4. Statement by the Minister for Health and Social Services: The Health Service Procurement (Wales) Bill

Part of the debate – in the Senedd at 4:10 pm on 14 February 2023.

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Photo of Joyce Watson Joyce Watson Labour 4:10, 14 February 2023

Diolch, Dirprwy Lywydd. I thank you, Minister, for your statement. As you say, the first stage of this is a framework Bill, and the second stage will be where the detail lies. When I put the term 'flexible procurement in the NHS' and the Tories together, I get really concerned, as most of the country should be, because we will remember the personal protective equipment fiasco that happened with the flexible VIP fast-tracking, or, if you like, in my words, fast-profiting, regime being put together. We need to clearly keep a watching brief. We know that there's going to be a provider selection regime and we need to know more about how that will look in Wales, because you're absolutely right not to go down the same road as we suspect the Tories in England will do and give jobs to those people who invest in that party. They've got a good track record in putting those two things together. We don't wish to follow that, and we want legislation that will safeguard, first of all, the NHS in Wales in and of itself, but also, of course, the patients, because it would be those people who'd be receiving that care and receiving the outcomes from that care who have to be at the absolute centre of everything that we do. Yes, we would have all liked more time, but, as you say, the first stage is a framework, so it has to go through as it is—