Agenda and minutes

Venue: Y Siambr - Y Senedd. View directions

Contact: Aled Elwyn Jones 

Expected timing: 15(v4) 

Media

Senedd.TV: View the webcast

Transcript: Transcript for 14/07/2021 - Plenary

Items
Expected timing No. Item

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

(45 mins)

1.

Questions to the Minister for Climate Change

The Presiding Officer will call Party Spokespeople to ask questions without notice after Question 2.

View Questions

Supporting documents:

Minutes:

The item started at 13.30

The first 8 questions were asked. Questions 2 and 6 were answered by the Deputy Minister for Climate Change. The Presiding Officer invited party spokespeople to ask questions to the Minister and Deputy Minister for Climate Change after question 2.

 

(45 mins)

2.

Questions to the Minister for Education and the Welsh Language

The Presiding Officer will call Party Spokespeople to ask questions without notice after Question 2.

View Questions

Minutes:

The item started at 14.19

The first 8 questions were asked. The Presiding Officer invited party spokespeople to ask questions to the Minister after question 2.

 

(45 mins)

3.

Statement by the First Minister: The Coronavirus Control Plan

Minutes:

The item started at 15.07

In accordance with Standing Order 12.18, at 15.53 the meeting was suspended by the Presiding Officer.

 

(0 mins)

4.

Topical Questions

No Topical Questions were received

Minutes:

No Topical Questions were submitted.

 

(5 mins)

5.

90 Second Statements

Minutes:

The item started at 16.05

Elin Jones made a statement on – Remembering Elystan Morgan.

Jane Dodds made a statement on - 50 years since the opening of the Offa’s Dyke footpath.

Joel James made a statement on - St Edward the Confessor Church in Roath is celebrating one hundred years since the laying of its foundation stone.

Cefin Campbell: made a statement on - 50 year anniversary of Mudiad Meithrin.

 

(5 mins)

6.

Motion to establish a committee under Standing Order 16.1: The Llywydd's Committee

NDM7765 Elin Jones (Ceredigion)

To propose that the Senedd, in accordance with Standing Order 16.1, establishes the Llywydd’s Committee to carry out the functions set out in Standing Order 18B.2.

Minutes:

The item started at 16.12

NDM7765 Elin Jones (Ceredigion)

To propose that the Senedd, in accordance with Standing Order 16.1, establishes the Llywydd’s Committee to carry out the functions set out in Standing Order 18B.2.

The motion was agreed in accordance with Standing Order 12.36.

 

(5 mins)

7.

Motion to elect members to a committee: The Llywydd's Committee

NDM7769 Elin Jones (Ceredigion)

To propose that the Senedd, in accordance with Standing Order 17.3 and 18.B4:

Elects the following as members of the Llywydd’s Committee:

a) The Deputy Presiding Officer as Chair of the Committee;

b) Peredur Owen Griffiths, (chair of the responsible committee under Standing Order 19); and

c) Joyce Watson (Welsh Labour), Janet Finch-Saunders (Welsh Conservatives) and Rhys ab Owen (Plaid Cymru).

Minutes:

The item started at 16.13

NDM7769 Elin Jones (Ceredigion)

To propose that the Senedd, in accordance with Standing Order 17.3 and 18.B4:

Elects the following as members of the Llywydd’s Committee:

a) The Deputy Presiding Officer as Chair of the Committee;

b) Peredur Owen Griffiths, (chair of the responsible committee under Standing Order 19); and

c) Joyce Watson (Welsh Labour), Janet Finch-Saunders (Welsh Conservatives) and Rhys ab Owen (Plaid Cymru).

The motion was agreed in accordance with Standing Order 12.36.

 

(30 mins)

8.

Debate on a Member's Legislative Proposal – A children's residential care Bill

NDM7723 Jane Dodds (Mid and West Wales)

To propose that the Senedd:

1. Notes a proposal for a Bill on the regulation, monitoring and commissioning of children's residential care, including those who require inpatient mental health care, and services to people with learning disabilities or other neurodiversity in Wales.

