the best? Who are the best in class that have really done this?' And then, obviously, translate that into our own context and conditions.
I look forward to engaging with her and with businesses across Wales in order to get this design as right as we can in the early stage, and then make sure that we learn as we go forward, we adapt as we learn more about what works.
A question, really, probably in three parts. The first one is: what use of artificial intelligence to improve productivity is planned? The second one is: how will the Minister support computing and life science departments in universities so the spin-offs from them can grow and provide high-paid, high-quality jobs? And coming on to start-ups, I always remember that Hewlett-Packard was started in a garage by two people, and Amazon in a garage by one person. What support is going to be given to not only getting the companies to start up, but more importantly to get them to grow? Far too often in Wales, we have companies, they start off, they get to medium size, they can maybe employ a couple of hundred people and, all of a sudden, they get eaten up, taken over, bought, whichever terminology you prefer, by larger companies. What can we do to ensure that they stay in Wales and don't sell out at the first possible opportunity?
I agree. I thank the Member for all those very pertinent questions, actually. We have many of the raw ingredients of success, as I've described, and one of them, actually, is we do have great universities with highly relevant subject-matter expertise. And what we are not so good at—and this is true not just of Wales; it's true of the UK as a whole, actually—we have great ideas, we have great research, but we're not very good at commercialising that research in the way that, for instance, the United States of America, classically, is able to turn knowledge into products for new start-up businesses, some of which grow, of course, significantly to become unicorns. So, there's a bit of bridging work there, and the Government actually plays an important part in providing that bridge.
I think that venture capital, certainly, again, is lacking in the UK. It's certainly lacking in Wales. The Development Bank of Wales, I think, has done a fairly good job at what I would call 'passive capital'—that's business lending, effectively. Venture capital is a form of active capital, where you don't just get money, you actually get the know-how and the knowledge that comes with the money, because those investors really want to protect their investment to the greatest extent possible.
And then, I think we need to look at our start-up ecosystem. Part of building an effective start-up ecosystem comes into where an arm's-length agency is better, because failure and risk are an absolutely necessary part of building a start-up ecosystem. If you only invest in sure-fire bets, then you will never get start-ups that will scale up eventually. You've got to put some guardrails against that where you're involving public money as well. In terms of start-up ecosystems, there are places in the world that do this very well—and I'm not just talking about Silicon Valley; they're in a scale of their own. There are other places similar to Wales that do this well. We will learn from them very quickly indeed. Flanders is one, actually. That's an example of a region that reinvented itself precisely in the manner that I just described.
With apologies to the few Members who are remaining, we have gone over time already, but we covered a lot of questions there. My thanks to all Members for their patience, and to Ministers as well for answering as fully and as quickly as they could.
This whole-system transformation must go hand in hand with fundamental reforms to the governance architecture of the NHS. Governance might not be the most eye-catching policy area, but it is essential to unlocking improvements in performance, accountability and collaboration. To this end, we'll strengthen the role of the regional partnership boards to support closer working between health boards, local authorities and key partners, bringing people together to solve problems, with a clear focus on whether it is making a difference for those we serve.
In far too many areas, the NHS remains an analogue institution in a digital age. I'm determined to change this through our 10-year digital and data strategy, to ensure that our health system has the infrastructure and the skills to be at the cutting edge of innovation. A 'once for Wales' approach to digital, data and artificial intelligence and modern infrastructure will help the system work as one, cut duplication, boost productivity and direct more resource to front-line care.
The staff who work with dedication and commitment to deliver high-quality care are the lifeblood of the NHS in Wales. We must empower and support them, with the right people in the right teams and places, and leadership that creates a culture where staff feel valued, safe and able to deliver. I've been clear that we need a long-term workforce strategy for NHS Wales, and, in the autumn, I'll publish this strategy. Working in partnership, we will develop and set out a strategic framework, with clear short-, medium- and long-term commitments, tangible actions and annual review of progress and priorities. This agile framework will mean we can proactively plan and develop our workforce to support our key priorities, such as reducing waiting times and a focus on cancer.
I'm also keenly aware of the difficulties faced by graduates in securing employment, including most recently amongst nursing, midwifery and paramedic cohorts. Wales fares poorly when it comes to retaining the wealth of talent we nurture here, and I'm determined to change this. I will be bringing partners together shortly to consider both immediate actions to support this year’s graduates and what more can be done to avoid similar problems in the future.
But we can't spend all our time firefighting. We must also take bold action on population health and inequality if we are to create a health and care system fit for the future.
On primary and GP care, Cabinet Minister, I want to put this to you directly, because I’ve sat with you in this Chamber, I’ve sat with you in committee, and I have heard you, time and time again, call for more support and more funding for primary care. You also backed the Health and Social Care Committee’s report in the previous Senedd on GP practices in Wales. Now you’re no longer asking the questions; you are the person who has to answer them. So, will you implement those recommendations in full: yes or no?
On social care, you are right: too many people are stuck in hospital beds because care is not available in the community. That is bad for patients, bad for families and bad for the NHS. But a national care service must not become another expensive layer of bureaucracy. So, will you guarantee today that money will go to front-line care, not more boards, not more structures and not more administration in Cathays Park?
On unpaid carers, Wales does rely on these every single day. They save our public purse billions of pounds. They feel invisible, exhausted and unsupported. And timely carers’ needs assessments are welcome, but they must lead to real support—respite, practical advice and emergency help when families need it—and we need that now, not months down the line.
On cancer, you admitted Wales is lagging behind. That is a serious admission, and I agree with you: Wales does need a cancer action plan. So, I ask you: when will it be published? Is it going to include proper targets for diagnosis, for treatment, for outcomes? Let’s have the answer.
