8. 6. Debate on the Draft Budget 2017-18

Part of the debate – in the Senedd at 5:23 pm on 6 December 2016.

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Photo of Rhun ap Iorwerth Rhun ap Iorwerth Plaid Cymru 5:23, 6 December 2016

I’ll refer to specific elements of this budget in relation to health. The agreement, of course, represents only a part of the wider budget. In that wider budget there are some decisions relating to health and social care that we would hope Welsh Government would reconsider. We would also like more money to be given to health, but we are acutely aware that it isn’t just about the amount of money being spent but how that money is spent and managed on a day-to-day basis.

To the Conservative spokesman, reflected by UKIP and their call for the protection of health budgets, let’s look at what the Conservatives have done in England. Anybody who thinks it’s possible to improve health services through cutting social care as they have done there probably needs to spend a little bit more time thinking about the real problems that we do face in real terms in the NHS in Wales. I will give way.