2. Business Statement and Announcement

Part of the debate – in the Senedd at 2:38 pm on 18 October 2022.

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Photo of Lesley Griffiths Lesley Griffiths Labour 2:38, 18 October 2022

Thank you. Well, they were certainly extraordinary comments, I think it's fair to say, and I think you make a very good point about, if we weren't seeing other areas of incompetence in the UK Government grabbing the headlines, that surely would have had far more of a focus on it. It is a really important issue, and I know the Minister for Health and Social Services would absolutely want to distance herself from those comments, and, certainly, within my own portfolio, antimicrobial resistance is vitally important in animal health and welfare too. 

The G7 identified AMR as a major threat to global health, along with pandemics such as COVID-19 and, of course, the climate change emergency also. Welsh Government is fully committed to the actions, ambitions and goals identified in the UK five-year action plan for AMR 2019 to 2024, and these ambitions include a reduction in antimicrobial use in humans by 15 per cent by 2024. I know that the Minister for Health and Social Services absolutely expects health boards and Velindre University NHS Trust to adhere to the principles of safe antibiotic use.