Senedd Cymru (Welsh Parliament), 17 June 2026

330 contributions from 68 members. The official report.

Statement by the Llywydd

Huw Irranca-Davies (Labour, Afan Ogwr Rhondda)

Good afternoon, everyone.

Huw Irranca-Davies (Labour, Afan Ogwr Rhondda)

Before we begin today's meeting, I want to briefly refer to yesterday's proceedings. During First Minister's questions, there was an exchange on which I have since received correspondence and which has also received media coverage. Scrutiny of the Government, including the questioning of Ministers, is an important part of our Senedd. It is essential that this is conducted in accordance with our rules and the established expectations for contributions in this Chamber. Members indeed have received training and guidance on those expectations. We will, of course, hold differing views and that was evident yesterday in both the remarks made and the responses in the Chamber. Robust disagreement is part of democratic debate, but it must always be grounded in respect and we must avoid using language that has the potential to inflame debate or to increase tensions. So, I expect, as Llywydd, that Members at all times conduct themselves in a way that promotes respect for this Senedd and that extends respect and courtesy to all other Members and to everyone in our society. So, my appeal to Members, my direction to Members is: respect our rules, treat one another with kindness and with courtesy and with respect.

Huw Irranca-Davies (Labour, Afan Ogwr Rhondda)

Now, let us move one. We have a great deal of business to cover today.

1. Nominations for committee chairs

Huw Irranca-Davies (Labour, Afan Ogwr Rhondda)

First of all, item 1. I now invite nominations under Standing Order 17.2F for the election of committee Chairs. Only a Member from the political group that has been allocated that committee may be nominated as Chair, and only a Member of the same political group may make the nomination. The allocation of Chairs to the political groups has been agreed in accordance with Standing Order 17.2A. If any Member objects to a nomination, or if two or more nominations are made for one committee, a secret ballot will be held. I will continue with the nominations for the remaining committees until all nominations have been made.

I invite nominations for the Chair of the Early Years, Children, Young People and Education Committee, which has been allocated to the Plaid Cymru group. I now call for nominations.

Carrie Harper (Plaid Cymru, Fflint Wrecsam)

Can I nominate Beca Brown?

Huw Irranca-Davies (Labour, Afan Ogwr Rhondda)

Diolch yn fawr iawn. Seconder.

Lis McLean (Plaid Cymru, Pontypridd Cynon Merthyr)

I'd like to second that nomination.

Huw Irranca-Davies (Labour, Afan Ogwr Rhondda)

Thank you very much.

Kiera Marshall (Plaid Cymru, Caerdydd Penarth)

Can I nominate Sera Evans?

Huw Irranca-Davies (Labour, Afan Ogwr Rhondda)

And seconder.

Elyn Stephens (Plaid Cymru, Afan Ogwr Rhondda)

I second Sera Evans.

Huw Irranca-Davies (Labour, Afan Ogwr Rhondda)

Are there any further nominations? Beca Brown and Sera Evans. So, the election of Chair of this committee will take place by secret ballot.

I now invite nominations for the Chair of the Health and Social Care Committee, which has been allocated to the Welsh Labour group.

Lynne Neagle (Labour, Sir Fynwy Torfaen)

I nominate Jayne Bryant.

Huw Irranca-Davies (Labour, Afan Ogwr Rhondda)

Diolch yn fawr.

Mike Hedges (Labour, Gŵyr Abertawe)

I second Jayne Bryant.

Huw Irranca-Davies (Labour, Afan Ogwr Rhondda)

Thank you. Are there any further nominations? I declare that Jayne Bryant is elected Chair of the Health and Social Care Committee.

I now invite nominations for the Chair of the Climate Change, Environment, Sustainability and Rural Affairs Committee, which is allocated to the Reform UK group. I call for nominations.

Llŷr Powell (Reform UK, Blaenau Gwent Caerffili Rhymni)

Can I nominate James Evans?

Huw Irranca-Davies (Labour, Afan Ogwr Rhondda)

Seconder.

Francesca O'Brien (Reform UK, Gŵyr Abertawe)

I second James Evans.

Huw Irranca-Davies (Labour, Afan Ogwr Rhondda)

Are there any further nominations? There are none. I therefore declare James Evans is elected Chair of the Equality, Human Rights and Social Justice Committee. [Interruption.] No? I do apologise.

Huw Irranca-Davies (Labour, Afan Ogwr Rhondda)

I'll rewind.

Huw Irranca-Davies (Labour, Afan Ogwr Rhondda)

Does any Member object to the nomination? No. I therefore declare that James Evans is elected Chair of the Equality, Human Rights and Social Justice Committee.

Elin Jones (Plaid Cymru, Ceredigion Penfro)

Climate change.

Huw Irranca-Davies (Labour, Afan Ogwr Rhondda)

I do apologise, it's the climate change committee.

I now invite nominations for Chair of the Equality, Human Rights and Social Justice Committee, which has been allocated to the Plaid Cymru group. I call for nominations.

Carrie Harper (Plaid Cymru, Fflint Wrecsam)

Can I nominate Sarah Rees?

Huw Irranca-Davies (Labour, Afan Ogwr Rhondda)

And a seconder.

Marc Jones (Plaid Cymru, Fflint Wrecsam)

Llywydd, may I second Sarah Rees?

Huw Irranca-Davies (Labour, Afan Ogwr Rhondda)

Thank you. Are there any further nominations?

Sara Crowley (Plaid Cymru, Pontypridd Cynon Merthyr)

I nominate Zaynub Akbar.

Huw Irranca-Davies (Labour, Afan Ogwr Rhondda)

And a seconder.

Peredur Owen Griffiths (Plaid Cymru, Casnewydd Islwyn)

I second the nomination.

Huw Irranca-Davies (Labour, Afan Ogwr Rhondda)

Are there any other nominations?

Mair Rowlands (Plaid Cymru, Bangor Conwy Môn)

May I nominate Elfed Williams?

Huw Irranca-Davies (Labour, Afan Ogwr Rhondda)

Elfed Williams. And a seconder.

Elwyn Vaughan (Plaid Cymru, Gwynedd Maldwyn)

May I second Elfed Williams? Thank you.

Huw Irranca-Davies (Labour, Afan Ogwr Rhondda)

Thank you. Are there any further nominations? Okay, thank you. So, the election of the Chair of this committee will take place by secret ballot.

I now invite nominations for Chair of the Economy, Energy and Connectivity Committee, which has been allocated to the Plaid Cymru group.

Zaynub Akbar (Plaid Cymru, Caerdydd Ffynnon Taf)

Can I nominate Anna Nicholl?

Huw Irranca-Davies (Labour, Afan Ogwr Rhondda)

Seconder.

John Davies (Plaid Cymru, Gŵyr Abertawe)

I second that—Anna Nicholl.

Huw Irranca-Davies (Labour, Afan Ogwr Rhondda)

Are there any further nominations?

Elfed Williams (Plaid Cymru, Bangor Conwy Môn)

I nominate Elwyn Vaughan.

Huw Irranca-Davies (Labour, Afan Ogwr Rhondda)

And seconder.

Rebeca Phillips (Plaid Cymru, Brycheiniog Tawe Nedd)

May I second that nomination? Thank you.

Huw Irranca-Davies (Labour, Afan Ogwr Rhondda)

Are there any further nominations? No. Thank you. So, the election of the Chair of this committee will take place by secret ballot.

I now invite nominations for the Chair of the Culture, Communications, Cymraeg and Sport Committee, which has been allocated to the Plaid Cymru group. The Senedd has agreed, in accordance with Standing Order 17A.6, that this committee is eligible for nomination of two Members to be elected to share the position of committee Chair on a job-share basis.

Beca Brown (Plaid Cymru, Gwynedd Maldwyn)

I would like to nominate Mair Rowlands and Lis McLean as joint Chairs of this committee. Thank you.

Huw Irranca-Davies (Labour, Afan Ogwr Rhondda)

Are there any further nominations? No.

Huw Irranca-Davies (Labour, Afan Ogwr Rhondda)

Oh, a seconder—sorry.

Rebeca Phillips (Plaid Cymru, Brycheiniog Tawe Nedd)

I would like to second that nomination. Thank you.

Huw Irranca-Davies (Labour, Afan Ogwr Rhondda)

Thank you. Are there any other nominations? No. I declare—. Oh, sorry, I do apologise—I'm learning. Are there any objections? No. I declare that Mair Rowlands and Lis McLean are elected as Chairs of the Culture, Communications, Cymraeg and Sport Committee.

I now invite nominations for the Chair of the Local Government, Housing and Planning Committee, which has been allocated to the Reform UK group.

Joe Martin (Reform UK, Caerdydd Penarth)

I'd like to nominate Carmelo Colasanto.

Huw Irranca-Davies (Labour, Afan Ogwr Rhondda)

And a seconder.

Nigel Williams (Reform UK, Fflint Wrecsam)

I second that nomination.

Huw Irranca-Davies (Labour, Afan Ogwr Rhondda)

Thank you. Are there any other nominations? No. Does any Member object to the nomination? I declare that Carmelo Colasanto is elected Chair of the Local Government, Housing and Planning Committee.

I now invite nominations for Chair of the Constitution, Justice and External Affairs Committee, which has been allocated to the Plaid Cymru group.

