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

Questions 1-3, 5-6 and 8-12 were asked. Questions 4 and 7 were withdrawn. 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 14.17

The first 7 questions were asked. The Presiding Officer invited party spokespeople to ask questions to the Minister after question 2.

To ask the Minister for Education and Welsh Language

Adam Price (Carmarthen East and Dinefwr): Will the Minister make a statement on the future provision of further education at Coleg Sir Gâr's Ammanford Campus?

The item started at 15.00

Answered by the Minister for Education and the Welsh Language

Adam Price (Carmarthen East and Dinefwr): Will the Minister make a statement on the future provision of further education at Coleg Sir Gâr's Ammanford Campus?

The item started at 15.08

Samuel Kurtz made a statement on - Scouts Wales – St David’s Day Badge competition.

John Griffiths made a statement on - Dan Simms walking from Caldicot to Amsterdam to raise awareness of men’s mental health following the death of two friends by suicide (24 February – 9 March).

Laura Anne Jones made a statement on - Ivor from Monmouthshire who has Angelman Syndrome, who walked around his village every day for a month to raise awareness and money.

NDM8495 Delyth Jewell (South Wales East)

To propose that the Senedd:

Notes the report of the Culture, Communications, Welsh Language, Sport, and International Relations Committee ‘International Relations: Annual Report 2022-23’, which was laid in the Table Office on 24 November 2023.

Note: The response of the Welsh Government to the report was laid in the Table Office on 24 January 2024.

The item started at 15.13

NDM8495 Delyth Jewell (South Wales East)

To propose that the Senedd:

Notes the report of the Culture, Communications, Welsh Language, Sport, and International Relations Committee ‘International Relations: Annual Report 2022-23’, which was laid in the Table Office on 24 November 2023.

Note: The response of the Welsh Government to the report was laid in the Table Office on 24 January 2024.

The motion was agreed in accordance with Standing Order 12.36.

NDM8496 Darren Millar (Clwyd West)

To propose that the Senedd:

1. Regrets that the Welsh Government’s proposed sustainable farming scheme will result in an estimated:

a) 122,200 reductions in Welsh livestock numbers;

b) 5,500 jobs on Welsh farms lost; and

c) £199 million loss to the rural economy.

2. Recognises the strength of feeling in the agricultural community against the sustainable farming scheme.

3. Notes the poll commissioned by the Country Land and Business Association in Wales that has found just 3 per cent of Welsh farmers trust the Welsh Government.

4. Calls on the Welsh Government to:

a) remove the requirement for each farm to have 10 per cent tree cover; and

b) scrap the current sustainable farming scheme proposals and to re-engage with the farming sector to develop a new scheme that has the support of the farming community.

The following amendment was tabled:

Amendment 1 Lesley Griffiths (Wrexham)

Delete all and replace with:

To propose that the Senedd:

1. Recognises the vital contribution that farming and agriculture make to the social, economic and cultural landscape of Wales

2. Welcomes the Welsh Government's decision to maintain levels of the basic payment scheme in 2024 to support transition to the sustainable farming scheme.

3. Welcomes the engagement with farmers and stakeholders which has resulted in positive changes to the design of the sustainable farming scheme since the outline published in 2022.

4. Supports further amendments to the sustainable farming scheme in response to feedback from farmers, during the current consultation.

5. Notes that the greatest threat to a sustainable farming sector and food security in Wales is the impact of climate change and biodiversity loss.

6. Endorses the intention of the sustainable farming scheme to reward Welsh farmers who take actions to respond to that challenge.

7. Regrets UK Government policy to remove certainty from farm funding and reduce budgets, making planning for transition more challenging in all UK nations, causing uncertainty for farmers.

The item started at 16.00

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

A vote was taken on the motion without amendment:

NDM8496 Darren Millar (Clwyd West)

To propose that the Senedd:

1. Regrets that the Welsh Government’s proposed sustainable farming scheme will result in an estimated:

a) 122,200 reductions in Welsh livestock numbers;

b) 5,500 jobs on Welsh farms lost; and

c) £199 million loss to the rural economy.

2. Recognises the strength of feeling in the agricultural community against the sustainable farming scheme.

3. Notes the poll commissioned by the Country Land and Business Association in Wales that has found just 3 per cent of Welsh farmers trust the Welsh Government.

4. Calls on the Welsh Government to:

a) remove the requirement for each farm to have 10 per cent tree cover; and

b) scrap the current sustainable farming scheme proposals and to re-engage with the farming sector to develop a new scheme that has the support of the farming community.

As required by Standing Order 6.20 the Deputy Presiding Officer exercised his casting vote by voting against the motion without amendment. Therefore, the motion without amendment was not agreed.

The following amendment was tabled:

Amendment 1 Lesley Griffiths (Wrexham)

Delete all and replace with:

To propose that the Senedd:

1. Recognises the vital contribution that farming and agriculture make to the social, economic and cultural landscape of Wales

2. Welcomes the Welsh Government's decision to maintain levels of the basic payment scheme in 2024 to support transition to the sustainable farming scheme.

3. Welcomes the engagement with farmers and stakeholders which has resulted in positive changes to the design of the sustainable farming scheme since the outline published in 2022.

4. Supports further amendments to the sustainable farming scheme in response to feedback from farmers, during the current consultation.

5. Notes that the greatest threat to a sustainable farming sector and food security in Wales is the impact of climate change and biodiversity loss.

6. Endorses the intention of the sustainable farming scheme to reward Welsh farmers who take actions to respond to that challenge.

