Diolch, Llywydd. I’m not frightened of change and, to be fair, all the people who took part in this debate, I think without exception, weren’t particularly frightened of change. I think everyone acknowledged the fact that CHCs do need to change in some way or other. However, Cabinet Secretary, your carefully well-modulated platitudes do not reassure me, because let’s be very clear, this fit for the future documentation has been rushed through. I think Rhun ap Iorwerth used a wonderful way when he talked about it being a, I think it was, ‘scramble’. And it certainly has been scrambled.

Let’s just start at the very, very beginning. Yesterday, we met here to talk about the interim report on the parliamentary review, and we all talked in that about how one of the key themes that they are bringing forward is the engagement of the citizen, is about making all of us step up to the plate, take ownership of our health, stop being so demanding on the health service, accept our own responsibilities and shape, influence and become part of the solution to the problems we currently have. And yet, this fit for the future paper, which you’ve brought forward whilst we’re still doing the interim report and the full report on the parliamentary review—so, for me, there’s the first contradiction. Why do this now? Why not wait until that final report, because it’s so integral to the way we go forward with our NHS? So, we’ve got the parliamentary review, we’ve got this consultation coming out, we’re talking about the citizen being at the heart of it, and yet this fit for the future does row back a bit.

I appreciate the CHCs need to change. I appreciate they should have a wider and better remit. I appreciate they should be better resourced, and not just better resourced, because most of the people on the CHCs are passionate, caring local volunteers, and I think Mohammad Asghar made a very good point when he talked at length about that locality, because with the best will in the world HIW are not based in, you know, my little bit of Pembrokeshire, my little bit of Carmarthenshire, your bit of Ynys Môn. They are a central body. We want to have local people who can hold our local health boards to account, and not just to account, but to influence, to help change, to make those suggestions—Nick Ramsay brought forward the commentary about how issues over linen supply were solved because of the involvement of the CHC. So, here we are, saying we want to have the patient, the citizen, the voice of people really integrated, and yet you’re closing that door. So, that’s my first complaint.

My second complaint, though, and even more is that this Government does enough consultations every year, so you should be really good at them by now. This is a totally rubbish consultation. It is too fast, it’s been left to the last minute, there are not all the places, the meetings or the promised focus groups and all the rest of it. You very proudly say you’ve had 700 responses, but, actually, ordinary people, the people who Eluned Morgan says don’t know anything about CHCs, where’s their voice in this? Why haven’t they been asked about it? This is really, really important. Mark Isherwood very clearly said that the CHCs are saying that they would like a bit more time.

Nobody here is frightened of change. Let’s have some change, but let it be the right change, and, above all, let us actually come true. Minister—Cabinet Secretary, forgive me. You talk the talk, you’ve got to walk the walk. Engage with the people of Wales and make them the heart of this. The CHC doesn’t belong to you. It doesn’t belong to the health board. It belongs to the people of the area it represents. It is their one and only really good voice that belongs to them. It, at the moment, has an opportunity to be loud, strong, and forceful, and you, if you do not have courage and you do not really buy into it, you’re going to make it a tiny, weeny, weak voice and the people who will suffer—the people we’re all supposed to represent.