Sarah Rees (Plaid Cymru, Pen-y-bont Bro Morgannwg)

I nominate Carrie Harper.

Huw Irranca-Davies (Labour, Afan Ogwr Rhondda)

Diolch. A seconder.

Marc Jones (Plaid Cymru, Fflint Wrecsam)

I second Carrie Harper.

Marc Jones (Plaid Cymru, Fflint Wrecsam)

I second Carrie Harper.

Huw Irranca-Davies (Labour, Afan Ogwr Rhondda)

Thank you. Are there any further nominations? No. Does any Member object? No. I declare that Carrie Sanders is elected Chair of the committee—[Interruption.] Oh, I do apologise. I do apologise. I declare that Carrie Harper is elected Chair of the Constitution, Justice and External Affairs Committee.

I now invite nominations for Chair of the Finance Committee, which has been allocated to the Welsh Conservatives group.

Paul Davies (Conservative, Ceredigion Penfro)

Llywydd, I nominate Sam Rowlands.

Huw Irranca-Davies (Labour, Afan Ogwr Rhondda)

Sam Rowlands. And a seconder.

Darren Millar (Conservative, Clwyd)

I second Sam Rowlands.

Huw Irranca-Davies (Labour, Afan Ogwr Rhondda)

Thank you. Are there any objections? No. I declare that Sam Rowlands is elected Chair of the Finance Committee.

I now invite nominations for Chair of the Public Accounts and Public Administration Committee, which has been allocated to the Reform UK group.

Gareth Beer (Reform UK, Sir Gaerfyrddin)

I nominate Andrew Griffin.

Huw Irranca-Davies (Labour, Afan Ogwr Rhondda)

Diolch. And a seconder.

Benjamin McKenna (Reform UK, Afan Ogwr Rhondda)

I second that nomination.

Huw Irranca-Davies (Labour, Afan Ogwr Rhondda)

Are there any other nominations? No. Does any Member object? No. I declare that Andrew Griffin is elected Chair of the Public Accounts and Public Administration Committee.

I now invite nominations for the Chair of the Legislation Committee, which has been allocated to the Reform UK group.

Joshua Kim (Reform UK, Blaenau Gwent Caerffili Rhymni)

I nominate Sarah Cooper-Lesadd.

Huw Irranca-Davies (Labour, Afan Ogwr Rhondda)

Sarah Cooper-Lesadd. And a seconder.

Steven Rodaway (Reform UK, Gŵyr Abertawe)

I second Sarah Cooper-Lesadd.

Huw Irranca-Davies (Labour, Afan Ogwr Rhondda)

Are there any further nominations? There are none. Does any Member object to the nomination? No. I therefore declare that Sarah Cooper-Lesadd is elected as Chair of the Legislation Committee.

I now invite nominations for Chair of the Standards of Conduct Committee, which has been allocated to the Plaid Cymru group.

Huw Irranca-Davies (Labour, Afan Ogwr Rhondda)

Alun Cox. A seconder.

Sara Crowley (Plaid Cymru, Pontypridd Cynon Merthyr)

I second Alun Cox.

Huw Irranca-Davies (Labour, Afan Ogwr Rhondda)

Diolch.

Lyn Ackerman (Plaid Cymru, Casnewydd Islwyn)

I'd like to nominate Lindsay Whittle.

Huw Irranca-Davies (Labour, Afan Ogwr Rhondda)

A seconder.

Donna Cushing (Plaid Cymru, Sir Fynwy Torfaen)

I'd like to second that nomination.

Huw Irranca-Davies (Labour, Afan Ogwr Rhondda)

Are there any other nominations?

Peredur Owen Griffiths (Plaid Cymru, Casnewydd Islwyn)

May I nominate Elyn Stephens?

Huw Irranca-Davies (Labour, Afan Ogwr Rhondda)

And seconder.

Zaynub Akbar (Plaid Cymru, Caerdydd Ffynnon Taf)

I second Elyn Stephens.

Huw Irranca-Davies (Labour, Afan Ogwr Rhondda)

Are there any further nominations? There are none. The election of the Chair of this committee will take place by secret ballot.

I now invite nominations for Chair of the Petitions Committee, which has been allocated to the Reform UK group.

Catherine Cullen (Reform UK, Blaenau Gwent Caerffili Rhymni)

I'd like to nominate Jason O'Connell.

Huw Irranca-Davies (Labour, Afan Ogwr Rhondda)

Jason O'Connell. And seconder.

Art Wright (Reform UK, Casnewydd Islwyn)

Llywydd, I second that nomination.

Huw Irranca-Davies (Labour, Afan Ogwr Rhondda)

Are there any further nominations? No. Does any Member object to the nomination? No. I therefore declare that Jason O'Connell is elected as Chair of the Petitions Committee.

Huw Irranca-Davies (Labour, Afan Ogwr Rhondda)

I just need to return to once piece of the item to make sure that we've covered all bases on this, because it's very important. I need to return to the election of Jayne Bryant earlier, just to ask whether there are any objections. [Laughter.] Sorry, Jayne.

Huw Irranca-Davies (Labour, Afan Ogwr Rhondda)

There are no objections. Thank you.

Huw Irranca-Davies (Labour, Afan Ogwr Rhondda)

We can proceed on that basis.

Huw Irranca-Davies (Labour, Afan Ogwr Rhondda)

Thank you. That concludes the nomination process. For those nominations that have been referred to a secret ballot, in accordance with Standing Orders, I inform Members that the secret ballots will be held in briefing room 13 in the Senedd and electronically. Members will be e-mailed when voting opens. Voting will close at 4 p.m. This will provide a voting window of approximately two hours. Thank you. Now, following the secret ballots, I will announce the results at the end of voting time in today's Plenary. Thank you.

2. Questions to the Cabinet Minister for Health and Care

Huw Irranca-Davies (Labour, Afan Ogwr Rhondda)

Now, item 2, questions to the Cabinet Minister for Health and Care. And the first question is from David Mills.

David Mills (Reform UK, Brycheiniog Tawe Nedd)

1. What are the Cabinet Minister's priorities for the NHS in Brycheiniog Tawe Nedd? OQ64158

Mabon ap Gwynfor (Plaid Cymru, Gwynedd Maldwyn)

Llywydd, I set out my priorities for NHS Wales, including Brycheiniog Tawe Nedd, in my oral statement on 2 June. These focus on reducing waiting times, improving access, supporting staff, strengthening local services and delivering more care closer to home while improving outcomes and long-term sustainability. Patient experience of cross-border healthcare will also be considered as part of this work.

David Mills (Reform UK, Brycheiniog Tawe Nedd)

Cabinet Minister, people across my constituency are very concerned about Powys Teaching Health Board's decision to delay planned care for operations in English health providers. During the election and before you said that if you were in Government you would address this. Can you today outline when people in my constituency can expect the service they were receiving to be reinstated to English waiting times?

Mabon ap Gwynfor (Plaid Cymru, Gwynedd Maldwyn)

Llywydd, this Government and I are committed to ensuring equitable and equal access to all across Wales. Now, cross-border care is something that we experience across Wales. If you think of where I live in the north of Wales, in Betsi Cadwaladr, we go for treatment over in Liverpool, to Clatterbridge, to Liverpool Women's Hospital and others. The same is true in Aneurin Bevan, with members going over, but there's a significant issue that we hear quite a bit in Powys. However, there is an 'England / Wales NHS Cross-border Healthcare Services: Statement of values and principles', referred to as the SVP. That is to ensure smooth and efficient interaction, and one of its key principles is that no treatment will be refused or delayed due to uncertainty or ambiguity as to which organisation is responsible for funding an individual's healthcare. Along that, there sits an NHS cross-border network with representatives from Llais and the Welsh Government. So, if the Member or others have examples—casework, for instance—of individuals who haven't received the treatment that they need, I would suggest in the first place that you refer them to Llais, and they can raise that on the cross-border network, and, failing that, you're welcome to pass them on to myself, and I will raise them at that level as well.

Rebeca Phillips (Plaid Cymru, Brycheiniog Tawe Nedd)

We know that the Government is committed to ensuring equitable access to cancer services across all parts of Wales, and I welcome that this new Plaid Cymru Government is placing a strong emphasis on this through its proposed cancer plan. However, constituents in Brycheiniog Tawe Nedd are currently required to travel outside the area for specialist assessments due to the lack of local diagnostic services. Could the Cabinet Secretary therefore provide an update on progress towards establishing a rapid diagnosis centre in Powys? Diolch.

Mabon ap Gwynfor (Plaid Cymru, Gwynedd Maldwyn)

Thank you very much to the Member for that question. Llywydd, I do remember, some years ago, standing with Siân Gwenllian in Bangor discussing the need to roll out rapid diagnostic centres and starting a campaign then. So, developing that kind of centre has been a priority for Plaid Cymru for some years. Now, we're in a situation to extend what we have further. That's why building on the plans and the network that we have is a priority, and we have said in our 100-days plan that we will look at developing a programme for Powys. It's evident that there are gaps in Powys. That's why I've started the process of commissioning a feasibility study into the possibility of developing and opening a rapid diagnostic centre in Powys in future.

