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 Minister after Question 2.

View Questions

The item started at 13.30

The first 8 questions were asked. Questions 3 and 8 were answered by the Deputy Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism. The Presiding Officer invited party spokespeople to ask questions to the Deputy Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism after question 2.

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

View Questions

The item started at 14.31

The first 8 questions were asked. Questions 2 and 8 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.

At 15.22, in accordance with Standing Order 26.45, the Minister for Rural Affairs and North Wales moved a motion to consider further amendments to the Agriculture (Wales) Bill at Report Stage.

Voting on the motion was deferred until Voting Time.

The result was as follows:

For	Abstain	Against	Total
34	15	1	50

The motion was agreed.

 

No Topical Questions were accepted

No Topical Questions were accepted

The item started at 15.25

Elin Jones made a statement on - Marking a century since starting the Welsh Women’s Peace Petition to the Women of America.

John Griffiths made a statement on - 50th Anniversary of Severn Area Rescue Association.

Cefin Campbell made a statement on - Wishing Llandovery well in welcoming the Urdd National Eisteddfod.

The item started at 15.30

 

NNDM8277 Elin Jones (Ceredigion)

 

To propose that the Senedd, in accordance with Standing Orders 33.6 and 33.8:

Suspends Standing Order 12.10(ii) and that part of Standing Order 11.16 that requires the weekly announcement under Standing Order 11.11 to constitute the timetable for business in Plenary for the following week, to allow NNDM8276 to be considered in Plenary on Wednesday, 24 May 2023.

 

The motion was agreed in accordance with Standing Order 12.36.

The item started at 15.31

 

NNDM8276 Elin Jones (Ceredigion)

To propose that the Senedd:

1. In accordance with Standing Order 17.2T, resolves that Standing Orders 17.2A to 17.2S (election of committee chairs) shall not apply in relation to the Wales Covid-19 Inquiry Special Purpose Committee.

2. Resolves, for the purposes of the Wales Covid-19 Inquiry Special Purpose Committee, that references in Standing Orders to a ‘chair’ of a committee be interpreted to mean ‘co-chair’ and that the functions of chairs of committees outlined in Standing Orders must be exercised jointly by the Co-Chairs of the Wales Covid-19 Inquiry Special Purpose Committee.

3. In accordance with Standing Order 17.3, elects:

a) Vikki Howells (Welsh Labour), Jack Sargeant (Welsh Labour), Altaf Hussain (Welsh Conservatives) and Adam Price (Plaid Cymru) as members of the Wales Covid-19 Inquiry Special Purpose Committee;

b) Joyce Watson (Welsh Labour) and Tom Giffard (Welsh Conservatives) as Co-Chairs of the Wales Covid-19 Inquiry Special Purpose Committee.

4. Resolves to direct that the initial business of the Wales Covid-19 Inquiry Special Purpose Committee should be to consider the procedures it proposes to adopt to fulfil the purposes for which it is established (including the functioning of the co-chairing arrangements) and to recommend any amendments to Standing Orders which it considers necessary or expedient to facilitate its work.

5. Notes that the Business Committee will propose any amendments to Standing Orders which it considers are required to facilitate the work of the Wales Covid-19 Inquiry Special Purpose Committee, taking into account any recommendations for amendments made by the Wales Covid-19 Inquiry Special Purpose Committee.

 

The motion was agreed in accordance with Standing Order 12.36.

NDM8271 Peter Fox (Monmouth)

To propose that the Senedd, in accordance with Standing Order 26.11:

Agrees to the general principles of the Food (Wales) Bill.

The Food (Wales) Bill and Explanatory Memorandum were laid before the Senedd on 12 December 2022.

Supporting Documents
Report of the Economy, Trade and Rural Affairs Committee
Response from Peter Fox MS, Member-in-charge of the Bill to the Economy, Trade and Rural Affairs Committee

Report of the Legislation, Justice and Constitution Committee
Response from Peter Fox MS, Member-in-charge of the Bill to the Legislation, Justice and Constitution Committee

Report of the Finance Committee
Response from Peter Fox MS, Member-in-charge of the Bill to the Finance Committee

The item started at 15.43

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

NDM8271 Peter Fox (Monmouth)

To propose that the Senedd, in accordance with Standing Order 26.11:

Agrees to the general principles of the Food (Wales) Bill.

The Food (Wales) Bill and Explanatory Memorandum were laid before the Senedd on 12 December 2022.

Supporting Documents
Report of the Economy, Trade and Rural Affairs Committee
Response from Peter Fox MS, Member-in-charge of the Bill to the Economy, Trade and Rural Affairs Committee

Report of the Legislation, Justice and Constitution Committee
Response from Peter Fox MS, Member-in-charge of the Bill to the Legislation, Justice and Constitution Committee

Report of the Finance Committee
Response from Peter Fox MS, Member-in-charge of the Bill to the Finance Committee

The result was as follows:

For	Abstain	Against	Total
24	1	25	50

The motion was not agreed.

 

NDM8270 Jenny Rathbone (Cardiff Central)

To propose that the Senedd:

Notes the Equality and Social Justice Committee report: “Women’s experiences in the criminal justice system”, laid on 8 March 2023.

Note: The response of the Welsh Government to the report was laid in the Table Office on 17 May 2023.

