Meetings

The Business Committee considered the proposed motions for debate on 28 January 2026 and agreed to schedule the following Member debate tabled by Cefin Campbell MS:

NNDM9115

To propose that the Senedd:

1. Notes the provisions of Helen’s Law, formally the Prisoners (Disclosure of Information About Victims) Act 2020, which requires the parole board to consider whether offenders have disclosed the location of a victim’s remains or identified child victims when making parole decisions.

2. Recognises that the Act was introduced following the case of Helen McCourt, whose killer has never disclosed the location of her body, and that non-disclosure continues to cause significant and ongoing distress to victims’ families.

3. Notes calls for the introduction of Helen’s Law Part 2: Stop the Desecration, which seeks to reform burial and sentencing laws, including the creation of a new criminal offence of desecrating a body.

4. Further notes the introduction of similar provisions in Northern Ireland through Charlotte’s Law, including making the concealment of a victim’s remains a statutory aggravating factor in sentencing; providing incentives for cooperation in the recovery of remains, and placing a duty on parole authorities to consider non-disclosure.

5. Recognises that the implementation of these measures in Northern Ireland demonstrates that such reforms are achievable elsewhere within the UK.

6. Calls on the Welsh Government to support the consideration of equivalent legislative reforms, in collaboration with the UK Government, to strengthen justice and provide greater dignity and closure for victims and their families.

The Business Committee considered the proposed motions for debate on 17 December 2025 and agreed to schedule the following motion tabled by Rhys ab Owen:

NNDM9072

To propose that the Senedd:

1. Welcomes the fact that Wales was the first country in the world to legislate for children’s right to play, and that Cardiff is the UK’s first UNICEF-accredited Child Friendly City.

2. Acknowledges that for children under 11, play areas with swings, slides and other equipment to play are really important.

3. Notes that the 'What children say about play in Wales: 2025' report by Play Wales found that in several areas, play equipment was described as outdated, broken or suitable only for younger children, and that many had called for investment in spaces for older children and teenagers, especially in Anglesey, Denbighshire and Caerphilly.

4. Regrets that overall satisfaction with opportunities to play has declined from 84 per cent in 2019 to 71 per cent in 2025, and that a notable 25 per cent are not permitted to play independently.

5. Calls on the Welsh Government to safeguard children’s access to play by:

a) strengthening the duty under section 11 of the Children and Families (Wales) Measure 2010 so that local authorities must secure sufficient play opportunities in a playground for each community;

b) developing ways to publicise safe and local places to play;

c) safeguarding playgrounds from local authority cuts;

d) supporting community groups who have taken over responsibility for playgrounds; and

e) tackling the fact that children, especially disabled, in rural and deprived areas often have greater access to outdoor spaces, but encounter greater issues with maintenance, accessibility and inclusivity.

Business Committee considered the proposed motions for debate on 15 October 2025 and agreed to schedule the following Member debate tabled by Adam Price:

NNDM8884

To propose that the Senedd:

1. Notes that myalgic encephalomyelitis (ME) is a chronic and disabling illness at all levels of severity.
2. Notes that of those suffering from ME, 25 per cent are categorised by NICE as 'severe: mainly bed bound or housebound', and 'very severe: fully bedbound', requiring full-time care and, in the severest cases, palliative care and tube feeding.
3. Regrets that it is often those with the greatest severity levels of ME who are provided with the least amount of appropriate care and treatment.
4. Calls on the Welsh Government to:
a) respond to the concerns raised in the Coroner in England’s Prevention of Future Deaths Report, and explain what practical steps they will take to ensure that no patient in Wales will ever be placed in such tragic circumstances as those described in the report;
b) ensure that the Adferiad-funded ME services are making provision appropriate to the needs of patients with severe and very severe ME;
c) bring together an expert group of health professionals and people with lived experience, at a national level, to develop all-Wales guidance and quality standards on ME, including for the most severely affected;
d) make the appointment of an all-Wales specialist consultant for post-infectious chronic conditions – including ME and long COVID - a priority;
e) improve the training on ME for professionals, firstly in the NHS, but also in social services and schools: in particular, raising awareness of the care needs of adults and children with severe and very severe ME; and
f) ensure that health boards truly co-produce their ME and long COVID Adferiad services, taking into account the lived experiences of those suffering at the severest levels and of those caring for them.

Maeve Boothby O’Neill: Prevention of Future Deaths Report

Business Committee considered the proposed motions for debate on 25 June 2025 and agreed to schedule:

Adam Price MS

NNDM8884 

To propose that the Senedd: 

1. Notes that myalgic encephalomyelitis (ME) is a chronic and disabling illness at all levels of severity. 

2. Notes that of those suffering from ME, 25 per cent are categorised by NICE as 'severe: mainly bed bound or housebound', and 'very severe: fully bedbound', requiring full-time care and, in the severest cases, palliative care and tube feeding. 

3. Regrets that it is often those with the greatest severity levels of ME who are provided with the least amount of appropriate care and treatment. 

4. Calls on the Welsh Government to: 

a) respond to the concerns raised in the Coroner in England’s Prevention of Future Deaths Report, and explain what practical steps they will take to ensure that no patient in Wales will ever be placed in such tragic circumstances as those described in the report; 

b) ensure that the Adferiad-funded ME services are making provision appropriate to the needs of patients with severe and very severe ME; 

c) bring together an expert group of health professionals and people with lived experience, at a national level, to develop all-Wales guidance and quality standards on ME, including for the most severely affected; 

d) make the appointment of an all-Wales specialist consultant for post-infectious chronic conditions - including ME and long COVID - a priority; 

e) improve the training on ME for professionals, firstly in the NHS, but also in social services and schools: in particular, raising awareness of the care needs of adults and children with severe and very severe ME; and 

f) ensure that health boards truly co-produce their ME and long COVID Adferiad services, taking into account the lived experiences of those suffering at the severest levels and of those caring for them. 