Iain McIntosh (Reform UK, Brycheiniog Tawe Nedd)

Cabinet Minister, many of my constituents also in Brycheiniog Tawe Nedd feel that they are being let down by a health service that is increasingly difficult to access. Powys, as we're all aware, is the largest county in Wales, taking up 25 per cent of the country, yet it does not have a single district general hospital, meaning that many residents face long journeys for appointments, diagnostics and treatment. A member of my own family had to wait seven years—seven years—for knee-replacement surgery, a delay that had significant impact on their quality of life, and it's sadly not an isolated case. At the same time, newly qualified paramedics are being trained in Wales at considerable cost to the taxpayer only to be told that there are no jobs available for them. But we need more paramedics, so what on earth is going on here? Now, given these challenges, what specific action is Welsh Government taking to reduce waiting times, improve access to healthcare for rural communities and ensure that NHS workforce planning is delivering the doctors, nurses and the paramedics that constituencies such as Brycheiniog Tawe Nedd desperately need? Diolch.

Mabon ap Gwynfor (Plaid Cymru, Gwynedd Maldwyn)

Llywydd, the Member asks specifically around waiting lists, and I've made clear this Government's plan to bring down those waiting lists, where we will be looking to roll out elective care hubs across Wales and investing in ensuring that we look at the pathway and the diagnostics, and I touched on the diagnostics to Beca Phillips in a previous response.

Regarding the workforce plan, I've made it clear that we will be developing a workforce plan and bringing forward that high-level workforce plan in the autumn. But, tomorrow, I am holding a summit with the representative bodies of paramedics, midwives and nurses and the health boards to see how we can respond to the graduates issue this summer, ensuring that we are finding as many placements as possible for them and making sure that we don't reach this position in the future.

Mike Hedges (Labour, Gŵyr Abertawe)

The NHS in Brycheiniog Tawe Nedd cannot be looked at in isolation from Swansea. The Neath and Cwmtawe areas are part of the Swansea Bay University Health Board. Two of the three major hospitals covering that area used by patients are Morriston and Singleton Hospital in Swansea. For parts of Brecon, the Swansea valley and Neath, the emergency department is at Morriston Hospital. Some GP services cover Tawe Nedd, Swansea and the Swansea valley, including the Cwmtawe hub. Does the Minister agree that artificial political boundaries should not affect service provision and delivery?

Mabon ap Gwynfor (Plaid Cymru, Gwynedd Maldwyn)

Llywydd, I absolutely agree that any boundaries should not stop people from accessing services. That's something that we have been promoting constantly over the last number of years—that we need to get rid of the postcode lottery that exists in Wales. That's why we are working with health boards now to make sure that those boundaries are being broken down and, in fact, we have another summit tomorrow looking at primary care, looking exactly at how we can break down those artificial boundaries that we've got within the NHS and across local authorities in Wales.

Cristiana Emsley (Reform UK, Fflint Wrecsam)

2. When can the people of north Wales expect to see tangible improvements in waiting times and patient care as a result of the Welsh Government's latest interventions in Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board, and how will the Cabinet Minister measure the success of those interventions? OQ64154

Mabon ap Gwynfor (Plaid Cymru, Gwynedd Maldwyn)

This Government is clear that we will not tolerate the continued issues at Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board and we expect immediate improvement.

Cristiana Emsley (Reform UK, Fflint Wrecsam)

Thank you. Minister, babies have been born, started school and reached secondary education during the time Betsi Cadwaladr has been in special measures. If special measures can last for more than 11 years, they are no longer special measures, they are business as usual. Whatever Government was in office when they began, your Government now owns them. North Wales patients have heard over 11 years of assurances. Why should they believe that this time is any different?

Mabon ap Gwynfor (Plaid Cymru, Gwynedd Maldwyn)

Llywydd, the health board has been in heightened states of escalation for many years, as has been rightly pointed out. With the current level 5 escalation in its fourth year, clearly there needs to be a change of approach to drive tangible and sustainable improvements. I've asked my officials, alongside NHS Wales Performance and Improvement, to undertake a stocktake of the current position so that I can establish the true extent of the organisation's operational challenges, the quality of care and the strategic direction of the organisation, and determine the most appropriate next steps.

I recently met with the chair and chief executive of the health board during a visit to Ysbyty Glan Clwyd, and set out my expectation that they must take ownership of the long-standing issues within the health board and make the improvements required for the people they serve. I've also written to the chair of the health board setting out my concerns about the lack of progress. And, in July, I will chair a meeting with members of the health board's executive team and board to make clear to them my expectations in terms of improvements.

Elfed Williams (Plaid Cymru, Bangor Conwy Môn)

Effective governance is central to the performance of our health service, and I support the Plaid Cymru Government's commitment to give clear structures and new leadership to our health boards over this parliamentary term.

In Betsi Cadwaladr, for too long, the story has been one of special measures and inconsistency in service standards. I am concerned to see, as an example, the accident and emergency department at Glan Clwyd Hospital being identified as a service that needs significant improvement by Healthcare Inspectorate Wales just last week. This isn't a criticism of staff, but of a system where there is lack of clarity in terms of accountability and consistent leadership. So, Minister, what work is being done to review the escalation framework and the current commitment to ensure that it does drive real and sustainable improvements for patients?

Mabon ap Gwynfor (Plaid Cymru, Gwynedd Maldwyn)

I thank the Member for that. Llywydd, the Member is entirely right in saying in his question that we need to recognise the hard work and good work done by staff at Betsi Cadwaladr, and Glan Clwyd Hospital particularly in this case, and I want to put on record our appreciation of their hard work in very difficult circumstances.

The Member refers specifically to governance, and Members will be aware that I published a report into NHS governance in Wales two years ago. As part of the research for that publication, it became clear that health services in Wales don't have confidence in the escalation framework that we have for our health services. Reviews are done quite regularly of the framework, but I am eager for us to hold a more comprehensive review because, as was mentioned earlier, I don't want to see a framework that leads to the normalisation of services that are below standard. We need a strong framework in place that can hold health boards to account, empowering chairs and independent members in order to get to that point.

Darren Millar (Conservative, Clwyd)

Cabinet Minister, I'm afraid that some of your answers are giving me a sense of déjà vu, because they were the similar sort of answers that we've been hearing from the Labour Party for over a decade in respect of the poor performance of the Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board.

Now, what people want to see is concrete action to deliver improvements. We know that one of the things that people are absolutely desperate for is increased capacity, bed capacity in particular, in order to address the problems in the emergency department, which, of course, today, has been designated as a service requiring significant improvement by Healthcare Inspectorate Wales. What action are you going to take to urgently review the paltry number of beds proposed for the new north Denbighshire community hospital in Rhyl, which is fewer than half the beds originally proposed 13 years ago, when the problems now at the nearby Glan Clwyd Hospital are more acute than ever?

Mabon ap Gwynfor (Plaid Cymru, Gwynedd Maldwyn)

Llywydd, the Member has raised this issue previously with me, and I have made it clear that we are committed to the new development in Rhyl, and that will happen. I have also made clear today that we will take a stock-take of the situation, because I am not happy nor content with the situation as it is; we need to see urgent and immediate improvement. That's why I did visit Ysbyty Glan Clwyd a month ago, in order to make sure that the chair and the chief executive understood clearly that they need to take responsibility for what's going on in Ysbyty Glan Clwyd and across north Wales, and need to see improvements immediately.

Huw Irranca-Davies (Labour, Afan Ogwr Rhondda)

Questions now from the party spokespeople. I call now on the party spokespeople to question the Cabinet Minister. First, the Reform UK spokesperson to ask the Deputy Minister for Social Care, Mental Health and Women's Health. Claire Archibald.

Claire Archibald (Reform UK, Ceredigion Penfro)

Diolch, Lywydd. Minister, Plaid Cymru promised to take all reasonable steps to ensure that carers' needs assessments are completed within 28 days. The 'At breaking point' report shows that too many carers either do not know that they're entitled to the assessment, or wait too long to receive meaningful support. Will the Minister confirm when the 28-day standard will be in place across Wales, and how the Government will hold local authorities to account if they fail to meet it? Diolch.

Delyth Jewell (Plaid Cymru, Blaenau Gwent Caerffili Rhymni)

Diolch. Llywydd, firstly, I'd like to welcome the Member to her role. I know she brings expertise and experience in this area, and I'm looking forward to working with her to make things better. Can I also say how glad I am that unpaid carers are the focus of spokespeople's questions so early in this Senedd, indeed, in this first question session on health and care? Unpaid carers face too many barriers, including what has been highlighted. Too many are not getting the support they need and deserve.

Last week, it was Carers Week, and I visited two events celebrating unpaid carers in Penarth and in the Senedd. I spoke to unpaid carers about the reality of their lives, things going well and the challenges, and they told me that they want policies not praise. I pledge to listen to that. I want to be their voice in Government, to increase the visibility of the work they undertake, work that saves the Government and our society billions of pounds.

Now, the Member has raised carers' needs assessments. I am pledging to work with local authorities to make sure that carers receive the assessments when they need them. I understand that, in legislation, there isn't always a guarantee that—. There needs to be a 28-day period for that, but we need to make sure that where there is a need, it happens quickly. The process needs to be streamlined, it needs to be standardised. There is too much inconsistency across local authority areas.

