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 10 questions were asked. The Presiding Officer invited party spokespeople to ask questions to the Minister 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 14.18

All 12 questions were asked. The Presiding Officer invited party spokespeople to ask questions to the Minister after question 2.

To ask the Minister for Economy

Gareth Davies (Vale of Clwyd): What is the Welsh Government’s assessment of the impact of the closure of Pontins in Prestatyn on the local economy and tourism in Denbighshire?

The item started at 15.02

Answered by the Minister for Economy

Gareth Davies (Vale of Clwyd): What is the Welsh Government’s assessment of the impact of the closure of Pontins in Prestatyn on the local economy and tourism in Denbighshire?

The item started at 15.10

Eluned Morgan made a statement on - Tribute to Glenys Kinnock.

Mike Hedges made a statement on - 225 years of Swansea canal.

Vikki Howells made a statement on - 120 years since the birth of Jethro Gough from Mountain Ash, world renowned academic primarily in the field of pathology.

Delyth Jewell made a statement on - 75 years since the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (10 December).

NDM8385 Mark Isherwood (North Wales)

To propose that the Senedd:

1. Notes:

a) that November is Pancreatic Cancer Awareness Month, and that 16 November 2023 is World Pancreatic Cancer Day;

b) that the survival rates in Wales and the UK still lag behind much of the rest of Europe and the world;

c) pancreatic cancer is tough to detect and that diagnosis takes too long with slow processes and multiple tests leaving people in the dark;

d) once spotted, people face huge obstacles getting the information and care they need to be well enough to have treatment with many people feeling written off with no support plan in place, and no help to manage symptoms; and

e) once diagnosed, only 3 out of 10 people get any treatment, the lowest proportion of all cancer types, and that half of people die within a month of diagnosis.

2. Understands that people with pancreatic cancer urgently need a faster, fairer, funded pathway throughout their diagnosis, treatment and care.

3. Supports Pancreatic Cancer UK’s efforts to ensure implementation of such a pathway. 

4. Commends all of the charities and activist organisations and their dedicated supporters for their tireless efforts to raise awareness of pancreatic cancer, and wishes everyone involved with Pancreatic Cancer Awareness Month every success in their endeavours.

Co-submitters

Jenny Rathbone (Cardiff Central)

Mike Hedges (Swansea East)

Jane Dodds (Mid and West Wales)

James Evans (Brecon and Radnorshire)

Supporters

Delyth Jewell (South Wales East)

Joel James (South Wales Central)

The item started at 15.17

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

NDM8385 Mark Isherwood (North Wales)

To propose that the Senedd:

1. Notes:

a) that November is Pancreatic Cancer Awareness Month, and that 16 November 2023 is World Pancreatic Cancer Day;

b) that the survival rates in Wales and the UK still lag behind much of the rest of Europe and the world;

c) pancreatic cancer is tough to detect and that diagnosis takes too long with slow processes and multiple tests leaving people in the dark;

d) once spotted, people face huge obstacles getting the information and care they need to be well enough to have treatment with many people feeling written off with no support plan in place, and no help to manage symptoms; and

e) once diagnosed, only 3 out of 10 people get any treatment, the lowest proportion of all cancer types, and that half of people die within a month of diagnosis.

2. Understands that people with pancreatic cancer urgently need a faster, fairer, funded pathway throughout their diagnosis, treatment and care.

3. Supports Pancreatic Cancer UK’s efforts to ensure implementation of such a pathway. 

4. Commends all of the charities and activist organisations and their dedicated supporters for their tireless efforts to raise awareness of pancreatic cancer, and wishes everyone involved with Pancreatic Cancer Awareness Month every success in their endeavours.

Co-submitters

Jenny Rathbone (Cardiff Central)

Mike Hedges (Swansea East)

Jane Dodds (Mid and West Wales)

James Evans (Brecon and Radnorshire)

Supporters

Delyth Jewell (South Wales East)

Joel James (South Wales Central)

The result was as follows:

The motion was agreed.

At 16.02 the Minister for Health and Social Services made a brief statement to Members informing them of an incident affecting Wrexham Maelor Hospital and confirmed there were currently no serious injuries reported.

NDM8437 Darren Millar (Clwyd West)

To propose that the Senedd: 

1. Recognises the role that road freight and the logistics industry plays in supporting the Welsh economy.

2. Regrets that the Welsh Government hasn’t had a specific road freight transport strategy since 2008.

3. Calls on the Welsh Government to develop and publish a specific road freight transport strategy which includes:

a) safe and secure wellbeing centres for lorry and coach drivers across Wales;

b) an extensive network of charging and refuelling points for electric or hydrogen HGVs and coaches; and

c) changes to the planning system in Wales to ensure that road freight infrastructure can be delivered as efficiently as possible.

The following amendments were tabled:

Amendment 1 Heledd Fychan (South Wales Central)

Add as new points after point 1 and renumber accordingly:

Regrets the detrimental impact of Brexit on road freight and the logistics industry in Wales, with Welsh freight volumes remaining 27 per cent below 2019 levels.

Believes that rejoining the European Single Market would deliver a vital boost to freight trade in Welsh ports such as Holyhead, and the road freight and the logistics industry across Wales.

