In a week where we found out 400 jobs would be cut at Cardiff University and the national museum suddenly closed its doors due to safety concerns, eyes turn to what the Welsh government is doing to help protect our important cultural and educational establishments.
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00:00Let me remind the Senedd, and let me remind the First Minister, that last month Wales's
00:06latest health statistics were released, and they were truly shocking, First Minister.
00:11Welsh NHS waiting lists haven't just hit record highs, they've now hit record highs for 10
00:17consecutive months. That is truly shocking.
00:21There are 2 million contacts every month in a population of 3 million people. That is
00:26a huge amount of work being done. And you talk about the waiting lists, let me tell
00:32you about waiting lists. The diagnostic waits in Wales are going down, the therapies are
00:38going down, and do you know what? They don't even count those in England. They're not even
00:42counted in the statistics. So we're being far more honest with the public about what
00:48is going on in Wales.
00:49For Plaid Cymru, concerns go further than just the NHS, as Cardiff University and other
00:54establishments are coming under unprecedented pressures across the country.
00:59Institutions of cultural, educational and national importance are being dismantled
01:03one by one under this Labour government, from our health service to the health of our cultural
01:09and education institutions. The First Minister will have heard the rally on the steps of
01:13the Senedd today. 400 jobs on the brink at Cardiff University, the National Museum closed,
01:19cuts to the Arts Council, the loss of a national theatre, a world-renowned music department
01:24going, the land of song being silenced on Labour's watch.
01:28A very unsettling time for staff and for students at the university. I think Cardiff is one
01:34of the jewels in the crown of our higher education sector in Wales. There are lots of reasons
01:39for the difficulties that universities are facing in Wales. It is not unique to Wales.
01:49We've got to take account the fact that there are changes to visa requirements, Brexit,
01:53lots of EU structural funds. All of these things have impacted on the university.