I believe that the NHS first Bill has worthy ambitions, as long as the NHS is able to deliver the care when required. All my constituents ask for is a local medical centre or a hospital that can treat them quickly, with local expertise.
Gwyn Williams has often talked about how health board boundaries stop the movement of patients, staff and experts. This means that services are fragmented, duplicated and delayed. Patients should not be refused access simply because they live on the wrong side of a health board boundary. There must be no postcode lottery in treatment or outcomes. The ministerial advisory group recognised last year that de facto regional arrangements are already widely established and called for stronger regional working.
To support the Bill, there is clear need for more medical staff. I welcome the Government's announcement of 253 additional graduate nursing jobs recently, but the Royal College of Nursing has said that the uncertainty has caused a huge reduction in people accepting nursing degrees in Wales.
This Bill should also call for greater transparency. Health boards should publish clear information about the use of private providers, including costs, activities and outcomes. That would allow the public to judge whether spending leads to permanent NHS capacity or just short-term solutions. An NHS first approach must have stronger accountability. For too long, the Welsh Government has taken a hands-off approach to NHS management. Ministers must exercise firmer oversight and set clear expectations when performance, decision making or patient safety falls short. Successful practices should be shared across Wales. Our NHS needs management that is results driven, not process driven. We must allow our front-line health professionals to concentrate on what matters most: their patients.
What's needed is faster treatment, safer care and better use of public money. It is about building capacity and resilience within a national health service that belongs to us all. Let us put the NHS first, break down the barriers that delay care, strengthen democratic oversight and ensure that every decision begins and ends with what is best for the patients in Wales. Diolch yn fawr.
Contributions
23 contributions on record. Newest first, by sitting day. Page 1 of 1. Counted by Siambr
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Cabinet Minister, whilst your colleague is in America deep-seeking the meaning of artificial intelligence, and the First Minister is running around Cardiff market, there are some very pressing challenges in Carmarthenshire affecting rural communities. Cash-strapped councils are being forced into short-term, penny-pinching false economies like threatening to close our small rural schools. In fact, two schools were closed today. Councils must manage their money, yes, I absolutely agree, but when will the Welsh Government prioritise ours? Will this funding formula finally direct real taxpayers' money to safeguard these small rural schools, the beating hearts of our communities? Diolch.
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Deputy Minister, one of my staff recently left Carmarthen at 6.20 in the morning and did not arrive here in Cardiff bay until 11 o'clock. Getting to the bay or the Senedd by train or bus takes longer than flying to Malta. That said, when it comes to adaptation and resilience, we already know the risks from flooding and erosion. The assessments have been done. Operators and maintenance teams have said what is needed to be done. We do not need another review or plan; we need Government to get on with the work. As I said, closures and delays affect commuters. Supply chains are affected. Investors are deterred. Costs are higher for Welsh businesses. Reliable transport links are vital for economic growth. These essential works should not be delayed by more assessments. So, can the Minister explain why so much is still at the planning stage? What work will now be carried out on our road and rail networks, and when will people see action? The public—
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—do not need another—.
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Thank you, Ben, for the one-minute opportunity here. Ports are gateways to jobs, investment and growth. They are vital to communities across Wales, yet Welsh businesses are being squeezed by high energy costs and held back by poor infrastructure. Congested roads and bottlenecks increase costs and make it harder for exporters and importers and manufacturers to compete. We live in a digital age, but the physical economy still matters. Our ports, roads, railways are foundations of trade and prosperity. The reality is simple: when transport fails, businesses suffer; when energy costs rise, investment goes elsewhere. If we want economic growth, we must back our ports, improve connectivity and remove barriers to investment. In times of potential global food shortages, or even war, and when imports of food are at 40 per cent, one thing is clear—strong ports are not a luxury, they are a necessity.
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Trefnydd, can I ask for a statement on the Government's plans for improving pre-application consultations for major energy infrastructure developments, including solar farms, windfarms, new pylons and substations? My constituents feel ignored and dismayed. They believe these applications are just tick-box exercises. They tell me that notices intended to inform them are put up in places where they cannot be seen. They say letters arrive so late they have no meaningful chance to respond. To them, it feels like they are being deliberately denied a voice in decisions that will affect their homes and communities. They say they are being treated like mushrooms: fed farmyard manure and kept in the dark. So, Trefnydd, will the Government make a statement on how it will improve pre-application consultations for major energy infrastructure developments and ensure that communities are genuinely heard? Diolch.