On workforce, you said a long-term strategy will come in the autumn. Cabinet Minister, autumn is becoming this Welsh Government’s waiting room, isn’t it? Because everything you want to seem to be doing is going to be done in the autumn. We have staff pressures now; we have graduates worried about jobs, we have vacancies, now. What immediate action are you going to take before the autumn, because time is ticking?
And on prevention, I agree with you. We cannot keep treating in a system that actually waits for people to become seriously ill before acting. Sport, physical activity, reducing obesity and making sure people stay healthy are very important. So, can you outline, Cabinet Secretary—no that's the previous name; Cabinet Minister—how you're going to make sure money flows? I'll come to the end now, Presiding Officer; I can see you looking at me.
Cabinet Minister, you have the biggest job in Government. You have made big promises to the people of Wales, and I'll just tell you that we will be watching; the people of Wales will be watching. You asked for power; now it is your time to deliver. Diolch.
So, that responds to all of the points that the Member raised. That was the challenge. We're already answering them. I look forward to his co-operation in delivering them.
I am slightly surprised that there was no mention of dentistry whatsoever in this afternoon's statement, especially given the major challenges many residents face in accessing a dentist. Cabinet Minister, I would also appreciate a brief overview on what steps you are going to be taking in this area, and what we can expect to see in action going forward.
Maintenance in NHS buildings in Wales is also missing from this afternoon's statement. The bill for repairing buildings at high or significant risk stands at nearly £1 billion, so I would be grateful if the Cabinet Minister would outline what action will be taken in this area by this Government.
I welcome the focus on technology. It's a key area for health services that need to be fit for a twenty-first century remit. Can I get a commitment from the Cabinet Minister that this improvement in technology will also see an uptake in data collection across the board in as many areas as has been, because it's been significantly lacking over many years?
Recently, there have been some rather concerning revelations about the Welsh Gender Service, which I have written to you about, but it would be remiss of me not to raise this with you here this afternoon. The service is referring between three and four times the number of people for irreversible gender surgeries than the UK average. Not only that, but it does not collect information on the number of patients it recommends for cross-sex hormones. Given these red flags at the gender service, will the Welsh Government launch an independent review into its practices and leadership?
Cabinet Minister, as the South Wales Argus reported on their front page this weekend, there has been a great deal of concern around Aneurin Bevan health board awarding £10 million-worth of GP contracts to eHarley Street without proper due diligence checks being carried out. I know this was touched upon before with the First Minister, however, Audit Wales's probe into this matter is damning and raises serious concerns about governance, accountability and financial oversight within the health board itself, with patients and staff left facing disruption and uncertainty as a result of poor scrutiny before contracts were indeed awarded. I have said before, and I shall say it again: the Welsh Government must now establish whether there have been similar incidents in other health boards within the Welsh NHS, and ensure robust safeguards are in place to prevent this from happening again. To that end, Cabinet Minister, for sincere transparency, will you hold a Wales-wide investigation into health board contracts?
There is plenty more that I could delve into today, Cabinet Minister, but I will leave it there for now and just reiterate that I really do hope we can work constructively going forward in this Senedd term. Thank you.
So, Minister, I challenge you today: take action and show that Plaid will not ignore what their own eyes are telling them. Minister, how will you and your Government work with local police and the Home Office to crack down on criminal enterprises masquerading as legitimate businesses, harming the genuine Welsh economy?
Finally, let me turn to the subject of energy. Welsh households are being hammered by rising energy bills due to foreign conflicts. This we all know. Where this Government or the previous Government gets this right, you will have our full support, as has been seen with the SMR project at Wylfa, which will power thousands of homes, create jobs and boost energy security in Wales. Yet, Plaid’s answer is once again to put ideology over the people you are meant to serve. In your 74-page manifesto, not once do you mention the word 'nuclear'. Instead of embracing the opportunity in front of you, Plaid prioritise green ideology over affordability and energy security. The US and the world's major superpowers are all forging ahead with their own high-spec SMR projects at historic rates, yet Wales, again, is suffering delay after delay with a Government that only has plans for plans and nothing that can be measured or delivered—no plan for childcare, your flagship policy; no plan for the economy; and no plan for a brighter, more prosperous Wales. So, with that in mind, where does Plaid really stand on the energy issue? Because Reform, to be clear, backs nuclear.
Minister, you once said that nuclear was the wrong answer for Wales. Do you stand by this and does your party stand by this? How does opposing nuclear power help families in Wales struggling to pay their energy bills or secure energy security? And why should businesses invest in this country of ours, bringing jobs and prosperity, when your Government isn't clear about what it believes in and how you will achieve it? Diolch.
We've also got very poor mobile phone connectivity, and I've been working single-handedly with Vodaphone and all the phone companies, and we've now got—. It's taken time, I have to say; planning permission went through quite some time ago. But bringing those masts to Venue Cymru is a priority for me.
You talk of Wales being open for business, but, in your first statement as Cabinet Sec, there is a complete absence of a plan to fix our roads. So, I feel that's a glaring omission. Our transport system is not fit for purpose. We have to get more inward investment into Wales, but, unless you put those priorities in place, then we're not going to see any improvements.
But I say let's stop talking Wales down in the first instance. Who would want to invest in Wales as a business if all you do, the politicians, and new politicians, who have come here to make all these changes, or so you say—? We can't judge you on your record, because you haven't previously had any elected Reform Members. I can only talk about the experience I've had of being here 15 years, and I've seen Welsh Labour, and Plaid to some degree, because you've propped up the Welsh Labour Government—. I've seen many of your failings. I'm prepared to give you a chance now, and I will work with you. We will be a constructive opposition. Diolch yn fawr.