Agenda and minutes

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

View Questions

The item started at 13.30

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

 

View Business Statement and Announcement

The item started at 14.29

This item has been postponed until 23 January 2024

The item started at 14.43

The item started at 15.27

NDM8450 Lesley Griffiths (Wrexham)

To propose that the Senedd, in accordance with Standing Order 27.5, approves that the draft The Council Tax Reduction Schemes (Prescribed Requirements and Default Scheme) (Amendment) (Wales) Regulations 2024 is made in accordance with the draft laid in the Table Office on 5 December 2023.

Supporting documents

Report of the Legislation, Justice and Constitution Committee

The item started at 15.54

NDM8450 Lesley Griffiths (Wrexham)

To propose that the Senedd, in accordance with Standing Order 27.5, approves that the draft The Council Tax Reduction Schemes (Prescribed Requirements and Default Scheme) (Amendment) (Wales) Regulations 2024 is made in accordance with the draft laid in the Table Office on 5 December 2023.

The motion was agreed in accordance with Standing Order 12.36.

 

NDM8449 Lesley Griffiths (Wrexham)

To propose that the Senedd:

1. Notes:

a) the UK Government’s levelling-up policies leave Wales with less say over less money while bypassing and actively undermining devolution and this Senedd;

b) the Shared Prosperity Fund has been an abject failure as a replacement for EU funds in Wales, leaving a shortfall of nearly £1.3 billion; and

c) the Shared Prosperity Fund, Levelling Up Funds and Multiply Programme have been beset by UK Government delays and mismanagement, putting strain on local authorities and resulting in the closure of important programmes.

2. Calls for the return of regional investment funding to the Welsh Government to deliver in line with devolved policies that are fully accountable to the Senedd.

The following amendments were tabled: 

Amendment 1 Darren Millar (Clwyd West) 

Delete all and replace with:

1. Notes that UK Government levelling-up funding in Wales exceeds £2.5 billion, delivering projects to transform communities, create jobs and grow the economy.

2. Notes the Economy, Trade and Rural Affairs Committee’s report into Post-EU Regional Development Funding and its recommendations.

3. Calls on the Welsh and UK governments to undertake a review of whether the different elements of the Shared Prosperity Fund should be delivered at local, regional or all-Wales level.

Economy, Trade and Rural Affairs Committee’s report into Post-EU Regional Development Funding

If amendment 1 is agreed, amendments 2 and 3 will be deselected.

Amendment 2 Rhun ap Iorwerth (Ynys Môn)

Add as new points after point 1, and renumber accordingly:

Believes the UK Government’s levelling up policies are not conducive to intra-Wales fairness and have resulted in a postcode lottery of economic support across Wales exacerbating regional inequalities between Wales’ communities that Welsh Government have also failed to address.

Believes that all decisions about how money is spent in Wales should be made in Wales.

Regrets the historic underfunding of Wales as a consequence of the outdated Barnett Formula which compounds the effect of the shortfall in funding from the Shared Prosperity and Levelling Up Funds.

Amendment 3 Rhun ap Iorwerth (Ynys Môn)

Delete point 2 and replace with:

Calls for:

a) the return of regional investment funding to the Welsh Government to deliver in line with devolved policies that are fully accountable to the Senedd;

b) an Economic Fairness Bill (Wales) – guaranteeing fair funding based on Wales’ needs;

c) the rectification of the unfairness across Wales’s current funding and financial  settlements, for example by redesignating HS2 and Northern Powerhouse Rail as England-only projects, providing Wales with resultant consequential funding.

The item started at 15.58

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

NDM8449 Lesley Griffiths (Wrexham)

To propose that the Senedd:

1. Notes:

a) the UK Government’s levelling-up policies leave Wales with less say over less money while bypassing and actively undermining devolution and this Senedd;

b) the Shared Prosperity Fund has been an abject failure as a replacement for EU funds in Wales, leaving a shortfall of nearly £1.3 billion; and

c) the Shared Prosperity Fund, Levelling Up Funds and Multiply Programme have been beset by UK Government delays and mismanagement, putting strain on local authorities and resulting in the closure of important programmes.

2. Calls for the return of regional investment funding to the Welsh Government to deliver in line with devolved policies that are fully accountable to the Senedd.

The following amendments were tabled:

Amendment 1 Darren Millar (Clwyd West) 

Delete all and replace with:

1. Notes that UK Government levelling-up funding in Wales exceeds £2.5 billion, delivering projects to transform communities, create jobs and grow the economy.

2. Notes the Economy, Trade and Rural Affairs Committee’s report into Post-EU Regional Development Funding and its recommendations.

3. Calls on the Welsh and UK governments to undertake a review of whether the different elements of the Shared Prosperity Fund should be delivered at local, regional or all-Wales level.

Economy, Trade and Rural Affairs Committee’s report into Post-EU Regional Development Funding

A vote was taken on amendment 1:

For	Abstain	Against	Total
14	0	37	51

Amendment 1 was not agreed.

Amendment 2 Rhun ap Iorwerth (Ynys Môn)

Add as new points after point 1, and renumber accordingly:

Believes the UK Government’s levelling up policies are not conducive to intra-Wales fairness and have resulted in a postcode lottery of economic support across Wales exacerbating regional inequalities between Wales’ communities that Welsh Government have also failed to address.

Believes that all decisions about how money is spent in Wales should be made in Wales.

Regrets the historic underfunding of Wales as a consequence of the outdated Barnett Formula which compounds the effect of the shortfall in funding from the Shared Prosperity and Levelling Up Funds.

A vote was taken on amendment 2:

For	Abstain	Against	Total
11	0	40	51

Amendment 2 was not agreed.

Amendment 3 Rhun ap Iorwerth (Ynys Môn)

Delete point 2 and replace with:

Calls for:

a) the return of regional investment funding to the Welsh Government to deliver in line with devolved policies that are fully accountable to the Senedd;

b) an Economic Fairness Bill (Wales) – guaranteeing fair funding based on Wales’ needs;

c) the rectification of the unfairness across Wales’s current funding and financial  settlements, for example by redesignating HS2 and Northern Powerhouse Rail as England-only projects, providing Wales with resultant consequential funding.

A vote was taken on amendment 3:

For	Abstain	Against	Total
11	0	40	51

Amendment 3 was not agreed.

A vote was taken on the motion without amendment:

NDM8449 Lesley Griffiths (Wrexham)

To propose that the Senedd:

1. Notes:

a) the UK Government’s levelling-up policies leave Wales with less say over less money while bypassing and actively undermining devolution and this Senedd;

b) the Shared Prosperity Fund has been an abject failure as a replacement for EU funds in Wales, leaving a shortfall of nearly £1.3 billion; and

c) the Shared Prosperity Fund, Levelling Up Funds and Multiply Programme have been beset by UK Government delays and mismanagement, putting strain on local authorities and resulting in the closure of important programmes.

2. Calls for the return of regional investment funding to the Welsh Government to deliver in line with devolved policies that are fully accountable to the Senedd.

For	Abstain	Against	Total
37	0	14	51

The motion without amendment was agreed.

 

The item started at 16.54