6. Statement by the Minister for Health and Social Services: Preparing the health and care services in Wales for a 'no deal' Brexit

Part of the debate – in the Senedd at 4:53 pm on 1 October 2019.

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Photo of Vaughan Gething Vaughan Gething Labour 4:53, 1 October 2019

Thank you for the series of comments and a few questions in there. I congratulate you on a straight-faced attempt to spend as much time diverting attention away from preparations for a 'no deal' Brexit. I'm not going to get sent down the rabbit hole of talking about things that have nothing to do with the statement I have made on the preparations on a 'no deal' Brexit.

I do, though, want to go back to some of the points that you made about Brexit. You said that Brexit must get done, one way or another. You talked about an overwhelming result here in Wales; it was not an overwhelming result. And you talked about 'no deal' has to get done, but protecting—'no deal' being a potential way forward for this, and yet, at the same time, about protecting our NHS and social care. And, actually, the worst possible outcome for health and social care, for our staff and the public who rely upon it, is a 'no deal'. This isn't complicated. It isn't difficult. The Government's own reports on Yellowhammer acknowledge this; Conservative colleagues around the country acknowledge the harm that a 'no deal' Brexit would do to health and social care. And, just to be absolutely clear, we are not in this position because of the way that Labour Members of Parliament have voted in response to deals put here by the UK Government. And if the Members—[Interruption.] If the Members want to look at where they were before the general election—having a Conservative majority, the deal done with the DUP, the fact that you lost members of the European research group, who acted as a party within a party—they may well have taken over the rest of the Tory party now, but, actually, there are plenty of Conservatives who would not bring themselves to support the deal provided. This has nothing to do with the way that Labour Members of Parliament have voted and everything to do with the Government's inability to meet the promises that it has made.