They also need to be made more accessible, so it's about the timeliness, it's also about the accessibility, because even the terminology—. You know, we talk about 'assessments'. That can be very off-putting sometimes, I think, for unpaid carers. It can be daunting. I know that the Health and Social Care Committee talked about needing to talk about having a 'what matters' conversation, maybe, instead of an assessment. I pledge that on this and on many other issues, I will do what those carers asked me to do. I will want to be their voice in the Government, I want to be their Minister. I want to keep hearing from them, because they told me, 'Talk to us, not about us', and I plan to honour that.

Claire Archibald (Reform UK, Ceredigion Penfro)

Thank you for the response, and some of the questions that I have, actually, you've already answered. So, the committee report is very clear that poor access to respite is one of the reasons unpaid carers are being pushed to breaking point. Will the Welsh Government now commit to a national minimal standard for respite care, including emergency and night-time provision, so that support is not dependent on where the carer lives?

Delyth Jewell (Plaid Cymru, Blaenau Gwent Caerffili Rhymni)

Thank you again for that really important question. I know that in terms of what has been raised in that 'At breaking point' report, currently the team is looking at that. When the new committee is established, we are going to be reporting back on that, and we are giving real consideration to some of those recommendations.

We have pledged to protect the short breaks scheme, but also to look at how we can expand opportunities for unpaid carers to benefit from respite and flexible working, because we know, and the Member will know as well, that the short break scheme does work. Surveys show that carers feel more hopeful about the future after benefiting from that scheme, and some of those unpaid carers I met last week talked to me about the isolation they can feel, how family or friends can drift away because they don't understand the stress that the carer is under, and about the importance of respite. One of them told me that what you get to do in your own life is too often an add-on. I promise that I will do all I can to see how we can strengthen that.

Claire Archibald (Reform UK, Ceredigion Penfro)

I look forward to that, so thank you very much. What additional funding will be made available to ensure the 28-day assessment target and improved respite provision can actually be delivered, rather than simply passed down to already very stretched local authorities?

Delyth Jewell (Plaid Cymru, Blaenau Gwent Caerffili Rhymni)

Thank you for that final question again. As I alluded to earlier, we are looking in terms of, of course, what funding can be made available, and I'm hoping to be in a position to be able to give more information on that soon, but as well as that extra funding, it's making sure that those assessments are done in a timely manner, that they're standardised, that they actually are meeting the needs of unpaid carers, and that we are strengthening their rights. We also want to make sure that unpaid carers are a designated priority group in Government policy.

But, look, I want to be a voice in this Government for some of the people in our society who need it most, and I want to champion their needs, to amplify what they say, and I will work with people from all parties and none who are serious about improving the reality of these people's lives. It's what we are in politics to do, and I plan to focus on that.

Huw Irranca-Davies (Labour, Afan Ogwr Rhondda)

Welsh Labour spokesperson, Ken Skates.

Ken Skates (Labour, Fflint Wrecsam)

Minister, my Welsh Labour colleagues and I stand with health visitors from Cwm Taf Morgannwg, who play an invaluable role in supporting families, and they want to be back at work. They want to be doing the jobs that they love, not on strike. What action will you take to resolve the situation immediately?

Mabon ap Gwynfor (Plaid Cymru, Gwynedd Maldwyn)

Llywydd, health visitors are an integral cog in our health service. They support families when it matters most, they provide vital proactive care right in the home. And we talk of the preventative agenda, we talk of care closer to home, well, this is exactly what they do: early intervention for young mothers, for instance, and their babies. So, firstly I'd like to take the opportunity to thank all health visitors for the work that they do across Wales.

With regard to Cwm Taf, they shouldn't be in this position. People don't decide to take industrial action on a whim and I welcome the fact that Unite provides support to the striking workforce, but I've said many times that I expect both the health board and the union to get back around the table to find a resolution for the sake of the workers and their patients.

Ken Skates (Labour, Fflint Wrecsam)

Thank you, Minister, but we would really welcome your individual and immediate intervention to resolve this, and I know that those workers would appreciate meeting with you as well.

But I also feel it's important to raise another issue that goes beyond politics and must be addressed: what specific actions will you be taking to reduce the number of stillbirths and neonatal deaths in Wales?

Mabon ap Gwynfor (Plaid Cymru, Gwynedd Maldwyn)

The issue around stillbirths is still not resolved in Wales. We still have the worst numbers across the UK and we need to see them improve. Now, this is a matter that sits under my colleague Delyth Jewell's brief, and Delyth will respond to you in good time.

Huw Irranca-Davies (Labour, Afan Ogwr Rhondda)

Welsh Conservatives' spokesperson, Peter Fox.

Peter Fox (Conservative, Sir Fynwy Torfaen)

Diolch, Llywydd, and can I congratulate you, Cabinet Minister, on your position? And I wish you well.

Cabinet Minister, you know that I chaired the Health and Social Care Committee during the latter stages of the sixth Senedd, when you were also a member. Together we heard about the immense pressures facing our health service, not least within GP services, ophthalmology, gynaecological cancer care and some of what we've just heard in the previous question about social care and unpaid carers.

The committee published its legacy report in April, setting out a series of recommendations for future work. The message was clear: without clear targets, measurable outcomes and a genuine shift in funding, prevention will always lose out to short-term pressures. Can I therefore ask you, Cabinet Minister, whether you will commit to implementing all of the recommendations set out in the committee's report?

Mabon ap Gwynfor (Plaid Cymru, Gwynedd Maldwyn)

Llywydd, the Member talks about the need to set clear targets, and we have been clear that we will be asking health boards to shift up to 0.5 per cent of their funds to the primary care sector every year, starting at the next financial year. That's why we are conducting a summit tomorrow with the health boards and the primary care leads in the health boards to identify and prepare a map to achieve that.

Peter Fox (Conservative, Sir Fynwy Torfaen)

Well, thank you, Cabinet Minister. So, you didn't quite answer if you were going to agree to all of the recommendations in the committee report, but I'm sure you'll be reflecting on that report, and I look forward to your views on it.

Cabinet Minister, Plaid Cymru talks a lot about ambition, cutting waiting lists, hiring 100 GPs, creating surgical hubs. These are all laudable aims, but they require funding and sustained commitment. Yet nowhere in your plans do you set out a detailed workforce model, binding national targets or clear consequences for failing health boards. Your Government will have to make difficult decisions on funding, including where resources are reallocated from, and whether you will commit to a period of double funding, which was another key recommendation from the committee. At the moment, you are offering a list of initiatives, but not the framework or funding needed to deliver them. Without those, why should anyone believe your plan will not simply repeat the same cycle of missed targets, rising waiting times and a lack of accountability that Welsh patients have endured for 27 years?

Mabon ap Gwynfor (Plaid Cymru, Gwynedd Maldwyn)

I'm glad that the Member thinks that our ambitious programme is laudable, and we have therefore cross-party support for our ambitions. We all agree that we need to bring down waiting lists and the plan that we've put together for those waiting lists are clinically led. I'm sure you don't want a politician just to put an arbitrary date or target on some of these issues; we want them to be the best clinical outcomes led by clinicians. The Member will be aware that we have a supplementary budget coming up, and therefore I look forward to seeing his support for that supplementary budget so that we can achieve the aims that both he and I, and others in this Chamber, want to see fulfilled.

Nick Carter (Plaid Cymru, Caerdydd Ffynnon Taf)

3. Will the Cabinet Minister provide an update on the development of a National Cancer Plan for Wales? OQ64178

Mabon ap Gwynfor (Plaid Cymru, Gwynedd Maldwyn)

I thank the Member for the question. We have started work on the development of a national cancer plan for Wales. I will provide a written statement before the end of this term setting out our intentions and how we will engage with stakeholders on the content of that plan.

Nick Carter (Plaid Cymru, Caerdydd Ffynnon Taf)

Diolch. One in two people in Wales will be diagnosed with cancer at some point in their lives, and this is something that affects us all. Therefore, the proposal of our new Government to develop a 10-year cancer plan is both well overdue and very welcome. One area often overlooked and highlighted to me by a constituent is metastatic breast cancer and incurable stage 4 cancer in general. In particular, there is no data on how many people are living with metastatic cancer in Wales, even though collection of this data became mandatory over 12 years ago. Without clear information on diagnosis, recurrence, treatment pathways and outcomes, we can't identify variations between health boards or ensure that every patient receives timely, equitable support. Please can the Minister prioritise the consistent implementation of the metastatic breast cancer pathway signed off by the Wales cancer network in 2023 and ensure that metastatic cancer is not overlooked in the new national cancer plan? Diolch.

Mabon ap Gwynfor (Plaid Cymru, Gwynedd Maldwyn)

The statistics mentioned there by Nick paint a grim picture and tell us why cancer is a priority area for this Government and why we need a cancer plan. The Member referred to the cancer plan that we are drawing up. It’s something that the cancer community have called for for many years. I fail to understand why the previous Government was so resolute in their refusal to develop a cancer plan. Plaid Cymru has promised it, we will deliver it, and we’ll act on it. It will be a comprehensive plan that will include action in respect of metastatic disease, implementing all nationally agreed pathways. We’ll also look to improve data on metastatic disease as part of the plan.

