Prime Minister and First Minister of Wales Meetings

Baroness Bloomfield of Hinton Waldrist Excerpts

Wednesday 7th May 2025 Lords Chamber

[Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent (Lab)]

My Lords, what is clear is that our relationship with the Welsh Government is built on respect, collaboration and delivery. There is an open door: the Secretary of State for Wales speaks to the First Minister nearly every day, we have ongoing conversations and we work very closely, through both formal and informal structures, including with parliamentarians across your Lordships’ House. With regard to the polls, we are a year away and we will be fighting for every vote.

[Baroness Bloomfield of Hinton Waldrist (Con)]

My Lords, in an effort to be constructive, and as somebody born and brought up very close to Barry Island, I ask the noble Baroness: given the parlous state of the health service in Wales, did the First Minister and Prime Minister discuss the possibility of allowing Welsh patients to be treated across the border in England?

[Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent (Lab)]

I thank the noble Baroness for giving me the opportunity to celebrate the achievements of NHS Wales in the past three months. Waiting lists have fallen month on month over the past three months because of the additional record-breaking £21 billion of investment that has gone to the Welsh Government from this Government. NHS England and NHS Wales are working closely with each other to deliver change but let us be clear: the inheritance we were left by the previous Government —the lack of funding both for NHS Wales and for our public services across the United Kingdom—is why we find ourselves in this place.