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 Deputy Presiding Officer announced that Sam Rowlands had been successful in the Member Bill Ballot to seek the Senedd’s agreement on his proposal for an Outdoor Education (Wales) Bill.

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

View Questions

The item started at 13.31

Questions 1-3, 5-6, and 8-10 were asked. Questions 4 and 7 were withdrawn. The Presiding Officer invited party spokespeople to ask questions to the Minister and Deputy Minister for Arts and Sport after question 2.

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

View Questions

The item started at 14.23

Questions 1-2 and 4-10 were asked. Question 3 was withdrawn. Questions 5 and 8-10 were answered by the Deputy Minister for Mental Health and Wellbeing. Question 6 was answered by the Deputy Minister for Social Services. The Presiding Officer invited party spokespeople to ask questions to the Minister after question 2.

To ask the Minister for Social Justice

Luke Fletcher (South Wales West): Will the Minister make a statement on reports that child poverty rose in Wales during the pandemic despite falling across the rest of the UK nations?

The item started at 15.09

Answered by the Minister for Social Justice

Luke Fletcher (South Wales West): Will the Minister make a statement on reports that child poverty rose in Wales during the pandemic despite falling across the rest of the UK nations?

The item started at 15.18

Heledd Fychan made a statement on – 26 years since Srebrenica.

Jayne Bryant made a statement on - 85th anniversary of the evacuation of Basque children to Wales during the Spanish civil war.

Altaf Hussain made a statement on - Malala Day.

Delyth Jewell made a statement on - Congratulating CF1 on winning Choir of the World.

NDM8063 Elin Jones (Ceredigion)

To propose that the Senedd, in accordance with Standing Order 33.2:

1. Considers the report of the Business Committee, ‘Amending Standing Orders: Standing Order 34 and remote participation in Senedd proceedings’, laid in the Table Office on 6 July 2022.

2. Approves the proposals to amend Standing Orders 6, 12 and 17, as set out in Annex A of the Business Committee’s report.

3. Notes the Business Committee’s recommendation that Standing Order 34 should cease to have effect, as scheduled, on 1 August 2022.

The item started at 15.24

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

NDM8063 Elin Jones (Ceredigion)

To propose that the Senedd, in accordance with Standing Order 33.2:

1. Considers the report of the Business Committee, ‘Amending Standing Orders: Standing Order 34 and remote participation in Senedd proceedings’, laid in the Table Office on 6 July 2022.

2. Approves the proposals to amend Standing Orders 6, 12 and 17, as set out in Annex A of the Business Committee’s report.

3. Notes the Business Committee’s recommendation that Standing Order 34 should cease to have effect, as scheduled, on 1 August 2022.

The result was as follows:

The motion was agreed.

NDM8062 Elin Jones (Ceredigion)

To propose that the Senedd, in accordance with Standing Order 33.2:

1. Considers the report of the Business Committee, ‘Amending Standing Orders: Temporary Standing Orders 12.41A-H on Proxy Voting’, laid in the Table Office on 6 July 2022.

2. Approves the proposal to amend Standing Order 12, as set out in Annex A of the Business Committee’s report.

The item started at 15.24

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

NDM8062 Elin Jones (Ceredigion)

To propose that the Senedd, in accordance with Standing Order 33.2:

1. Considers the report of the Business Committee, ‘Amending Standing Orders: Temporary Standing Orders 12.41A-H on Proxy Voting’, laid in the Table Office on 6 July 2022.

2. Approves the proposal to amend Standing Order 12, as set out in Annex A of the Business Committee’s report.

The result was as follows:

The motion was agreed.

The item started at 15.29

NNDM8068 Elin Jones (Ceredigion)

To propose that the Senedd, in accordance with Standing Order 17.14, elects Sarah Murphy (Welsh Labour) as a member of the Health and Social Care Committee in place of Mike Hedges (Welsh Labour).

The motion was agreed in accordance with Standing Order 12.36.

NDM8028 Jane Dodds (Mid and West Wales)

To propose that the Senedd:

1. Notes:

a) that a significant number of Welsh workers are employed in industries that will undergo significant change as part of Wales's transition to a zero carbon economy;

b) the importance of ensuring a just transition to a zero carbon economy;

c) the Welsh Government’s ongoing basic income (BI) pilot for care leavers.

