Agenda and decisions

 

View Questions

The item started at 13.30

All 15 questions were asked.  Questions 2 and 10 and 7 and 11 were grouped together for answer. 

 

View Questions

The item started at 14.18

Questions 2 – 12 and 14 - 15 were asked.  Questions 3 and 4 were grouped together for answer.  Questions 1 and 13 were withdrawn.

 

No questions tabled.

No questions tabled.

The item started at 14.57

Kirsty Williams (Brecon and Radnorshire): Will the Health Minister make an urgent statement about the Welsh Ambulance Service response times?

 

 

The Presiding Officer announced that Darren Millar had won the Members’ ballot to submit a proposal for legislation. In accordance with Standing Order 26.91, Darren Millar may now seek the Assembly’s agreement to introduce a Member proposed Holiday Caravan Park (Wales) Bill.

 

The item started at 15.07

NDM5217 Rosemary Butler (Newport West):

To propose that the National Assembly for Wales, in accordance with Standing Order 17.14, elects Mick Antoniw (Welsh Labour) as a member of the Enterprise and Business Committee in place of Ken Skates (Welsh Labour).

NDM5218 Rosemary Butler (Newport West):

To propose that the National Assembly for Wales, in accordance with Standing Order 17.14, elects:

(i)       Christine Chapman (Welsh Labour) and Jenny Rathbone (Welsh Labour) as  members of the Communities, Equality and Local Government Committee in place of Ann Jones (Welsh Labour) and Joyce Watson (Welsh Labour), and;

(ii)      Christine Chapman (Welsh Labour) as Chair of the Communities, Equality and Local Government Committee.

NDM5219 Rosemary Butler (Newport West):

To propose that the National Assembly for Wales, in accordance with Standing Order 17.14, elects:

(i)       Ann Jones (Welsh Labour), Keith Davies (Welsh Labour) and David Rees (Welsh Labour) as members of the Children and Young People Committee in place of Christine Chapman (Welsh Labour), Jenny Rathbone (Welsh Labour) and Julie Morgan (Welsh Labour), and;

(ii)      Ann Jones (Welsh Labour) as Chair of the Children and Young People Committee.

NDM5220 Rosemary Butler (Newport West):

To propose that the National Assembly for Wales, in accordance with Standing Order 17.14, elects Sandy Mewies (Welsh Labour) as a member of the Public Accounts Committee in place of Gwyn Price (Welsh Labour).

NDM5221 Rosemary Butler (Newport West):

To propose that the National Assembly for Wales, in accordance with Standing Order 17.14, elects Julie Morgan (Welsh Labour) and Joyce Watson (Welsh Labour) as members of the Environment and Sustainability Committee in place of David Rees (Welsh Labour) and Keith Davies (Welsh Labour).

NDM5222 Rosemary Butler (Newport West):

To propose that the National Assembly for Wales, in accordance with Standing Order 17.14, elects Ken Skates (Welsh Labour) as a member of the Health and Social Care Committee in place of Mick Antoniw (Welsh Labour).

The motions were grouped for vote and agreed in accordance with Standing Order 12.36.

 

 

 

NDM5211 William Graham (South Wales East)

 

To propose that the National Assembly for Wales:

 

1. Recognises the impact of the recent severe weather conditions on rural communities and businesses in Wales;

 

2. Notes the impact which poor rural transport and communication infrastructure has had on efforts to combat severe weather conditions;

 

3. Believes the Welsh Government’s emergency response strategy must be effective in dealing with the unique challenges facing rural communities; and

 

4. Urges the Welsh Government to consider a hardship fund to support businesses affected by severe weather.

 

The following amendments have been tabled:

 

Amendment 1 - Aled Roberts (North Wales)

 

Insert at the end of point 1:

 

‘and notes that as our climate changes the scale and frequency of severe weather conditions is likely to increase.’

 

Amendment 2 - Aled Roberts (North Wales)

 

Add as new point at end of motion:

 

Recognises that the severe weather has had a disproportionate impact on farmers in Less Favoured Areas, which accounts for 80% of agricultural land in Wales, and calls on the Welsh Government to introduce a new financial support scheme for farmers in Less Favoured Areas, which in turn would help them to manage the impact of severe weather conditions.

The item started at 15.08

NDM5211 William Graham (South Wales East)

To propose that the National Assembly for Wales:

1. Recognises the impact of the recent severe weather conditions on rural communities and businesses in Wales;

2. Notes the impact which poor rural transport and communication infrastructure has had on efforts to combat severe weather conditions;

3. Believes the Welsh Government’s emergency response strategy must be effective in dealing with the unique challenges facing rural communities; and

4. Urges the Welsh Government to consider a hardship fund to support businesses affected by severe weather.

The motion without amendment was agreed in accordance with Standing Order 12.36.

 

NDM5212 William Graham (South Wales East)

 

National Assembly for Wales:

 

1. Recognises the potential of Ynys Môn as hub for energy and economic growth;

 

2. Welcomes the announcement that Hitachi will develop Horizon Nuclear Power at the Wylfa plant on Ynys Môn;

 

3. Urges the Welsh Government to consider the development of a clear plan to support the development of Ynys Môn as a centre for energy generation; and

 

4. Believes the development of nuclear energy on Ynys Môn must be complemented by further support for a robust energy mix across Wales.

