3. Business Statement and Announcement

Part of the debate – in the Senedd at 2:38 pm on 2 April 2019.

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Photo of Mohammad Asghar Mohammad Asghar Conservative 2:38, 2 April 2019

Minister, please could we have a statement from the Minister of health on the risk to future cancer facilities presented by the shortage of specialists in Wales? Figures produced by the Royal College of Radiologists show that only three extra cancer doctors joined NHS Wales in the past five years. We can see the vacancy rates for clinical oncologists are also the highest in the United Kingdom. A spokesman for the royal college said, and I quote:

'Our shortage of cancer specialists poses a real risk for the future. This impacts on clinical care, research, education, leadership and service development.'

Quote closed. Please can we have a statement from the Minister of health on this very serious issue?

And my second statement, Minister, I would like to have, because Welsh Government—. We are asking in this Chamber to devolve more legal powers to our Chamber and this great institution. On the other hand, when there are some high-profile cases in England that this Assembly goes for, we hire an English barrister. Is there any shortage of Welsh barristers with the competence and the quality? Why don't we hire them and use our own home-grown talented barristers and face those legal wranglings in the High Court in London?