2. Calls on the Welsh Government to consider how the BI pilot could be extended to workers in these industries to inform Wales’s transition to a zero carbon economy.

Co-submitters

Carolyn Thomas (North Wales)

Jack Sargeant (Alyn and Deeside)

Luke Fletcher (South Wales West)

Supporters

Delyth Jewell (South Wales East)

The item started at 15.29

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

NDM8028 Jane Dodds (Mid and West Wales)

To propose that the Senedd:

1. Notes:

a) that a significant number of Welsh workers are employed in industries that will undergo significant change as part of Wales's transition to a zero carbon economy;

b) the importance of ensuring a just transition to a zero carbon economy;

c) the Welsh Government’s ongoing basic income (BI) pilot for care leavers.

2. Calls on the Welsh Government to consider how the BI pilot could be extended to workers in these industries to inform Wales’s transition to a zero carbon economy.

Co-submitters

Carolyn Thomas (North Wales)

Jack Sargeant (Alyn and Deeside)

Luke Fletcher (South Wales West)

Supporters

Delyth Jewell (South Wales East)

The result was as follows:

The motion was agreed.

NDM8060 Peredur Owen Griffiths (South Wales East)

To propose that the Senedd:

Notes the engagement work undertaken by the Finance Committee regarding the Welsh Government's spending priorities for the 2023-24 budget, and further notes the representations made by participants at the following events:

a) stakeholder event in Llanhilleth Miners’ Institute;

b) workshop with Members from the Welsh Youth Parliament; and

c) citizen engagement focus groups.

Welsh Government Draft Budget 2023-24 Finance Committee Summary Engagement Report

The item started at 16.13

NDM8060 Peredur Owen Griffiths (South Wales East)

To propose that the Senedd:

Notes the engagement work undertaken by the Finance Committee regarding the Welsh Government's spending priorities for the 2023-24 budget, and further notes the representations made by participants at the following events:

a) stakeholder event in Llanhilleth Miners’ Institute;

b) workshop with Members from the Welsh Youth Parliament; and

c) citizen engagement focus groups.

Welsh Government Draft Budget 2023-24 Finance Committee Summary Engagement Report

The motion was agreed in accordance with Standing Order 12.36.

NDM8066 Paul Davies (Preseli Pembrokeshire)

To propose that the Senedd:

Notes the report of the Economy, Trade and Rural Affairs Committee: Refreshing Wales’ Bovine TB Eradication Programme which was laid in the Table Office on 20 May 2022.

Note: The response of the Welsh Government to the report was laid in the Table Office on 6 July 2022.

The item started at 17.14

NDM8066 Paul Davies (Preseli Pembrokeshire)

To propose that the Senedd:

Notes the report of the Economy, Trade and Rural Affairs Committee: Refreshing Wales’ Bovine TB Eradication Programme which was laid in the Table Office on 20 May 2022.

Note: The response of the Welsh Government to the report was laid in the Table Office on 6 July 2022.

The motion was agreed in accordance with Standing Order 12.36.

NDM8064 Darren Millar (Clwyd West)

To propose that the Senedd:

1. Acknowledges that Wales has made good progress towards eliminating the hepatitis C virus (HCV) by establishing a highly effective national clinical network, as well as having equitable and transparent access to treatment right across the country.

2. Notes the ground-breaking successes in several areas, including achieving the elimination of HCV in the prison population of HMP Swansea (the first remand prison in the UK), as well as successfully transplanting and treating the organs from infected donors with HCV to new recipients - another UK first.

3. Recognises that whilst the Welsh Government is still committed to its strategic elimination goal, increased political prioritisation and resources are required to close the testing and treatment gap that has emerged due to the COVID-19 pandemic and to ensure the 2030 target date is not exceeded.

4. Calls on the Welsh Government to:

a) mandate the re-establishment of frontline blood borne virus and harm reduction services in all health board areas, so that the identification, testing, linkage to care and treatment of HCV patients in Wales can resume;

b) develop a national strategic plan to deliver HCV elimination by 2030 at the latest, which is sustainably resourced, patient centric and focuses on the whole pathway;

c) ensure that health boards are funded and accountable for delivering the national strategic plan, in terms of service delivery, data monitoring and reporting performance.