David Hughes (Reform UK, Pontypridd Cynon Merthyr)

4. Will the Cabinet Minister make a statement on the future of the stroke unit in Prince Charles Hospital? OQ64155

Mabon ap Gwynfor (Plaid Cymru, Gwynedd Maldwyn)

Anyone experiencing stroke or suspected stroke, regardless of where they live, should be seen and treated quickly in the most appropriate setting. The responsibility for the delivery of safe high-quality stroke services for the population of this area lies with Cwm Taf Morgannwg University Health Board.

David Hughes (Reform UK, Pontypridd Cynon Merthyr)

Cabinet Minister, Cwm Taf Morgannwg health board put on a consultation about the temporary move of the stroke unit from Prince Charles Hospital to the Royal Glamorgan Hospital in Llantrisant, but despite the large majority of objections to the move, including from senior health staff, local authority councillors and members of the public, the move still went ahead. One healthcare worker said, and I quote, that the removal of such a critical service has the possibility of patients experiencing delays receiving critical care and increasing the risk of long-term disability. The health board has now extended the temporary move by a further 12 months without any consultation. When speaking with Cwm Taf Morgannwg University Health Board, will the Cabinet Minister ask when we are going to see the same service in Prince Charles as in the Royal Glamorgan? The service is needed in both hospitals. Thank you.

Mabon ap Gwynfor (Plaid Cymru, Gwynedd Maldwyn)

Stroke services across Wales are not where they should be, sadly. We all agree, I'm sure, that we want to see a safe and sustainable service in every community. None of us wants to see a service that poses a risk to our loved ones, and I'm sure that every Member here would agree. Sadly, the service at Prince Charles Hospital lost some key consultant workforce. This loss posed a significant risk to the safe and sustainable delivery of the service, something that nobody wants to see, as I've said. This led to the health board extending the urgent temporary change for a further 12 months. I'm advised that consultant capacity still remains fragile. My concern is for the health and well-being of patients in Merthyr and the area, and the need to provide safe services. My officials are continuing to maintain regular oversight and monitor it, but I'm more than happy to raise the issues that the Member raised with the executive team of the health board.

Vikki Howells (Labour, Pontypridd Cynon Merthyr)

Cabinet Minister, I'd like to start by placing on record my thanks to the tremendous stroke staff working at Cwm Taf Morgannwg. A close family member of mine was recently treated at Prince Charles Hospital for a stroke, and they received excellent compassionate care and follow-up. I think it's important that, while we remember the acute stroke unit has been moved from Prince Charles, the hospital's emergency department is still able to treat those attending with stroke or suspected stroke. This could make all the difference. Can I ask you, Minister, to work with the health board to make sure that that message is out there loud and clear in case of emergency?

Mabon ap Gwynfor (Plaid Cymru, Gwynedd Maldwyn)

Thank you for that really important point—or two points, to be fair to the Member—mentioning the importance of the role played by the staff, the fantastic workforce there, who are working in difficult situations. Again, I absolutely echo those points. It's also important to point out the importance of getting rehabilitation as close to home as possible, which is key if we are to see stroke patients fulfil their lives after the stroke event. I'm absolutely more than happy to work with the Member and raise these issues at the appropriate level.

Safa Elhassan (Plaid Cymru, Gŵyr Abertawe)

5. What progress has the Welsh Government made to establish a 10-year digital health programme to improve electronic patient records across Wales? OQ64180

Mabon ap Gwynfor (Plaid Cymru, Gwynedd Maldwyn)

In our first 100 days, the Welsh Government will begin development of a refreshed NHS Wales digital and data strategy, centred on a single integrated patient record, building on platforms such as the NHS Wales app, national data resources and electronic prescribing and medicines administration, alongside investment in electronic health record systems like OpenEyes.

Safa Elhassan (Plaid Cymru, Gŵyr Abertawe)

Diolch, Cabinet Minister. As an ophthalmologist, I've experienced first-hand, alongside my patients, the barriers and delays associated with the ability of Digital Health and Care Wales to develop major programmes. The implementation of the OpenEyes programme, for example, took several years under the previous Labour Government, which is unacceptable. Wales is now at risk of falling further behind in digital health infrastructure, particularly as other nations are moving ahead, with Ireland rolling out a national electronic patient record system, while ours remain fragmented, such as OPERAi, or paper based. This inefficiency is placing unnecessary strain on doctors and nurses, at a time when we should be using digital systems to improve productivity and patient care, especially given the scale advantage of a smaller nation. What assurance can you give, Cabinet Secretary, to NHS staff and patients that this programme will deliver efficiency and at pace, and will result in the genuinely integrated and well-co-ordinated care that is urgently needed?

Mabon ap Gwynfor (Plaid Cymru, Gwynedd Maldwyn)

We've used the first 100 days of this Government to reset the approach to digitisation, putting digital at the core of the service, developing a digital and data strategy fit for the future, including a road map of a single integrated patient record for Wales. We can't continue with a fragmented and disjointed system. The people out there expect our systems to be able to talk to each other and share information. This is a long-term transformation that will not only yield financial efficiencies, but, more importantly, will improve patient outcomes.

The Member has a special interest in OpenEyes, which is understandable, given her expertise in the field of ophthalmology. The story of OpenEyes in Wales is a bit of a sorry saga, as evidenced in the sixth Senedd's health committee report into ophthalmology. I'm not at all happy with how it took so long and failed to be rolled out on time. I understand that it is now being rolled out across Cardiff and Vale, Aneurin Bevan and Swansea Bay, but I expect other health boards to adopt and implement it. I'd be happy to invite the Member and opposition spokespeople to have a briefing with the lead official if they think that would be of use.

Steven Rodaway (Reform UK, Gŵyr Abertawe)

I would like to thank the Member for that important question. It's very interesting to hear about OpenEyes. Given that NHS efficiency and, more importantly, patient safety depends on clinical staff having timely access to accurate and complete patient information, and recognising that fragmented record systems can result in important information not being available when and where it is needed, leading to significant inefficiencies and patient risks, what measurable progress has been made towards reducing those risks and improving effectiveness, and what specific performance measures will be used going forward to demonstrate that further investment in digital health is delivering tangible improvements in patient safety and overall efficiency? Thank you.

Mabon ap Gwynfor (Plaid Cymru, Gwynedd Maldwyn)

Those are all very fair points. As I set out, we've put digitisation and the resetting of the digital programme into our 100-day programme. We will be mapping out a future 10-year programme for digitisation. You'll be able to track that as I make an announcement before the end of the term and as the programme is rolled out.

Huw Thomas (Labour, Caerdydd Penarth)

6. What assessment has the Cabinet Minister made of the condition and maintenance of buildings in Cardiff and Vale University Health Board? OQ64149

Mabon ap Gwynfor (Plaid Cymru, Gwynedd Maldwyn)

Across the NHS, a substantial backlog of estate work has accumulated, including across Cardiff and Vale University Health Board. Condition surveys on the estate have been completed, and officials are working with the health board to enhance current facilities. They're also developing a long-term plan to address infrastructure challenges and ensure that the estate is fit for the future.

Huw Thomas (Labour, Caerdydd Penarth)

I thank the Minister for that response.

Huw Thomas (Labour, Caerdydd Penarth)

I'd like to raise specifically the conditions at the University Hospital of Wales at the Heath. Anyone who has visited the hospital in recent years will recognise the parlous state of parts of the buildings there. I think everyone can also recognise the challenge and multi-billion pound cost of replacing the Heath hospital. But residents in the Cardiff and Vale health board area, and further afield, will have likewise been alarmed by comments from the Minister before the election, essentially proposing mothballing parts of the current site. Welsh Labour, in our costed manifesto, put forward an ambitious plan to fully replace the Heath hospital with a new building, taking advantage of an improved funding settlement from the UK Government and using an innovative mix of capital and borrowing to fund the build. Will the Minister work with us to deliver the new hospital rather than resorting to a sticking-plaster solution? Diolch.

Mabon ap Gwynfor (Plaid Cymru, Gwynedd Maldwyn)

I recently visited the Heath because a loved one had to go there for an operation, and I could see with my own eyes how there were problems there, as much as when I visited Glangwili and saw the problems there, and Glan Clwyd and other hospitals across Wales. This is a legacy left by the previous Government—£1.5 billion of backlog that needs to be resolved—and we now have to deal with that. Cardiff and Vale University Health Board submitted a programme business case in late 2021 proposing a £2 billion programme to replace both the University Hospital of Wales in the Heath and University Hospital Llandough. This was deemed, by your Government, unaffordable, and the scheme was not progressed. My officials are working with the health board to prioritise the highest risks that have been identified through this condition survey. The survey findings will also inform the development of the health board's plans for the site to ensure services continue to be delivered in a safe and appropriate way.

Gareth Thomas (Reform UK, Pen-y-bont Bro Morgannwg)

I thank the Member for his question and the Minister for his response, but it does not reflect the severity of what patients and staff are facing on the ground. I've been using that hospital for 30 years and I've also worked there. At the University Hospital of Wales we're seeing sewage leaks, water damage, infrastructure now 50 to 60 years old, alongside a maintenance backlog running into hundreds of millions of pounds. Staff are clear that parts of the estate are no longer fit for modern healthcare and are affecting both safety and working conditions. This is not just Cardiff. At the Princess of Wales Hospital in Bridgend we have already seen the consequences: structural failures, ward closures and disrupted services. All this sits within the NHS Wales maintenance backlog of approaching £1 billion. I ask the Minister directly: what immediate site-specific action is being taken in Bridgend and the Vale to make the highest risk buildings safe? What new capital funding will be committed? And when will patients and staff see real visible improvements?

