Diolch, Deputy Presiding Officer. Minister, can I thank you for your update you've given us today on the health and care plan for the winter? But that's what it is, of course, today—it's an update and not the plan itself. I think Members across this Chamber, and the Welsh public, will be disappointed that they've had to see a further delay just before we go into the Senedd recess. And I do note in your opening remarks today, Minister, that you said that this is a statement in order to allow the opportunity for Senedd Members to discuss the plans before they're formally published on Thursday. But if they're not publicly published, then it's very difficult for us to scrutinise those plans, of course. I will say thank you, Minister, for your call this morning; I appreciate greatly the technical briefing that you gave me and other Members of this Chamber this morning, from your officials. That was greatly appreciated.

I do have to say, though, I don't accept your points within your statement that it is usually an internal document for the NHS—and I'll stand to be corrected if that's wrong. But if that is the case, then I would say: what did your predecessor publish on 15 September 2020 in his winter protection plan? This included a framework about essential and routine services, urgent and emergency care, the vaccination programme, primary and community care, social care, care homes—I could go on. But it also mentioned allocations from the Welsh Government to support the NHS over winter. It even mentioned in its purpose the Welsh Government's overarching plan, which describes the broad context and priorities for health and social care until March 2021. So, can I ask the Minister for an explanation on a number of issues there? Why wasn't the plan published earlier in September? Why have we got a further delay before the public can see this plan? And perhaps you could also clarify why you say this plan is usually an internal document, given what I've just said.

It's taken a long time for the Welsh Government to get together its framework document, and it appears, over the last month, that communications between Ministers and NHS Wales haven't been entirely clear. I'll give some examples in that regard: in response to the leader of the opposition in September about the publication of winter pressure plans, the First Minister avoided this entirely, referring to the regular updating of the coronavirus control plan. But, just two days earlier, and after you'd mentioned to the Health and Social Care Committee that you'd been preparing for winter earlier than ever before, the chief executive assured the committee that a very clear winter plan will be visible and will be published during October. Minister, can you give some assurances to the Senedd today that you and the Welsh Government are clearly communicating with NHS Wales and local authorities over your overarching aims for easing winter pressures? I would say, Minister, it's absolutely crucial that, at this time of extreme pressure on the Welsh NHS, we have direction from the Welsh Government. We have record-breaking A&E waiting times, record-breaking numbers of people on waiting lists, and one in four people are waiting for more than 12 months for treatment. So, it's crucial that we have a clear plan from the Welsh Government.

Turning to your statement itself, you mention that a central part of the plan will be vaccination, and your statement in September said that you had started the COVID booster programme. We're yet to see any uptake figures on how successful, or not, this programme is so far. Your 'progress against strategy' document, published within the last hour, also gives no indication as to how many have taken up the booster. I have had some reports from colleagues that in other parts of Wales there have been those who have yet to receive information—those who are over 50—on when they will receive the booster. I've also received reports of people waiting up to an hour outside vaccination centres in order to get their booster that they've been timetabled in for. I am particularly concerned about that, given that this is an older age group, and given that we're coming in to a period of more severe weather—if people have to wait outside in order to receive their booster as well. So, perhaps you could provide some information in that regard. 

Can you also provide a timeline on booster uptake figures that are available to the general public? And what exactly do you mean by the majority of people being offered the boosters by 31 December in your COVID vaccination statement today? That could be 51 per cent. Perhaps you can give a little bit more detail in that regard. You also mentioned planned care—