Questions Without Notice from the Party Leaders

Part of 1. Questions to the First Minister – in the Senedd at 1:50 pm on 19 November 2019.

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Photo of Paul Davies Paul Davies Conservative 1:50, 19 November 2019

Well, I'm certainly not going to take any lectures from the Minister, because you are failing the people of Wales when it comes to our health services. Now, as you know, Minister, your colleague John McDonnell has announced the average working week in the UK would be cut to 32 hours within 10 years of a UK Labour Government. Minister, you can't seriously see this as a way forward for Wales, but perhaps you can just tell us, therefore, just how many extra doctors, nurses and other vital NHS staff will be needed to meet the reduced working hours, and how will your Government recruit enough staff to meet this new demand. Because if you thought things were bad now, just wait till we've had 10 years of a UK Labour Government. And let me give you—[Interruption.] And, Minister, let me give you some facts—[Interruption.] Let me give you some facts, because you gave us some facts earlier. This is your record as health Minister: over half of Welsh health boards placed in either special measures or targeted intervention status, services centralised further away from patients who desperately need them, A&E waiting times are the worst on record, cancer waiting times have not been met for 11 years, and people across Wales are desperately waiting to see their GP. Minister, that's not just Welsh Labour's record, it is yours too, and when will you take some responsibility? I do think that you should consider your position so that the people of Wales can be confident that, when system failures are made, the Government will take ultimate responsibility.