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Last week, I asked the First Minister about the fact that NRW and other agencies do not know the full mix of chemicals discharged legally into the rivers of Carmarthenshire. A report has said that NRW are flying blind. As I wasn't quite sure of the response from the Cabinet Minister, I will ask the Cabinet Minister this: if we do not know exactly what chemicals are discharged into the rivers and how they interact with each other, how can we know what impact they are having on river ecosystems? How can we say with any confidence that this cocktail of pollutants isn't disrupting fish migration, harming fish and aquatic plants, and irreparably affecting river diversity? Diolch.
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Addressing the motion before us, let me remind Members what the First Minister promised before the election. It was to establish a national commission on Wales's constitutional feature, not push for independence after 100 days. Yet after meeting the leaders of Sinn Féin and the SNP, this administration now appears to be charging full pelt towards independence. The joint Plaid, Sinn Féin and SNP agreement declares, and I quote, ‘Momentum is behind our movements; we believe that constitutional change is coming.’ The people of Wales deserve to know exactly what that means, exactly what it will cost, and exactly who will pay. Only last year, the First Minister declared that there was business to do right now. That meant, he stated, improvements in health, education, families, jobs, the environment and farming. And on that point, I agree. There is business to do, urgent business, serious business, and yet, instead of getting on with that, we seem to be heading down a constitutional rabbit hole. Welsh families are worried about the Welsh NHS. They're worried about the cost of living. They're worried about whether their children will find jobs and build a future. And what is the answer from Plaid Cymru? More division, more distraction, more constitutional theatre. After 100 days, this administration should be focused on what matters to the people of Wales. Patients are still waiting too long for treatment. Front-line services remain under pressure, and unemployment is too high. Energy bills for households and business are disastrous. Breaking the union will not fix any of this; it will make it worse. And then there is the cost. Wales simply cannot afford the independence experiment. The Office for National Statistics demonstrated that the net fiscal deficit for Wales in 2024-25 was between £22 billion and £23 billion. And your own Minister, Dafydd Trystan Davies, Cabinet Minister for Government Effectiveness and the Constitution stated, and I quote, ‘it is plainly evident that Wales is a net fiscal beneficiary of the United Kingdom.’ What would be needed to pay for this? The answer: higher taxes and more borrowing. This is not a plan. It is a slow-motion fiscal car crash dressed up as a national project. And who pays? Who picks up the bill? The answer is simple: the Welsh taxpayer, Welsh families. Leaving the United Kingdom would mean walking away from the benefits of a larger union, shared resources, fiscal transfers and economic scale. It's a gamble with people's jobs, mortgages, pensions—a gamble doomed to failure. Then there is the plan to devolve the Crown Estate. This isn't the magic bullet Plaid claim. There is no Scottish-style windfall and no pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. The Welsh Government's own expert group said gross revenues would probably be less than £20 million a year—£20 million—and that is before the cost of creating another Welsh quango. It is obvious that all that Wales gains from being part of the United Kingdom is strength, financial security and shared opportunity. [Interruption.] No, sorry, can I just finish? Being part of the union does not weaken Wales; it makes us stronger. The Senedd already has extensive powers over health, transport and education, so before Plaid Cymru put all their energy into breaking the union, they should answer a straightforward question: what have they done so far with the powers they already possess? What do the people of Wales actually want? Poll after poll after poll, the majority do not support independence. They want the Government to stop talking to itself and start listening to them. Welsh people want action that will revive the Welsh industry. Businesses, again, and energy-intensive industries in Wales are being squeezed by massive energy costs and bureaucracy—costs that prevent further investment, make them uncompetitive, and jobs are being lost. We need an energy policy built on affordability, reliability and national security. We need to scrap 'net stupid zero'. We should reassess the energy mix and support the roll-out of small modular nuclear reactors. Wales's industry needs dependable power to be able to grow. The task will be impossible if we aren't part of the United Kingdom. The Welsh people want NHS waiting lists fixed. We need to clear the backlogs for all NHS treatments. The NHS needs more doctors, nurses and fewer managers. Welsh farming needs more support, not regulation. In Wales, we need farmers to produce more food. We should let farmers produce food, protect the countryside and sustain rural communities. Reform choose the United Kingdom. We need real action over pipe dreams and we need to keep Wales strong within the United Kingdom. Diolch.