Amendment 2 Lesley Griffiths (Wrexham)

Delete points 2 and 3 and replace with:

Notes that Llwybr Newydd sets out the way forward for freight and logistics and development of a freight and logistics plan.

Supports this work, that will take a multi-modal approach working with industry to progress:

a) improvements to the provision of safe and secure welfare facilities for lorry and coach drivers across Wales;

b) ensuring that Wales is best prepared to take advantage of new technologies relating to electric and hydrogen HGVs and coaches, reflecting industry uncertainty about these advances; and

c) adopting a strategic nationwide approach to improving road freight infrastructure across Wales.

Llwybr Newydd: the Wales transport strategy 2021 | GOV.WALES

The item started at 16.08

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

A vote was taken on the motion without amendment:

NDM8437 Darren Millar (Clwyd West)

To propose that the Senedd: 

1. Recognises the role that road freight and the logistics industry plays in supporting the Welsh economy.

2. Regrets that the Welsh Government hasn’t had a specific road freight transport strategy since 2008.

3. Calls on the Welsh Government to develop and publish a specific road freight transport strategy which includes:

a) safe and secure wellbeing centres for lorry and coach drivers across Wales;

b) an extensive network of charging and refuelling points for electric or hydrogen HGVs and coaches; and

c) changes to the planning system in Wales to ensure that road freight infrastructure can be delivered as efficiently as possible.

The motion without amendment was not agreed.

The following amendments were tabled:

Amendment 1 Heledd Fychan (South Wales Central)

Add as new points after point 1 and renumber accordingly:

Regrets the detrimental impact of Brexit on road freight and the logistics industry in Wales, with Welsh freight volumes remaining 27 per cent below 2019 levels.

Believes that rejoining the European Single Market would deliver a vital boost to freight trade in Welsh ports such as Holyhead, and the road freight and the logistics industry across Wales.

A vote was taken on amendment 1:

Amendment 1 was not agreed.

Amendment 2 Lesley Griffiths (Wrexham)

Delete points 2 and 3 and replace with:

Notes that Llwybr Newydd sets out the way forward for freight and logistics and development of a freight and logistics plan.

Supports this work, that will take a multi-modal approach working with industry to progress:

a) improvements to the provision of safe and secure welfare facilities for lorry and coach drivers across Wales;

b) ensuring that Wales is best prepared to take advantage of new technologies relating to electric and hydrogen HGVs and coaches, reflecting industry uncertainty about these advances; and

c) adopting a strategic nationwide approach to improving road freight infrastructure across Wales.

Llwybr Newydd: the Wales transport strategy 2021 | GOV.WALES

A vote was taken on amendment 2:

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 amendments tabled to the motion, the motion was therefore not agreed.

NDM8435 Heledd Fychan (South Wales Central)

To propose that the Senedd:

1. Believes that the current cost-of-living crisis shows how vulnerable communities in Wales are to the cost of energy.

2. Regrets that up to 98 per cent of households on lower incomes in Wales are estimated to be in fuel poverty following the price cap increase of April 2022.

3. Calls on the Welsh Government to:

a) implement the new Warm Homes Programme with urgency to support low-income households in making their homes more energy efficient this winter; and

b) set interim targets in their Tackling Fuel Poverty 2021-2035 Plan to measure progress.

4. Calls on the UK Government to introduce a social tariff to support those in need with their energy bills this winter.

The following amendments were tabled:

Amendment 1 Darren Millar (Clwyd West)

In point 3, delete sub-point (a) and replace with:

implement the new Warm Homes Programme with urgency to support low-income households, older people and people living with a terminal illness in making their homes more energy efficient this winter.

Amendment 2 Darren Millar (Clwyd West)

Add as new sub-point at the end of point 3:

introduce interim milestones to its Tackling Fuel Poverty 2021-2035 Plan.

Amendment 3 Darren Millar (Clwyd West)

Add new point at end of motion:

Regrets that the Welsh Government has not implemented the new Warm Homes programme prior to the winter of 2023 despite assurances that it would.

Amendment 4 Darren Millar (Clwyd West)

Add new point at end of motion: 

Notes the ongoing work by Ofgem and the UK Government to support households facing cost-of-living challenges and to deliver consumer protection.

The item started at 16.43

NDM8435 Heledd Fychan (South Wales Central)

To propose that the Senedd:

1. Believes that the current cost-of-living crisis shows how vulnerable communities in Wales are to the cost of energy.

2. Regrets that up to 98 per cent of households on lower incomes in Wales are estimated to be in fuel poverty following the price cap increase of April 2022.

3. Calls on the Welsh Government to:

a) implement the new Warm Homes Programme with urgency to support low-income households in making their homes more energy efficient this winter; and

b) set interim targets in their Tackling Fuel Poverty 2021-2035 Plan to measure progress.

4. Calls on the UK Government to introduce a social tariff to support those in need with their energy bills this winter.

The motion was agreed in accordance with Standing Order 12.36.

The item started at 17.37

NDM8424 Heledd Fychan (South Wales Central)

Increasing the use of public transport: why young people should travel for free

The item started at 17.43

NDM8424 Heledd Fychan (South Wales Central)

Increasing the use of public transport: why young people should travel for free