Maeve Boothby O’Neill: Prevention of Future Deaths Report 

Business Committee considered the motions and agreed to schedule the following motion on 14 May 2025:

Luke Fletcher 

NNDM8812 

To propose that the Senedd: 

1. Notes: 

a) that firefighting exposes individuals to carcinogenic effluents, including benzene and toluene, which significantly increases mortality rates among firefighters relative to the general population; 

b) the work of the World Health Organisation’s International Agency for Research on Cancer and their classification of cancer among firefighters as a Group 1 occupational hazard; 

c) that countries such as the United States, Canada, and Australia have officially recognised the link between exposure to toxic effluents and increased incidences of cancers; and 

d) the Fire Brigades Union’s ‘DECON’ campaign and its vital efforts to help firefighters reduce harmful exposure to contaminants. 

2. Recognises the findings of scientific research led by Professor Anna Stec at the Centre for Fire and Hazards Sciences, University of Central Lancashire, commissioned by the Fire Brigades Union, which reveals that surveyed firefighters aged 35 to 39 faced an age-specific cancer rate up to 323 per cent higher than that of the general population of the same age group. 

3. Calls on the Welsh Government to: 

a) collaborate with the Fire Brigades Union, fire and rescue services, and leading specialists in fire toxicology to mitigate the effects of carcinogenic effluents on firefighters in Wales; 

b) establish a preventative health programme to monitor and record exposures for all firefighters in Wales, including annual cancer screening as a minimum standard; and 

c) align Wales with international best practices in safeguarding firefighter health. 

Business Committee considered the proposed motions for debate. Heledd Fychan expressed her support for scheduling a motion proposed by Sioned Williams on the conflict in the Middle East. Business Managers agreed by majority to schedule the following motions for debate:

12 February

Jenny Rathbone

NNDM8814 

To propose that the Senedd: 

1. Notes that: 

a) despite the abundance of quality food produced by Welsh farmers, the dominance of ultra-processed food in our diets has devastating consequences for the health, wealth and well-being of our nation; 

b) access to affordable, healthy food is a social justice issue, with poorer communities disproportionately affected by diet-related illnesses; 

c) Welsh production of 20,000 tonnes of fruit and vegetables a year is only equivalent to a quarter of a portion of fruit and vegetables a day per person; 

d) expanding sustainable local food production can help reduce food miles, improve food security, and create green jobs in Wales; and 

e) the transition to a sustainable food nation requires a joined up, collaborative, preventative approach in line with the well-being of future generations Act. 

2. Calls on the Welsh Government to: 

a) develop a holistic, joined up government strategy to improve people’s diets; 

b) promote the benefits of fresh, unprocessed food to encourage dietary shifts and tackle the dominance of ultra-processed foods; 

c) use the welcome investment in local food partnerships to bring together growers, caterers and eaters to expand Welsh horticulture; 

d) accelerate work to produce a community food strategy within the Sixth Senedd; and 

e) use the power of public procurement to improve the food served to pupils, patients and people living in care homes. 

5 March

Mark Isherwood

NNDM8734 

To propose that the Senedd 

1. Notes: 

a) the need for service providers to meet the needs of the deaf community; 

b) that people with hearing loss are severely disadvantaged compared to people who have unaffected hearing; 

c) that BSL is the preferred method of communication for many deaf people; and 

d) concern about the decision by Qualifications Wales not to progress with a GCSE in sign language. 

2. Calls on the Welsh Government: 

a) to ensure that the disability rights taskforce specifically captures the issues and barriers that affect the lives of deaf people: and 

b) to have a greater involvement with the deaf community to ascertain their needs. 

Business Committee considered the proposed motions for debate and agreed to schedule: 

4 December 2024

Hefin David

NNDM8659 

To propose that the Senedd: 

1. Notes that it is over 40 years since the publication of the All-Wales Strategy, which aimed to remove autistic people and/or people with a learning disability from long-term hospital placements and support them to live in their local communities. 

2. Regrets that in Wales, some autistic people and/or people with a learning disability are still being sectioned under the MHA or detained under the Mental Capacity Act 2005 in secure hospital settings, which is inappropriate to their wellbeing and causes considerable longer-term trauma, as well as distress to themselves and their loved ones. 

3. Believes that this continues to happen to autistic people and/or people with a learning disability because of a lack of support being available in their local areas, with sectioning in some circumstances being used as a default option by relevant authorities. 

4. Calls on the Welsh Government to: 

a) set out in detail how it will respond to the concerns and objectives of the Stolen Lives’ ‘Homes Not Hospitals’ campaign; 

b) collect and publish accurate and up-to-date data on: 

i) the number of autistic people and/or people with a learning disability in Wales who are placed in hospital settings; 

ii) the type of such hospital placements e.g. mental health hospitals or assessment and treatment units; 

iii) the providers of such hospital placements e.g. private, public or voluntary sector; and 

iv) the number and nature of supported living or residential placement breakdowns resulting in hospital detention e.g. name of provider and type of provider;  

c) provide a progress update on the establishment of a dedicated Task and Finish Group to work with stakeholders to help address the issues and concerns that Stolen Lives have raised, and which fall within its devolved responsibilities; and 

d) implement the recommendations of its 2020 National Care Review, which stated clearly that people should only stay in hospitals if there are no other ways to treat them safely. 

