Questions Without Notice from the Party Leaders

Part of 1. Questions to the First Minister – in the Senedd at 1:48 pm on 23 January 2018.

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Photo of Mr Neil Hamilton Mr Neil Hamilton UKIP 1:48, 23 January 2018

I'm delighted to hear that, because as a result of leaving the European Union there will be more money to spend on the health service. [Interruption.] In answer to the leader of Plaid Cymru—. It's the way you tell them. In answer to the leader of Plaid Cymru earlier on, he said that beds don't really matter; it's how quickly you move people out of them. But the truth of the matter is there's been a very substantial cut in the number of beds available in hospitals throughout Wales in the last seven years—roughly 20 per cent to 25 per cent depending on the health board—but the occupancy rate of those beds has barely moved, and it is higher and has been, as the leader of Plaid Cymru pointed out, above the safe level of 85 per cent now for seven years. Surely, within the priorities of the health service for which the First Minister is responsible, not Boris Johnson, there should be some kind of change to ensure that hospital safety is actually taken very seriously by this Government.