Meeting Venue:
Y Siambr - Y Senedd
Meeting date:
Tuesday, 16 January 2024
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.
(45 mins)
The Presiding Officer will call Party Leaders to ask questions without notice to the First Minister after Question 2.
(30 mins)
View Business Statement and Announcement
(0 mins)
(45 mins)
(30 mins)
(5 mins)
NDM8450 Lesley Griffiths (Wrexham)
To propose that the Senedd, in accordance with Standing Order 27.5, approves that the draft The Council Tax Reduction Schemes (Prescribed Requirements and Default Scheme) (Amendment) (Wales) Regulations 2024 is made in accordance with the draft laid in the Table Office on 5 December 2023.
Supporting documents
Report of the Legislation, Justice and Constitution Committee
(60 mins)
NDM8449 Lesley Griffiths (Wrexham)
To propose that the Senedd:
1. Notes:
a) the UK Government’s levelling-up policies leave Wales with less say over less money while bypassing and actively undermining devolution and this Senedd;
b) the Shared Prosperity Fund has been an abject failure as a replacement for EU funds in Wales, leaving a shortfall of nearly £1.3 billion; and
c) the Shared Prosperity Fund, Levelling Up Funds and Multiply Programme have been beset by UK Government delays and mismanagement, putting strain on local authorities and resulting in the closure of important programmes.
2. Calls for the return of regional investment funding to the Welsh Government to deliver in line with devolved policies that are fully accountable to the Senedd.
The following amendments were tabled:
Amendment 1 Darren Millar (Clwyd West)
Delete all and replace with:
1. Notes that UK Government levelling-up funding in Wales exceeds £2.5 billion, delivering projects to transform communities, create jobs and grow the economy.
2. Notes the Economy, Trade and Rural Affairs Committee’s report into Post-EU Regional Development Funding and its recommendations.
3. Calls on the Welsh and UK governments to undertake a review of whether the different elements of the Shared Prosperity Fund should be delivered at local, regional or all-Wales level.
Economy, Trade and Rural Affairs Committee’s report into Post-EU Regional Development Funding
If amendment 1 is agreed, amendments 2 and 3 will be deselected.
Amendment 2 Rhun ap Iorwerth (Ynys Môn)
Add as new points after point 1, and renumber accordingly:
Believes the UK Government’s levelling up policies are not conducive to intra-Wales fairness and have resulted in a postcode lottery of economic support across Wales exacerbating regional inequalities between Wales’ communities that Welsh Government have also failed to address.
Believes that all decisions about how money is spent in Wales should be made in Wales.
Regrets the historic underfunding of Wales as a consequence of the outdated Barnett Formula which compounds the effect of the shortfall in funding from the Shared Prosperity and Levelling Up Funds.
Amendment 3 Rhun ap Iorwerth (Ynys Môn)
Delete point 2 and replace with:
Calls for:
a) the return of regional investment funding to the Welsh Government to deliver in line with devolved policies that are fully accountable to the Senedd;
b) an Economic Fairness Bill (Wales) – guaranteeing fair funding based on Wales’ needs;
c) the rectification of the unfairness across Wales’s current funding and financial settlements, for example by redesignating HS2 and Northern Powerhouse Rail as England-only projects, providing Wales with resultant consequential funding.
The Senedd will sit again in Plenary at 13.30, Wednesday, 17 January 2024