Decisions

The item started at 15.42

NDM4945

Eluned Parrott (South Wales Central)
Angela Burns (Carmarthen West and South Pembrokeshire)
Bethan Jenkins (South Wales West)

To propose that the National Assembly for Wales:

1. Regrets that each year in Wales between 300 and 350 people die from suicide, with latest figures showing that it is the leading cause of death for 20-34 year olds;

2. Recognises that people with a diagnosed mental health condition are at particular risk, with an estimated 90 per cent of people who attempt or die by suicide having one or more mental health condition;

3. Believes that more needs to be done to encourage people to talk openly about suicide and suicidal feelings, to raise awareness and help ensure that nobody is left to feel they are suffering alone;

4. Calls on the Welsh Government to:

a) improve the collection of data to identify those most at risk;

b) ensure follow-up support for people attending A&E after self-harm or a suicide attempt;

c) provide more effective signposting for listening and advocacy services;

d) look at the delivery of projects such as the Calm Zone in Liverpool who are providing cutting edge advice in an age appropriate way that appeals to young people, and other national and international examples of best practice; and

e) assess support available for families of individuals with mental ill-health.

The motion was agreed in accordance with Standing Order 12.36.

The item started at 15.03

NNDM5942

Julie Morgan (Cardiff North)

Elin Jones (Ceredigion)

Darren Millar (Clwyd West)

Aled Roberts (North Wales)

To propose that the National Assembly for Wales:

1. Deplores the number of bank branch closures in Wales, and in particular the frequency of closures even when the bank branch may be the last bank in the area.

2. Calls on banks to consider the impact of bank branch closures on urban and rural communities and individuals, especially older people and small businesses before final decisions on closures are made.

3. Calls on banks to carry out meaningful consultation, including local community organisations, pensioner organisations and business groups before final closure decisions, especially when the bank branch concerned is the only one remaining in the area.

4. Calls on the UK Government, the Welsh Government and the Financial Conduct Authority to ensure that they take the impact of bank branch closures into account when formulating their respective policies on financial services, economic development, and financial regulation.

The motion was agreed in accordance with Standing Order 12.36.

The item started at 15.04

NDM5885

Bethan Jenkins (South Wales West)

Suzy Davies (South Wales West)

Eluned Parrott (South Wales Central)

To propose that the National Assembly for Wales:

1. Recognises the value of the arts and creativity in the education and development of our young people; providing a rich experience in their own right but also helping to improve a child's concentration, stimulating their imagination and creativity, building confidence, raising aspiration and giving them a greater understanding and empathy for others;

2. Notes with concern that over the last decade constraints on local authority budgets have put non-statutory music services under increasing pressure;

3. Notes the conclusion of the task and finish group on music services in Wales that key challenges facing music services in Wales include the disparity of existing provision and growing inequality of opportunity to access services; and

4. Calls on the Welsh Government to develop a national strategy on music education so that every child has the opportunity to participate in a range of musical experiences, to reduce financial barriers to accessing these services and to ensure that high quality services are sustained despite reductions in school and local authority budgets.

The motion was agreed in accordance with Standing Order 12.36.

The item started at 15.05

NDM5881

David Rees (Aberavon)
Mike Hedges (Swansea East)
Aled Roberts (North Wales)

To propose that the National Assembly for Wales:

1. Recognises the importance of steel production to the Welsh economy.

2. Calls on the Welsh Government to continue to do all that it can to support the steel industry during these difficult times.

3. Calls on the UK Government to take urgent action on a number of areas including addressing the high energy costs faced by energy intensive industries in Wales, such as steel, to ensure they can be competitive with other European producers in a global market.

The motion was agreed in accordance with Standing Order 12.36.

The item started at 15.55

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

NDM5832

Mick Antoniw (Pontypridd) R

Rhodri Glyn Thomas (Carmarthen East and Dinefwr)

Peter Black (South Wales West)

To propose that the National Assembly for Wales:

1. Takes pride in the good relations that have been established in Wales between employers, trades unions and workers in both the public and private sector; and

2. Believes that:

a) the UK Government's Trade Union Bill is an unnecessary attack on the democratic rights of working people and will undermine the good and constructive industrial relations that have been established in Wales since 1999;

b) the Bill risks contravening the Human Rights Act 1998 and International Labour Organisation's Conventions 87, 98 and 151; and

c) the Bill intrudes in areas that are the responsibility of the Welsh Government and that it should not be applied to Wales without the consent of the National Assembly of Wales.

