1. Will the First Minister make a statement on the Welsh Government's plans for social services? OAQ(5)0573(FM)

Social care is a sector of national strategic importance. It has been protected through investment of an additional £55 million for 2017-18, alongside £60 million for the integrated care fund.

Thank you for that response and further to that, may I ask what measures are in place, led by the Welsh Government, in order to secure an adequate supply of homecare services for our older people and those with disabilities, bearing in mind the increasing demand for these services and the shortage of funds to provide them to meet the increasing needs in this area?

Of course, I’ve alluded to the integrated care fund and the money that’s been invested in that, and, of course, the new funding that’s already been announced. We see this having an effect, bearing in mind the transfer from hospital to care and that that kind of delay is actually at its lowest level for 12 years.

First Minister, you already knew that I’m annoyed Bridgend County Borough Council has cut £2 million from its social care budget, despite an additional £2 billion from the UK Government and, indeed, Welsh Government additional money as well. Now, your Minister told me just before the recess that some money would be conditional going to councils—that money would only go to them provided it could be shown it would be used for social care rather than other priorities. Now, I know you will have examined all the council budgets in Wales, so can you tell me, yes or no, whether you’re sure that all the money that the Minister has set aside for social care will be used for social care and not for competing priorities?

‘Is there an election on Thursday?’, I ask myself. I’m sure that was all to do with the question that was asked. What I would say to the Member is this: I think authorities across Wales have done very well in providing social services, despite the cuts that have come from her party, and her party in Government indeed in London. We have seen the crisis in social care in England. That’s a crisis that we’ve not had in Wales because of the investment we’ve put into social care in Wales and, of course, the extra £20 million that has already been announced. The last one thing we want is to import that kind of chaos into Wales.

First Minister, as a result of the implementation of the Well-being of Future Generations (Wales) Act 2015, we witnessed in recent years significant progress in the improved integration of health and social care, despite some of the comments being made today. In particular, I mention the multi-agency safeguarding hub in the Cwm Taf area, and the Keir Hardie health centre. Do you agree with me, First Minister, that one of the early priorities of any new council coming into being after 4 May should be to build on the excellent work to date carried out by current Labour councils, like that in Merthyr Tydfil County Borough Council?

I very much applaud the work of Merthyr council, and I look forward to that work continuing in the next weeks to come.

First Minister, we’re fast approaching a point where social care is unaffordable, and, unless we take urgent action, we are facing the real possibility that the system may collapse. Successive Governments have failed to take account of the ageing population and to properly plan for future demand. What discussions have you had with the UK Government about how to ensure the social care sector has sufficient funding to provide top-quality care for all who need it now and in the future?

I think the Member does raise an important point in that regard. We know that demand continues to increase, and there have to be debates in society as to how that demand is to be met. That does mean there have to be discussions between the Governments of the UK, because people move between the countries of the UK, but we have ensured that there is sufficient funding for social care. We’ve increased that funding. But, of course, it’s hugely important in the long-term to think carefully about how social care should be funded in the years to come.