Part of 1. Questions to the First Minister – in the Senedd at 1:46 pm on 21 September 2021.
I'm grateful for that clarity, First Minister. So, I take it that there will not be a specific plan for winter preparedness, as the Government has historically brought before Parliament. As I said, last year, there was one on 15 September brought forward for our perusal and to be able to look and scrutinise the robustness of it. Today, we've seen already a senior consultant in the A&E departments of Hywel Dda indicate the pressures at A&E in that part of Wales. I accept these pressures exist across the United Kingdom, and that's why I think it's important that there is a winter preparedness plan. And also, the indication that the army are going in to support the ambulance service, there does seem to be some disagreement as to whether it's an option or whether it's an actual commitment. I notice the chief executive of the ambulance service talked of it being a commitment that the army were coming in to help the ambulance service. The Welsh Government spokesman last night just talked of it being an option, at the moment, under consideration. Can you confirm that it is the fact that the Welsh ambulance service will be getting assistance from the army, and can you confirm when that assistance might be made available to the ambulance service here in Wales, please?