The result was as follows:

The motion was agreed.

The item started at 15.50

NNDM5789

Aled Roberts (North Wales)

Suzy Davies (South Wales West)

Bethan Jenkins (South Wales West)

To propose that the National Assembly for Wales:

1. Recognises the importance of specialist first aid training for nursery staff, so that they have the skills and training to respond quickly and appropriately in an emergency situation;

2. Calls on the Welsh Government to expand the provision of paediatric first aid training for nursery staff and to assess options for requiring all nursery staff to complete an officially recognised paediatric first aid course.

The motion was agreed in accordance with Standing Order 12.36.

The item started at 15.01

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

NNDM5799

Mike Hedges (Swansea East)

Jocelyn Davies (South Wales East)

Alun Ffred Jones (Arfon)

Peter Black (South Wales West)

To propose that the National Assembly for Wales:

1. Believes that as long as the Barnett formula continues then expenditure on developments that only benefit England, such as HS2, should produce the full Barnett consequential for Wales; and

2. Further believes that, when the UK Government and Welsh Government are in dispute over whether expenditure should produce a Barnett consequential for Wales, there is a need for an independent body to arbitrate.

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

The result was as follows:

The motion was agreed.

The item started at 14.26

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

NNDM5715

Bethan Jenkins

William Graham

Lynne Neagle

William Powell

To propose that the National Assembly for Wales:

 Calls upon the Welsh Government to

a) instigate a moratorium on opencast mining across Wales, in order to ascertain whether planning law and current guidance provides sufficient protection for communities affected by opencast mining;

b) respond to the Research into the Failure to Restore Opencast Coal Sites in South Wales, stating specifically how it might address concerns about the workability of MTAN2 and the 500m buffer zone; and

c) support affected local authorities to make legal challenges, where required, when pursing restoration.

The result was as follows:

The motion was agreed.

The item started at 15.01

NNDM5713

Aled Roberts (North Wales)

Paul Davies (Preseli Pembrokeshire)

Rhun ap Iorwerth (Ynys Môn)

To propose that the National Assembly for Wales:

1. Notes the economic contribution of the Welsh steel industry and the thousands of jobs it supports.

2. Regrets that overseas imports flooding the market have created an un-even playing field.

3. Calls for the Welsh Government to adopt the Charter for British Sustainable Steel, which will see all Government procurement of carbon steel rebar meeting the BES 6001 responsible sourcing standard.

The motion was agreed in accordance with Standing Order 12.36.

The item started at 15.01

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

NDM5712

Mick Antoniw (Pontypridd)

Jocelyn Davies (South Wales East)

Aled Roberts (North Wales)

Nick Ramsay (Monmouth)

To propose that the National Assembly for Wales:

1. Recognises that online technology together with intense advertising has fuelled the growth of gambling in Wales and notes that:

a) gambling is available to the entire population of Wales 24/7;

b) gambling can become a socially damaging addiction, contributing to poverty, health and social problems;

c) early identification and support is essential if addiction is to be avoided;

d) the growth in online gambling and fixed-odds betting machines has turned gambling in the UK into a multi-billion pound industry; and

e) the regulatory environment in which gambling takes place is relatively light-touch.

2. Calls on the Welsh Government to:

a) develop and implement a strategy to tackle the social and health consequences of gambling;

b) engage with the UK Government to discuss the devolution of greater powers over the licensing of gaming machines; and

c) engage with the gambling industry and the Responsible Gambling Trust  to ensure that an appropriate proportion of funding is spent in Wales to tackle issues around gambling addiction.

The result was as follows:

The motion was agreed.

The item started at 15.12

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

A vote was taken on the motion without amendment:

NNDM5683 Simon Thomas (Mid and West Wales)

To propose that the National Assembly for Wales:

1. Notes:

a) Bite the Ballot's national voter registration day on 5 February and the nationwide week of action between 2 and 8 February;

b) 'The quality of the 2014 electoral registers in Great Britain' report by the Electoral Commission, which found that 49% of 16-17 year olds are not registered to vote;

c) the 'Analysis of the confirmation live run in England and Wales' Electoral Commission progress report, which found that the individual electoral registration match-rate for 16 to 17 year olds has declined from 86% to 52%; and

d) the success of the Electoral Office for Northern Ireland's 'Schools Initiative' in adding 57,000 young people (approximately 50% of the age group) to the register.

