Meetings
NDM7356 Plaid Cymru debate - An Independent Wales
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Meeting: 15/07/2020 - Plenary - Fifth Senedd (Item 16)
Plaid Cymru debate - An Independent Wales
NDM7356 Sian
Gwenllian (Arfon)
To propose that the Senedd:
1. Notes that the people of Wales have
welcomed the ability for Wales to act independently during the coronavirus
crisis.
2. Recognises the success of independent
countries of a similar size to Wales in dealing with the virus.
3. Believes that independence would give
Wales greater agility and resilience in responding to future challenges.
4. Notes the increased support for an
independent Scotland and a united Ireland.
5. Affirms the right of the people of Wales
to decide whether Wales should become an independent country.
6. Calls on the
Welsh Government to seek the constitutional right to allow the Senedd to
legislate during the next term to hold a binding referendum on independence.
The following amendments have been tabled:
Amendment 1 - Darren
Millar (Clwyd West)
Delete all and replace with:
To propose that the Senedd:
1. Supports Welsh devolution.
2. Recognises the benefits to Wales of
being part of the United Kingdom.
3. Welcomes the significant support made
available by Her Majesty’s Government to assist in the response to the
coronavirus pandemic in Wales, including:
a) £2.8 billion allocated to support
interventions in devolved matters;
b) support for more than 316,500 jobs via a
Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme;
c) support for more than 102,000 people via
the Self-Employed Income Support Scheme;
d) emergency finance for the steel
industry;
e) a Job Retention Bonus to encourage
employers to protect the jobs of furloughed workers;
f) a Kickstart Scheme for young job
seekers;
g) a reduction in VAT for tourism and
hospitality businesses;
h) an Eat Out to Help Out scheme to help
cafes, restaurants and pubs; and
i) funding to decarbonise UK Government
public sector buildings in Wales.
4. Calls on the Welsh Government to
continue to cooperate with Her Majesty’s Government to protect lives and
livelihoods in Wales during the coronavirus pandemic.
[If Amendment 1 is agreed amendments 2, 3
and 4 will be de-selected]
Amendment 2 - Neil
Hamilton (Mid and West Wales)
Delete all and replace with:
To propose that the Senedd:
Believes that:
a) by any reasonable measure, devolution
has failed; and
b) support for scrapping the Senedd exceeds
support for Wales' political independence from the UK.
[If Amendment 2 is agreed amendments
3 and 4 will be de-selected]
Amendment 3 - Gareth
Bennett (South Wales Central)
Delete all and replace with:
To propose that the Senedd:
1. Notes that the different lockdown
policies introduced by different governments across the United Kingdom have led
to confusion.
2. Recognises that the only real economic
resilience Wales enjoys is as part of the United Kingdom.
3. Notes the Scottish independence
referendum in 2014, which resulted in Scotland voting to remain as part of the
United Kingdom.
4. Affirms the right of the people of Wales
to decide whether Wales continues to have a devolved government.
5. Calls on the Welsh Government to seek
the constitutional right to allow the Senedd to legislate during the next term
to hold a binding referendum on whether we keep or abolish the devolved
government and parliament of Wales.
[If Amendment 3 is agreed amendment 4 will
be de-selected]
Amendment 4 - Rebecca
Evans (Gower)
Delete all and replace with:
To propose that the Senedd:
1. Welcomes the Welsh Government’s strong
and effective leadership during the COVID-19 pandemic;
2. Considers that co-ordinated
decision-making and messaging by the four administrations within the United
Kingdom will most effectively address the challenges the pandemic presents for
our citizens and businesses; and
3. Believes that Wales’s interests are best
served by its continuing membership of a reformed United Kingdom, allowing
co-ordinated governmental action to be pursued.
Amendment 5 - Neil
Hamilton (Mid and West Wales)
Add as a new point at end of motion:
Believes that the Senedd should be
scrapped.
Amendment 6 - Neil
Hamilton (Mid and West Wales)
Add as a new point at end of motion:
Calls on Welsh Government to seek the
constitutional right to allow the Senedd to legislate during the next term to
hold a binding referendum on its disestablishment.
Amendment 7 - Neil
McEvoy (South Wales Central)
Add as new point at end of motion:
Believes that Wales should have its own
constitution and bill of rights.
Amendment 8 - Neil
McEvoy (South Wales Central)
Add as new point at end of motion:
Believes that Welsh sovereignty should be
exercised at a community and national level, including use of binding
referendums through a public right of initiative.
Minutes:
The item started at
18.56
Voting
on the motion and amendments under this item was deferred until Voting Time.
A
vote was taken on the motion without amendment:
NDM7356 Sian
Gwenllian (Arfon)
To
propose that the Senedd:
1.
Notes that the people of Wales have welcomed the ability for Wales to act
independently during the coronavirus crisis.
2.
Recognises the success of independent countries of a similar size to Wales in
dealing with the virus.
3.
Believes that independence would give Wales greater agility and resilience in
responding to future challenges.
4.
Notes the increased support for an independent Scotland and a united Ireland.
5.
Affirms the right of the people of Wales to decide whether Wales should become
an independent country.
6.
Calls on the Welsh Government to seek the constitutional right to allow the
Senedd to legislate during the next term to hold a binding referendum on
independence.
For |
Abstain |
Against |
Total |
9 |
1 |
43 |
53 |
The motion without amendment was not
agreed.
