Agenda and minutes

This meeting was held in a hybrid format, with some Members in the Senedd Chamber and others joining by video-conference.

The Presiding Officer will call party spokespeople to ask questions without notice to the Cabinet Secretary after Question 2.

View Questions

The item started at 13.30

All 9 questions were asked. The Deputy Presiding Officer invited party spokespeople to ask questions to the Cabinet Secretary after question 2.

The Presiding Officer will call party spokespeople to ask questions without notice to the Cabinet Secretary after Question 2.

View Questions

The item started at 14.20

The first 8 questions were asked. Questions 1 and 5 were answered by the Minister for Further and Higher Education. The Deputy Presiding Officer invited party spokespeople to ask questions to the Cabinet Secretary and Minister after question 2.

To ask the Minister for Culture, Skills and Social Partnership

Hannah Blythyn (Delyn): Will the Minister make a statement on the reported allegations of bullying and sexism at the WRU involving the Women’s International team?

To ask the Cabinet Secretary for Transport and North Wales

Peredur Owen Griffiths (South Wales East): What assessment has the Welsh Government made of other Transport for Wales trains fitted with the automated safety system intended to spray sand during wheel slippage which failed on a train involved in the recent fatal crash in Powys, and what is the assessed risk of similar failures?

To ask the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care

Sioned Williams (South Wales West): Could the Cabinet Secretary provide a statement on the recent COVID-19 inquiry revelation by Public Health Wales, which highlights missing data regarding NHS staff deaths due to COVID?

The item started at 15.15

Answered by the Minister for Culture, Skills and Social Partnership

Hannah Blythyn (Delyn): Will the Cabinet Secretary make a statement on the reported allegations of bullying and sexism at the WRU involving the Women’s International team?

Answered by the Cabinet Secretary for Transport and North Wales

Peredur Owen Griffiths (South Wales East): What assessment has the Welsh Government made of other Transport for Wales trains fitted with the automated safety system intended to spray sand during wheel slippage which failed on a train involved in the recent fatal crash in Powys, and what is the assessed risk of similar failures?

Answered by the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care

Sioned Williams (South Wales West): Could the Cabinet Secretary provide a statement on the recent COVID-19 inquiry revelation by Public Health Wales, which highlights missing data regarding NHS staff deaths due to COVID?

The item started at 15.50

Julie Morgan made a statement on - 40 years of Friends of the Earth Cymru.

NDM8707 Hannah Blythyn (Delyn)

To propose that the Senedd:

1. Considers the Report of the Standards of Conduct Committee - Seventeenth Report to the Sixth Senedd laid before the Senedd on 30 October 2024 in accordance with Standing Order 22.9.

2. Endorses the recommendation in the report.

The item started at 15.51

NDM8707 Hannah Blythyn (Delyn)

To propose that the Senedd:

1. Considers the Report of the Standards of Conduct Committee - Seventeenth Report to the Sixth Senedd laid before the Senedd on 30 October 2024 in accordance with Standing Order 22.9.

2. Endorses the recommendation in the report.

The motion was agreed in accordance with Standing Order 12.36.

NDM8708 Hannah Blythyn (Delyn)

To propose that the Senedd:

1. Considers the Report of the Standards of Conduct Committee - Eighteenth Report to the Sixth Senedd laid before the Senedd on 30 October 2024 in accordance with Standing Order 22.9.

2. Endorses the recommendation in the report.

The item started at 15.56

NDM8708 Hannah Blythyn (Delyn)

To propose that the Senedd:

1. Considers the Report of the Standards of Conduct Committee - Eighteenth Report to the Sixth Senedd laid before the Senedd on 30 October 2024 in accordance with Standing Order 22.9.

2. Endorses the recommendation in the report.

The motion was agreed in accordance with Standing Order 12.36.

NDM8710 Jenny Rathbone (Cardiff Central)

To propose that the Senedd:

Notes the Equality and Social Justice Committee report: 'Annual Report: European Union Settlement Scheme' laid on 8 April 2024.

