Sam Rowlands
Group Fflint Wrecsam · Welsh Conservative · Wales
“Diolch, Llywydd. Cabinet Secretary, you'll be aware that general practice is under immense pressure. More than 100 surgeries in Wales have closed since 2012, making it more difficult for people to access a GP in their local area.”
“Frankly, at this point, in response, Cabinet Secretary—25 years of Labour Government here in Wales, 25 years of responsibility for delivering health services, 25 years of ensuring that GP practices are able to function to the best of their ability—it seems that a lack of responsibility is being taken on your side of this Chamber here toda…”
“As ever, it's a pleasure to take part in this debate, which celebrates the many small businesses up and down Wales. But, sadly, it's a difficult time for far too many of those small businesses, for the hard-working people who run them, the members of staff and for customers who want thriving high streets.”
“It seems to me to stem from some sort of inherent hostility or suspicion, or some sort of jealousy of private business and free enterprise. The Labour Government's budget was as clear an example as you'd ever see of that suspicion and hostility towards business.”
“Thank you for the intervention, Mabon ap Gwynfor. We on these benches agree that the Barnett formula does need looking at to make sure that Wales is getting the right level of funding that it absolutely deserves, but I suppose the nationalists would want to argue that money raised in Wales is enough from Wales to deliver the services that…”
“Of course, Cabinet Secretary, you acknowledged there the value that GP practices have in our communities in supporting people up and down Wales, but that value needs to be followed by an offer that is adequate to meet the demand at their doors.”
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“They continue to hold this line, that they're not punishing working people, but we've seen in this debate here today that all people through society, working people in particular, are being punished because of this budget. We heard from Heledd Fychan—and it worried me slightly in the opening of Heledd Fychan's contribution, decrying the democratic will of the people of Wales to leave the European Union, clearly forgetting that our economy in the UK is performing much better than that in the eurozone—and Heledd Fychan was absolutely right to raise the impact of national insurance contributions on the third sector and charities.”
“Peter Fox opened the debate here this evening by pointing to the budget's harsh impact on those hard-working businesses, with the IFS highlighting that employers will have to pay an additional £900 for each employee on median average earnings. Even an employee on the minimum wage will mean that employers will be spending an extra £770 in a national insurance contribution. Imagine thinking that working people were not being taxed further because of this budget’s implications. Imagine thinking that business owners are not working people. Imagine thinking that farmers are not working people. This is the hypocrisy of the Labour budget that was presented in Westminster last week.”
“Thank you, Deputy Presiding Officer, and thank you to everybody for taking part in this important debate here this evening in the Senedd. Alun Davies was unusually correct when he said in his opening remarks that a budget debate is important because it demonstrates the priorities and attitudes of a Government. What this budget has demonstrated in its priorities and attitude is that a Labour Government will always tax you more, will always increase the burden on working people and always increase the burden on job-creating businesses, because the Labour Party thinks it knows how to spend your money better than you know how to spend it yourself.”
“Because we know that they have a core role in improving the well-being of citizens, and, importantly, preventing ill health. We know that prevention is so much better than cure. Get it right in the first place at a primary care level in our communities—that's exactly the right solution. So, again, in closing, I thank the petitioner and repeat the calls for the Welsh Government to commit the funding to GPs to deliver the sustainable services that we all want to see in our communities. Diolch yn fawr iawn.”
“The reason why we've seen over 100 surgeries in Wales shut down in the last 12 years, with no real sign of reversal, is exactly because of the funding not matching the pressures that they are under. And that's really impacting people across Wales, in particular in rural Wales. I'm looking forward to the short debate that James Evans will be leading later this evening on the impact of GP closures in rural parts of Wales. I was pleased with the timing of this petition as well, because the Welsh Conservatives led a debate based on the BMA Wales Save Our Surgeries campaign just in the last couple of months. I echo again the calls that we made in that debate, including asking for the Welsh Government to ensure there is a clear workforce strategy to ensure that we do train, recruit and retain enough GPs for the long term.”
“It's clear that people across the country also feel that general practice is underfunded and is forced to cope with resources that are inadequate and a workload that is frankly unsustainable. I'm sure many of us in this Chamber today have heard from GPs directly how unsustainable the existing situation is for them. As it stands, we know that 8 per cent of NHS Wales funding goes towards GPs and GP practice, a percentage that is actually lower than levels from 2005-06, which I think probably reflects a little bit of the value in which GPs are perhaps held at from Welsh Government at the moment. If they were properly valued and properly understood, then there would be resources to match that.”
“Can I thank the Chair of the Petitions Committee for opening today's debate on fair and adequate resourcing of general practice in Wales, and the committee as a whole for considering this really important petition that Lewis Williams, as you rightly pointed out, Chair, submitted? I think the significance of this petition is shown through the number of people who signed it—over 21,000, I believe. And we sometimes forget, in terms of Senedd petitions, that's a huge number. We sometimes look at it in light of some of the issues around 20 mph, and forget that 21,000 people signing this petition shows the importance that general practice has to the people of Wales, and to communities up and down this country.”
“Do you think there's a further role outside of Government that this Senedd could play to scrutinise the data that's made available and support the work of Government, to ensure that people across Wales are being delivered services and policies have been set with the most accurate and helpful information possible?”
