Diolch. I've been busy scribbling notes. I thank everyone for their contribution and the Minister for her response. The Minister told us that she had listened very carefully, doing lots of work because it's all very complex, but, as Russell George pointed out, there's no targeting, no vision. Twenty expert charities are also calling for a cancer strategy. At least the Minister accepted, quote, 'There's a lot more we can do.'

Having listened to the Minister, I have to say it is scandalous that they're seeking to delete a motion calling on them to urgently publish a workforce recruitment and retention plan for cancer specialists and to publish a full cancer strategy, setting out how Wales will tackle cancer over five years. Instead, they offer us a quality statement for cancer that lacks detail, sets only minimum standards for cancer services and avoids quantifiable monitoring and accountability. It also avoids public understanding. The public understand words like 'strategy', but nobody understands what a 'quality statement' is, unless you're in the upper echelons of, for instance, human resource management or setting corporate goals for publishing at the front of your annual accounts and reports to your shareholders. That is not a term that is accessible to the people we're trying to help.

As we heard, Wales will soon be the only country in the United Kingdom without a cancer strategy—will soon be, Minister. The public understand a strategy, but, as I said, a quality statement is a cop-out by those who wish to avoid accountability. Despite progress in recent months, the Welsh Government's targets remain unmet and waiting lists continue to rise. Even before the pandemic, cancer waiting times had not been met since 2008 and four times the number of people were waiting over a year for treatment in Wales than the whole of England. Even before the pandemic, the Welsh cancer intelligence unit's data showed that Wales had the lowest survival rates for six cancers, and the second lowest for three, in the UK. 

Last month I hosted the online Wales ovarian cancer awareness meeting, organised by Target Ovarian Cancer and the National Federation of Women's Institutes, where we heard that, prior to the pandemic, only 37 per cent of women with ovarian cancer in Wales were diagnosed at an early stage. And I acknowledge and thank the Minister for the letter I've received today from her regarding that. And, yes, the number of women diagnosed with the condition has fallen, but it is still scandalous that 63 per cent of women were only diagnosed at a later stage, reducing their chances of survival. 

Two weeks ago I met with Macmillan Cancer Support. Our discussion included the increase in benefits applications by people who are terminally ill, reflecting both increased later stage diagnosis during the pandemic and forecasted future growth in demand. We discussed the need for the Welsh Government's quality statement for cancer to include milestones and community services. 

Two weeks ago I met Prostate Cancer UK. Our discussion included the many risk categories of early-stage prostate cancer not diagnosed since the pandemic. I do welcome the news that they're launching, with the NHS, on 17 February, a prostate cancer awareness campaign, aimed at men in the highest-risk groups. 

Cancer Research Wales states that, even prior to the current crisis, Wales performed poorly on many measures relating to the diagnosis, treatment and survival of cancer, adding that the impact of the pandemic on cancer services, especially its workforce, is concerning. And the Less Survivable Cancers Taskforce is continuing to raise the profile of the six less survivable cancers, and to highlight the critical importance of early diagnosis in improving survival.

In opening today's debate, Russell George stated that the current cancer treatment times are not catching up, that Welsh cancer survival rates have been stalling for many years, and the system was broken even before the pandemic. He referred to the years of chronic understaffing and shortage of cancer specialists, and he urged the Welsh Government to publish a full workforce recruitment and retention plan for cancer specialists and a full cancer strategy.

Rhun ap Iorwerth moved the Plaid Cymru amendment urging the Welsh Government to complete the roll-out of multidisciplinary diagnostic centres across Wales as a matter of priority, which we, of course, fully support, alongside Plaid Cymru. He referred to the clear absence of a national cancer strategy and pointed out that cancer survival rates in Wales were below those in our fellow British nations and other nations across Europe. They're voting against the Labour Government amendment—of course, so will we. And he's asked the Welsh Government to instead listen to the over 20 charities forming Wales Cancer Alliance, as did Russell George in response to the Minister at the end. These aren't just happy volunteers or, sadly, bereaved families, these are experts. These are people who have the technical knowledge, expertise and front-line knowledge to be able to help Government do things the right way, and must be listened to.

Laura Anne Jones referred to the 19,600 people in Wales tragically diagnosed with cancer each year. She said survival rates in Wales have improved, but they're still well below the UK average, and that we need decisive and determined action to improve cancer survival in Wales in the future, with a comprehensive cancer strategy alongside a preventative agenda. Gareth Davies referred to early diagnosis being key to survival, but the specialist cancer workforce is actually forecast to fall. He talked about the need to address historical staffing shortages, both in diagnostics and clinical oncology, and he said it's time for an ambitious cancer strategy and workforce plan to eradicate needless, avoidable deaths. Janet Finch-Saunders stated that under the Labour Welsh Government, thousands are being let down and that this is not something that's just cropped up on them. She called for the gap in provision for the dental health needs of cancer patients to be filled also.

Well, even before COVID, Wales was already behind other UK nations in terms of cancer survival rates. As we heard from many speakers, from Plaid and, of course, Welsh Conservatives, it's not just the UK; we're behind many of our international partners also. Now, Welsh cancer services are struggling to cope with the tsunami—and we've heard that word many times—of missed cancer diagnoses and the appearance of later-stage cancers. When this is added to years of chronic understaffing, it's easy to understand why cancer charities say that the cancer quality statement lacks both detail and ambition. It is not a national strategy. I urge Members to support our motion accordingly. Diolch.