8 January 2025

Siân Gwenllian

NNDM8664 

To propose that the Senedd: 

1. Notes: 

a) the significant shortage of NHS dental services in north Wales, particularly in Arfon with only 36.6 per cent of the population able to receive treatment through the NHS, which is the lowest gambit in Wales; and 

b) the publication of "Filling the Gap", a report commissioned by Sian Gwenllian MS, which makes the case for establishing a school of dentistry in Bangor. 

2. Believes: 

a) that dental services in north Wales are in a state of emergency; 

b) there is a severe shortage of NHS dentists in Arfon, leaving many patients, including children and vulnerable people, without proper access to basic dental care; 

c) that the emergency departments of local hospitals are under additional pressure due to the lack of access to dentists, resulting in additional costs and waiting times; 

d) that more dental training is needed; 

e) that a significant number of students wishing to study dentistry are forced to leave Wales due to a lack of capacity in dental schools; 

f) that a new  school of dentistry in Bangor could play a key role in training more dentists locally, offering a better chance of retaining the dental workforce in the region and providing essential services locally; 

g) that the establishment of a school of dentistry in Bangor would provide quality new jobs and attract investment to the local economy, and boost Bangor as a centre of excellence in health, alongside the new medical school; and 

h) the school of dentistry could augment the provision of Welsh and bilingual dental services, improving access to health care for local Welsh-speaking communities. 

3. Calls on the Welsh Government to: 

a) consider the economic and public health case for establishing a school of dentistry in Bangor based on the key findings presented in the Fill the Gap report; 

b) ensure collaboration between the Welsh Government, Bangor University, Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board, and other relevant organisations to develop a feasibility plan for the establishment of the school of dentistry; and 

c) invest strategically to establish the school of dentistry as part of wider efforts to improve access to health services in the region and to address the ongoing crisis regarding dental provision in Wales. 

Business Committee considered the proposed motions for debate and agreed to schedule:

2 October

Delyth Jewell

NNDM8566 

To propose that the Senedd: 

1. Regrets the normalisation of women’s physical and emotional pain in their healthcare, as well as the expectation that pain is a regrettable but unavoidable aspect of women's health. 

2. Believes that by consulting with gynaecologists, midwives and women's health groups, health professionals should aim to reduce situations where pain is expected and accepted as normal in NHS healthcare. 

3. Calls on the Welsh Government to: 

a) strengthen the expectations for NHS services in the Quality Statement for women and girls’ health; 

b) establish a legal requirement for healthcare providers to regularly collect feedback from female patients about their experiences and satisfaction with the care they receive, especially in relation to gynaecological appointments, midwifery and postnatal services, perinatal mental health and menopause; and 

c) introduce statutory obligations for the development, coordination and implementation of the Women’s Health Plan developed by the Welsh NHS and consulted on with gynaecologists, midwives and women's health groups, which should include measures to address and counter the normalisation of pain in women’s healthcare. 

23 October

Julie Morgan

NNDM8656 

To propose that the Senedd: 

1. Notes that responsibility for legislating to allow assisted dying is not devolved to Wales as it is currently a matter governed by criminal law. 

2. Notes that if assisted dying were to be legalised, and given its responsibility for health and social care, the Welsh Government would require an in-depth understanding of any proposals. 

3. Believes that adults of sound mind who are intolerably suffering from an incurable, physical condition and have a clear and settled wish to die should have the option of an assisted death, subject to robust safeguards. 

4. Notes that a recent inquiry by the Westminster Health and Social Care Committee found that the introduction of assisted dying has been linked with an improvement in palliative care in several jurisdictions. 

5. Notes that the Office of Health Economics found that even if they received the best possible palliative medicine, in England and Wales at least 5,000 per year would die without any effective pain relief in their final month. 

6. Notes that public attitudes towards assisted dying have changed, with up to 88% of the public favouring a change in the law. 

7. More than one suffering person a week from the UK now chooses to end their life at one of the Swiss end-of-life centres, yet many others who would choose the same cannot afford the high costs involved, often well over £10,000. 

8. Calls on the Welsh Government to: 

a) support the principles of assisted dying; and 

b) support Westminster parliament to introduce a compassionate assisted dying law in England and Wales. 

Business Committee considered the proposed motions for debate and agreed to schedule the following proposal on 19 June:  

NNDM8566

Delyth Jewell

To propose that the Senedd:

1. Regrets the normalisation of women’s physical and emotional pain in their healthcare, as well as the expectation that pain is a regrettable but unavoidable aspect of women's health.

2. Believes that by consulting with gynaecologists, midwives and women's health groups, health professionals should aim to reduce situations where pain is expected and accepted as normal in NHS healthcare.

3. Calls on the Welsh Government to:

a) strengthen the expectations for NHS services in the Quality Statement for women and girls’ health;

b) establish a legal requirement for healthcare providers to regularly collect feedback from female patients about their experiences and satisfaction with the care they receive, especially in relation to gynaecological appointments, midwifery and postnatal services, perinatal mental health and menopause; and

c) introduce statutory obligations for the development, coordination and implementation of the Women’s Health Plan developed by the Welsh NHS and consulted on with gynaecologists, midwives and women's health groups, which should include measures to address and counter the normalisation of pain in women’s healthcare.

And NNDM8600 (Sian Gwenllian) on 3 July:

To propose that the Senedd:

1. Notes the concerns that are regularly raised by Members of the Senedd about the lack of NHS dental services.

2. Notes the barriers documented and the recommendations made as to the way forward in the Health and Social Care Committee’s report on dentistry.