2. Regrets that turnout in Assembly elections has been decreasing and supports action to encourage active, engaged participation of young people in democracy.

3. Calls for steps to empower electoral registration officers to improve data-sharing, increase the number of people registered from under-represented groups - especially young and student electors - and ensure greater participation of young people.

The motion without amendment was not agreed.

The following amendments were tabled:

Amendment 1 - Jane Hutt (Vale of Glamorgan)

Add as new point at end of motion:

Calls on the UK Government to agree that the carrying forward of registered persons included in the previous register, who had not registered individually, should apply to the 2016 register as it did for 2015.

A vote was taken on Amendment 1:

Amendment 1 was agreed.

A vote was taken on the motion as amended:

NNDM5683 Simon Thomas (Mid and West Wales)

To propose that the National Assembly for Wales:

1. Notes:

a) Bite the Ballot's national voter registration day on 5 February and the nationwide week of action between 2 and 8 February;

b) 'The quality of the 2014 electoral registers in Great Britain' report by the Electoral Commission, which found that 49% of 16-17 year olds are not registered to vote;

c) the 'Analysis of the confirmation live run in England and Wales' Electoral Commission progress report, which found that the individual electoral registration match-rate for 16 to 17 year olds has declined from 86% to 52%; and

d) the success of the Electoral Office for Northern Ireland's 'Schools Initiative' in adding 57,000 young people (approximately 50% of the age group) to the register.

2. Regrets that turnout in Assembly elections has been decreasing and supports action to encourage active, engaged participation of young people in democracy.

3. Calls for steps to empower electoral registration officers to improve data-sharing, increase the number of people registered from under-represented groups - especially young and student electors - and ensure greater participation of young people.

4. Calls on the UK Government to agree that the carrying forward of registered persons included in the previous register, who had not registered individually, should apply to the 2016 register as it did for 2015.

The motion as amended was agreed.

The item started at 16.07

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

NNDM5639 Mark Isherwood (North Wales)

To propose that the National Assembly for Wales:

1. Welcomes the achievement of the Welsh Government's autistic spectrum disorder strategic action plan.

2. Notes that more needs to be done to meet the needs of children and adults with autism in Wales.

3. Believes that placing specific duties on local authorities and health boards would lead to greater clarity on the care and support that people with autism can expect.

4. Calls upon the Welsh Government to introduce an Autism Act for Wales.

The result was as follows:

The Motion was agreed.

The item started at 15.47

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

NNDM5630

Antoinette Sandbach (North Wales)

Bethan Jenkins (South Wales West)

Jenny Rathbone (Cardiff Central)

To propose that the National Assembly for Wales:

1. Notes that:

a) women have made a huge contribution to the working life of Wales and continue to be a vital part of the Welsh economy;

b) it is nearly 100 years since women got the vote and nearly 40 years since the Equal Pay Act;

c) the Welsh Government has an important part to play in ensuring that there is not institutional discrimination present in the workplace.

2. Calls on the Welsh Government not to award any procurement contracts or Welsh Government grant monies to any company that does not have any female directors on their board.

The result was as follows:

The Motion was agreed .

The item started at 15.53

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

NNDM5636

Simon Thomas (Mid and West Wales)

Julie Morgan (Cardiff North)

Mick Antoniw (Pontypridd)

Alun Ffred Jones (Arfon)

Angela Burns (Carmarthen West and South Pembrokeshire)

To propose that the National Assembly for Wales:

Supports the principles of the Assisted Dying Bill.

The result was as follows:

The Motion was not agreed.

The item started at 15.04

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

NNDM5625

Mike Hedges (Swansea East)

Jocelyn Davies (South Wales East)

Peter Black (South Wales West)

To propose that the National Assembly for Wales:

Believes that policing (excluding the UK National Crime Agency and national security) should be devolved.

The result was as follows:

The motion was agreed.

The item started at 15.47

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

NNDM5536

Ann Jones (Vale of Clwyd)

Andrew RT Davies (South Wales Central)

Aled Roberts (North Wales)

Bethan Jenkins (South Wales West)

To propose that the National Assembly for Wales:

Notes the overwhelming appetite amongst football supporters for the introduction of safe standing facilities;

Calls on the Welsh Government to work closely with sport associations and regulatory authorities to promote safe standing at sports stadia in Wales; and

Calls on the UK Government to consider the introduction of a pilot of safe standing in Wales.

