Thank you, Llywydd. Before the pandemic, we delivered on our commitment to improve access and had four years of continuous improvement in waiting times across Wales. Over that same period, we've worked with our NHS to ensure that health boards and trusts are able to work as high-performing organisations. Four years ago, we had five organisations in the top two escalation levels; now, we have two organisations in targeted intervention.

Like in all countries, the pandemic has made the last year incredibly challenging and held back further improvements in waiting times. We have, however, continued to make improvements in a range of areas, such as delivering between 30 per cent and 50 per cent of out-patient appointments virtually.

COVID-19 has affected, and continues to affect, our ability to treat all patients in as timely a manner as we would like. Many patients are waiting a long time—too long—and this picture is repeated in health services across the world, not just here in the UK. Sadly, I recognise that some patients will worsen in their condition whilst waiting. We are working actively with patients to mitigate, where possible, the impact of these waits. Measures to reduce the risk of harm, led by dedicated clinical leaders, are actively being undertaken.

I've set out previously why our priority must be to respond to the pandemic in a structured and measured way. This involves developing approaches to support patients most in need of planned treatment, whilst balancing resources to meet the needs of other services, like mental health. Indeed, Members have been discussing mental health earlier in today's business. While we have an agreed way forward at health board level to treat COVID-19 and maintain essential services such as cancer, our plans for recovery are being developed. In partnership with our NHS, as Members already know, we are producing a recovery plan, which I will publish before the end of this Senedd term.

The real challenge will be in the delivery of the plan, which will of course take years to achieve. Our NHS and social care are dealing with an unprecedented situation. There is no simple operational—and, indeed, no simple ethical—answer to the enormous challenge that faces us. Both, I believe, are responding magnificently to this once-in-a-century public health emergency. I remain incredibly grateful to our dedicated NHS and social care staff. They continue to demonstrate their professional commitment and compassion.

I will now address the majority of Conservative contributions to this debate. Paul Davies was, I thought, thoughtful, although I don't agree with everything that he had to say. The rest, I'm afraid to say, of the Tories were dripping with insincerity and inaccuracy. It seems to me that—and I believe that our staff know this—on our NHS, the Conservatives are wolves in wolves' clothing. If you really value our staff, then why is the Prime Minister lying about Labour voting against an NHS pay rise—an NHS pay rise that the Tories plan to rip up? The Tory plans to effectively cut NHS pay and starve us here in Wales of the cash to do any more are a kick in the teeth for our NHS heroes. Your actions tell our staff how much you truly value them, and I can tell you that they are angry, and they have good reason to be so.

Here in Wales, we'll continue to balance our recovery efforts and recognise that our staff need time to recover. Whilst we recognise that additional staff across all disciplines will be required, this too will take time. But, as a Government, we have a clear ambition to grow and train our staff, and have an excellent record on supporting health and care staff. We already have a joint workforce strategy for health and social care. We've invested nearly £230 million this year to support education and training for healthcare professionals—the seventh successive year where we have increased funding, and that includes an increase for medical training places. In the last seven years, nurse training places have increased by 109 per cent, midwifery places by 97 per cent, health visiting by 88 per cent, physiotherapists by 81 per cent, and radiographers an increase of 24 per cent. This Welsh Labour-led Government has a track record to be proud of in valuing our staff and investing in the future.

We will tackle the waiting list backlog. It will take time, but we will do it. We will lead a recovery for our whole health and social care system. We will rebalance social care, deliver a new settlement for our staff, delivering greater integration with healthcare in transforming the way that health and social care work together, and we will deliver a health recovery for physical and mental health. Welsh Labour values created the national health service, and it will be Welsh Labour values that will protect our NHS as we finally see the end of the pandemic and rebuild our national health service.