The Welsh NHS is not for sale says Welsh Government

Donald Trump rolled back on a comment he made yesterday about whether the National Health Service would be part of negotiations on a future US-UK trade deal.

During a joint press conference with outward bound Prime Minister Theresa May, Mr Trump said he was “committed to a phenomenal trade deal between the U.S. and the UK.

There is tremendous potential in that trade deal — I say, probably, two and even three times of what we’re doing right now.”

Asked if a US-UK trade deal should include the NHS Trump said: “Look, I think everything with a trade deal is on the table.

When you — when you’re dealing in trade, everything is on the table — so, NHS or anything else. There are a lot — a lot more than that. But everything will be on the table, absolutely. Okay.”

Responding, Theresa May said: “But the point about making trade deals is, of course, that both sides negotiate and come to an agreement about what should or should not be in that trade deal for the future.”

Donald Trump’s comments prompted a response from the Welsh Government.

In a joint statement, the Health Minister and International Relations Minister said the Welsh NHS – which is the responsibility of the Welsh Government – would not be part of any US-UK trade deal.

Minister for International Relations, who has responsibility for trade policy, Eluned Morgan (pictured above left) said:

“The Welsh NHS is a public service, and under this Welsh Government, will remain so.

I have made absolutely clear to the UK government’s International Trade Secretary, Liam Fox, that devolution must be respected in any new trade deals post-Brexit.

That includes the UK government respecting the Welsh Government’s determination to preserve the NHS as a public service.

So, there is absolutely no prospect whatsoever of us allowing the Welsh NHS to be part of any negotiation on a new trade deal with the USA. It is simply not going to happen.”

Health Minister, Vaughan Gething (pictured above right) added:

“The Welsh NHS is a public service that was born in Wales, and it will remain a public service under this Welsh Government.

And in Wales, under this government, it will continue to be a much loved and cherished service that puts people, not profit, first.“

In a later interview with Piers Morgan for ITV he backed down on the initial remarks saying: “I don’t see it being on the table,”

“Somebody asked me a question today and I say everything is up for negotiation, because everything is but I don’t see that being . . . that’s something that I would not consider part of trade. That’s not trade.”