I just want to put on record that our ambulance crews and NHS workers are doing a fantastic job in the extremely difficult circumstances facing the NHS, and I want to thank every single one of them for the amazing work that they do. Last week, I raised the issue of poor ambulance response times in this Chamber. I was joined by a number of my Conservative colleagues and others, who are also facing a similar situation across their constituencies. I have personally received large volumes of correspondence from constituents and our NHS staff who are extremely concerned about the current situation. There is clearly an issue here that is not getting addressed. Yet when I asked the Welsh Government to tackle this issue last week, their heads seemed to be buried in the sand.

This seems to be an issue not just affecting Wales, but other parts of the United Kingdom. The Scottish Government have had to call in the army to support their NHS with the unprecedented pressure that they are under. I am pleased that the Welsh Government has acknowledged a request from the Welsh ambulance service and will now send the request on to the Ministry of Defence for assistance from the army.

I speak to paramedics in Brecon and Radnorshire and across Wales, and they have informed me that it's not due to a lack of ambulances that there is a problem, but any additional help is welcomed; it is the fact that they can't get patients from the ambulances into A&E and onto the wards, due to the lack of beds and problems in our social care sector. Someone somewhere in Government has got to take responsibility for this, because at the moment all everybody across Government seems to be saying is that throwing more money at the problem is the only way to solve the situation.

But we have seen significant increases in the NHS budget since the pandemic began, and things aren't getting any better. Can I ask the Minister to tell me, after the Welsh Government has received £8.6 billion to combat COVID-19, £2.9 billion announced in the 2021 budget making its way to to Wales and £1.9 billion over three years, a Barnett consequential from the English NHS, where has this money been spent to improve bed capacity and access to A&E treatments? Minister, are you going to take responsibility for this? Are you going to accept the fact that this needs to be addressed? The Welsh Government must now step up to the task and deal with this unacceptable situation. Lives are at risk, and people waiting for 12 hours plus is just not acceptable. We would not let animals suffer like this, so why are we letting the people of Wales suffer?

With power comes great responsibility, and we must all play our part to support those working in our NHS and the Welsh ambulance service. We now face a winter of NHS pressures, and you have been found wanting. No plan, no strategy to address those pending problems. However, it is not too late. Take this opportunity to reassure this Senedd and the Welsh public that you accept the circumstances our ambulance service and NHS are facing, and set out plans to improve the services that our public are entitled to receive. Let us explore opening up the Nightingale field hospitals to free up space in our current hospitals. Will you look to reopen currently closed wards so that people can go back into their community hospitals? Let's have a comprehensive plan for recruiting more social care staff, paying them a proper wage and doing more to support our front-line NHS staff.

The time for excuses is over. The time for blaming others is over. The time for action is now. For years you have campaigned for greater powers, you now have those powers; it's time for you to use them wisely and in the interests of the people of Wales. Minister, over to you, the public are watching. Diolch.