The
following amendments were tabled:
Amendment 1 - Darren
Millar (Clwyd West)
Delete all and
replace with:
To propose that the
Senedd:
1. Supports Welsh
devolution.
2. Recognises the
benefits to Wales of being part of the United Kingdom.
3. Welcomes the
significant support made available by Her Majesty’s Government to assist in the
response to the coronavirus pandemic in Wales, including:
a) £2.8 billion
allocated to support interventions in devolved matters;
b) support for more
than 316,500 jobs via a Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme;
c) support for more
than 102,000 people via the Self-Employed Income Support Scheme;
d) emergency
finance for the steel industry;
e) a Job Retention
Bonus to encourage employers to protect the jobs of furloughed workers;
f) a Kickstart
Scheme for young job seekers;
g) a reduction in
VAT for tourism and hospitality businesses;
h) an Eat Out to
Help Out scheme to help cafes, restaurants and pubs; and
i) funding to
decarbonise UK Government public sector buildings in Wales.
4. Calls on the
Welsh Government to continue to cooperate with Her Majesty’s Government to
protect lives and livelihoods in Wales during the coronavirus pandemic.
A vote was taken on
amendment 1:
For |
Abstain |
Against |
Total |
13 |
0 |
40 |
53 |
Amendment 1 was not agreed.
Amendment 2 - Neil
Hamilton (Mid and West Wales)
Delete all and
replace with:
To propose that the
Senedd:
Believes that:
a) by any reasonable
measure, devolution has failed; and
b) support for
scrapping the Senedd exceeds support for Wales' political independence from the
UK.
A vote was taken on
amendment 2:
For |
Abstain |
Against |
Total |
2 |
2 |
49 |
53 |
Amendment 2 was not agreed.
Amendment 3 - Gareth
Bennett (South Wales Central)
Delete all and replace with:
To propose that the Senedd:
1. Notes that the different lockdown policies introduced by different
governments across the United Kingdom have led to confusion.
2. Recognises that the only real economic resilience Wales enjoys is as
part of the United Kingdom.
3. Notes the Scottish independence referendum in 2014, which resulted in
Scotland voting to remain as part of the United Kingdom.
4. Affirms the right of the people of Wales to decide whether Wales
continues to have a devolved government.
5. Calls on the Welsh Government to seek the constitutional right to
allow the Senedd to legislate during the next term to hold a binding referendum
on whether we keep or abolish the devolved government and parliament of Wales.
A vote was taken on
amendment 3:
For |
Abstain |
Against |
Total |
2 |
2 |
49 |
53 |
Amendment 3 was not agreed.
Amendment 4 - Rebecca
Evans (Gower)
Delete all and replace with:
To propose that the Senedd:
1. Welcomes the Welsh Government’s strong and effective leadership during
the COVID-19 pandemic;
2. Considers that co-ordinated decision-making and messaging by the four
administrations within the United Kingdom will most effectively address the
challenges the pandemic presents for our citizens and businesses; and
3. Believes that Wales’s interests are best served by its continuing
membership of a reformed United Kingdom, allowing co-ordinated governmental
action to be pursued.
A vote was taken on
amendment 4:
For |
Abstain |
Against |
Total |
29 |
0 |
24 |
53 |
Amendment 4 was agreed.
Amendment 5 - Neil
Hamilton (Mid and West Wales)
Add as a new point at end of motion:
Believes that the Senedd should be scrapped.
A vote was taken on
amendment 5:
For |
Abstain |
Against |
Total |
2 |
2 |
49 |
53 |
Amendment 5 was not agreed.
Amendment 6 - Neil
Hamilton (Mid and West Wales)
Add as a new point at end of motion:
Calls on Welsh Government to seek the constitutional right to allow the
Senedd to legislate during the next term to hold a binding referendum on its
disestablishment.
A vote was taken on
amendment 6:
For |
Abstain |
Against |
Total |
2 |
2 |
49 |
53 |
Amendment 6 was not agreed.
Amendment 7 - Neil
McEvoy (South Wales Central)
Add as new point at end of motion:
Believes that Wales should have its own constitution and bill of rights.
A vote was taken on
amendment 7:
For |
Abstain |
Against |
Total |
9 |
2 |
42 |
53 |
Amendment 7 was not agreed.
Amendment 8 - Neil
McEvoy (South Wales Central)
Add as new point at end of motion:
Believes that Welsh sovereignty should be exercised at a community and
national level, including use of binding referendums through a public right of
initiative.
A vote was taken on
amendment 8:
For |
Abstain |
Against |
Total |
1 |
2 |
50 |
53 |
Amendment 8 was not agreed.
A
vote was taken on the motion as amended:
NDM7356 Sian
Gwenllian (Arfon)
To
propose that the Senedd:
1. Welcomes the Welsh Government’s strong and effective leadership during
the COVID-19 pandemic;
2. Considers that co-ordinated decision-making and messaging by the four
administrations within the United Kingdom will most effectively address the
challenges the pandemic presents for our citizens and businesses; and
3. Believes that Wales’s interests are best served by its continuing
membership of a reformed United Kingdom, allowing co-ordinated governmental
action to be pursued.
For |
Abstain |
Against |
Total |
29 |
0 |
24 |
53 |
The motion as amended was agreed.