The following amendment was tabled:

Amendment 1 Lesley Griffiths (Wrexham)

Delete point 4 and replace with:

Notes:

a) the Welsh Government’s expectation that frontline blood borne viruses and harm reduction services, including for hepatitis C, will be re-established in all health board areas as soon as possible;

b) that the Welsh Government is working closely with the NHS in Wales to support their planning to ensure that Wales is able to meet the World Health Organisation target of eliminating hepatitis C by 2030;

c) that established systems are in place to ensure that health boards are supported and held accountable for meeting the target in terms of service delivery, data monitoring and reporting performance.

The item started at 17.36

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

A vote was taken on the motion without amendment:

NDM8064 Darren Millar (Clwyd West)

To propose that the Senedd:

1. Acknowledges that Wales has made good progress towards eliminating the hepatitis C virus (HCV) by establishing a highly effective national clinical network, as well as having equitable and transparent access to treatment right across the country.

2. Notes the ground-breaking successes in several areas, including achieving the elimination of HCV in the prison population of HMP Swansea (the first remand prison in the UK), as well as successfully transplanting and treating the organs from infected donors with HCV to new recipients - another UK first.

3. Recognises that whilst the Welsh Government is still committed to its strategic elimination goal, increased political prioritisation and resources are required to close the testing and treatment gap that has emerged due to the COVID-19 pandemic and to ensure the 2030 target date is not exceeded.

4. Calls on the Welsh Government to:

a) mandate the re-establishment of frontline blood borne virus and harm reduction services in all health board areas, so that the identification, testing, linkage to care and treatment of HCV patients in Wales can resume;

b) develop a national strategic plan to deliver HCV elimination by 2030 at the latest, which is sustainably resourced, patient centric and focuses on the whole pathway;

c) ensure that health boards are funded and accountable for delivering the national strategic plan, in terms of service delivery, data monitoring and reporting performance.

As required by Standing Order 6.20 the Deputy Presiding Officer exercised his casting vote by voting against the motion. Therefore, the motion was not agreed.

The following amendments were tabled:

Amendment 1 Lesley Griffiths (Wrexham)

Delete point 4 and replace with:

Notes:

a) the Welsh Government’s expectation that frontline blood borne viruses and harm reduction services, including for hepatitis C, will be re-established in all health board areas as soon as possible;

b) that the Welsh Government is working closely with the NHS in Wales to support their planning to ensure that Wales is able to meet the World Health Organisation target of eliminating hepatitis C by 2030;

c) that established systems are in place to ensure that health boards are supported and held accountable for meeting the target in terms of service delivery, data monitoring and reporting performance.

A vote was taken on amendment 1:

As required by Standing Order 6.20 the Deputy Presiding Officer exercised his casting vote by voting against the amendment. Therefore, the amendment was not agreed.

As the Senedd did not agree the motion without amendment, and did not agree the amendment tabled to the motion, the motion was therefore not agreed.

NDM8065 Darren Millar (Clwyd West)

To propose that the Senedd:

1. Welcomes the return of the National Eisteddfod, the Royal Welsh Agricultural Show, along with summer shows and events across Wales.

2. Recognises the benefits of the summer event season in promoting the Welsh language, culture, produce, and way of life.

3. Thanks all those involved in ensuring the events are a success.

The item started at 17.57

NDM8065 Darren Millar (Clwyd West)

To propose that the Senedd:

1. Welcomes the return of the National Eisteddfod, the Royal Welsh Agricultural Show, along with summer shows and events across Wales.

2. Recognises the benefits of the summer event season in promoting the Welsh language, culture, produce, and way of life.

3. Thanks all those involved in ensuring the events are a success.

The motion was agreed in accordance with Standing Order 12.36.

In accordance with Standing Order 12.18, at 18.29 proceedings were suspended to allow a technical break before Voting Time.

The item started at 18.31

NDM8061 Sioned Williams (South Wales West)

Votes at 16: Giving young people the tools to understand the world in which they live, and how to change it, through political education.

The item started at 18.36

NDM8061 Sioned Williams (South Wales West)

Votes at 16: Giving young people the tools to understand the world in which they live, and how to change it, through political education.