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Diolch, First Minister. People whose livelihoods depend on Carmarthenshire's rivers, including members of Carmarthen Coracle and Netsmen's Association, tell us they have never seen such a poor season, with the return of only six sewin from May to June this year. Their experience makes clear that river pollution must be treated with a far greater urgency. I urge you to read the Royal Society's recent report on chemical mixtures in British waterways. Quote: 'Regulators are flying blind.' Unquote. In Carmarthenshire, Natural Resources Wales seem to be flying blind. Our rivers are being contaminated by harmful chemical mixtures, including organics, ammonia, microplastics, cadmium and mercury, with no understanding of their interactions or the harm done. Will you acknowledge that the Welsh Government lacks a credible plan to clean up our rivers, and set out how it will meet its political duty to protect our waters and rivers and special areas of conservation?
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Diolch, First Minister. Despite your Government's investment, including the use of higher cost private providers, and the appointment of a Deputy Minister for Public and Preventative Health, my constituents still face long waits and last-minute cancellations of cataract operations. What long-term action will the Welsh Government take to train more eye surgeons and increase capacity to meet the growing demand from an ageing population, including patients with glaucoma or diabetic retinopathy and those needing regular eye injections to prevent avoidable blindness?
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Diolch, Deputy Presiding Officer. Trefnydd, I would like to call for a Welsh Government statement on what support can be provided to constituents and local communities who wish to challenge the actions of well-funded infrastructure developers. As you will know, High Court proceedings are simply beyond the means of most families. Many of the constituents that I represent in Carmarthenshire have been subjected to survey notices that the High Court found were not issued in accordance with the statutory scheme. Concerned landowners and occupiers have faced significant stress and expenses because of the actions that they have been subjected to. They would welcome reassurances from this Welsh Government on what support can be provided to them. Therefore, I call for a Welsh Government statement on this matter. Diolch.
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Sorry, Llywydd, I haven't got one. Apologies.
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Diolch for that answer. A key point of good education is good teachers, and, as has already been alluded to, we are having trouble retaining them. They are under a lot of pressure, from ALN pressures to a lack of class discipline. So, what are we going to do to retain the good teachers, to keep education, and better education, here in Sir Gaerfyrddin and Wales? Diolch.
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People across Carmarthenshire are no longer confused by the language around net zero, they are frustrated by it, because when Ministers talk about strategic investment and a just transition, many hear spin. What they actually see are higher bills, disruption in their communities and decisions being imposed upon them. We were told this would protect the environment, but tell that to the residents in the Tywi valley facing proposed pylons and 200-metre wind turbines dominating their landscape. Tell that to the people in Bynea and Pumsaint dealing with vast solar developments—years of dust, noise and disruption. And we were promised lower bills, yet families are seeing that the opposite is happening. So, will the Minister answer this directly: where is the evidence this approach is delivering for ordinary people? And will the Government change course if this continues to drive up costs and lose public consent? Diolch.
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Minister, what I hear across Carmarthenshire is simple: people do not feel more resilient—they feel under pressure. Farmers are being asked to do more, comply with more, and absorb more cost—from TB to the SFS to the rise in diesel costs and fertiliser costs. Margins are being squeezed tighter than ever. And at the same time, we are not securing the future. Where is the clear plan to bring through the next generation of farmers who will actually feed us into the future? And it's not just farming. Rural businesses, pubs, B&Bs and tourism operators are struggling to stay afloat, yet they are confronted with a tourism tax, a 182-day rule. They see it as punishing, not supporting. Their survival is on the brink. So let's be frank—these policies may well be well intentioned, but on the ground they are being felt as burdens, not support. Minister, if this agenda is about resilience and sustainability, why do so many in rural Wales feel less resilient and less sustainable? Diolch.
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I nominate Andrew Griffin.
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Across Carmarthenshire, from Pumsaint to Bynea, from Ferryside to the Tywi valley, people are angry, First Minister. They see their countryside being industrialised with massive wind turbines, huge solar sites, substations, and miles and miles of pylons. There's concrete, disruption and destruction on their productive farmland. What angers them most, First Minister, is that, during the campaign, Plaid Cymru stood with these communities, nodding along to their concerns, offering warm words and so-called alternatives, but now they're in Government, those same communities feel completely abandoned. So let me ask you directly: was this just lip service to get elected? Are rural communities in Carmarthenshire now simply being told they must sacrifice their land, their farming, their tourism, their way of life to satisfy your ideological obsession with net zero, no matter what the cost? Why would anyone trust Plaid Cymru again when it says one thing on the doorstep and does the exact opposite in Government? Diolch.
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Dan Thomas.
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Each page holds 50 contributions at most and keeps a sitting day whole, unless the day alone is over 50.
Sources
The Record of Proceedings for each sitting day, quoted verbatim.