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 Cabinet Secretary after Question 2.

View Questions

The item started at 13.30

The first 8 questions were asked. The Presiding Officer invited party spokespeople to ask questions to the Cabinet Secretary after question 2.

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

View Questions

The item started at 14.28

The first 8 questions were asked. The Presiding Officer invited party spokespeople to ask questions to the Cabinet Secretary after question 2.

NDM8576 Mick Antoniw (Pontypridd)

To propose that the Senedd in accordance with Standing Order 26.47:

Approves the Senedd Cymru (Members and Elections) Bill

Supporting documents

Senedd Cymru (Members and Elections) Bill, as amended at Stage 3

Presiding Officer’s statement in accordance with s111A(3) of the Government of Wales Act 2006

The item started at 15.15

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

NDM8576 Mick Antoniw (Pontypridd)

To propose that the Senedd in accordance with Standing Order 26.47:

Approves the Senedd Cymru (Members and Elections) Bill

The result was as follows:

For	Abstain	Against	Total
43	0	16	59

The motion was agreed.

No Topical Questions were accepted

No Topical Questions were accepted

The item started at 15.46

Julie Morgan made a statement on - A Purple Plaque for Dorothy Miles, widely regarded as a pioneer of BSL poetry, in her hometown of Rhyl (26 April).

Lee Waters made a statement on - Tribute to Professor David Marquand, former MP and academic.

Heledd Fychan made a statement on - Gŵyl Mabon – the Rhondda’s first Welsh-language music festival, which took place in Treorchy (4 May).

NDM8569 Jenny Rathbone (Cardiff Central)

To propose that the Senedd:

Notes the Equality and Social Justice Committee report, ‘How we must all play our part: a public health approach to halting the epidemic in gender-based violence’, which was laid on Monday 15 January 2024.

Note: The response of the Welsh Government to the report was laid in the Table Office on 30 April 2024.

The item started at 15.51

NDM8569 Jenny Rathbone (Cardiff Central)

To propose that the Senedd:

Notes the Equality and Social Justice Committee report, ‘How we must all play our part: a public health approach to halting the epidemic in gender-based violence’, which was laid on Monday 15 January 2024.

Note: The response of the Welsh Government to the report was laid in the Table Office on 30 April 2024.

The motion was agreed in accordance with Standing Order 12.36.

NDM8567 Jack Sargeant (Alyn and Deeside)

To propose that the Senedd:

Notes the petition ‘P-06-1392 Reform of the additional learning needs Code of Wales 2021’, which received 15,160 signatures.

The item started at 16.40

NDM8567 Jack Sargeant (Alyn and Deeside)

To propose that the Senedd:

Notes the petition ‘P-06-1392 Reform of the additional learning needs Code of Wales 2021’, which received 15,160 signatures.

The motion was agreed in accordance with Standing Order 12.36.

NDM8570 Heledd Fychan (South Wales Central)

To propose that this Senedd:

1. Notes:

a) that Wales has 40 per cent of the residual coal tips of the UK, which are a legacy of the exploitation of Wales’s natural resources;

b)  that increased rainfall and extreme weather has the potential to further destabilise these tips; and

c) the anxiety caused for residents who live near disused tips, open cast mines and other post-industrial sites.

2. Regrets that the UK Government refuses to provide funding to support the long-term remediation and repurposing of disused tips, open cast mines and other post-industrial sites.

3. Calls on the Welsh Government to urgently introduce legislation to establish a new body to set up a fit-for-purpose remediation programme for disused tips, open cast mines and other post-industrial sites. 

4. Calls on the UK Government to urgently provide the necessary additional funding for the inspection and maintenance regime and bear the long-term financial responsibility for making disused tips, open cast mines and other post-industrial sites safe through proper remediation.

The following amendments were tabled:

Amendment 1 Darren Millar (Clwyd West)

In sub-point 1 (a), delete 'the exploitation of Wales’s natural resources' and replace with 'Wales’s industrial heritage'.

Amendment 2 Darren Millar (Clwyd West)

In point 2, delete 'regrets that the UK Government refuses' and replace with 'believes that the UK Government should continue to work with the Welsh Government'.

