Agenda and minutes

This meeting was held in a hybrid format, with some Members in Siambr Hywel, Tŷ Hywel and others joining by video-conference.

The Presiding Officer has received notification, under Standing Order 12.58, that the Cabinet Secretary for Economy, Energy and Planning will answer questions on behalf of the Cabinet Secretary for Transport and North Wales. 

 

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 for Economy, Energy and Planning (on behalf of the Cabinet Secretary for Transport and North Wales) 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 14.17 

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

View Questions 

The item started at 15.07 

The first 3 questions were asked.

No Topical Questions have been accepted

No Topical Questions have been accepted.

The item started at 15.18 

Heledd Fychan made a statement on celebrating the career of and thanking Jess Fishlock. 

NDM9020 Carolyn Thomas (North Wales)  

To propose that the Senedd: 

Notes the petition ‘P-06-1538 Protect full stroke services at Bronglais Hospital; prevent downgrade to Treat and Transfer’ which received 17,883 signatures. 

The item started at 15.20 

NDM9020 Carolyn Thomas (North Wales)    

To propose that the Senedd:   

Notes the petition ‘P-06-1538 Protect full stroke services at Bronglais Hospital; prevent downgrade to Treat and Transfer’ which received 17,883 signatures.   

The motion was agreed in accordance with Standing Order 12.36.

NDM9021 Delyth Jewell (South Wales East)  

To propose that the Senedd: 

Notes the report of the Culture, Communications, Welsh Language, Sport, and International Relations Committee: ‘Charging for Exhibitions’ which was laid in the Table Office on 4 June 2025. 

Note: The response of the Welsh Government to the report was laid in the Table Office on 15 October 2025. 

The item started at 16.13 

NDM9021 Delyth Jewell (South Wales East)    

To propose that the Senedd:   

Notes the report of the Culture, Communications, Welsh Language, Sport, and International Relations Committee: ‘Charging for Exhibitions’ which was laid in the Table Office on 4 June 2025.   

Note: The response of the Welsh Government to the report was laid in the Table Office on 15 October 2025.   

The motion was agreed in accordance with Standing Order 12.36.

NDM9022 Paul Davies (Preseli Pembrokeshire)  

To propose that the Senedd: 

1. Regrets that: 

a) the latest Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) results show that Wales's performance has fallen to its lowest level ever in maths, reading and science, the lowest of all UK nations for the fifth consecutive time; and 

b) physical attacks on teachers and knife attacks in Welsh schools are at their highest ever levels. 

2. Calls on the Welsh Government to improve educational outcomes and academic rigour by: 

a) improving accountability via the introduction of more rigorous school inspections; 

b) developing a new accessible Welsh school performance database to promote learner and parental choice; 

c) enabling the establishment of academy schools in Wales to encourage innovation; 

d) restoring discipline and respect in schools via a crackdown on poor behaviour, including the automatic exclusion of learners who bring knives and other weapons into a school; 

e) improving teacher retention and authority by stamping out pupil defiance; 

f) empowering schools to ban mobile phones in Welsh classrooms, and encourage children to safely use AI and technology; 

g) instilling rigour in our education system through the mandatory teaching of phonics; and 

h) ensuring a purpose-driven curriculum which supports the formation of essential life-skills, including mandatory home economics and the importance of personal responsibility, healthy eating, budgeting and independent living.  
The following amendments were tabled:  

Amendment 1 Heledd Fychan (South Wales Central) 
Delete all and replace with: 

To propose that the Senedd: 

1. Notes the findings of Estyn’s latest annual reports, which draw attention to the ongoing challenges in literacy, numeracy and digital skills across schools in Wales, alongside serious issues of teacher recruitment and retention in the education profession. 

2. Regrets the failures of the Welsh Labour Government, where: 

a) education standards have fallen, leading to the lowest ever PISA results for Wales in reading, mathematics and science in 2022; 

b) teacher recruitment targets have failed in nearly a decade; and 

c) one in every four primary schools lacks access to specific library space. 

3. Welcomes Plaid Cymru’s commitment to making raising educational standards a national mission in Government by establishing: 

a) a foundational literacy and numeracy plan, including: 

i) national benchmarks for core skills; 

ii) early intervention for pupils who fall behind; 

iii) evidence-based professional development for teachers; and 

iv) transparent progress tracking and reporting. 

b) a library space in every primary school; 

c) a reading initiative across the curriculum to incorporate literacy in every subject at secondary level; and 

d) a fair and competitive strategy to recruit and retain teachers. 

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

Amendment 2 Jane Hutt (Vale of Glamorgan)   
Delete all and replace with: 

To propose that the Senedd: 

1. Notes that: 

a) the latest national personalised assessments report shows improvement in English and Welsh reading, and numeracy improving for our youngest learners; and 

b) school attendance improved in 2024-25, rising to 89.1 per cent from 88 per cent in the previous year and as part of a positive trajectory reversing the decline seen during the pandemic years. 