7. Regrets UK Government policy to remove certainty from farm funding and reduce budgets, making planning for transition more challenging in all UK nations, causing uncertainty for farmers.

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.

NDM8494 Heledd Fychan (South Wales Central)

To propose that the Senedd:

1. Notes NFU Cymru's Bovine TB in Wales survey which states:

a) that 70 per cent of farmers describe Welsh Government’s approach to TB eradication as very poor;

b) that 85 per cent of farmers say TB negatively impacts their mental health, and 63 per cent of farmers surveyed blame wildlife for TB transmission; and

c) that the estimated average annual financial cost to farms that provided cost details is £25,677, with data across all respondents showing over 30 per cent estimating their costs at over £10,000 and 13 per cent at over £50,000.

2. Regrets:

a) the immense financial and mental health burden on farmers in Wales posed by Bovine TB; and 

b) the Welsh Government’s persistent disregard of expert opinions and scientific evidence, at the expense of Welsh cattle and the financial and mental wellbeing of Welsh farmers.

3. Calls on the Welsh Government to:

a) urgently undertake a long-term evaluation and appraisal of current cattle controls to determine their relative effectiveness in preventing and controlling disease transmission;

b) make immediate changes to on farm slaughter policy;

c) establish policies which reflect wildlife as a source of infection and which allow for proper and scientifically validated culling and control methods; and

d) consult with NFU Cymru, FUW and other representatives of the agriculture sector in Wales to establish a new way forward in determining a bovine TB policy for Wales.

The following amendment was tabled:

Amendment 1 Lesley Griffiths (Wrexham)

Delete all and replace with:

To propose that the Senedd:

1. Supports the continued engagement with farming unions to develop an approach to TB eradication which is both robust and nuanced.

2. Welcomes:

a) the support available to farmers who are suffering the devastating impact of TB on their farm, including Cymorth TB support and also support from Tir Dewi; Farming Community Network; FarmWell Wales; The DPJ Foundation; and

b) the Government's approach to evidence-based policy and the involvement of world class expertise in developing TB policy including Cardiff University, the Centre of Excellence for Bovine Tuberculosis for Wales at Aberystwyth University, and the UK Animal and Plant Health Agency.

3. Supports:

a) ongoing evaluation of Welsh Government TB policy, informed by the first milestone target review due later in 2024 and the Bovine TB Programme Board; 

b) making the review of on-farm slaughter policy a priority for the new Bovine TB Technical Advisory Group; and

c) the involvement of farming unions on the new TB Programme Board. 

4. Opposes the mass culling of badgers, a species native to Wales, as a means to control bovine TB.

The item started at 17.18

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

A vote was taken on the motion without amendment:

NDM8494 Heledd Fychan (South Wales Central)

To propose that the Senedd:

1. Notes NFU Cymru's Bovine TB in Wales survey which states:

a) that 70 per cent of farmers describe Welsh Government’s approach to TB eradication as very poor;

b) that 85 per cent of farmers say TB negatively impacts their mental health, and 63 per cent of farmers surveyed blame wildlife for TB transmission; and

c) that the estimated average annual financial cost to farms that provided cost details is £25,677, with data across all respondents showing over 30 per cent estimating their costs at over £10,000 and 13 per cent at over £50,000.

2. Regrets:

a) the immense financial and mental health burden on farmers in Wales posed by Bovine TB; and 

b) the Welsh Government’s persistent disregard of expert opinions and scientific evidence, at the expense of Welsh cattle and the financial and mental wellbeing of Welsh farmers.

3. Calls on the Welsh Government to:

a) urgently undertake a long-term evaluation and appraisal of current cattle controls to determine their relative effectiveness in preventing and controlling disease transmission;

b) make immediate changes to on farm slaughter policy;

c) establish policies which reflect wildlife as a source of infection and which allow for proper and scientifically validated culling and control methods; and

d) consult with NFU Cymru, FUW and other representatives of the agriculture sector in Wales to establish a new way forward in determining a bovine TB policy for Wales.

As required by Standing Order 6.20 the Deputy Presiding Officer exercised his casting vote by voting against the motion without amendment. Therefore, the motion without amendment was not agreed.

The following amendment was tabled:

Amendment 1 Lesley Griffiths (Wrexham)

Delete all and replace with:

To propose that the Senedd:

1. Supports the continued engagement with farming unions to develop an approach to TB eradication which is both robust and nuanced.

2. Welcomes:

a) the support available to farmers who are suffering the devastating impact of TB on their farm, including Cymorth TB support and also support from Tir Dewi; Farming Community Network; FarmWell Wales; The DPJ Foundation; and

b) the Government's approach to evidence-based policy and the involvement of world class expertise in developing TB policy including Cardiff University, the Centre of Excellence for Bovine Tuberculosis for Wales at Aberystwyth University, and the UK Animal and Plant Health Agency.

3. Supports:

a) ongoing evaluation of Welsh Government TB policy, informed by the first milestone target review due later in 2024 and the Bovine TB Programme Board; 

b) making the review of on-farm slaughter policy a priority for the new Bovine TB Technical Advisory Group; and

c) the involvement of farming unions on the new TB Programme Board. 

4. Opposes the mass culling of badgers, a species native to Wales, as a means to control bovine TB.

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.

The item started at 18.13

NDM8487 Mark Isherwood (North Wales)

The Spot Leukaemia campaign and access to blood tests

The item started at 18.18

NDM8487 Mark Isherwood (North Wales)

The Spot Leukaemia campaign and access to blood tests