Decision details

Debates are one of the most frequent items of business on the Plenary agenda. Many types of debate are brought forward in Plenary, including:

• Opposition party debates on a topic of their choice;

Other than in the case of Government debates, the time allocated for all other types of debates and their frequency are determined by the Business Committee

The item started at 16:50.

 

Voting on the motion and amendments under this item was deferred until Voting Time.

 

A vote was taken on the motion without amendment:

 

NDM4920 Peter Black (South Wales West)

 

To propose that the National Assembly for Wales:

 

1. Notes:

 

a) the 2002 "All Wales Ethnic Minority Association - AWEMA" report;

 

b) the 2004 report “All Wales Ethnic Minority Association (AWEMA): Review and Evaluation Report of Equality Policy Unit (EPU) Funded Projects”;

 

c) that in 2007 the chair of the All Wales Ethnic Minority Association (AWEMA) wrote to the Welsh Government expressing serious concerns about the organisation’s governance; and

 

d) the 2012 report “A Review of the Effectiveness of Governance and Financial Management within the All Wales Ethnic Minority Association (AWEMA)”; and

 

2. Calls for the Welsh Government to:

 

a) publish a statement setting out in detail their reasons for maintaining funding for AWEMA despite initial concerns being raised in 2002, 2004 and 2007; and

 

b) develop and publish a protocol for ensuring similar concerns are effectively handled in the future.

 

For	Abstain	Against	Total
4	0	52	56

The motion without amendment was not agreed.

The following amendments were tabled:

Amendment 1 - Jocelyn Davies (South Wales East)

 

Delete point 1 and replace with:

 

“1. Notes the failure of Ministers to adequately address the concerns raised by:

 

a) the 2002 "All Wales Ethnic Minority Association - AWEMA" report;

 

b) the 2004 report “All Wales Ethnic Minority Association (AWEMA): Review and Evaluation Report of Equality Policy Unit (EPU) Funded Projects”;

 

c) the Chair of the All Wales Ethnic Minority Association (AWEMA) who wrote to the Welsh Government in 2007 expressing serious concerns about the organisation’s governance; and

 

2. Further notes the 2012 report “A Review of the Effectiveness of Governance and Financial Management within the All Wales Ethnic Minority Association (AWEMA)”; and”

 

and renumber accordingly.

 

A vote was taken on Amendment 1:

For	Abstain	Against	Total
28	0	29	57

 

As required by Standing Order 6.20 the Deputy Presiding Officer exercised his casting vote by voting against the motion. Therefore, amendment 1 was not agreed.

 

Amendment 2 - William Graham (South Wales East)

 

Add as new point at end of motion:

 

Regrets that the timing of the 2012 report’s publication:

 

a) did not provide an opportunity for immediate scrutiny by Assembly Members in plenary; and

 

b) did not provide an opportunity for an urgent oral statement from the Minister responsible.

 

A vote was taken on Amendment 2:

For	Abstain	Against	Total
28	0	29	57

 

As required by Standing Order 6.20 the Deputy Presiding Officer exercised his casting vote by voting against the motion. Therefore, amendment 2 was not agreed.

 

Amendment 3 - William Graham (South Wales East)

 

Add as new point at end of motion:

 

Calls on the Minister to publish the 2002 and 2004 reports online.

 

A vote was taken on Amendment 3:

For	Abstain	Against	Total
56	0	0	56

Amendment 3 was agreed.

 

A vote was taken on the motion as amended:

 

NDM4920 Peter Black (South Wales West)

 

To propose that the National Assembly for Wales:

 

1. Notes:

 

a) the 2002 "All Wales Ethnic Minority Association - AWEMA" report;

 

b) the 2004 report “All Wales Ethnic Minority Association (AWEMA): Review and Evaluation Report of Equality Policy Unit (EPU) Funded Projects”;

 

c) that in 2007 the chair of the All Wales Ethnic Minority Association (AWEMA) wrote to the Welsh Government expressing serious concerns about the organisation’s governance; and

 

d) the 2012 report “A Review of the Effectiveness of Governance and Financial Management within the All Wales Ethnic Minority Association (AWEMA)”; and

 

2. Calls for the Welsh Government to:

 

a) publish a statement setting out in detail their reasons for maintaining funding for AWEMA despite initial concerns being raised in 2002, 2004 and 2007; and

 

b) develop and publish a protocol for ensuring similar concerns are effectively handled in the future.

 

3. Calls on the Minister to publish the 2002 and 2004 reports online.

 

For	Abstain	Against	Total
28	0	29	57

 

As required by Standing Order 6.20 the Deputy Presiding Officer exercised his casting vote by voting against the motion as amended. Therefore, the motion as amended was not agreed.