Mabon ap Gwynfor (Plaid Cymru, Gwynedd Maldwyn)

I thank the Member for that question. I visited the Princess of Wales Hospital in Bridgend this morning, and saw for myself the improvements that have been made there since the leaking roof. In fact, that crisis meant that they had to think differently about how to provide services. They have been able to develop a 'cold' area of the hospital so that they can provide elective care in that part of the hospital. That's the kind of thinking that we need to see—how we use the crisis that we've had as an opportunity to improve the estates that we've got in Wales. That's why we've said that we will be using the capital money that we have to improve that backlog, especially the most urgent backlog that we've got in the NHS in Wales, which stands at not merely £1 billion, but at £1.5 billion, which is the legacy left to us by the previous Government. But we've made it clear that we will be dealing with the urgent backlogs.

Kiera Marshall (Plaid Cymru, Caerdydd Penarth)

I'm glad the Member has raised this with the Cabinet Secretary today, because we all know that the previous Labour Government have left our hospitals crumbling. For years—in fact, decades—we've heard about persistent issues, like sewer leaks, water damage and outdated IT equipment—all a result of underfunding accumulating over time.

But this isn't just about fixing buildings, because there are governance issues too. The culture of short-term firefighting within health boards has only made things worse, which is why I welcome the Government recognising that this is a rooted-in problem. So, does the Minister agree with me that it is on the Labour Party to explain why, while they were in Government, they allowed the maintenance backlog in the NHS to reach such a state and that the new Welsh Government is doing the right thing in not burying their heads in the sand on this issue and tackling it head on?

Mabon ap Gwynfor (Plaid Cymru, Gwynedd Maldwyn)

Absolutely, the Member is right in her comments. The NHS faces significant in-year financial pressures. Individual health boards are managing challenging positions and we're working closely with them. I'm clear that NHS finances require a combination of sustainable, long-term solutions alongside investment. For all health boards with deficit positions, we've set out clear expectations of the need for recovery plans with solutions that return them to a balanced financial position.

There are strong arrangements in place on financial oversight of the system and a wealth of management information on efficiency and opportunities for improvement. I am actively looking at options on how to strengthen that approach and we will deliver it within our 100-day plan commitment.

Andrew RT Davies (Conservative, Pen-y-bont Bro Morgannwg)

Minister, I can remember talking to the then chief executive of the Cardiff and Vale health board some 10 years ago about the desire to build a new hospital on the Heath hospital site. I believe it is some 10 to 15 years overdue from the original projection when the Heath hospital was built in the early 1970s. You highlighted your own visit to the hospital, and anyone visiting there can see the fabric crumbling before their eyes. There is excellence going on every day at that hospital and staff are performing miracles, and patients are very grateful for that, but in the fabric of the buildings that exist on that site, that is no way to provide a regional health hub.

Will you be the first Minister to commit to rectifying the neglect that Labour presided over in their term of office that allowed the deplorable situation that we've arrived at at the Cardiff and Vale health board's Heath hospital? And will you commit, at the end of this term, to have addressed the shortfall of funding and make the diggers dig the foundations to build a new hospital in Cardiff?

Mabon ap Gwynfor (Plaid Cymru, Gwynedd Maldwyn)

Llywydd, the Member is absolutely right that the situation that we find ourselves in with regard to the University Hospital of Wales, and indeed other hospitals across Wales, is not acceptable. He was absolutely right in stating that staff are working miracles in very difficult circumstances. I echo those points. But just to re-emphasise that no plans have come forward by the health board to redevelop the University Hospital of Wales. Our priority at the moment is to ensure that we fix the urgent backlog in the NHS across Wales, so that we ensure an equity of outcomes for patients across the whole of Wales.

Vikki Howells (Labour, Pontypridd Cynon Merthyr)

7. Will the Cabinet Minister make a statement on the ongoing industrial dispute by health visitors within Cwm Taf Morgannwg University Health Board? OQ64134

Mabon ap Gwynfor (Plaid Cymru, Gwynedd Maldwyn)

Yes, for fear of repeating myself, I'd like to put on record our appreciation of the work that is carried out by health visitors. We know how important they are. They look after some of the most vulnerable people in our society, so we have to make sure that they are respected. I've made it absolutely clear that we expect the health board and the union to come together.

Vikki Howells (Labour, Pontypridd Cynon Merthyr)

Minister, I and my Welsh Labour colleagues stand in solidarity with the health visitors in Cwm Taf Morgannwg, who play an invaluable role in supporting families. They want to be back in the job that they love. Welsh Labour Senedd Members and MPs have written jointly to the health board, urging them to get back around the table and work in social partnership to resolve this dispute. But this isn't just a local issue. My office has checked with other health boards about how they pay their health visitors. One is evaluating the job role. Three use various bandings, which, in one case, vary from 'Agenda for Change' band 5 to 8B. But two others only pay health visitors at band 6, the banding that has ignited industrial action in Cwm Taf Morgannwg, which is now, of course, in its seventeenth week.

So, clearly, we need a Wales-wide approach, so that health visitors get the pay and banding they deserve, that their role, education and experience actually show they deserve, and that they can get back to work supporting families. So, will you make a Wales-wide solution to this a priority?

Mabon ap Gwynfor (Plaid Cymru, Gwynedd Maldwyn)

Llywydd, the Member is quite right that we are seeing different patterns, different bands, different levels across health boards in Wales. That's why there is, currently, a new national framework being drawn up, so that we have that standardised approach. I would wish for this to be designed in social partnership. Unfortunately, as things stand, because Unite are in dispute, they're not part of that process. I would urge Unite and all other partners to be a part of that process, so that we can exactly deliver what you want to see, which is a unified national structure, so that everybody has the same expectations across Wales.

Huw Irranca-Davies (Labour, Afan Ogwr Rhondda)

And finally, Cabinet Minister, question 8 to be answered by the Deputy Minister. Jayne Bryant.

Jayne Bryant (Labour, Casnewydd Islwyn)

8. What action is the Welsh Government taking to increase the number of midwives? OQ64176

Delyth Jewell (Plaid Cymru, Blaenau Gwent Caerffili Rhymni)

Thank you. We are taking targeted action to strengthen and stabilise the midwifery workforce through the strategic perinatal workforce plan, and we are working with NHS Wales to help graduates move into employment, including through the graduate summit on 18 June.

Jayne Bryant (Labour, Casnewydd Islwyn)

Diolch. As the daughter of a retired community midwife who is still a member of the Royal College of Midwives, I'm concerned about the issues that the Royal College of Midwives Cymru have raised about job uncertainty. Newly qualified midwives are skilled, committed and ready to provide high-quality care to women, babies and families. With more complexity in cases, there are particular gaps in support post caesarean section and postnatal and bereavement care. What discussions has the Minister had with midwives and trade unions about these important issues, to make sure that we utilise the skills of newly qualified midwives?

Delyth Jewell (Plaid Cymru, Blaenau Gwent Caerffili Rhymni)

Can I thank you, Jayne, for raising this question? It clearly is an issue very close to your heart, and close to your family, and thank you for the empathy that you brought in that question.

Look, I do recognise the concern and the distress that's facing lots of newly qualified midwives—those who are unable to secure posts at this time, when maternity services, as you've just been setting out, continue to face these workforce pressures. I do recognise that. This creates a real risk of losing those newly qualified, trained midwives that we need so much before they can even begin their careers here. It's not a situation that any of us would want to be in.

Now, as I said, we are working with NHS Wales to better align education commissioning, vacancies and funded posts. I have met briefly with the RCM. I intend to have a far longer conversation with them. There is a graduate summit, as I mentioned, that is being held on 18 June. That is tomorrow, so this is very timely. We are prioritising this to bring partners together and to focus on those practical actions that we need to support those newly qualified professionals into roles. Now, that work obviously sits alongside the implementation of the strategic perinatal workforce plan.

We have to do all we can to retain the talent that we have trained here in Wales, to recruit and support, and to deploy them where they are needed. You have just been setting out, Jayne, how vitally important they are in our society. We all thank them tremendously for the work that they do. It is invaluable. So, thank you very much for raising this really vital question.

Kerry Ferguson (Plaid Cymru, Ceredigion Penfro)

Thank you, Minister and Deputy Minister.

3. Questions to the Cabinet Minister for Local Government, Housing and Planning

Kerry Ferguson (Plaid Cymru, Ceredigion Penfro)

Questions to the Cabinet Minister for Local Government, Housing and Planning is next, and question 1 is from Paul Marr.

Paul Marr (Reform UK, Ceredigion Penfro)

1. Does the Cabinet Minister hold data for the total number of houses in multiple occupation in Wales and the proportion occupied by current and former asylum seekers? OQ64156

Siân Gwenllian (Plaid Cymru, Gwynedd Maldwyn)

Thank you very much for the question. The Welsh Government publishes annual information on the StatsCymru website about the number of homes known as HMOs—houses in multiple occupation—that is, the statistics known to local authorities. This surmounted to 14,954 on 31 March 2025—to save you from going to look at StatsWales. The data is not collected on residents.