3. Notes the specific challenges associated with planning, training, recruiting and retaining dentists in Wales.

4. Notes the publication of the Dental Strategic Workforce Plan by Health Education and Improvement Wales and the references made, within that plan, namely:

a) Wales is a net importer of dentists;

b) Wales relies on schools of dentistry beyond Wales to produce enough dentists to recruit into the workforce; and

c) the United Kingdom has the lowest number of dentists per person compared with other large members of the G7 in Europe.

5. Notes that the number of places at the only school of dentistry in Wales is limited each year.

6. Calls on the Welsh Government to increase the number of university training places for dentists in Wales.

Business Committee considered the proposed motions for debate and agreed to schedule the following proposal on 15 May: 

Mabon ap Gwynfor

NNDM8571

To propose that the Senedd:

1. Notes that:

a) smoking kills 5,600 people a year in Wales and places a huge burden on the Welsh NHS of more than £300 million each year;

b) smoking is the leading cause of preventable ill health and premature death in Wales, causing 3,100 cases of cancer each year;

c) Wales is experiencing a marked increase in the reports of young people vaping, coupled with a sharp increase in the number of retailers selling nicotine products;

d) an increase in nicotine dependency among younger people will demand additional nicotine cessation support in Wales; and

e) the Well-being of Future Generations (Wales) Act 2015 requires public bodies in Wales to think about the long-term impact of their decisions, to work better with people, communities and each other, and to prevent persistent problems such as poverty, health inequalities and climate change.

2. Calls on the Welsh Government to:

a) commit to the full implementation of chapters 2, 3 and 4 of the Public Health (Wales) Act 2017 which would enable the:

i) establishment of a national register of retailers of tobacco and nicotine products;

ii) adding of offences which contribute to a restricted premises order in Wales, enabling enforcement officers to prohibit a retailer from selling tobacco or nicotine products for up to a year; and

iii) prohibition of the handing over of tobacco and nicotine products to a person under the age of 18;

b) ensure that the Tobacco Control Strategic Board makes the implementation of a tobacco and nicotine retail register a priority action in the second phase of the tobacco control action plan for Wales 2024-2026;

c) commit to a fully-funded communications campaign to support the implementation and subsequent regulatory and legislative changes; and

d) establish a working group to;

i) oversee the timely implementation of the retail register;

ii) explore how the retail register could provide a pathway to a licensing scheme and/or tools for additional enforcement; and

iii) present the data gathered from the register to help target smoking cessation and public protection efforts.

Business Committee considered the proposed motions for debate and agreed to schedule the following motion on 20 March:

Heledd Fychan

NNDM8505 

To propose that the Senedd: 

1. Believes that: 

a) the national collections of Wales, which are under the care of the National Library of Wales and Amgueddfa Cymru, belong to everyone in Wales; 

b) the collections need to be protected for future generations, while also continuing to be used to inspire and motivate people of all ages; and 

c) free access to our national museums has been an undoubted success since the introduction of the policy in 2001, and that this policy is one that should be protected. 

2. Notes: 

a) warnings from the institutions that revenue and capital fiscal cuts endanger the national collections, due to unsuitable spaces and stores and also a reduction in the number of specialist staff who are now employed to care for them; 

b) the concerns that further cuts will worsen the situation; and 

c) Welsh Government responsibilities under the Government of Wales Act 2006 for our national collections. 

3. Calls on the Welsh Government to: 

a) commission a panel of experts to establish what the danger is to the collections, and work with the institutions and the Welsh Government to implement a plan to protect them 

b) work with the National Library of Wales and Amgueddfa Cymru, and the unions that represent the staff in these institutions, to ensure their viability for the future; and 

c) work with Amgueddfa Cymru to retain the free entry policy to our national museums. 

Business Committee considered the proposed motions for debate and agreed to schedule the following motion on 24 January: 

Mabon ap Gwynfor

NNDM8448

To propose that the Senedd:

1. Notes that:

a) charitable hospice care providers play a vital role in providing essential care and support to people affected by terminal illness across Wales;

b) the charitable hospice sector provides care for more than 20,000 people each year with their services supporting dying people to stay in their own homes and reduce hospital admissions, delivering better outcomes for individuals and the NHS;

c) rising staff and energy costs, workforce pressures, and increasing demand for complex care pose an existential threat to the sustainability of the sector;

d) 90 percent of hospices are budgeting for a deficit in 2023/24 and drawing on reserves to meet the shortfall; and

e) demand and need for palliative care is set to grow significantly as the population ages and more people are living longer with multiple chronic conditions.

2. Calls on the Welsh Government to:

a) commit to working with the sector to address the immediate funding challenges, including ensuring a fair salary offer for the hospice workforce, equivalent to the Agenda for Change increases, so there is parity with NHS colleagues;

b) develop a long-term sustainable funding solution in partnership with the sector, including a new national funding formula, workforce plan, and palliative and end-of-life care service specification; and

c) extend the Welsh Government’s end-of-life care funding review, which is due to conclude in January 2024, if this is not feasible in this timescale. 

Business Committee considered the proposed motions for debate and agreed to schedule the following motion on 25 October:

Alun Davies

NNDM8381 

To propose that the Senedd: 

1. Believes that the Holodomor was a predetermined crime committed and led by Stalin and the Soviet Government against the people of Ukraine. 

2. Regards the Holodomor as an act of genocide. 

3. Notes the crucial role of Welsh journalist Gareth Jones in bringing the cruelty of the Holodomor to the attention of the world. 