The result was as follows:

The motion was agreed.

The item started at 14.52

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

NNDM5502

Kirsty Williams (Brecon and Radnorshire)

Darren Millar (Clwyd West)

Elin Jones (Ceredigion)

To propose that the National Assembly for Wales:

1. Notes the proposal within the Welsh Government’s consultation on proposals for a Public Health Bill to ban the use of electronic cigarettes in enclosed public places and places of work in Wales.

2. Notes that an estimated 2.1million adults in the UK currently use electronic cigarettes.

3. Notes that public health guidance from the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence ‘Tobacco: harm-reduction approaches to smoking’ supports the use of licenced nicotine containing products to aid people in cutting down or quitting smoking.

4. Calls on the Welsh Government to bring forward the evidence behind the proposals on electronic cigarettes, to provide clarity on the justification for these proposals within the Public Health Bill.

The result was as follows:

The motion was agreed.

The item started at 15.17

NNDM5464

Mick Antoniw (Pontypridd)

Dafydd Elis-Thomas (Dwyfor Meirionnydd)

To propose that the National Assembly for Wales:

Commits to playing its full part in European affairs; and in particular:

a) recognises the value both to Wales and to the EU of positive Welsh engagement in Europe;

b) utilises the skills, experience and innovation of the Government and people of Wales to promote social justice, economic prosperity and democratic governance across Europe.

The motion was agreed in accordance with Standing Order 12.36.

The item started at 14.56

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

A vote was taken on the motion without amendment:

NDM5423 Bethan Jenkins (South Wales West)

To propose that the National Assembly for Wales:

1. Notes:

a) the adverse impact upon over 700 former Visteon workers living in Swansea and surrounding areas caused by the loss of their pensions;

b) the knock-on effect to the economy of Swansea and surrounding areas caused by the loss of those Visteon pensions;

c) that this year, on April the 2nd, marks the fifth anniversary of the closure of Visteon as a company and that a mass demonstration is being organised at Westminster; and

d) that this year is an important year for the campaign, given that the court case that Unite the Union are taking against Ford will take place at the end of 2014 at the High Court in London.

2. Calls on the Welsh Government to hold an inquiry into the impact of the loss of pensions to both the Visteon workers and the economy of the area in which they live.

The motion without amendment was agreed.

The item started at 15.10

NDM5358

Joyce Watson (Mid and West Wales)

Mark Isherwood (North Wales)

Suzy Davies (South Wales West)

Jenny Rathbone (Cardiff Central)

Aled Roberts (North Wales)

Rhodri Glyn Thomas (Carmarthen East and Dinefwr)

To propose that the National Assembly for Wales:

1. Notes with grave concern:

a) the targeting of vulnerable children for sexual exploitation by criminals;

b) that children missing from care are at particular risk of sexual exploitation;

c) evidence that local authorities in Wales are not yet fully implementing Welsh Government guidelines to protect children who go missing from care;

d) that the practice of out of area placements can put looked after children at greater risk of abuse and exploitation.

2. Commends the work of the Gwent Missing Children Project and notes the need for comparable, consistent and reliable data on cases of looked after children who go missing from children’s homes and foster care.

The motion was agreed in accordance with Standing Order 12.36.

The item started at 15.24

NNDM5325 Antoinette Sandbach (North Wales)

To propose that the National Assembly for Wales:

1. Recognises the high risk sky lanterns pose to public safety, buildings and structures, and the welfare of farm animals and wildlife;

2. Calls on the Welsh Government to investigate the merits of restricting the release of sky lanterns in Wales.

The motion was agreed in accordance with Standing Order 12.36.

The item started at 15.00

NDM5266

Rebecca Evans (Mid and West Wales)

Lindsay Whittle (South Wales East)

Suzy Davies (South Wales West)

Aled Roberts (North Wales)

To propose that the National Assembly for Wales:

Supports the No More Page Three campaign and calls upon The Sun Newspaper to drop the feature.

The motion was agreed in accordance with Standing Order 12.36.