 

The following amendments have been tabled:

 

Amendment 1- Jocelyn Davies (South Wales East)

 

Insert at end of point 1:

 

‘but regrets that the task of regenerating the island's economy is undermined by the UK Government's austerity programme’

 

Amendment 2 - Jocelyn Davies (South Wales East)

 

Delete point 3 and replace with:

 

Welcomes the designation of Ynys Môn as an enterprise zone.

 

Amendment 3 - Jocelyn Davies (South Wales East)

 

Insert at the end of point 4:

 

‘and therefore calls for the devolution of energy policy to the National Assembly.'

 

Amendment 4 - Aled Roberts (North Wales)

 

Add as new point at end of motion:

 

Recognises the need to strengthen the existing transmission network as a result of proposed energy developments in North Wales and calls on the Welsh Government to ensure full transparency in its engagement with the National Grid on new grid infrastructure.

The item started at 15.58

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

A vote was taken on the motion without amendment:

NDM5212 William Graham (South Wales East)

National Assembly for Wales:

1. Recognises the potential of Ynys Môn as hub for energy and economic growth;

2. Welcomes the announcement that Hitachi will develop Horizon Nuclear Power at the Wylfa plant on Ynys Môn;

3. Urges the Welsh Government to consider the development of a clear plan to support the development of Ynys Môn as a centre for energy generation; and

4. Believes the development of nuclear energy on Ynys Môn must be complemented by further support for a robust energy mix across Wales.

For	Abstain	Against	Total
39	6	5	50

The motion without amendment was agreed.

 

NDM5213 Jocelyn Davies (South Wales East)

 

To propose that the National Assembly for Wales:

 

Deplores gender inequality and its persistent pay gap and calls on the Welsh Government to develop a long term strategy to tackle gender stereotyping.

 

The following amendments have been tabled:

 

Amendment 1 - William Graham (South Wales East)

 

Insert as new point 1 and renumber accordingly:

 

Supports the UK Government’s plans to give Employment Tribunals power to impose pay audits on employers who are found to have discriminated because of sex in contractual or non-contractual pay matters.

 

Amendment 2 - William Graham (South Wales East)

 

Insert as new point 1 and renumber accordingly:

 

Calls on the Welsh Government to provide an update on the action it is taking to tackle the entrepreneurial gender gap in Wales.

 

Amendment 3 - William Graham (South Wales East)

 

Insert as new point 1 and renumber accordingly:

 

Notes the recommendation of the Davies Report ‘Women on boards’ that FTSE 100 Boards should aim for a minimum of 25% female representation by 2015 and calls on the Welsh Government to consult with Welsh businesses to increase the number of women in senior management positions.

 

The Davies Report ‘Women on boards’ can be found on the following link:

http://www.bis.gov.uk//assets/biscore/business-law/docs/w/12-p135-women-on-boards-2012.pdf

 

Amendment 4 - William Graham (South Wales East)

 

Insert as new point 1 and renumber accordingly:

 

Welcomes the UK Government’s announcement of a new scheme for tax-free childcare for working families and calls on the Welsh Government to investigate ways, in addition to Flying Start, to assist women back to work in all parts of Wales.

 

Amendment 5- William Graham (South Wales East)

 

Insert as new point 1 and renumber accordingly:

 

Acknowledges the UK Government’s policy of providing resources for 5000 volunteer business mentors for women to give effective support to women who want to start or grow their own business and calls on the Welsh Government to work with the third sector to develop such a scheme.

 

Amendment 6- Aled Roberts (North Wales)

 

Add as new point at end of motion:

 

Welcomes the action by the UK Government to shift the balance of responsibility through shared parental leave, which will create more flexibility for parents and help tackle discrimination against women in the workplace and calls on the Welsh Government to work with businesses in Wales to ensure that they can adapt to the new arrangements.

The item started at 16.58

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

A vote was taken on the motion without amendment:

NDM5213 Jocelyn Davies (South Wales East)

To propose that the National Assembly for Wales:

Deplores gender inequality and its persistent pay gap and calls on the Welsh Government to develop a long term strategy to tackle gender stereotyping.

For	Abstain	Against	Total
36	0	14	50

The motion without amendment was agreed.

The item started at 17.57

 

 

NDM5210 Eluned Parrott (South Wales Central):

 

Abandoned Brothers - Assessing support for PTSD in Wales.

 

A debate about Armed and Emergency Service Personnel in Wales suffering with PTSD and they ways in which Wales, The Welsh Government and the Voluntary Sector can help.

The item started at 17.59

NDM5210 Eluned Parrott (South Wales Central):

Abandoned Brothers - Assessing support for PTSD in Wales.

A debate about Armed and Emergency Service Personnel in Wales suffering with PTSD and they ways in which Wales, The Welsh Government and the Voluntary Sector can help.