Decision details

Welsh Conservatives Debate

Decision Maker: Plenary - Fourth Assembly

Status: Recommendations approved

Is Key decision?: Yes

Purpose:

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

Decision:

The item started at 15.15

 

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

 

NDM5584 Paul Davies (Preseli Pembrokeshire)

 

To propose that the National Assembly for Wales:

 

1. Welcomes the progress made at the United Nations Climate Change Summit 2014 in New York;

 

2. Urges the Welsh Government to ensure that deforestation does not continue in Wales and that its target of 100,000 hectares of new forestry is met by 2030;

 

3. Regrets that the Welsh Government is not on track to meet its Climate Change 2020 targets;

 

4. Calls upon the Welsh Government to encourage a wider range of renewable energies, including but not limited to, marine renewables, anaerobic digestion and hydropower;

 

5. Calls for the devolution of Renewables Obligation Certificates (ROCs), or its successor, to the Welsh Government; and

 

6.  Calls upon the Welsh Government to explore barriers to connection to the grid for small scale energy projects below 50mw.

 

A vote was taken on the motion without amendment:

 

For

Abstain

Against

Total

11

0

39

50

The motion without amendment was not agreed.

 

The following amendments were tabled:

 

Amendment 1 Jane Hutt (Vale of Glamorgan)

 

Delete point 3 and replace with:

 

Notes the Welsh Government's continued commitment to meet its Climate Change 2020 targets;

 

A vote was taken on Amendment 1:

 

For

Abstain

Against

Total

25

0

26

51

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

 

Amendment 2 - Aled Roberts (North Wales)

 

Add as new point 5 and renumber accordingly:

 

Congratulates Tidal Energy Ltd on the unveiling of their DeltaStream device on 7 August 2014, which was made possible through the use of WEFO funds, and calls on the Welsh Government to ensure that such projects continue to be suitably supported in future years so that Wales can maximise the potential of marine renewables to promote a mixed grid approach.

 

A vote was taken on Amendment 2:

 

For

Abstain

Against

Total

50

0

0

50

Amendment 2 was agreed.

 

Amendment 3 - Aled Roberts (North Wales)

Add as new point 5 and renumber accordingly:

Welcomes the recent development of two marine testing and demonstrating zones in Welsh waters and calls on the Welsh Government to provide regular updates to the Assembly on their progress towards enabling further technological development and commercialisation of wave and tidal renewable energy devices.

 

A vote was taken on Amendment 3:

 

For

Abstain

Against

Total

50

0

0

50

Amendment 3 was agreed.

 

Amendment 4 - Elin Jones (Ceredigion)

Delete point 5 and replace with:

Believes that Wales's natural resources are valuable assets that could be used to cut carbon emissions, and calls for all powers over energy to be devolved in full, including all licencing, planning consenting and the Crown Estate.

 

 A vote was taken on Amendment 4:

 

For

Abstain

Against

Total

14

0

36

50

Amendment 4 was not agreed.

 

Amendment 5 - Elin Jones (Ceredigion)

Add as new point at the end of the motion:

Calls on the Welsh Government to set a target for Wales to reach self-sufficiency in renewable electricity.

 

 A vote was taken on Amendment 5:

 

For

Abstain

Against

Total

14

0

36

50

Amendment 5 was not agreed.

 

Amendment 6 - Elin Jones (Ceredigion)

Add as new point at the end of the motion:

Calls on the Welsh Government to implement an ambitious retrofitting programme to increase the energy efficiency of existing housing stock.

 

A vote was taken on Amendment 6:

 

For

Abstain

Against

Total

50

0

0

50

Amendment 6 was agreed.

 

A vote was taken on the motion as amended:

NDM5584 Paul Davies (Preseli Pembrokeshire)

 

To propose that the National Assembly for Wales:

 

1. Welcomes the progress made at the United Nations Climate Change Summit 2014 in New York;

 

2. Urges the Welsh Government to ensure that deforestation does not continue in Wales and that its target of 100,000 hectares of new forestry is met by 2030;

 

3. Regrets that the Welsh Government is not on track to meet its Climate Change 2020 targets;

 

4. Calls upon the Welsh Government to encourage a wider range of renewable energies, including but not limited to, marine renewables, anaerobic digestion and hydropower;

 

5. Welcomes the recent development of two marine testing and demonstrating zones in Welsh waters and calls on the Welsh Government to provide regular updates to the Assembly on their progress towards enabling further technological development and commercialisation of wave and tidal renewable energy devices.

 

6. Congratulates Tidal Energy Ltd on the unveiling of their DeltaStream device on 7 August 2014, which was made possible through the use of WEFO funds, and calls on the Welsh Government to ensure that such projects continue to be suitably supported in future years so that Wales can maximise the potential of marine renewables to promote a mixed grid approach.

 

7. Calls for the devolution of Renewables Obligation Certificates (ROCs), or its successor, to the Welsh Government; and

 

8.  Calls upon the Welsh Government to explore barriers to connection to the grid for small scale energy projects below 50mw.

 

9. Calls on the Welsh Government to implement an ambitious retrofitting programme to increase the energy efficiency of existing housing stock.

 

For

Abstain

Against

Total

24

0

25

49

The motion as amended was not agreed.

Publication date: 01/10/2014

Date of decision: 01/10/2014

Decided at meeting: 01/10/2014 - Plenary - Fourth Assembly