Paul Marr (Reform UK, Ceredigion Penfro)

Thank you, Minister, for your response. I recently met with a 70-year-old armed forces veteran in my constituency of Ceredigion Penfro, who told me that, after falling on hard times, he had spent several years living in an abandoned camper van, because he was unable to secure accommodation. Given cases such as this, what assurances can your Government provide the people of Wales facing homelessness that they will not be treated less favourably in the allocation of housing or housing support than those individuals that have been granted asylum status?

Siân Gwenllian (Plaid Cymru, Gwynedd Maldwyn)

Our ambition is that everyone in Wales should have a quality home, for an affordable price and in the area that is right for them, including veterans, and including refugees too.

Your first question was on HMOs, and it is known that there can be too many of these HMOs in certain areas, which can lead to problems. But I would turn back to what was said in this Chamber yesterday, and I stand shoulder to shoulder with the words of the Plaid Cymru leader: it's not immigration that is causing the housing crisis, it's not asylum seekers that are causing the housing crisis. I'm more than happy to return to all of the issues surrounding the housing crisis that we face here in Wales, but don't try to create divisions within our society by trying to point the finger at one specific group in our society. The solution to the housing crisis—well, it's multifaceted, of course, but one of those solutions, clearly, is that we provide a greater supply of social housing for everyone who wishes to live here in Wales.

Anna Nicholl (Plaid Cymru, Ceredigion Penfro)

In Welsh Refugee Week, I'm pleased to have the opportunity to recognise the huge contribution that refugees continue to make to our communities and economy in Wales, including in my constituency of Ceredigion Penfro. Housing is a foundation for all of our lives, but, unfortunately, many refugees in Wales today face destitution. A safe home is a foundation for people fleeing war and persecution to rebuild their lives so as they can contribute to their new communities. Can the Minister confirm that refugees will be included within her work to end homelessness for everyone in Wales?

Siân Gwenllian (Plaid Cymru, Gwynedd Maldwyn)

The Homelessness and Social Housing Allocation (Wales) Act 2026 was given Royal Assent on 1 April. This legislation will help to remove barriers and challenges facing newly arrived refugees during the moving-on period, mainly by improving access to homelessness services and social housing for all who qualify.

The Act, of course, aims to make homelessness in Wales rare, short-lived and unrepeated. This is a significant transformation of the system, and it is likely that this will benefit newly arrived refugees, who are often at high risk of homelessness having left refuge accommodation.

The actions that we are taking in Wales to support those seeking refuge, and that are within our devolved powers, are mainly based around preventing poverty and not increasing pressures on public services. We, as a Government, are committed to protecting that national and international vision of a nation of sanctuary, and to ensure that our principles are incorporated across policy areas, including housing.

Kerry Ferguson (Plaid Cymru, Ceredigion Penfro)

Question 2, Mair Rowlands.

Mair Rowlands (Plaid Cymru, Bangor Conwy Môn)

Thank you. Congratulations to the Minister on her new role.

Mair Rowlands (Plaid Cymru, Bangor Conwy Môn)

2. How will the Cabinet Minister collaborate with local authorities to implement the Commission for Welsh-speaking Communities planning recommendations, in order to support the Welsh language as a living language in Bangor Conwy Môn? OQ64173

Siân Gwenllian (Plaid Cymru, Gwynedd Maldwyn)

Thank you for the question. We will be working together with the Welsh Local Government Association to press ahead with the Commission for Welsh-speaking Communities' recommendations that relate to planning, which is in my portfolio. Local evidence will be essential to find the right policy approaches that will support the Welsh language in communities across Wales.

Mair Rowlands (Plaid Cymru, Bangor Conwy Môn)

Thank you for that response. The Minister will be aware that the Welsh language is a living language within a large number of communities in my constituency, and I welcome the commitment from Plaid Cymru to ensure that the Welsh language gets the consideration it deserves in the town and country planning system. The Cabinet Minister will also be aware that there are a number of projects that go beyond the control of local authorities that have also caused considerable concern for communities in Bangor Conwy Môn over recent years—solar farms, for example, on a large scale. I would, therefore, appreciate it if the Minister could provide more detail on how she will go about collaborating with local authorities to put the Welsh language at the centre of local planning systems and to ensure that the Welsh language is given meaningful consideration in projects of national significance.

Siân Gwenllian (Plaid Cymru, Gwynedd Maldwyn)

Thank you very much. I am very aware of the pressures on the Welsh language not only in your own area, but across areas of west Wales, and beyond, where the Welsh language is a living language. We must do everything within our ability to protect and promote the Welsh language in those areas. The Welsh language is an integral part of the cultural identity of Wales, of course, and this Government must work in earnest now to look at the planning system and how that planning system can sustain and support the Welsh language, rather than work against its interests.

The work carried out by the commission around planning is an important and very valuable piece of work. One of their recommendations is to designate areas of high-density linguistic significance, and this is important in order to safeguard Welsh-speaking communities from further language shift. So, we are looking seriously at these recommendations. I have asked officials across Government—and I am working with the Minister for the Welsh language, and we will be coming together to look at the best ways of implementing the mechanisms set out in the commission's report. In my view, and in the view of the commission, designated areas of high-density linguistic significance would be an important way to review, reform, manage or to formulate policies that can safeguard and create favourable conditions for the Welsh language to prosper.

Kerry Ferguson (Plaid Cymru, Ceredigion Penfro)

I now call on the party spokespeople to question the Cabinet Minister. The Reform UK spokesperson, Francesca O'Brien.

Francesca O'Brien (Reform UK, Gŵyr Abertawe)

Thank you, Deputy Presiding Officer. Minister, you stood on a manifesto promise to deliver at least 20,000 new social homes by 2030. The people of Wales elected you on this commitment. So, I would like to know what are the annual milestones. How many social homes do you expect to be built by March 2027, March 2028 and March 2029, because a target without a trajectory is not a commitment, it is a deadline with nowhere to hide until it is too late? Therefore, Minister, can you confirm today that you will publish an annual milestone against your 20,000 social home target within the first 100 days of your Government, of which you have 60 remaining? In addition, what specific actions do you intend to take to increase the supply of housing for the 84 per cent of Welsh households who are not in receipt of social housing but who are suffering the consequences of a lack of supply of homes for sale and rent?

Siân Gwenllian (Plaid Cymru, Gwynedd Maldwyn)

Thank you very much, and I thank you for pursuing one of my main priorities, which is the commitment to build at least 20,000 social homes—which means those in public ownership, of course—by 2030. That commitment is going to help us tackle homelessness, and keep people out of temporary accommodation, and reduce the waiting lists that exist across Wales for social housing and make housing more affordable. I will bring forward more details.

You are right to ask the questions regarding what the milestones will be along that journey, and I am very keen to look at that and keen also to provide more details around how we define what counts as reaching the target and what kind of housing we are talking about within this policy area. I think I've been very clear that we need to tackle increasing the net supply of social housing.

And in terms of what you asked about in general terms, yes, we need to make housing more affordable for first-time buyers, and we need to think—and we are thinking—about all of the packages that have been available for first-time buyers, which help not only the people who want to move into their own homes, but also help the housing sector and small building companies—the housing sector in its entirety—and ensure that they benefit from any support that the Government can provide.

Francesca O'Brien (Reform UK, Gŵyr Abertawe)

Thank you, Minister. I'm sure you'll agree that if we can't have a timetable for the 20,000 homes, we can't monitor the progress of your Government, and that's why we, Reform UK, will hold you to account and scrutinise you, which the people of Wales want us to do.

Your Government has recognised that the planning system is broken, which is something I think we can both agree on. However, in order for you to tackle this issue, you are giving life to a new arm's-length body, a new taxpayer body to navigate a planning system so burdened with regulation that the builders have simply stopped building, a planning system so dysfunctional that even the planning officers are planning their way out of the jobs. I ask the Minister to tell this Chamber, before you create another body to manage the bureaucracy, will you commit to an urgent time-limited review of every regulatory layer currently preventing Welsh builders from breaking ground? And will you set a deadline in this Senedd term by which you will have removed those that cannot be justified?

Siân Gwenllian (Plaid Cymru, Gwynedd Maldwyn)

Thank you very much. I don't entirely agree with the picture that you've painted in terms of an entirely broken planning system. Yes, there are great challenges within the system and planning officials are working under very difficult conditions. Very often, it's the planning departments of county councils that have been cut because county councils are trying to protect those services that protect the most vulnerable people, such as education and social services. Planning departments, certainly, have been affected disproportionately because of austerity policies ultimately—less money coming to public services and difficult decisions having to be made. But I do agree with you that we do need to review how we can make the planning system more attractive, in a way, for the creation and development of an adequate supply of social housing, and other issues as well. So, we do have plans in the pipeline, and those discussions have started as regards the creation of a planning system that is more accessible and more relevant to the developments that we wish to create.