Note: The response of the Welsh Government was laid in the Table Office on 30 October 2024.

Supporting documents

Senedd Research – EU Settlement Scheme (EUSS): monitoring report

The item started at 15.58

NDM8710 Jenny Rathbone (Cardiff Central)

To propose that the Senedd:

Notes the Equality and Social Justice Committee report: 'Annual Report: European Union Settlement Scheme' laid on 8 April 2024.

Note: The response of the Welsh Government was laid in the Table Office on 30 October 2024.

The motion was agreed in accordance with Standing Order 12.36.

NDM8709 Carolyn Thomas (North Wales)

To propose that the Senedd:

Notes the petition ‘P-06-1400 Fair and Adequate Resourcing of General Practice in Wales’ which received 21,620 signatures.

The item started at 16.42

NDM8709 Carolyn Thomas (North Wales)

To propose that the Senedd:

Notes the petition ‘P-06-1400 Fair and Adequate Resourcing of General Practice in Wales’ which received 21,620 signatures.

The motion was agreed in accordance with Standing Order 12.36.

NDM8713 Darren Millar (Clwyd West)

To propose that the Senedd:

1. Believes that the UK Government’s Autumn Budget breaks Labour’s manifesto commitment to not raise taxes on working people.

2. Regrets that many pensioners will have to choose between eating and heating as a result of the withdrawal of winter fuel payments.

3. Recognises that the increase in employer national insurance contributions will make it harder for businesses to employ and retain staff.

4. Expresses its disappointment that the UK Government’s budget has failed to deliver either the electrification of the North Wales main line or Barnett consequentials from the HS2 project for Wales.

5. Calls on the Welsh Government to:

a) use funding arising from the Autumn Budget to support reducing NHS waiting lists and strengthen social care services across Wales;

b) deliver support to Welsh pensioners through the winter months via the establishment of a Welsh winter fuel allowance;

c) increase investment in the Welsh education system to improve learner outcomes in our schools;

d) protect farmers by supporting the case to maintain agricultural property relief and business property relief for inheritance tax purposes; and

e) stand up for Wales by seeking a new, needs based funding formula to replace the Barnett formula.

The following amendments were tabled:

Amendment 1 Jane Hutt (Vale of Glamorgan)

Delete all and replace with:

To propose that the Senedd:

1. Welcomes:

a) the UK budget and the additional £1.7 billion funding for Wales; and

b) the additional funding for coal tip safety and the increase in capital funding for infrastructure investment.

2. Recognises this is a first step towards repairing the damage inflicted by the previous UK Government on public services and public finances.

3. Notes that the Welsh Government will:

a) publish its draft budget in December, setting out how it will support Wales’s priorities and public services, including the NHS, schools and local government; and

b) continue to work with the UK Government to secure fair rail funding for Wales and improved budget flexibilities.

If amendment 1 is agreed, amendments 2, 3, 4 and 5 will be de-selected.

Amendment 2 Heledd Fychan (South Wales Central)

Add as new point at the start of motion and renumber accordingly:

Regrets the profound damage caused to Welsh public finances and services by fourteen years of austerity under the previous Conservative UK Government and the fallout from the October 2022 mini budget.

Amendment 3 Heledd Fychan (South Wales Central)

Add as new point after point 1 and renumber accordingly:

Regrets the failure to scrap the cruel two-child benefit cap which directly contributes to the shocking prevalence of child poverty in society. 

Amendment 4 Heledd Fychan (South Wales Central)

Delete point 4 and replace with:

Expresses its disappointment that the UK Government’s budget failed to include any HS2 consequential funding for Wales, provided no new money for rail electrification projects, and reduced the departmental comparability factor for UK rail spending relative to Wales even further, which will exacerbate the systematic underinvestment of Wales’s rail network.

Amendment 5 Heledd Fychan (South Wales Central)

Add as new point after point 4:

Expresses disappointment at the inaction of the current Labour UK Government on devolving the Crown Estate to enable Wales to benefit from the wealth of its own natural resources.

