Meeting Venue:
Y Siambr - Y Senedd
Meeting date:
Wednesday, 21 September 2022
Meeting time: 13.30
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This meeting will be held in a hybrid format, with some Members in the Senedd Chamber and others joining by video-conference.
1 Questions to the Minister for Climate Change - Postponed from 14 September
(45 mins)
The Presiding Officer has received notification, under Standing Order 12.58, that the Deputy Minister for Climate Change and the Minister for Rural Affairs and North Wales, and Trefnydd will answer questions on behalf of the Minister.
The Presiding Officer will call Party Spokespeople to ask questions without notice after Question 2.
2 Questions to the Minister for Education and Welsh Language - Postponed from 14 September
(45 mins)
The Presiding Officer will call Party Spokespeople to ask questions without notice to the Minister after Question 2.
3 Questions to the Minister for Finance and Local Government - Postponed to 28 September
4 Questions to the Minister for Rural Affairs and North Wales, and Trefnydd - Postponed to 28 September
5 Topical Questions
(20 mins)
To ask the Minister for Economy
Hefin David (Caerphilly): Will the Minister make a statement on the recent news that Bearmach Ltd at Pantglas Industrial Estate, Bedwas has gone into administration?
To ask the Deputy Minister for Arts and Sport
Heledd Fychan (South Wales Central): What discussions has the Minister held with local stakeholders and union representatives on the protection of workers’ rights following the recent announcement regarding the outsourcing of services at Plas Menai National Outdoor Centre?
6 90 Second Statements
(5 mins)
7 Debate on the Equality and Social Justice Committee report - Fuel poverty and the Warm Homes Programme - Postponed from 14 September
(60 mins)
NDM8072 Jenny Rathbone (Cardiff Central)
To propose that the Senedd:
Notes the Equality and Social Justice Committee report on Fuel poverty and the Warm Homes Programme, laid on 18 May 2022.
Note: The response of the Welsh Government to the report was laid in the Table Office on 19 August 2022.
8 Debate on the Climate Change, Environment and Infrastructure Committee report - Renewable energy in Wales - Postponed from 14 September - Withdrawn
(0 mins)
The motion has been withdrawn
9 Motion to approve the Official Languages Scheme for the Sixth Senedd and note the annual report on the Official Languages Scheme for 2021-22 - Postponed to 28 September
10 Debate on the Economy, Trade and Rural Affairs Committee report - Review of the Water Resources (Control of Agricultural Pollution) (Wales) Regulations 2021 - Postponed to 12 October
Motion to suspend Standing Orders
(5 mins)
NNDM8075 Elin Jones (Ceredigion)
To propose that the Senedd, in accordance with Standing Orders 33.6 and 33.8:
Suspends Standing Order 12.22(i) to allow amendments to NDM8073 to be considered in Plenary on Wednesday 21 September 2022.
11 Plaid Cymru Debate - Cost of living - Postponed from 14 September
(60 mins)
NDM8073 Sian Gwenllian (Arfon)
To propose that the Senedd:
1. Believes that the current increases in energy bills are unsustainable and that they will cause financial strain and hardship on households, businesses, and community groups, whilst fossil fuel companies are making record profits.
2. Calls on the Welsh Government to immediately implement broader cost-of-living emergency measures, such as:
a. halving rail fares and cap bus fares;
b. working with local authorities to clear some of the significant council tax arrears that have been built up over the course of the pandemic;
c. a rent freeze;
d. reinstating measures to ban winter evictions;
e. expanding the free school meals scheme to secondary school children;
f. increasing the educational maintenance allowance to £45.
The following amendments have been tabled:
Amendment 1 Darren Millar (Clwyd West)
Delete all and replace with:
Notes that the UK Government has introduced an energy profits levy.
Welcomes the action taken by the UK Government to tackle the cost of living, including:
a) an energy price guarantee, capping energy costs;
b) cost of living payments for those on low income benefits and tax credits worth £650;
c) a disability cost of living payment worth £150;
d) monthly reductions in fuel bills from October worth £400;
e) an increase in the National Living Wage to £9.50 an hour;
f) a reduction in the universal credit taper rate;
g) a freeze on fuel duty;
h) a two year freeze on the TV licence fee;
i) extra winter fuel payments.
Calls on the Welsh Government to work with the UK Government to support people, businesses and the third sector to meet the challenges ahead.
[If amendment 1 is agreed, amendment 2 will be de-selected]
Amendment 2 Lesley Griffiths (Wrexham)
Delete all after point 1 and replace with:
Believes the UK Government is failing to grasp the severity of this crisis and that it would allow working people to cover the cost of an energy cap instead of taxing the record profits of gas and oil producers.
Welcomes the £1.6bn invested in targeted cost-of-living support and universal programmes which put money back in people’s pockets provided by the Welsh Government this financial year, including:
a) extending the £200 Winter Fuel Support Payment to 400,000 households this winter;
b) rolling out universal primary free school meals from September 2022;
c) investing £51.6m in the Discretionary Assistance Fund to provide an emergency lifeline for people in severe financial crisis;
d) £4m to fund fuel vouchers to help people on pre-payment meters and a fuel bank for people not on mains gas.
12 Time allocated to the Welsh Conservatives - Postponed to 28 September
13 Voting Time
14 Short Debate - Postponed from 14 September
(30 mins)
NDM8070 Jenny Rathbone (Cardiff Central)
Delivering on universal free school meals: the challenges and opportunities.
15 Short Debate (Joel James (South Wales Central)) - Postponed to 28 September
The Senedd will sit again in Plenary at 13.30, Tuesday, 27 September 2022