Diolch, Deputy Presiding Officer. Can I firstly thank Plaid Cymru for bringing forward this debate today and also add my own thanks to healthcare workers who have kept Wales safe and fought, I think, so hard during the course of the pandemic in the fight against coronavirus?

I move amendment 1, Deputy Presiding Officer, in the name of my colleague Darren Millar, and I firmly believe, as all Welsh Conservatives do here in the Senedd, that the Welsh Government should specifically recognise the dedication of all staff in the health and social care workforce in Wales. We wouldn't be in this position today if it wasn't for the huge efforts given by our healthcare workers. I think there'll be no doubt across this Chamber, Deputy Presiding Officer, that the NHS has been under immense pressure over the last 18 months to two years, and I think it's pleasing that the UK Government has provided, of course, that additional funding during that time, including £8.6 billion to fight coronavirus, the £2 billion for the 2021-22 financial year, and, of course, the £1.9 billion of additional funding that the Welsh Government can then spend on the NHS over the course of the next three years.

I think, from my perspective, what I would like to say in this contribution is that looking after our healthcare workers isn't just about pay. That's an important element, but I also think it’s important that the Welsh Government tackles working conditions; mental health support—this follows, of course, the previous debate led by us as Welsh Conservatives; retention; and upskilling of staffing gaps within the NHS to ensure that the workforce is fit for the future. I think what we should be doing is looking to support the pressure, taking the pressure off our healthcare workers by making sure that adequate staffing is provided. This is one of the reasons why I’ve put forward an NHS covenant Wales Bill in the recent Members’ ballot. This Bill would guarantee the NHS remains in public hands, free at the point of use, and it would guarantee NHS staff always receive the pay recommended by the independent NHS pay review body. And not only this, it would strive to, of course, improve staff well-being with more flexible working hours, increased holiday, greater access to childcare and mental health support. These are concrete plans for a duty to support NHS staff during their careers.

My colleagues and I have said that front-line workers should be treated differently within the pay award. We have previously argued that the Welsh Government must provide pay commitments to the nursing profession, which is separate from other NHS staff, and it should also be the role of the Welsh Government to talk to unions and the independent pay review body to discuss these possibilities. Diolch, Deputy Presiding Officer.