If I can return to a couple of issues, then, relating to general practice, and the first I want to raise with him is the issue of accuracy of data. Now, the Minister will of course be aware that StatsWales has not provided the full-time equivalent numbers of GPs. They can tell us how many GPs there are, but they can't tell us how many full-time equivalent GPs there are. They haven't been able to do this for about five years because they're investigating the quality of the data. Now, obviously, Dirprwy Lywydd, the Minister is unable to make accurate assessments about what needs to be done if he doesn't have the accurate data available to him. So, I ask the Minister this afternoon why is this investigation taking over five years? And it's surely the case that if we don't know the number of full-time equivalents, we don't know the number of posts that we may need to fill. It is certainly the case that there are more and more people wanting to work, particularly women, wanting to work part-time in general practice, and that's very welcome, but it's normal in a workplace to calculate your number of full-time equivalent posts and then to break those down to reflect the flexible working that you can offer. So, I'd like to hear some more from the Minister about how confident he is of the accuracy of the statistics that he's put before us this afternoon, whether he acknowledges that there is an issue around the accuracy of those statistics and how that might be addressed.

Now, the Minister's statement notes that we've overfilled a number of training places for GPs in some circumstances, and that is obviously positive, and it proves there is the demand out there for people to undertake the role, to study for the role. But you'll be aware, for example, that around the time of the 2016 election, the BMA said that we needed about 200 GP training places annually. I'm finding it hard, and I hope, Dirprwy Lywydd, the Minister will forgive me for this, but I'm finding it hard to get excited about the filling of 136, when what we actually need is 200—though, of course, we then have this issue of the accuracy of the data. Does the Minister acknowledge that there is a gap there? I welcome what he has said about that 136 not being set in stone and there may be opportunities to expand, and that's really positive, but does the Minister acknowledge that there is that gap there, and what plans does he have to fill it? Because it rather feels to me as if he's asking me to be excited about the filling of the minibus when what the journey really needs is a coach.

I'd next like to turn to the issues that Darren Millar has already raised with regard to the global sum. I think Darren Millar was right when he said that perhaps we should hear the voices of GPs, and with the indulgence of the Deputy Presiding Officer, I want to quote very briefly from some correspondence I've received on this issue. And this reflects the number of e-mails that I've received this weekend—I'm sure I'm not the only one. This senior GP says to me, 'The state-backed indemnity scheme has come into force, which is a positive step'—that supports the Minister's position. He goes on to say, 'However, currently it is proposed that this will be followed by 3.2 decrease in our global sum funding. As things stand, this means that the only group benefiting from the state-backed indemnity who will be contributing to the cost is GP partners.' He goes on to state that this isn't the case in other countries, and he goes on to say—and I'm summarising because I can see the Dirprwy Lywydd looking at me sternly, which is always a scary experience—he goes on to say that there's uncertainty regarding the contract, not just the indemnity scheme: 'This uncertainty is extremely detrimental to Welsh primary care services at a time when many practices and GPs are struggling to maintain the service. Many, including my own practice, are having to carefully consider plans to recruit additional staff.' He goes on to describe the effect that that's having on him as an individual.

Now, I have heard, absolutely, what the Minister has said and, indeed, what the First Minister said earlier to Paul Davies. I appreciate that with any trade union negotiation, the timing of that is not always in the hands of the employer, but I wonder if the Minister can tell us this afternoon, to give us an indicative timescale, about how soon the issues around the contract will be resolved, and whether or not he intends to maintain the position, whereby the funding for the indemnity is coming out of funding that would otherwise be there to provide services. If he needs to do that, Deputy Presiding Officer, then that is understandable at a time of austerity, but let's have some honesty and clarity about this. Can he provide that GP, and others who have written to me, and others in this Chamber, with some reassurances that this uncertainty with regard to the contract is not going to go on too long?