Part of 1. Questions to the First Minister – in the Senedd at 1:44 pm on 13 June 2023.
Adam Price
Plaid Cymru
1:44,
13 June 2023
I am meeting the Shadows Depression Support Group in the Amman valley on Friday, and I have to tell the First Minister that the news that this service is due to close in September has caused great concern for the 1,600 people who use the service at the moment. We must also bear in mind the waiting list in the Hywel Dda area for those that need therapy for mental health issues, where over 50 per cent are waiting over six months. So, what can we offer in terms of providing hope and assurance to them? I understand the point the First Minister made, that this was a decision from the local medical cluster, but is there a national framework in terms of assessing the costs and benefits of these decisions, and is there direct funding available for situations where, because of these decisions, there will be gaps in provision for these people? Shouldn't we ensure that there is continuity of support for people who truly need that support in the Amman and Gwendraeth valleys?
Ministers make up the Government and almost all are members of the House of Lords or the House of Commons. There are three main types of Minister. Departmental Ministers are in charge of Government Departments. The Government is divided into different Departments which have responsibilities for different areas. For example the Treasury is in charge of Government spending. Departmental Ministers in the Cabinet are generally called 'Secretary of State' but some have special titles such as Chancellor of the Exchequer. Ministers of State and Junior Ministers assist the ministers in charge of the department. They normally have responsibility for a particular area within the department and are sometimes given a title that reflects this - for example Minister of Transport.