2. Notes that the purpose of this Bill would be to:

a) improve the commissioning and delivery of children's residential care placements in Wales, including co-ordination and delivery across local authorities to improve the sufficiency of suitable placements;

b) improve the regulation and monitoring of residential care and fostering placements, including alignment with other services such as education, housing and homelessness, and health;

c) remove the provision for profit-making providers from the residential care sector for children looked after, as well as services for people with learning disabilities and neurodiversity.

Minutes:

The item started at 16.13

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

NDM7723 Jane Dodds (Mid and West Wales)

To propose that the Senedd:

1. Notes a proposal for a Bill on the regulation, monitoring and commissioning of children's residential care, including those who require inpatient mental health care, and services to people with learning disabilities or other neurodiversity in Wales.

2. Notes that the purpose of this Bill would be to:

a) improve the commissioning and delivery of children's residential care placements in Wales, including co-ordination and delivery across local authorities to improve the sufficiency of suitable placements;

b) improve the regulation and monitoring of residential care and fostering placements, including alignment with other services such as education, housing and homelessness, and health;

c) remove the provision for profit-making providers from the residential care sector for children looked after, as well as services for people with learning disabilities and neurodiversity.

The result was as follows:

For

Abstain

Against

Total

27

15

14

56

The motion was agreed.

 

(60 mins)

9.

Welsh Conservatives debate – An independent public inquiry into the handling of the COVID-19 pandemic

NDM7768 Darren Millar (Clwyd West)

To propose that the Senedd:

Calls for an independent public inquiry into the handling of the COVID-19 pandemic in Wales.

Co-submitter:
Sian Gwenllian (Arfon)

Minutes:

The item started at 16.39

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

NDM7768 Darren Millar (Clwyd West)

To propose that the Senedd:

Calls for an independent public inquiry into the handling of the COVID-19 pandemic in Wales.

Co-submitter:
Sian Gwenllian (Arfon)

The result was as follows:

For

Abstain

Against

Total

27

0

29

56

The motion was not agreed.

In accordance with Standing Order 12.18, at 17.22 the meeting was suspended by the Presiding Officer.

 

(60 mins)

10.

Plaid Cymru debate – Free school meals

NDM7767 Sian Gwenllian (Arfon)

To propose that the Senedd:

1. Notes the recent publication of several reports by the Bevan Foundation and the Wales Anti-Poverty Coalition on expanding the provision of free school meals and on the extent of poverty in Wales.

2. Notes the recent publication of a letter by the Wales Anti-Poverty Coalition signed by ten anti-poverty organisations calling on the new Welsh Government to make expanding free school meals a priority.

3. Calls on the Welsh Government to:

a) amend the eligibility criteria for free school meals so that all school pupils in families receiving universal credit or equivalent benefit are eligible;

b) permanently extend free school meal entitlements to pupils in families with no recourse to public funds;

c) publish a timeline for the phased implementation of universal free school meals to guarantee all school pupils a nutritious, locally sourced school lunch.

Bevan Foundation: Expanding the provision of free school meals in Wales

Bevan Foundation: Expanding the eligibility criteria for free school meals

Bevan Foundation: Snapshot of poverty in spring 2021

A copy of the letter mentioned in point 2 of the motion has been circulated to Members of the Senedd.

The following amendments were tabled:

Amendment 1 Lesley Griffiths (Wrexham)

Delete point 3 and replace with:

Notes the Welsh Government:

a) has commenced a review of the eligibility criteria for free school meals as committed to in the Programme for Government, with the intent of extending entitlement, provisional Pupil Level Annual School Census (PLASC) data shows there are 108,203 pupils eligible for free school meals, an increase of almost 18,000 since PLASC 2020;

b) has provided an additional £60m since the start of the pandemic to provide additional Free School Meals in the 2020-21 financial year and has been recognised by the Education Policy Institute (EPI) for its support to families eligible for free school meals during the pandemic;

c) will provide an additional £23.3m to extend free school meals in school holidays for the 2021-22 financial year, providing the most generous provision in the UK; and

d) working with partners, delivers the only universal primary school free breakfast scheme in the UK.

