6. What discussions has the Minister had with other Ministers regarding the funding of preventive health measures across the Government? OQ58961

Building on our previous budget, the 2023-24 draft budget continues to focus on preventing harm to the most disadvantaged. Alongside the £165 million to protect our NHS, actions include protecting the £90 million funding for free school meals, investing a further £10 million in homelessness prevention and providing £2.2 million for our basic income pilot.

Thank you very much for that response, but it's the same old sermon from me, I'm afraid. We need to do much, much more on the preventative agenda if we are to make Wales a healthier nation, and right across Government. In Anglesey there are genuine concerns about the future of the national exercise referral scheme, or NERS, because of a lack of investment. Now, the £145,530 that the council has received this year for NERS is the same amount that's been received since 2015. The county council has written to the health Minister on this. They have a waiting list of people, but a lack of resources, and we have to do more of this kind of thing if we are genuinely going to focus on preventative measures.

I've also been speaking to the Nifty Sixties in Holyhead, a body that is trying to extend its work across the island to offer better health to older people. They need to be able to have people referred to them. Will the Minister commit to discussing with the Minister for health how to increase the sum that I mentioned? Because unless this relatively small, short-term investment is made, then the pressure will increase in the long term on the entire budget.

I will commit to reflecting the concerns that you raised this afternoon to the Minister for Health and Social Services. Obviously, this is a matter for her to decide within the confines of the MEG that she has, but I will be more than happy to make her aware of the contribution this afternoon.