Part of 1. Questions to the First Minister – in the Senedd at 1:49 pm on 19 November 2019.
It's my first turn doing these questions, so I think I have an excuse in terms of my performance. I'm not sure the Member opposite does, and I'm disappointed that he didn't bother to listen to the answer given to Andrew R.T. Davies. It is simply not true, as he asserts—we did not feel the need to hire an actress. My party did not do so. I'd be grateful if he'd listen and respond to the information and facts that are being given.
In terms of staff feedback and how staff feel about the national health service, actually, the feedback from our staff is positive about the view of this Government, certainly in comparison to the alternative offering across our border. We have a positive public service, we take seriously the investment we make in staff. I've invested a record sum in training the future of our health service. You'll have seen last week a 13 per cent increase in the budget for future healthcare staff, record numbers of nurses, midwives and therapists being trained, record numbers of GP trainees coming into the service here in Wales. These are matters of fact, not opinion, and, of course, when it comes to the investment we make in the health service, today's figures from the UK Treasury demonstrate that health spend in Wales increased faster than in England or Scotland, demonstrated that the combined spend on health and social care in Wales is higher than any other UK nation. I need no lectures from the party opposite on the nature of our commitment to our staff, our public and our national health service.