4. Continues to stand with the people of the Ukraine as they face Putin's illegal war. 

And the following motion for a date to be confirmed in November:

Mark Isherwood

NNDM8385 

To propose that the Senedd: 

1. Notes: 

a) that November is Pancreatic Cancer Awareness Month, and that 16 November 2023 is World Pancreatic Cancer Day; 

b) that the survival rates in Wales and the UK still lag behind much of the rest of Europe and the world; 

c) pancreatic cancer is tough to detect and that diagnosis takes too long with slow processes and multiple tests leaving people in the dark; 

d) once spotted, people face huge obstacles getting the information and care they need to be well enough to have treatment with many people feeling written off with no support plan in place, and no help to manage symptoms; and 

e) once diagnosed, only 3 out of 10 people get any treatment, the lowest proportion of all cancer types, and that half of people die within a month of diagnosis. 

2. Understands that people with pancreatic cancer urgently need a faster, fairer, funded pathway throughout their diagnosis, treatment and care. 

3. Supports Pancreatic Cancer UK’s efforts to ensure implementation of such a pathway.  

4. Commends all of the charities and activist organisations and their dedicated supporters for their tireless efforts to raise awareness of pancreatic cancer, and wishes everyone involved with Pancreatic Cancer Awareness Month every success in their endeavours. 

Business Committee considered the proposed motion for debate and agreed to schedule it on 27 September:  

Rhys ab Owen

NNDM8274  

This Senedd: 

Calls on the Welsh Government to formally request the UK Government to commence section 48(1) of the Wales Act 2017, which would align the boundary for legislative competence for water with the national border. 

Calls on the Welsh Government to formally request the powers for the licensing of a water supply or sewerage licensee thereby fully devolving water to Wales. 

Business Committee considered the proposed motions for debate and agreed to schedule the following motions for debate:

14 June: 

Hefin David

NNDM8275

To propose that the Senedd:

1. Notes that Wales and the rest of the United Kingdom are in the grips of multiple crises, namely the cost-of-living crisis, energy crisis, and the climate and nature emergencies, and that the Warm this Winter campaign recognises that these crises are connected and intertwined, and that they have shared causes and shared solutions.

2. Notes that the Warm this Winter campaign in Wales is calling for emergency support for the most vulnerable.

3. Notes that the Welsh Government has put investment in place to support vulnerable households last winter, that they have announced a new public energy company for Wales, and additional energy efficiency schemes for our homes, but that more needs to be done.

4. Calls on the Welsh Government to work to implement solutions for a genuine pathway out of the cost-of-living crisis, by recognising that there are key steps to addressing energy security and the climate crisis – like a rapid scale up of energy efficiency and rolling out community energy all over Wales.

5. Calls on the Welsh Government to raise concerns with the UK Government on the cost of energy, and the need to ensure that there are UK support schemes in place to ensure that people are warm this winter, and every winter to come.

5 July:

Luke Fletcher

NNDM8273

To propose that the Senedd:

1. Notes:

a) that across Wales, the prevalence of epilepsy is 1 per cent (approximately 32,000 people with epilepsy), with localised variation linked to levels of deprivation;

b) that in Wales, there are 11.5 whole time equivalent epilepsy specialist nurses (ESNs), which equates to a ratio of 1 nurse to every 2,823 patients;

c) that the Steers report (2008) recommends a ratio of 300 patients to one ESN, which would equate to a total of 107 ESNs in Wales.

2. Calls for the Welsh Government to:

a) support measures to reduce current waiting times for patients and service users accessing epilepsy services;

b) support health professionals in Wales, by ensuring the levels of staffing across the health boards of Wales are appropriately resourced to achieve and maintain sustainability, patient safety, and quality of service.

Report of the Welsh Neuroscience External Expert Review Group Recommendations for Mid and South Wales

Business Committee considered the proposed motions for debate and agreed to schedule the following motion on 10 May: 

NNDM8252 

Jenny Rathbone 

To propose that the Senedd: 

1. Notes that:  

a) incontinence remains a taboo subject for both women and men despite being a significant public health issue; 

b) there is over 90% incidence of perineal trauma among first-time mothers during childbirth which can lead to incontinence issues; 

c) 75% of women do not seek medical help for their incontinence despite it affecting their quality of life irrespective of severity; 

d) men suffer from incontinence too particularly in later life but it is a largely hidden problem. 

2. Calls on the Welsh Government to develop a strategy for tackling the causes and consequences of incontinence and to raise awareness of the issue among the public. 

Business Committee considered the proposed motions for debate and agreed to schedule the following motion on 22 March: 

Jack Sargeant

NNDM8219

To propose that the Senedd:

1. Believes that:

a) it is a national scandal that 600,000 people were forced onto prepayment meters in 2022 because they could not afford their energy bills;

b) energy regulator Ofgem has failed to protect vulnerable households by allowing energy suppliers to bypass proper checks;

c) those forced on to a prepay meter should be properly compensated by energy suppliers and switched back free of charge.

2. Notes that:

a) 3.2 million people were cut off from energy last year due to running out of credit on their prepay meter;

b) average household energy bills could rise even further, placing an additional burden on households already struggling due to the cost-of-living crisis.

3. Acknowledges the Welsh Government’s 2021-22 in-home energy advice pilot, providing proactive advice and outreach support to people who are, or at risk of being, in fuel poverty.

4. Calls on the Welsh Government to roll out an in-home energy advice service across Wales to ensure all households can access the support and advice they need.

Business Committee considered the proposed motions for debate and agreed to schedule the following motion on 15 February:

NNDM8187

Luke Fletcher

Co-submitters: Mike Hedges, Heledd Fychan, Jane Dodds, Adam Price, Carolyn Thomas, Sioned Williams

To propose that the Senedd:

1. Notes:

a) that the Welsh Government retained education maintenance allowance, unlike the UK Government in England;

b) that in Wales, the value of education maintenance allowance has not changed since 2004, and the eligibility thresholds have not changed since 2011;

c) that while education maintenance allowance is an important form of financial support for post-16 learners, it has not kept up with cost-of-living pressures.

