I did say that retention is perhaps more challenging than recruitment, but we have to ensure that we maintain all the tools needed to bring nurses into the profession, and remember many come not straight from school, but perhaps a little later in life and having to give up another job. They need the backing of that bursary at the current level.

On the pay negotiations, Government has to come to the table, and it has to persuade us that it's left no stone unturned. They clearly haven't done that to date, and they clearly haven't done that this afternoon. It's in the Government's interests to do this. Low pay is pushing nurses out of the profession. It's pushing nurses into agency working. I'm grateful for the comments from Huw Irranca-Davies on the impact of agency working, and Carolyn Thomas too. We all want to cut that agency bill. But the pay level currently and the level of morale within the health service is pushing nurses into working agency shifts. The bill has rocketed some 41 per cent in the last year alone, to £133 million in one year. The nursing workforce is effectively being privatised under Labour's watch.

The Labour Government's amendment today takes out our demand that the Welsh Government utilises every devolved lever at its disposal to make an improved pay offer. It's not one single lever; it's all the levers brought together, bringing together all the options at the Government's disposal. I look forward to further comments from the Finance Minister on the fact that there is zero money, apparently, unallocated, and zero in reserves. Perhaps we could have an explanation of whether that really is the case. In tabling that amendment, Labour is refusing to use the levers at their disposal, even though they could. They're turning down opportunities to try to avert this strike. If the Government's amendment passes, then of course we'll support all that's left, a mere statement that nurses deserve fair remuneration. But those words are only words unless Government shows it's ready to take action.