Francesca O'Brien (Reform UK, Gŵyr Abertawe)

Diolch, Minister, for your response. I would like to move our attention to local government, which I know is a matter close to our hearts, both having been previous councillors. In 11 months' time, we will be sending people in Wales back to the ballot box to exercise their vote and determine their new local governments. Now, given the finance Minister admitted over the weekend that your Government is facing extremely difficult decisions to fund your election pledges, which doesn't come as a surprise as your costings are still missing in action—but I'm sure they will arrive sometime in the autumn—wouldn't it be prudent to require councils to carry out post-election value-for-money audits? Following each local election, councils should be required to conduct a comprehensive audit of spending, contracts and service delivery. This would expose inefficiencies early and allow new administrations to act decisively. So, Minister, will you work constructively with us to implement this policy to ensure value for money for local council tax payers?

Siân Gwenllian (Plaid Cymru, Gwynedd Maldwyn)

It is very clear that we need to create some resilience within our local authorities. They are under significant pressure, but I don't think that what you're suggesting is a way of trying to attain that, to be honest. I think that we need to work with local government. I noticed that, in the Reform manifesto, you talk about penalising or imposing restrictions on local authorities if they don't do this, that and the other. Well, that's not the way of this Government. The way of this Government is to work in partnership with local government. We are looking at the partnership strategy and, in that regard, the discussions will be around how we strengthen the resilience of local government, and I'm looking forward greatly to those discussions. I'm going to the WLGA conference tomorrow, as it happens, where those discussions will take place. That's how I think we should collaborate with local government, rather than imposing a set of requirements on them, as you suggested.

Kerry Ferguson (Plaid Cymru, Ceredigion Penfro)

The Welsh Labour spokesperson, Mike Hedges.

Mike Hedges (Labour, Gŵyr Abertawe)

Diolch, Deputy Presiding Officer. Can I welcome the Minister to her role as Minister for local government and congratulate her on her appointment? I believe this is the first time a local government Minister and an opposition spokesperson have both previously held senior elected office in local government. My question is: what do you calculate the rate of inflation for 2026-27 affecting local government?

Siân Gwenllian (Plaid Cymru, Gwynedd Maldwyn)

Sorry, Mike, can you just repeat the last—?

Mike Hedges (Labour, Gŵyr Abertawe)

What do you calculate the rate of inflation for 2026-27 affecting local government?

Siân Gwenllian (Plaid Cymru, Gwynedd Maldwyn)

Thank you very much, Mike, and thank you very much for that recognition of the experience that I have as a former cabinet member and a former deputy leader of a council, too.

Clearly, the pressures facing our local authorities, as I've already mentioned, are very great indeed. I can't answer your question directly, Mike—I don't think you'd expect me to do that—but I will look to see if we can find that information for you.

Mike Hedges (Labour, Gŵyr Abertawe)

I can help you on that.

Siân Gwenllian (Plaid Cymru, Gwynedd Maldwyn)

Good.

Mike Hedges (Labour, Gŵyr Abertawe)

Prior to the Welsh Government's final budget for 2026-27, the Welsh Local Government Association estimated that additional funding needed to meet local authority budget pressures could total £1.6 billion over the next three years. The Auditor General for Wales said some councils are at the very edge of financial stability. In November 2025, he stressed that some local authorities were close to issuing section 114 notices. Education and social services account for the majority of local government spending. The Welsh Local Government Association estimates schools and social services alone make up around 60 per cent of financial pressures this year. Local authorities have a statutory duty to provide these services and, with ever-increasing demand in these areas, there's little flexibility in other budgets. The Welsh Government had substantial consequential funding from ALN expenditure in England. Does the Minister now expect that money to come into local government, and do you accept what I am saying about how much extra for local government we need, and will you be arguing for the supplementary budget to have additional money for local government?

Siân Gwenllian (Plaid Cymru, Gwynedd Maldwyn)

Thank you very much, Mike, for those questions. In terms of the budget, of course, we as a party were very happy to have been able to negotiate with your Government—the previous Labour Government—£112.1 million of additional funding for local authorities in order to ensure that that funding was available for 2026-27.

It is an extremely challenging period, of course, and I'm sure that the finance Minister will tell us more about the challenge very soon. We do understand the pressures on schools and local authorities, and particularly the pressures on families and in the area of supporting the needs of all learners, including those with ALN. The education system and the budgetary arrangements aren't the same in Wales as they are in England, of course, and it's clear that there are significant financial pressures in local education authorities in this country as well as in England. And I know that they've had to make very difficult decisions to manage this situation. We must now progress in working with our partners to develop a long-term, clear transformation plan for ALN—one that is specific, clear and timely—to ensure that the sector can support the needs of learners as well as being operationally sustainable.

Kerry Ferguson (Plaid Cymru, Ceredigion Penfro)

The Conservatives spokesperson, Peter Fox.

Peter Fox (Conservative, Sir Fynwy Torfaen)

Diolch, Ddirprwy Lywydd. Cabinet Minister, can I also congratulate you once again on your appointment? Now, your manifesto talks about reviewing the funding formula for local government, and that is very much welcome—as you know, I've called for that for a long time—but your manifesto also states that the structures of government in Wales, including town and community councils, will be kept under continuous review. Now, this has caused quite a lot of confusion and concern amongst local authorities. Can you therefore clarify, once and for all, that your Government will not be looking to restructure local authorities and instead will work with them to ensure they can deliver the public services that the people of Wales deserve?

Siân Gwenllian (Plaid Cymru, Gwynedd Maldwyn)

Thank you very much, Peter. Your first question was about the funding formula, and we have already started the work of reviewing the local government funding formula to ensure that it does reflect the true cost of providing services in different parts of Wales. You asked about restructuring of local government. Well, restructuring local government is not a priority for this Government. That won't happen during this Senedd term. But, of course, there are a number of things that we could be working on collaboratively with local government to reduce bureaucracy and processes and focus on delivery. That's where the partnership agreement that the Welsh Government has with local government is extremely valuable, so that we can discuss jointly our priorities and look to the future.

I say that there's no restructuring of local government, but we do need to look at the regionalisation that's happened gradually by the back door. Is that fit for purpose in every case? I think that there is an opportunity to undertake work on the regional aspect of local government.

Peter Fox (Conservative, Sir Fynwy Torfaen)

Well, thank you, Cabinet Minister, for the clarity on that; that's very much welcome. I know your anxieties around corporate joint committees and things like that, so I can see that you will be looking at those regional entities.

But, to move on, one aspect that caused voters to turn away from the previous Welsh Government is the fact that they spent too much time looking for additional powers, rather than using the ones they had to provide the basic services that the people of Wales depend on. Now, right now, local authorities, as we've heard several times, are facing increasing financial pressures and are being forced to raise council tax just to ensure that they can stay afloat. Now, the last thing they need are new additional projects being brought forward on the whim of policy makers down here in Cardiff Bay. Would you agree with me that councils should be given the resources needed to deliver key and statutory services and that the Government should refrain from loading new burdens on them?

Siân Gwenllian (Plaid Cymru, Gwynedd Maldwyn)

Certainly, any kind of changes need to be discussed in great detail, and decisions need to be made jointly. I return to that point time and again. That's why we have committed to renew the strategic partnership agreement with local authorities in order to establish that positive working relationship with local authorities across Wales. And that does provide a great opportunity for us to be discussing the implications of any kind of policy issue that is considered by the Welsh Government and that has implications for local government. That will all be discussed in a constructive spirit of collaboration.

Helen Jenner (Reform UK, Bangor Conwy Môn)

3. Will the Cabinet Minister provide an update on the delivery of housing in Bangor Conwy Môn? OQ64181

Siân Gwenllian (Plaid Cymru, Gwynedd Maldwyn)

Thank you very much. We will focus on ensuring an increase in social housing supply across Wales. That will include regenerating town centres in larger settlements, as well as building more new homes on brownfield sites.

Helen Jenner (Reform UK, Bangor Conwy Môn)

Diolch, Weinidog. During the election campaign, I met a family where a young mother and her 18-month-old child were still living at home with her parents because they simply had nowhere else to go. Sadly, that is the reality facing many families across Bangor Conwy Môn. So, can the Minister tell us how many households are currently waiting for social housing in Bangor Conwy Môn, whether that number is going up or down, and when families like this one I met can realistically expect to see the waiting list reduced? Diolch yn fawr.

Siân Gwenllian (Plaid Cymru, Gwynedd Maldwyn)

Thank you very much, and, unfortunately, the scenario that you described is far too familiar to me too, as a local Member. One's inbox gets full, doesn't it, with problems created by the housing crisis. We are in housing crisis, there is no doubt about that, and the impacts on real people are felt in those situations—people live in homes where there isn't enough room for everyone, and they are desperate to have an adequate home, a social home, because the rent is affordable. So, I do very much sympathise with that family's plight. The solution at the end of the day is to increase the supply of social housing. We do have a lot of social or affordable housing in the pipeline, including 359 in your own constituency, which should be completed during 2026-27.

Now, you asked about the waiting list. I don't have that information to hand, and I know that there are three if not four local authorities attached to your own constituency, and it's the local authorities that gather that data and hold the housing register. But I do know, through the work of Shelter Cymru, that around 140,000 people across Wales are on waiting lists. That figure may have increased by now. That isn't data that the Welsh Government directly gathers, but I do want to see us as a Government being able to access that information and to get hold of that data, so that we can be entirely transparent on the situation. Thank you.