2. Calls on the Welsh Government to consider an inflation-linked uplift to the value of education maintenance allowance and a review of the thresholds.

And the following motion on 1 March:

NNDM8131

Sarah Murphy

Co-submitter: Jane Dodds

To propose that the Senedd:

1. Notes that the prevalent collection and use of biometric data within schools across Wales is putting children’s personal data and privacy at risk.

2. Calls on the Welsh Government to introduce legislation that would:

a) ensure that Article 16 of the UNCRC, a child's right to privacy, is upheld within Wales;

b) ensure that schools and childcare settings are using non-biometric technologies for services, rather than using biometric systems that may compromise the security of children's biometric data;

c) ensure appropriate risk assessments and procurement processes of technology companies within educational settings are put in place;

d) acknowledge the potential harms from the unregulated use of biometric data;  

e) acknowledge the lack of consent by young people and children within current usages of biometric data within schools.  

Business Committee considered the motions tabled and agreed to schedule the following motion for debate on 23 November:

Jenny Rathbone

NNDM8130

To propose that the Senedd:

1. Notes:

a) the publication of MIND Cymru’s Together Through Tough Times report;

b) that community resilience has a positive impact on good mental health.

2. Calls on Welsh Government to:

a) work with the voluntary and community sector to build resilient communities through:

(i) promoting social capital;

(ii) investing in community assets;

(iii) addressing barriers faced by certain groups;

b) include the role played by community assets and networks in any future mental health strategy.

Together through Tough Times

Business Committee considered the motions tabled and agreed to schedule the following motion for debate on 5 October:

NNDM8074

Mark Isherwood

Co-submitters:

Rhun Ap Iorwerth

Sam Rowlands

Tom Giffard

Mabon ap Gwynfor

To propose that the Senedd:

1. Notes:   

a) the impact that migraine has on the in 1 in 10 children and young people who live with it, including at school and their day-to-day lives; 

b) that young people who are affected often report that migraine makes it harder to do their schoolwork, meaning that without proper support, the condition can impact their educational attainment, as well as disrupt their family and social life; 

c) that research by The Migraine Trust suggests that education and health professionals often don’t understand migraine, or have access to training and resources to effectively support children and young people who are impacted; 

2. Calls on the Welsh Government to work with The Migraine Trust and representative bodies for schools, health services, and parents/carers to: 

a) strengthen guidance; 

b) provide training on how to support and accommodate young people impacted by migraine; and 

c) provide resources for the parents/carers of children living with migraine and for the young people themselves on how to take control of their own care. 

Business Committee considered the motions tabled and agreed to schedule the following motion for debate on 22 June:

NNDM8018

Mabon ap Gwynfor

Luke Fletcher

Buffy Williams

To propose that the Senedd:

1. Notes that Wales is home to thousands of local community groups, with hundreds running significant assets that make their communities better places to live.

2. Recognises the huge contribution community groups have made in supporting local people through the challenges of the pandemic.

3. Notes that the previous Welsh Government agreed with the Equality, Local Government and Communities Committee's recommendation that it should “develop a programme of empowering communities across Wales with the voluntary sector, acting as an enabling state for community action”.

4. Notes the important role that local authorities often play in ensuring community ownership of assets, and working in partnership with community groups and other organisations to ensure successful community venture.

5. Notes the recent IWA report, Our Land: Communities and Land Use, which finds that Welsh communities are the least empowered in Britain and calls for a major shake-up of community policy in Wales.

6. Further notes the Wales Cooperative Centre’s recently published report, Community ownership of land and assets: Enabling the delivery of community-led housing in Wales.

7. Notes that Wales, unlike Scotland and England, has no legislation giving communities the right to buy local assets of community value.

8. Believes that enabling community groups to retain local buildings and land as community facilities and supporting them to develop active and engaged communities is key to building a more prosperous, equal and greener Wales.

9. Calls on the Welsh Government to:

a) coproduce a communities strategy to develop an enabling state for community action;

b) explore the legal options for establishing a community right to buy in Wales.

Equality, Local Government and Communities Committee: Impact of COVID-19 on the voluntary sector 

Our Land: Communities and Land Use

Community ownership of land and assets: Enabling the delivery of community-led housing in Wales

And the subsequent motion on 13 July:

NNDM8028

Jane Dodds

Carolyn Thomas

Jack Sargeant

Luke Fletcher

To propose that the Senedd:

1. Notes:

a) that a significant number of Welsh workers are employed in industries that will undergo significant change as part of Wales's transition to a zero carbon economy;

b) the importance of ensuring a just transition to a zero carbon economy;

c) the Welsh Government’s ongoing basic income (BI) pilot for care leavers.

2. Calls on the Welsh Government to consider how the BI pilot could be extended to workers in these industries to inform Wales’s transition to a zero carbon economy.

Business Committee considered the motions tabled and agreed to schedule the following motion for debate on 11 May:

NNDM7994

Alun Davies

Co-submitters

Rhun Ap Iorwerth

Samuel Kurtz

Jane Dodds

To propose that the Senedd:

1. Notes that this year is the 90th anniversary of the Holodomor: the famine which killed an estimated 4-6 million people in Ukraine over 1932/33.

2. Further notes that this famine was the consequence of the deliberate actions and policies of the Soviet Union.

3. Expresses its sympathy and extends its solidarity to the people of Ukraine on behalf of the people of Wales.

4. Calls on the Welsh Government to initiate a commemoration programme to remember the victims of the Holodomor and to raise awareness of the suffering of the people of Ukraine.

