Meetings

NDM8562 Welsh Conservatives Debate - Leadership campaign donations and the ministerial code

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Meeting: 01/05/2024 - Plenary (Item 7)

Welsh Conservatives Debate - Leadership campaign donations and the ministerial code

NDM8562 Darren Millar (Clwyd West)

To propose that the Senedd:

1. Recognises the public concern regarding a potential breach of the Welsh Government's ministerial code in relation to donations received by the First Minister.

2. Notes that the First Minister received a £200,000 donation towards his Welsh Labour leadership campaign from the Dauson Environmental Group Limited following a £400,000 loan to the company from the Development Bank of Wales, and environment-related offences.

3. Calls on the First Minister to appoint an independent advisor to the ministerial code to investigate any conflict of interest that may exist in relation to the donation, with particular reference to points i and ii of paragraph 1.3 of the ministerial code.

The following amendments were tabled:

Amendment 1 Jane Hutt (Vale of Glamorgan)

Delete all and replace with:

To propose that the Senedd:

1. Recognises that the Welsh Government takes seriously the Ministerial Code and the responsibilities it places upon Welsh Ministers.

2. Notes that loan and investment decisions taken by the Development Bank of Wales are done so entirely independently of the Welsh Government.

Amendment 2 Heledd Fychan (South Wales Central)

Add as new point at end of motion:

Regrets:

a) that the First Minister has not returned the donation to Dauson Environmental; and

b) that the Labour Party has not committed to returning any of the remaining donation from Dauson Environmental.

Minutes:

The item started at 16.36

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

A vote was taken on the motion without amendment:

NDM8562 Darren Millar (Clwyd West)

To propose that the Senedd:

1. Recognises the public concern regarding a potential breach of the Welsh Government's ministerial code in relation to donations received by the First Minister.

2. Notes that the First Minister received a £200,000 donation towards his Welsh Labour leadership campaign from the Dauson Environmental Group Limited following a £400,000 loan to the company from the Development Bank of Wales, and environment-related offences.

3. Calls on the First Minister to appoint an independent advisor to the ministerial code to investigate any conflict of interest that may exist in relation to the donation, with particular reference to points i and ii of paragraph 1.3 of the ministerial code.

For

Abstain

Against

Total

25

0

27

52

The motion without amendment was not agreed.

The following amendments were tabled:

Amendment 1 Jane Hutt (Vale of Glamorgan)

Delete all and replace with:

To propose that the Senedd:

1. Recognises that the Welsh Government takes seriously the Ministerial Code and the responsibilities it places upon Welsh Ministers.

2. Notes that loan and investment decisions taken by the Development Bank of Wales are done so entirely independently of the Welsh Government.

A vote was taken on amendment 1:

For

Abstain

Against

Total

27

0

25

52

Amendment 1 was agreed.

Amendment 2 Heledd Fychan (South Wales Central)

Add as new point at end of motion:

Regrets:

a) that the First Minister has not returned the donation to Dauson Environmental; and

b) that the Labour Party has not committed to returning any of the remaining donation from Dauson Environmental.

A vote was taken on amendment 2:

For

Abstain

Against

Total

25

0

27

52

Amendment 2 was not agreed.

A vote was taken on the motion as amended:

NDM8562 Darren Millar (Clwyd West)

To propose that the Senedd:

1. Recognises that the Welsh Government takes seriously the Ministerial Code and the responsibilities it places upon Welsh Ministers.

2. Notes that loan and investment decisions taken by the Development Bank of Wales are done so entirely independently of the Welsh Government.

For

Abstain

Against

Total

28

0

24

52

The motion as amended was agreed.