Amendment 6 Heledd Fychan (South Wales Central)

Add as new point at the end of the motion:

Calls:

a) on the Welsh Government to make representations to the UK Government to scrap the two-child benefit cap without delay;

b) for a fair funding deal for local authorities in the upcoming Welsh budget to ensure their finances are not adversely affected by the rise in employer national insurance contributions; and

c) on the Welsh Government to utilise the additional money it received from the autumn budget to reverse the cut to business rate relief announced in April.

The item started at 17.17

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

A vote was taken on the motion without amendment:

NDM8713 Darren Millar (Clwyd West)

To propose that the Senedd:

1. Believes that the UK Government’s Autumn Budget breaks Labour’s manifesto commitment to not raise taxes on working people.

2. Regrets that many pensioners will have to choose between eating and heating as a result of the withdrawal of winter fuel payments.

3. Recognises that the increase in employer national insurance contributions will make it harder for businesses to employ and retain staff.

4. Expresses its disappointment that the UK Government’s budget has failed to deliver either the electrification of the North Wales main line or Barnett consequentials from the HS2 project for Wales.

5. Calls on the Welsh Government to:

a) use funding arising from the Autumn Budget to support reducing NHS waiting lists and strengthen social care services across Wales;

b) deliver support to Welsh pensioners through the winter months via the establishment of a Welsh winter fuel allowance;

c) increase investment in the Welsh education system to improve learner outcomes in our schools;

d) protect farmers by supporting the case to maintain agricultural property relief and business property relief for inheritance tax purposes; and

e) stand up for Wales by seeking a new, needs based funding formula to replace the Barnett formula.

For	Abstain	Against	Total
15	0	38	53

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. Welcomes:

a) the UK budget and the additional £1.7 billion funding for Wales; and

b) the additional funding for coal tip safety and the increase in capital funding for infrastructure investment.

2. Recognises this is a first step towards repairing the damage inflicted by the previous UK Government on public services and public finances.

3. Notes that the Welsh Government will:

a) publish its draft budget in December, setting out how it will support Wales’s priorities and public services, including the NHS, schools and local government; and

b) continue to work with the UK Government to secure fair rail funding for Wales and improved budget flexibilities.

A vote was taken on amendment 1:

For	Abstain	Against	Total
27	0	26	53

Amendment 1 was agreed.

As amendment 1 was agreed, amendments 2, 3, 4 and 5 were de-selected.

Amendment 6 Heledd Fychan (South Wales Central)

Add as new point at the end of the motion:

Calls:

a) on the Welsh Government to make representations to the UK Government to scrap the two-child benefit cap without delay;

b) for a fair funding deal for local authorities in the upcoming Welsh budget to ensure their finances are not adversely affected by the rise in employer national insurance contributions; and

c) on the Welsh Government to utilise the additional money it received from the autumn budget to reverse the cut to business rate relief announced in April.

A vote was taken on amendment 6:

For	Abstain	Against	Total
11	0	42	53

Amendment 6 was not agreed.

A vote was taken on the motion as amended:

To propose that the Senedd:

1. Welcomes:

a) the UK budget and the additional £1.7 billion funding for Wales; and

b) the additional funding for coal tip safety and the increase in capital funding for infrastructure investment.

2. Recognises this is a first step towards repairing the damage inflicted by the previous UK Government on public services and public finances.

3. Notes that the Welsh Government will:

a) publish its draft budget in December, setting out how it will support Wales’s priorities and public services, including the NHS, schools and local government; and

b) continue to work with the UK Government to secure fair rail funding for Wales and improved budget flexibilities.

For	Abstain	Against	Total
27	0	26	53

The motion as amended was agreed.

 

The item started at 18.28

 

NDM8711 James Evans (Brecon and Radnorshire)

The future of local healthcare in rural Wales.

The item started at 18.32

NDM8711 James Evans (Brecon and Radnorshire)

The future of local healthcare in rural Wales.