Business Committee also agreed to schedule the following motion for debate on 25 May:

NNDM7964

Jack Sargeant

To propose that the Senedd:

1. Notes:

a) that the Welsh Government was the first in the world to declare a climate emergency, recognising the serious threat climate change poses;

b) that public sector pension schemes continue to invest in fossil fuels and, for many years, campaigners have urged schemes to disinvest;

c) that the Welsh pension partnership moved quickly to withdraw investment from Russian holdings and has previously divested from coal, thus demonstrating that it is possible for pension funds to make these decisions;

d) that Members of the Senedd took the initiative to divest their own pension funds from fossil fuels;

e) that if public sector pension schemes in Wales disinvest, Wales would be the first nation in the world to achieve this, demonstrating to fund providers the need to create fossil fuel free investment products;

2. Calls on the Welsh Government to work with the public sector to agree a strategy to decarbonise pensions by 2030, thus bringing them into line with current public sector net-zero targets.

Business Committee agreed to schedule the following motion for debate on 23 March 2022:

NNDM7953 Mike Hedges

To propose that the Senedd:

1. Notes the continuing closure of religious buildings, including churches and chapels, throughout Wales.

2. Calls upon the Welsh Government to work with the different denominations in Wales to discuss the future of these buildings.

Co-submitters

Rhys ab Owen

Jane Dodds

Darren Millar

Supported by

Alun Davies

Sam Rowlands

Business Committee agreed to schedule the following motion for debate on 9 March 2022:

NNDM7925 Mike Hedges

To propose that the Senedd:

Supports the devolution of policing.

Co-Submitters

Alun Davies

Jane Dodds

Delyth Jewell

Rhys ab Owen

Supporters

Sarah Murphy

Business Committee agreed to schedule the following motion for debate on 26 January:

NNDM7880 James Evans

To propose that the Senedd:

1. Notes that 101 million bus journeys were undertaken in Wales in 2018/19, compared to 129 million in 2004/05.

2. Further notes that 23 per cent of people in Wales do not have access to a car or van.

3. Recognises that public transport is essential in rural Wales to prevent isolation and loneliness.

4. Calls on the Welsh Government to:

a) provide sustainable long-term funding for local authorities to enhance rural bus services;

b) ensure rural councils receive a fair share of future investment for public transport and active travel schemes;

c) guarantee the National Bus Strategy for Wales considers the unique challenges of public transport in rural Wales.

d) prioritise investing in zero-emissions public transport vehicles in rural areas.

Supporters:

Rhys ab Owen

Mabon ap Gwynfor

Natasha Asghar

Samuel Kurtz

Jack Sargeant

Carolyn Thomas

Business Committee also agreed the schedule the following motion for debate on 16 February:

NNDM7881

Rhys ab Owen

Jane Dodds

Llyr Gruffydd

To propose that the Senedd:

1. Notes:

a) the Local Government and Elections Wales Act 2021 extends the voting franchise to 16 and 17 year olds and foreign citizens legally resident in Wales, ensures a duty to encourage local people to participate in local government, and enables councils to scrap the first past the post system to elect councillors;

b) a more proportional system is used in local elections in Scotland, reducing the number of uncontested seats, and ensuring that all votes count.

2. Calls on the Welsh Government to work closely with new councils elected in May 2022 to ensure that a more representative method and a uniform national system is used to elect councillors across Wales by 2027.

Supporters

Rhun Ap Iorwerth 

Heledd Fychan 

Peredur Owen Griffiths

Mabon ap Gwynfor

Sioned Williams

Business Committee agreed to schedule the following motion for debate on 1 December:

NNDM7842 Mabon ap Gwynfor

To propose that the Senedd:

1. Welcomes the Welsh Government’s single cancer pathway approach.

2. Recognises:

a) that cancer is the leading cause of death in Wales and that 19,600 people are diagnosed with cancer every year in Wales (2016-2018).

b) that the challenges facing cancer services in Wales have been compounded by COVID-19, with around 1,700 fewer people beginning cancer treatment between April 2020 and March 2021.

c) that NHS Wales cancer waiting times for July 2021 show that the percentage of patients receiving their first treatment within 62 days of first being suspected of having cancer was at 61.8 per cent, which is well below the suspected cancer pathway performance target of 75 per cent.

d) that even before the pandemic, Wales was experiencing significant gaps in the workforce that diagnose and treat cancer, such as in imaging, endoscopy, pathology, non-surgical oncology and specialist nurses.

e) that without multi-year investment in training and employing more staff to fill current vacancies, Wales won’t have the frontline staff and specialists needed to address the cancer backlog, cope with future demand, or make progress towards ambitions to diagnose and treat more cancers at an early stage.

f) that the Wales Cancer Alliance criticised the quality statement for cancer, published in March 2021, for not setting a clear vision to support cancer services to recover from the impact of the pandemic and further improve survival. 

g) that Wales will soon be the only UK nation without a cancer strategy, which the World Health Organization recommends all countries have.

3. Welcomes the successful rapid diagnostic clinic pilots in Swansea Bay University Health Board and Cwm Taf Morgannwg University Health Board, and that the Wales Cancer Network has provided funding to all other health boards to develop rapid diagnostic clinics.

4. Calls on the Welsh Government to:

a) provide an update on the next steps for the quality statement for cancer, including ambitious targets and mechanisms for tracking progress investment for staff, equipment and infrastructure;

b) address the long-standing staff shortages within cancer and diagnostic services;

c) consider how the recommendations in Professor Sir Mike Richards review of diagnostic services in England could be applied in Wales.