 

The item started at 16.42

NDM8270 Jenny Rathbone (Cardiff Central)

To propose that the Senedd:

Notes the Equality and Social Justice Committee report: “Women’s experiences in the criminal justice system”, laid on 8 March 2023.

Note: The response of the Welsh Government to the report was laid in the Table Office on 17 May 2023.

The motion was agreed in accordance with Standing Order 12.36.

 

NDM8272 Darren Millar (Clwyd West)

To propose that the Senedd:

1. Notes that an investigation by the British Dental Association found that 93 per cent of dental practices in Wales are not taking on new Welsh NHS adult patients.

2. Recognises that the British Dental Association’s survey of 250 dentists in Wales found that over a third of dentists plan to reduce their Welsh NHS contracts.

3. Expresses concern that many residents across Wales are waiting over two years to register with a Welsh NHS dentist.

4. Calls on the Welsh Government to:

a) work with the British Dental Association to ensure Welsh NHS dental contracts allow dental practices to increase their number of patients; and

b) urgently recruit more dentists by making Welsh NHS dentistry an attractive career, by refunding tuition fees for those who work five years in Welsh NHS dental practices.

Supporting information

British Dental Association’s investigation into dental practices taking on new NHS adult patients

British Dental Association’s survey of 250 Welsh dentists

The following amendments have been tabled:

Amendment 1 Lesley Griffiths (Wrexham)

Delete all and replace with:

To propose that the Senedd:

1. Notes that the recovery of dental services from the coronavirus pandemic presents a long-term challenge across the United Kingdom.

2. Notes that access to dental services continues to be challenging for some people in Wales.

3. Notes that the overwhelming majority of dental practices with NHS contracts were taking on new NHS patients last year and will continue to do so this year.

4. Notes that 174,000 people who had historically not received NHS dental care had an appointment and received treatment last year.

5. Notes that a minority of dental contracts have been terminated or reduced in value and that the funding returned remains with the health board to recommission replacement services.

6. Welcomes that the Welsh Government will continue to:

a) work with the British Dental Association to develop and negotiate a new dental contract that make NHS dentistry an attractive proposition; and

b) work with Health Education and Improvement Wales and dentistry undergraduates to understand what would motivate them to work in Wales post-graduation.

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

Amendment 2 Sian Gwenllian (Arfon)

Add as new sub-points at end of point 4: 

review contractual conditions for dentists and dental care professionals to make them more sustainable and attractive for the long term;

build dental training capacity including through exploring the possibility of establishing a new dental school in the north;

develop a workforce retention strategy.

 

The item started at 17.39

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

A vote was taken on the motion without amendment:

NDM8272 Darren Millar (Clwyd West)

To propose that the Senedd:

1. Notes that an investigation by the British Dental Association found that 93 per cent of dental practices in Wales are not taking on new Welsh NHS adult patients.

2. Recognises that the British Dental Association’s survey of 250 dentists in Wales found that over a third of dentists plan to reduce their Welsh NHS contracts.

3. Expresses concern that many residents across Wales are waiting over two years to register with a Welsh NHS dentist.

4. Calls on the Welsh Government to:

a) work with the British Dental Association to ensure Welsh NHS dental contracts allow dental practices to increase their number of patients; and

b) urgently recruit more dentists by making Welsh NHS dentistry an attractive career, by refunding tuition fees for those who work five years in Welsh NHS dental practices.

Supporting information

British Dental Association’s investigation into dental practices taking on new NHS adult patients

British Dental Association’s survey of 250 Welsh dentists

For	Abstain	Against	Total
15	0	35	50

The motion without amendment was not agreed.

The following amendments were tabled:

Amendment 1 Lesley Griffiths (Wrexham)

Delete all and replace with:

To propose that the Senedd:

1. Notes that the recovery of dental services from the coronavirus pandemic presents a long-term challenge across the United Kingdom.

2. Notes that access to dental services continues to be challenging for some people in Wales.

3. Notes that the overwhelming majority of dental practices with NHS contracts were taking on new NHS patients last year and will continue to do so this year.

4. Notes that 174,000 people who had historically not received NHS dental care had an appointment and received treatment last year.

5. Notes that a minority of dental contracts have been terminated or reduced in value and that the funding returned remains with the health board to recommission replacement services.

6. Welcomes that the Welsh Government will continue to:

a) work with the British Dental Association to develop and negotiate a new dental contract that make NHS dentistry an attractive proposition; and

b) work with Health Education and Improvement Wales and dentistry undergraduates to understand what would motivate them to work in Wales post-graduation.

A vote was taken on amendment 1:

For	Abstain	Against	Total
25	0	26	51

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

Amendment 2 Sian Gwenllian (Arfon)

Add as new sub-points at end of point 4: 

review contractual conditions for dentists and dental care professionals to make them more sustainable and attractive for the long term;

build dental training capacity including through exploring the possibility of establishing a new dental school in the north;

develop a workforce retention strategy.

A vote was taken on amendment 2:

For	Abstain	Against	Total
25	0	26	51

As required by Standing Order 6.20 the Presiding Officer exercised her 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 amendments tabled to the motion, the motion was therefore not agreed.

 

The item started at 18.50

 

NDM8269 Tom Giffard (South Wales West)

A permanent commemoration of Her late Majesty Queen Elizabeth II

 

The item started at 18.56

NDM8269 Tom Giffard (South Wales West)

A permanent commemoration of Her late Majesty Queen Elizabeth II