Wales should follow example of Western Australia in attracting doctors and nurses, Ceredigion Preseli MP Ben Lake has said.

Mr Lake warned that rural depopulation in Wales could lead to a “collapse of public services” without government intervention to retain young people in rural areas and attract workers from other parts of the world, and should follow the lead of regions like Western Australia in attracting workers to fill skill shortages in public services through promotional campaigns.

Western Australia launched a campaign last year targeting workers in the UK and Ireland, enticing them with promises of higher salaries, a better quality of life, and lower living costs.

Speaking in Westminster this week, Mr Lake highlighted the “many benefits of rural living” in Wales and urged both the Welsh and UK governments to do more to attract key workers to rural communities.

He noted that Ceredigion recorded a 5.9 per cent decrease in its population in the last census, while Pembrokeshire's population remained stagnant.

The constituency is experiencing the “real consequences of depopulation,” including a shortage of GPs, the absence of NHS dental services in much of the region, school closures, and the lack of banking facilities, Mr Lake said.