Programme for Government

[If amendment 1 is agreed, amendment 2 will be de-selected]

Amendment 2 Darren Millar (Clwyd West)

In point 3, delete sub-point (c).

Minutes:

The item started at 17.41

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

A vote was taken on the motion without amendment:

NDM7767 Sian Gwenllian (Arfon)

To propose that the Senedd:

1. Notes the recent publication of several reports by the Bevan Foundation and the Wales Anti-Poverty Coalition on expanding the provision of free school meals and on the extent of poverty in Wales.

2. Notes the recent publication of a letter by the Wales Anti-Poverty Coalition signed by ten anti-poverty organisations calling on the new Welsh Government to make expanding free school meals a priority.

3. Calls on the Welsh Government to:

a) amend the eligibility criteria for free school meals so that all school pupils in families receiving universal credit or equivalent benefit are eligible;

b) permanently extend free school meal entitlements to pupils in families with no recourse to public funds;

c) publish a timeline for the phased implementation of universal free school meals to guarantee all school pupils a nutritious, locally sourced school lunch.

Bevan Foundation: Expanding the provision of free school meals in Wales

Bevan Foundation: Expanding the eligibility criteria for free school meals

Bevan Foundation: Snapshot of poverty in spring 2021

A copy of the letter mentioned in point 2 of the motion has been circulated to Members of the Senedd.

For

Abstain

Against

Total

13

0

43

56

The motion without amendment was not agreed.

The following amendments were tabled:

Amendment 1 Lesley Griffiths (Wrexham)

Delete point 3 and replace with:

Notes the Welsh Government:

a) has commenced a review of the eligibility criteria for free school meals as committed to in the Programme for Government, with the intent of extending entitlement, provisional Pupil Level Annual School Census (PLASC) data shows there are 108,203 pupils eligible for free school meals, an increase of almost 18,000 since PLASC 2020;

b) has provided an additional £60m since the start of the pandemic to provide additional Free School Meals in the 2020-21 financial year and has been recognised by the Education Policy Institute (EPI) for its support to families eligible for free school meals during the pandemic;

c) will provide an additional £23.3m to extend free school meals in school holidays for the 2021-22 financial year, providing the most generous provision in the UK; and

d) working with partners, delivers the only universal primary school free breakfast scheme in the UK.

Programme for Government

A vote was taken on amendment 1:

For

Abstain

Against

Total

28

0

28

56

As there was an equality of votes, the Presiding Officer used her casting vote to vote against the motion, in accordance with Standing Order 6.20(ii).

Amendment 2 Darren Millar (Clwyd West)

In point 3, delete sub-point (c).

A vote was taken on amendment 2:

For

Abstain

Against

Total

43

0

13

56

Amendment 2 was agreed.

A vote was taken on the motion as amended:

NDM7767   Darren Millar (Clwyd West)

1. Notes the recent publication of several reports by the Bevan Foundation and the Wales Anti-Poverty Coalition on expanding the provision of free school meals and on the extent of poverty in Wales.

2. Notes the recent publication of a letter by the Wales Anti-Poverty Coalition signed by ten anti-poverty organisations calling on the new Welsh Government to make expanding free school meals a priority.

3. Calls on the Welsh Government to:

a) amend the eligibility criteria for free school meals so that all school pupils in families receiving universal credit or equivalent benefit are eligible;

b) permanently extend free school meal entitlements to pupils in families with no recourse to public funds;

Bevan Foundation: Expanding the provision of free school meals in Wales

Bevan Foundation: Expanding the eligibility criteria for free school meals

Bevan Foundation: Snapshot of poverty in spring 2021

For

Abstain

Against

Total

10

10

36

56

The motion as amended was not agreed.

 

11.

Voting Time

Minutes:

Votes Summary

Supporting documents:

(30 mins)

12.

Short Debate

NDM7766 Buffy Williams (Rhondda)

Support for women who suffer postpartum post-traumatic stress disorder.

Minutes:

The item started at 18.47

NDM7766 Buffy Williams (Rhondda)

Support for women who suffer postpartum post-traumatic stress disorder.