2. Welcomes the work of the Welsh Government to: 

a) ensure the systematic teaching of phonics in the Curriculum for Wales, supported by establishing a set of nationally consistent literacy, phonics and numeracy professional learning programmes for all schools in Wales, to be taken forward by Dysgu, our new national professional learning and leadership organisation; 

b) provide a clearer set of expectations and information about schools through participation in PIRLS (Progress in International Reading Literacy Study) and TIMSS (Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study), and developing more granular expectations of literacy and numeracy for schools; 

c) progress concerted action following the National Summit on Behaviour in School and Colleges in Wales including new forums on the use of mobile phones in schools and exclusions and detentions, working with schools, local authorities and trade unions in social partnership; 

d) fund a range of programmes to support schools positive engagement with their learners, families and communities, including investing £9.5 million in family engagement officers and £2 million in enrichment activities to tackle disaffection; 

e) invest over £13 million annually in our whole school approach to emotional and mental health and wellbeing, including funding to support the wellbeing of schools staff; 

f) take forward a Strategic Education Workforce Plan to consider the range of different workforce issues in Wales, including recruitment and retention, wellbeing and the issues for teaching assistants and covering absence; and 

g) build a new coherent school improvement system which places schools at the centre, aligning with Estyn’s more regular inspection cycle. 

The item started at 16.41 

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

A vote was taken on the motion without amendment: 

NDM9022 Paul Davies (Preseli Pembrokeshire)    

To propose that the Senedd:   

1. Regrets that:   

a) the latest Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) results show that Wales's performance has fallen to its lowest level ever in maths, reading and science, the lowest of all UK nations for the fifth consecutive time; and   

b) physical attacks on teachers and knife attacks in Welsh schools are at their highest ever levels.   

2. Calls on the Welsh Government to improve educational outcomes and academic rigour by:   

a) improving accountability via the introduction of more rigorous school inspections;   

b) developing a new accessible Welsh school performance database to promote learner and parental choice;   

c) enabling the establishment of academy schools in Wales to encourage innovation;   

d) restoring discipline and respect in schools via a crackdown on poor behaviour, including the automatic exclusion of learners who bring knives and other weapons into a school;   

e) improving teacher retention and authority by stamping out pupil defiance;   

f) empowering schools to ban mobile phones in Welsh classrooms, and encourage children to safely use AI and technology;   

g) instilling rigour in our education system through the mandatory teaching of phonics; and   

h) ensuring a purpose-driven curriculum which supports the formation of essential life-skills, including mandatory home economics and the importance of personal responsibility, healthy eating, budgeting and independent living.    

For	Abstain	Against	Total
14	1	35	50

The motion without amendment was not agreed. 

The following amendments were tabled: 

Amendment 1 Heledd Fychan (South Wales Central)  
Delete all and replace with:  

To propose that the Senedd:  

1. Notes the findings of Estyn’s latest annual reports, which draw attention to the ongoing challenges in literacy, numeracy and digital skills across schools in Wales, alongside serious issues of teacher recruitment and retention in the education profession.  

2. Regrets the failures of the Welsh Labour Government, where:  

a) education standards have fallen, leading to the lowest ever PISA results for Wales in reading, mathematics and science in 2022;  

b) teacher recruitment targets have failed in nearly a decade; and  

c) one in every four primary schools lacks access to specific library space.  

3. Welcomes Plaid Cymru’s commitment to making raising educational standards a national mission in Government by establishing:  

a) a foundational literacy and numeracy plan, including:  

i) national benchmarks for core skills;  

ii) early intervention for pupils who fall behind;  

iii) evidence-based professional development for teachers; and  

iv) transparent progress tracking and reporting.  

b) a library space in every primary school;  

c) a reading initiative across the curriculum to incorporate literacy in every subject at secondary level; and  

d) a fair and competitive strategy to recruit and retain teachers.  

A vote was taken on amendment 1: 

For	Abstain	Against	Total
10	0	40	50

Amendment 1 was not agreed. 

Amendment 2 Jane Hutt (Vale of Glamorgan)    
Delete all and replace with:  

To propose that the Senedd:  

1. Notes that:  

a) the latest national personalised assessments report shows improvement in English and Welsh reading, and numeracy improving for our youngest learners; and  

b) school attendance improved in 2024-25, rising to 89.1 per cent from 88 per cent in the previous year and as part of a positive trajectory reversing the decline seen during the pandemic years.  

2. Welcomes the work of the Welsh Government to:  

a) ensure the systematic teaching of phonics in the Curriculum for Wales, supported by establishing a set of nationally consistent literacy, phonics and numeracy professional learning programmes for all schools in Wales, to be taken forward by Dysgu, our new national professional learning and leadership organisation;  

b) provide a clearer set of expectations and information about schools through participation in PIRLS (Progress in International Reading Literacy Study) and TIMSS (Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study), and developing more granular expectations of literacy and numeracy for schools;  

c) progress concerted action following the National Summit on Behaviour in School and Colleges in Wales including new forums on the use of mobile phones in schools and exclusions and detentions, working with schools, local authorities and trade unions in social partnership;  

d) fund a range of programmes to support schools positive engagement with their learners, families and communities, including investing £9.5 million in family engagement officers and £2 million in enrichment activities to tackle disaffection;  

e) invest over £13 million annually in our whole school approach to emotional and mental health and wellbeing, including funding to support the wellbeing of schools staff;  

f) take forward a Strategic Education Workforce Plan to consider the range of different workforce issues in Wales, including recruitment and retention, wellbeing and the issues for teaching assistants and covering absence; and  

g) build a new coherent school improvement system which places schools at the centre, aligning with Estyn’s more regular inspection cycle.  

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 amendment 2 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 17.35

NDM9023 Laura Anne Jones (South Wales East)  

Safety, fairness and abiding by the law: The Supreme Court ruling on the meaning of 'sex' in the Equality Act 2010 and its importance for Wales. 

The item started at 17.38 

NDM9023 Laura Anne Jones (South Wales East)    

Safety, fairness and abiding by the law: The Supreme Court ruling on the meaning of 'sex' in the Equality Act 2010 and its importance for Wales.