1. Will the First Minister make a statement on the Welsh Government's public procurement priorities? OAQ51299

Procurement policy is focused on meeting the challenge of austerity whilst maximising opportunity for Welsh business and creating sustainable jobs as we exit the EU.

Thank you. First Minister, as you are aware, the number of people waiting more than a year for surgery in Wales has increased this year by 400 per cent. Now, in order to get those lists down, health boards are forced to procure some services and health treatments outside Wales. In my own health board, I am aware of several referrals to the Priory clinic for those wishing to access vital mental health services and treatments. To reduce the waiting lists for operations that cannot be performed in good time in Wales, our NHS is now spending £255 million procuring that treatment for people outside of Wales in one year, and the total number of patients is 46,000 patients.

First Minister, we've had devolution now for 20 years and still we're having to procure much-needed health services outside of Wales. What steps will you be taking to ensure that our patients receive the treatment they require in good time and, most importantly, in their own locality and more available than it is currently?

I do know that her party has expressed very strong views—views that I agree with—that people should not be prevented from accessing treatment across the border. I think it's important that, where treatment is available, people should have access to it. We should not seek to create a situation where we try to make available all treatment in Wales. There will be some specialist treatment that will have to be accessed from bigger cities. Where we can provide treatment, we will. One example of that is the sub-regional neonatal intensive care centre, where the original recommendation was to move the service out of Wales. I commissioned a review and, as a result of that review, it was possible then to move ahead with the SuRNICC. So, where we can, we will. But, we shouldn't be afraid of procuring services outside of Wales if that's what patients need.

First Minister, how does the Welsh Government plan to use procurement levers in the context of the Valleys taskforce delivery plan to create jobs and boost prosperity in the northern Valleys?

The Valleys taskforce action plan commits us to using public procurement innovatively, so that we can exploit the job creation potential from the major infrastructure investments that we have in Wales. For example, programmes like the south Wales metro, major road schemes like the M4, and the ongoing work to dual the A465 will embed a community-benefit approach to ensure that outcomes are closely monitored so that communities get the maximum benefit from the schemes that are moving forward in their areas.