I’m pleased to be able to speak in this debate. Yesterday I was able to ask the First Minister about the progress that the Welsh Labour Government is making in improving survival rates for cancer, and as I told the First Minister last week, the Member for Cynon Valley, Vikki Howells, and I had the privilege to tour the laboratories of Cancer Research Wales, where we were able to witness the exciting and groundbreaking work that is taking place today to increase scientific understanding of how cancer attacks the immune system.

Cancer Research Wales is a truly exciting example of the great work that is going on in Wales. They raise over £1 million a year in fundraising and contribute to cancer research within the many Welsh hospitals and university departments across Wales. As stated, I greatly welcome the ambitious Welsh Labour Government’s revised cancer delivery plan that has just been launched. All of us can applaud the fact that patient satisfaction remains positive. Indeed, investment in spending on cancer services has risen from £347 million in 2011-12 to £409 million in 2014-15. As the First Minister told me yesterday when I asked what tools the Welsh Labour Government could give the gifted scientists and researchers at Cancer Research Wales, he stated,

‘we are investing £4.5 million of funding over three years in the new Wales Cancer Research Centre, which was launched in October last year. In addition, roughly £4.7 million is invested annually in support of recruiting patients to trials or studies and supporting health board research activity.’

Indeed, the revised cancer delivery fund makes commitments to improve survival rates for cancer, reduce early death caused by the disease, close the gap with the best providers of cancer care in Europe, and the plan additionally covers the period to 2020 to provide very important continuity for the health service.

The Welsh Labour Government has set ambitious targets in this field for Wales. At least 95 per cent of patients diagnosed with cancer via the urgent suspected cancer route will start definitive treatment within 62 days of receipt of referral. Indeed, Wales has more stringent targets than England—95 per cent, compared to 85 per cent on this. At least 98 per cent of patients newly diagnosed with cancer, not via the urgent route, will start definitive treatment within 31 days of diagnosis, regardless of the referral route. These targets reflect advice from expert clinicians, patients and the third sector that patients should not wait more than 62 days from the point at which cancer is first suspected to the start of treatment.

A 28-day diagnosis target, which the Tory Government has announced as the target to be met in England by 2020, would not in itself guarantee faster access to cancer treatment. The whole pathway is important for people referred with suspected cancer, not just the first 28 days. The Welsh Labour Government has said that it is opposed to any idea that would potentially lead to patients being misdiagnosed or not being diagnosed at all to meet a new target or any proposal that would lengthen the time patients wait to start treatment. It should be recognised that we have a different health service and system in Wales, which is based on collaboration and the integration of primary and secondary care. So let there be no doubt: for us to achieve our aims, we do have to invest, and also let there be no doubt that the Labour Party, which created the national health service, the greatest achievement of any peacetime United Kingdom Government, here in Wales continues to ensure that the national health service here is funded and fit for use in the twenty-first century.

Investment from the Welsh Labour Government has meant that spending on cancer services continues to rise. Cancer now accounts for nearly 7 per cent of all NHS expenditure in Wales—the fourth biggest expenditure area. The Welsh Labour Government is investing £16.9 million in diagnostic equipment, such as MRI and CT scanners in 2016-17. There can be no better testament to the commitment that our party and our Government has than to ensure we continue to tackle the scourge of cancer than that of the new £200 million Velindre cancer centre, with £15 million allocated in the draft budget, in these times, for better diagnostics. The direction of progress and journey being made is good, and that is why I shall be voting against the motion as proposed and will be supporting the Government amendments. Thank you.