Amendment 3 Jane Hutt (Vale of Glamorgan)

Delete point 3 and replace with:

Notes that Welsh Government has made available over £44 million to local authorities to maintain and improve coal tip safety since 2022, has introduced a regular monitoring system for Category C and D tips, and will introduce new modern legislation for disused tips in the autumn.

Amendment 4 Darren Millar (Clwyd West)

Delete point 4.

The item started at 17.31

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

A vote was taken on the motion without amendment:

NDM8570 Heledd Fychan (South Wales Central)

To propose that this Senedd:

1. Notes:

a) that Wales has 40 per cent of the residual coal tips of the UK, which are a legacy of the exploitation of Wales’s natural resources;

b)  that increased rainfall and extreme weather has the potential to further destabilise these tips; and

c) the anxiety caused for residents who live near disused tips, open cast mines and other post-industrial sites.

2. Regrets that the UK Government refuses to provide funding to support the long-term remediation and repurposing of disused tips, open cast mines and other post-industrial sites.

3. Calls on the Welsh Government to urgently introduce legislation to establish a new body to set up a fit-for-purpose remediation programme for disused tips, open cast mines and other post-industrial sites. 

4. Calls on the UK Government to urgently provide the necessary additional funding for the inspection and maintenance regime and bear the long-term financial responsibility for making disused tips, open cast mines and other post-industrial sites safe through proper remediation.

For	Abstain	Against	Total
12	0	45	57

The motion without amendment was not agreed.

The following amendments were tabled:

Amendment 1 Darren Millar (Clwyd West)

In sub-point 1 (a), delete 'the exploitation of Wales’s natural resources' and replace with 'Wales’s industrial heritage'.

A vote was taken on amendment 1:

For	Abstain	Against	Total
16	0	41	57

Amendment 1 was not agreed.

Amendment 2 Darren Millar (Clwyd West)

In point 2, delete 'regrets that the UK Government refuses' and replace with 'believes that the UK Government should continue to work with the Welsh Government'.

A vote was taken on amendment 2:

For	Abstain	Against	Total
16	0	41	57

Amendment 2 was not agreed.

Amendment 3 Jane Hutt (Vale of Glamorgan)

Delete point 3 and replace with:

Notes that Welsh Government has made available over £44 million to local authorities to maintain and improve coal tip safety since 2022, has introduced a regular monitoring system for Category C and D tips, and will introduce new modern legislation for disused tips in the autumn.

A vote was taken on amendment 3:

For	Abstain	Against	Total
30	0	27	57

Amendment 3 was agreed.

Amendment 4 Darren Millar (Clwyd West)

Delete point 4.

A vote was taken on amendment 4:

For	Abstain	Against	Total
16	0	41	57

Amendment 4 was not agreed.

A vote was taken on the motion as amended:

NDM8570 Heledd Fychan (South Wales Central)

To propose that this Senedd:

1. Notes:

a) that Wales has 40 per cent of the residual coal tips of the UK, which are a legacy of the exploitation of Wales’s natural resources;

b)  that increased rainfall and extreme weather has the potential to further destabilise these tips; and

c) the anxiety caused for residents who live near disused tips, open cast mines and other post-industrial sites.

2. Regrets that the UK Government refuses to provide funding to support the long-term remediation and repurposing of disused tips, open cast mines and other post-industrial sites.

3. Notes that Welsh Government has made available over £44 million to local authorities to maintain and improve coal tip safety since 2022, has introduced a regular monitoring system for Category C and D tips, and will introduce new modern legislation for disused tips in the autumn.

4. Calls on the UK Government to urgently provide the necessary additional funding for the inspection and maintenance regime and bear the long-term financial responsibility for making disused tips, open cast mines and other post-industrial sites safe through proper remediation.

For	Abstain	Against	Total
41	0	16	57

The motion as amended was agreed.

The item started at 18.25 

NDM8568 Alun Davies (Blaenau Gwent)

Soaring high: reintroducing the white-tailed eagle to Wales.

The item started at 18.30

NDM8568 Alun Davies (Blaenau Gwent)

Soaring high: reintroducing the white-tailed eagle to Wales.