Darren Millar: I thank you, Minister, for a copy of your statement in advance. I was very interested to hear your references to the success of the integrated medium-term planning system. I know that, certainly in terms of a number of NHS organisations, they have been living within their means and they were successful in developing three-year medium-term plans that seem to have been largely on track. But, of...
Darren Millar: Can I call for two statements from the Welsh Government? The first one is from the Minister for Health and Social Services, and it's in relation to secondary breast cancer and awareness of secondary breast cancer. The thirteenth of October, last Sunday, marked Secondary Breast Cancer Awareness Day, and I don't know if you're familiar with details about secondary breast cancer, but the reality...
Darren Millar: I heard the references to contempt. What about contempt for the views of the people of Wales who voted to leave the European Union and the neglect that your Government has shown to supporting the UK Government's efforts to deliver on the outcome of that referendum by supporting the UK Prime Minister in delivering Brexit by 31 October? And I have to say, what sort of advice would you be able...
Darren Millar: Trefnydd, can I ask for a statement on parking arrangements at Welsh hospitals? Obviously, I am aware and fully support the free parking initiative that we have at hospitals across Wales, but this is causing some considerable problems in terms of parking at many of our hospital sites, not least Glan Clwyd Hospital, which serves many of my constituents. In a bid to alleviate some of those...
Darren Millar: Will the First Minister make a statement on the future of the NHS workforce in Wales?
Darren Millar: If you'd have listened earlier on, Jenny Rathbone, to the response that Nick Ramsay gave you, we have extra money coming into the system as a result of the good management by the UK Government of public finances. We've got £1.25 billion coming to Wales for education over the next three years, and that £1.25 billion could be invested to close that gap and eliminate it completely. So, you've...
Darren Millar: Can I suggest that you take your anger out on Qualifications Wales? They're the ones I was quoting, and they're the ones who are saying that weaker pupils, weaker students, are not being entered for their examinations. Now, when we look at the independent analysis of the Welsh education system, the best comparator we've got, of course, are the Programme for International Student Assessment...
Darren Millar: Thank you, Deputy Presiding Officer. Well, Minister, I'll give you a five out of 10 for that response, because—[Interruption.] I'm trying to be charitable. Because there's no doubt that there have been some positive steps in terms of trying to address the accountability issue in Welsh schools and our education system, and that's why we, as a party, welcome some of the work that has been...
Darren Millar: I didn't quite catch what position you're taking today, in contrast to the position you had yesterday and the position of the Welsh Government and the UK Labour Party. What I will say is that, unlike the Labour Party, at least my party's got a very clear position, and that is that we want to get Brexit done. We want to deliver Brexit without any more dithering or delay, by 31 October, so that...
Darren Millar: I'm very grateful for that response. Of course, you could have outlined three potential responses, because the Labour Party has adopted, it seems to me, three policies. Of course, we all know that Jeremy Corbyn did, and then didn't, want a general election, and then he wants to hold conversations with the EU in order to get a deal that he might or might not support in a second referendum. The...
Darren Millar: Minister, can you clarify what your policy is on Brexit?
Darren Millar: I know you want to constantly gaze at the navel, but we need to get some optimism—
Darren Millar: —back into this picture. I will. And can I ask one final question, if I may? You've talked about stakeholder engagement events. Wales doesn't need any more talking shops. What we need is a Government that's prepared and braced for Brexit, no matter what that Brexit looks like on 31 October, because we've got a Government in the UK that is determined to take us out on that date, and you...
Darren Millar: Thank you, Minister, for your statement. Another week, another Brexit statement that is meaningless, adds absolutely nothing to what we've heard before other than more shroud-waving from the Welsh Government, trying to spread fear amongst the general population about Brexit. Let's be clear: the people of Wales and the rest of the United Kingdom simply want us to get Brexit done. They are fed...
Darren Millar: I know there's a lot of doom and gloom on the Labour benches about Brexit, but one of the opportunities that Brexit will bring, of course, is an opportunity to address the procurement processes that we have in Wales and to improve them to give Welsh businesses a better opportunity to take advantage of public sector procurement. What action has the Welsh Government got in train to reform your...
Darren Millar: That's why I was caught out.
Darren Millar: Can I ask, one of the great opportunities, of course, that there is in terms of Brexit is an opportunity to resolve—
Darren Millar: Yes, I understand that, but I don't think you responded to the assertion that I made to you that it seems very extraordinary to many people that you make an economic argument to stay in the EU, whilst not making the same economic argument more powerfully because of the importance of our economic links across the UK. Now, in terms of the Welsh Conservatives' position, we've already put on...
Darren Millar: Diolch, Llywydd. I move the amendment, which has been tabled in my name. I was expecting this to be more of a ding-dong debate, to be honest, as we are usually accustomed to on a Wednesday afternoon when the Brexit Party tables opposition debates. But, actually, I’ve been quite impressed by the thoughtful contributions that have been made by the leader of the Brexit Party in respect of the...
Darren Millar: Those statistics are very welcome indeed, but, unfortunately, as the Minister will know, we're still well behind other countries in terms of our five-year survival rates. In fact, for bowel cancer, we're twenty-fifth out of 29 countries in Europe for that five-year survival rate. You will know that catching cancer early is critical to people's opportunities for survival. Cancer Research UK...