Supported by:

Sioned Williams

Rhun Ap Iorwerth

Paul Davies

Jane Dodds

Sian Gwenllian

Altaf Hussain

Sam Rowlands

Business Committee also agreed to schedule the following motion for debate on 15 December 2021:

NNDM7843 Rhys Ab Owen

Alun Davies

Jane Dodds

Heledd Fychan

To propose that the Senedd:

1. Notes the increase in the number of legislative consent motions being presented to the Senedd.

2. Recognises that this is both a consequence of Welsh Ministers seeking to use UK Parliament legislation to enact Welsh Government legislation and the UK Government seeking to override our democracy, erode the devolution settlement and diminish the powers of the Senedd.

3. Believes that all substantial and significant primary legislation should be enacted by the Senedd rather than through the LCM process.

4. Calls on the Welsh Government to:

a) work with the Senedd's Business Committee to review the LCM process to ensure it is fit for purpose;

b) clarify the principles of when LCMs are used;

c) work with the Llywydd to seek an urgent review of the impact on the devolution settlement and the powers of the Senedd as a consequence of UK legislation.

Business Committee agreed to schedule the following motion for debate on 13 October:

NDM7794 Rhun ap Iorwerth (Ynys Môn)

To propose that the Senedd:

1. Notes the importance of renewable energy in efforts to reduce our carbon footprint.

2. Agrees that there is a need to ensure that energy developments bring benefits to the communities in which they are located.

3. Calls on the Welsh Government, either through regulations or new legislation to insist that developers of energy projects must prove the community benefits of their proposed developments by having to conduct community impact assessments and present a community-benefit plan as part of the planning process.

Supporters:

Janet Finch-Saunders

Altaf Hussain

Tom Giffard

Heledd Fychan

Sioned Williams

Luke Fletcher

Business Committee agreed to schedule the following motion for debate on 29 September:

NNDM7773 Luke Fletcher

Rhun Ap Iorwerth

Paul Davies

Janet Finch-Saunders

Jenny Rathbone

Jack Sargeant

Delyth Jewell

Altaf Hussain

Jane Dodds

Rhys Ab Owen

Peredur Owen Griffiths

Mabon ap Gwynfor

Sioned A Williams

Gareth L Davies

To propose that the Senedd:

1. Notes:

a) the significant impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on people living with and affected by dementia in Wales;

b) the importance of unpaid carers in ensuring that the social care system in Wales was able to operate during the pandemic.

2. Further notes the necessity of an accurate dementia diagnosis to allow for unpaid carers, the health and social care systems and other bodies and service providers to accurately plan person-centred services, as stated in the national dementia action plan.

3. Calls on the Welsh Government to:

a) fund research into developing accurate diagnostic tools to ensure that people who receive a diagnosis of dementia can access the correct support immediately post diagnosis;

b) fund post diagnostic support for all types of dementia across Wales;

c) establish a national dementia data observatory to ensure accuracy in dementia data and to collect, analyse and disseminate data on dementia to all service providers wishing to access data to help plan and deliver dementia services across Wales.

Dementia Action Plan for Wales 2018-22

Business Committee agreed to schedule the following motion for debate on 7 July:

NNDM7744

Hefin David

John Griffiths

Delyth Jewell

To propose that the Senedd:

1. Notes the significant role played by small businesses in sustaining local economies throughout the coronavirus pandemic by adapting to unprecedented circumstances.

2. Notes the importance of local small businesses, particularly those in the tourism and associated sectors, as we recover from the pandemic and start to re-build our communities and local economies.

3. Further notes the strong encouragement from the Welsh Government for people to holiday in Wales this year and enjoy its many attractions and sites of outstanding natural beauty.

4. Calls on the Welsh Government to work with representatives of the small business and tourism community to promote Wales as a sustainable tourism destination year-round.

5. Calls on the Welsh Government to work with the same stakeholders in order to integrate both sectors into its economic strategy and COVID-19 recovery plans in the sixth Senedd term to ensure that both are adequately supported and have the necessary resilience to sustain any future shocks.

Business Committee agreed to schedule the following motion for debate on 23 June:

NNDM7704 Huw Irranca-Davies (Ogmore)

To propose that the Senedd:

1. Notes the Bus Service Agreement of March 2021 commits £37.2 million of funding to continue to support the bus industry in the coming financial year.

2. Notes that the agreement commits to a fundamental reshaping of local bus services, better meeting the needs of passengers.

3. Notes that the agreement also seeks to rebuild patronage post-covid, encouraging increasing numbers to use public transport over time for a wide range of journeys, as conditions permit.

4. Further notes the publication of Llwybr Newydd: The Wales Transport Strategy 2021, which contains a range of commitments including:

a) extending the reach of bus services;
b) progressing new bus legislation to give the public sector more control over local bus services;
c) delivering innovative, more flexible bus services, in partnership with local authorities, the commercial and third sectors; and
d) ensuring that bus services and facilities are accessible, attractive and safe for everyone.

5. Calls on the Welsh Government to set out detailed plans and timescales for delivering the commitments on bus services in Llwybr Newydd.

6. Calls on the Welsh Government and partners to engage meaningfully with local communities across Wales on the strategy and in reshaping bus services to meet the transport needs identified by those communities.

Bus Service Agreement - March 2021

Llwybr Newydd: the Wales Transport Strategy 2021

Supporters:

Jayne Bryant (Newport West)

Hefin David (Caerphilly)

Jane Dodds (Mid and West Wales)

Janet Finch-Saunders (Aberconwy)

Luke Fletcher (South Wales West)

Heledd Fychan (South Wales Central)

John Griffiths (Newport East)

Vikki Howells (Cynon Valley)

Altaf Hussain (South Wales West)

Jenny Rathbone (Cardiff Central)

Llyr Gruffydd (North Wales)

Natasha Asghar (South Wales East)