Thank you, Deputy Llywydd. I thank the Cabinet Secretary for his statement. I have two or three points and five questions, I believe. In terms of opening remarks, of course we welcome the improvements, the enhanced survival rates and better outcomes for patients for when that occurs. Of course, it’s happening across Europe and the globe because of improvement in treatments, technology and innovation, and in sharing best practice, and so on. The problem that we have in Wales is that these changes and the improvements aren’t happening as swiftly as we would like.

We, of course, shouldn’t take our eye off the ball on the fundamentally important issue of improving waiting times for treatments and tests, because, obviously, earlier treatment can reduce the likelihood that one will develop a chronic illness or make a chronic illness worse whilst they wait.

The third point—the context that needs to be mentioned here—is the failure to tackle obesity specifically, which means that there will be an increase in the need for services for people with chronic diseases. My first question relates to that. The Cabinet Secretary has mentioned structured education programmes for pupils between 11 and 16 who have diabetes, but, of course, children aren’t the only ones who need this education. Diabetes UK has highlighted the lack of attendance at such courses. Only 2 per cent of those with type 1 diabetes, and 6 per cent of those who’ve had a recent diagnosis of type 2 diabetes across England and Wales have actually attended a course. If we look at Welsh-specific figures, the situation is even worse: just 1 per cent of type 1 diabetes sufferers and 0.9 per cent of those with type 2 diabetes are supported or have actually attended a structured education course. And only 24 per cent of patients in Wales with type 1 diabetes have even been offered such a course, and that compares with a third of patients in England. So, would the Cabinet Secretary accept that we need to provide more courses, to advertise them better, to share information about these courses and ensure that they are held at convenient times?

I will turn to data, as I have done many times in the past. The poor quality of gathering data was highlighted in no fewer than 18 of the 22 inquiries by the Health and Social Care Committee in the fourth Assembly. It is shocking. The lack and poor quality of data actually hinders the planning of services, and it hinders the evaluation that we need of policies and specific initiatives. I will ask again: will you ensure that the situation is improved so that we can ensure that we don’t just take your word for things when you claim that improvements are made?

There is mention in today’s statement of investment in oncology and in primary care, and in developing more consistent services in cancer care, and that this will include the better collection and publication of data and more effective data. There was a recent report that suggested that only 32 per cent of patients actually access a key worker, and the Welsh Government response was that most patients did have a key worker in reality, but that recording this was the problem and the challenge. Would the Cabinet Secretary accept that when he does claim that the service is achieving something, he needs the data to back that up so that we can do our work in terms of scrutiny?

Regional divergence is the fourth question I have. Often, improvements occur and survival rates improve because some new technology or new method is introduced, and that happens, perhaps, more effectively in one area than in other areas. So, what plans does the Government have to ensure that these processes—delivering these improvements—happen more swiftly and more consistently across Wales?

And finally, the statement today, like many statements made by the Cabinet Secretary, is supposed to show that the NHS in Wales can introduce improvements effectively and efficiently. But if we bear in mind that three out of of nine Welsh health boards are in targeted intervention, which is one step below special measures, and, of course, that there is one health board in special measures—. Whilst there is excellence in the NHS in Wales, is the Cabinet Secretary confident that the management skills and the right leadership are in place across the NHS in Wales in order that we can make the kind of changes that he wants to see?