“Can I thank Sioned Williams also for raising this important question in the Chamber here today? And I associate myself with the comments raised by Members in this place already. It particularly piqued my interest because yesterday, of course, Cabinet Secretary, you'll recall the discussion we had here on the back of your statement around escalation processes. One of the points I raised in that discussion on your statement was around the accuracy of the data and the information that you receive to be able to do your role as best as possible. You've probably answered a number of questions that I had already, but I wonder whether you think there's a role in particular on a broader issue that's been raised by Members here today on data, data accuracy and the information being as helpful as possible.”
“We do know, in the lead-up to the last Senedd elections, that a previous health Minister felt comfortable to move Betsi Cadwaladr health board out of special measures before plunging them back in soon after those elections. So, I would be keen to hear from you today a commitment that you will not be taking this approach yourself, because the appearance of escalation and de-escalation being played around with for political expediency is something that I know damages confidence in this place and damages confidence in the Welsh Government. The lives and health of people across Wales are far too serious for those party political games to be played. Diolch yn fawr iawn.”
“I would argue as well that we should be looking for support for those solutions for change from any quarter we can get it from, whether it's cross-border, whether it's cross-sector—wherever it may be. So, I'd be interested to hear from you, Cabinet Secretary, how those discussions are going with colleagues at a UK level, working across border and across sectors, to deliver solutions to change so that these health boards can move out of this escalated position sooner rather than later. Finally, Deputy Presiding Officer, just to finish with, I agree with you in your summary towards the end, Cabinet Secretary, where you talked about the seriousness and significance of decisions being made.”
“An example of this is that you announced significant improvements in Cwm Taf Morgannwg University Health Board's child and adolescent mental health provision, but we're aware, aren't we, that a recent report by ITV, based on a Welsh Conservative investigation, showed that CAMHS waiting times had doubled from 2021. So, it's deeply concerning that Cwm Taf has now been de-escalated. So, I wonder if you could confirm that the average waiting times in the health board for CAMHS have significantly improved since 2023 and that they are, indeed, meeting the four-week target that you'd had in place for them, as well. I'm going to come to solutions for change, as the third area that I think is important when we're looking at de-escalation.”
“I think it'd be helpful for health boards to hear that, ultimately, responsibility for the delivery of health services sits with you as the Cabinet Secretary for health. When it comes to oversight, Welsh Government Ministers, past and present, have often spoken about being given assurances by health boards and the way in which health boards are being monitored. Isn't it clear, however, that, in many cases across Wales, these assurances haven't necessarily always been delivered on and that monitoring isn't necessarily bringing about the effective change that you'd want to see?”
“You've made clear today in your statement—and we've heard it on the floor here before—that the day-to-day responsibility for healthcare delivery is not your responsibility, which I would accept at an operational level, but when we're faced with such a consistent period of time of people on waiting lists and suffering on those waiting lists, I would argue that it's no longer an operational responsibility, but is now a strategic and policy responsibility, which, to me, firmly sits with you and with the Welsh Government. So, I wonder if you would accept that premise too—that responsibility for the delivery of services firmly rests with you and that you'd be willing to be clear on that in your future contributions, as well.”
“And we know that that is at an all-time high after seven record-breaking months of consecutive increase. I think it's fair to say that it's probably not an inheritance that you would've wanted to have in this role, Cabinet Secretary. And we know that it's difficult, of course, for the Welsh Government to tackle some of this. But I would argue that there is an opportunity for the Welsh Government to take clear lines of responsibility in tackling these issues.”
“But I'm also deeply worried about the worsening position in too many areas, as well—for example, those in Swansea Bay University Health Board and Powys Teaching Health Board for finance, strategy and planning. And when we're talking about these arrangements, the oversight and escalation arrangements, for me, there are three keys to what we're talking about and the first is around clear lines of responsibility. The second is around accurate oversight and reporting, and the third is around the deliverable solutions for change. We know, in the current system, as you mentioned, of the long waiting lists that, unfortunately, are still here in Wales, and we know that that number is around 800,000—the number of people waiting for treatment in Wales.”
“Thank you for your statement here today, Cabinet Secretary. May I first of all associate myself with your opening remarks and give credit to all those working in our health services in Wales and recognise the difference that they are making every day to people throughout the country? And also, I support your final comments in highlighting the important role of escalation in enabling those health services to deliver on those ambitions to the best of their ability, not as a punishment, as you say, but, rather, as appropriate support to enable people to do what they're in the job to do. I also share your concerns about the health boards you've mentioned in today's statement and I welcome the improvements in a number of areas that you've highlighted.”
“I know that they would welcome investment by the local authority in those potholes being dealt with. So, I'd like confirmation from the Cabinet Secretary that consequential funding will come through to deal with these issues, and that that money will pass through to local authorities to be able to tackle these issues, and I think a statement on this would be most welcome. Thank you very much.”
“Trefnydd, I'd like to call for a statement from the Cabinet Secretary for transport, who I'm really pleased is able to join us here this afternoon, particularly a statement on council funding for road maintenance and potholes. You'll be aware that, last week, the Chancellor made an announcement that there will be £500 million extra being made available for local road maintenance in England. Of course, I expect there to be a consequential of the £500 million through to Wales. Councils, I'm sure, will be expecting to see that money come through to them to enable them to deliver on those road maintenance and pothole issues. I've been made aware by many residents, in Wrexham in particular, who are suffering significant issues due to the potholes in that part of the world.”