The item started at 15.02

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

NDM5262

Mike Hedges (Swansea East)

Peter Black (South Wales West)

Jocelyn Davies (South Wales East)

To propose that the National Assembly for Wales:

Believes that the devolution settlement should be based on a reserved powers model.

The result was as follows:

The motion was agreed.

The item started at 15.02

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

A vote was taken on the motion without amendment:

NDM5235 Jenny Rathbone (Cardiff Central)

To propose that the National Assembly for Wales:

1. Notes that the promotion of caffeine loaded energy drinks to children and young people is a significant public health concern; and

2. Calls on the Welsh Government to take action to raise awareness of the health concerns surrounding caffeine loaded energy drinks.

The motion without amendment was agreed.

The item started at 15.42

NDM5181 Mark Drakeford (Cardiff West)

The National Assembly for Wales:

Resolves to support the principle of pre-confirmation hearings for major public appointments in Wales.

The motion was agreed in accordance with Standing Order 12.36.

The item started at 15.02

NDM5137

Joyce Watson (Mid and West Wales)

Peter Black (South Wales West)

Jocelyn Davies (South Wales East)

Byron Davies (South Wales West)

To propose that this National Assembly:

1. Notes that in 2011 pedestrian casualties represented 21 per cent of Killed and Seriously Injured (KSI) road traffic casualties in Wales;

2. Recognises the proven casualty reduction benefits of 20mph speed limits; and

3. Calls on local authorities to increase the number of 20mph zones in Wales.

The motion was agreed in accordance with Standing Order 12.36.

The item started at 14.56

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

A vote was taken on the motion without amendment:

NDM5147

Simon Thomas (Mid and West Wales)

David Rees (Aberavon)

William Powell (Mid and West Wales)

The National Assembly for Wales recognises the benefits to Wales of being part of the European Union.

The motion without amendment was agreed.

The item started at 14:29

NDM5096

Ken Skates (Clwyd South)

Eluned Parrott (South Wales Central)

David Melding (South Wales Central)

Llyr Huws Gruffydd (North Wales)

Supported by:

Rebecca Evans (Mid and West Wales)

The National Assembly for Wales:

1. Recognises and regrets that people with mental health problems experience stigma and discrimination;

2. Welcomes Time to Change Wales, the first national campaign to end the stigma and discrimination faced by people with mental health problems in Wales;

3. Notes the recent research carried out by Time to Change Wales, which showed that:

a) 1 in 4 people believe that people with mental health problems should not be allowed to hold public office; and

b) 1 in 10 people believe that people with mental health problems should not be allowed to have children;

4. Recognises that people with mental health issues play significant roles in society, work across a range of sectors and make important contributions to the economy; and

5. Calls on the Welsh Government to support the Time to Change Wales campaign and demonstrate a commitment to ending mental health stigma and discrimination.

The motion was agreed in accordance with Standing Order 12.36.

The item started at 15:13

NDM5020

Simon Thomas (Mid and West Wales)

Mick Antoniw (Pontypridd)

Russell George (Montgomeryshire)

William Powell (Mid and West Wales)

The National Assembly:

1. Recognises the potential to produce renewable energy from the Severn estuary and the importance of such a project for the Welsh Government in achieving its renewable energy targets as well as the potential for the creation of employment and training opportunities; and

2. Believes that, in the development of such energy, the technology for extracting such energy should be designed to ensure that as far as is reasonably practical and proportionate, it has the minimum possible environmental impact.

The motion was agreed in accordance with Standing Order 12.36.

The item started at 15.33

NDM5023

Julie Morgan (Cardiff North)

Aled Roberts (North Wales)

Bethan Jenkins (South Wales West)

Paul Davies (Preseli Pembrokeshire)

To propose that the National Assembly for Wales:

Supports lowering the voting age to 16 years in all elections and referendums held in Wales.

Supported by:

Keith Davies (Llanelli)

Christine Chapman (Cynon Valley)

Kirsty Williams (Brecon and Radnorshire)

Vaughan Gething (Cardiff South and Penarth)

Mark Drakeford (Cardiff West)

Julie James (Swansea West)

Peter Black (South Wales West)

Mick Antoniw (Pontypridd)

Jenny Rathbone (Cardiff Central)

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

The result was as follows:

The motion was agreed.

The item started at 14:57.

NDM4965

Mark Drakeford (Cardiff West)

Suzy Davies (South Wales West)

Lindsay Whittle (South Wales East)

Kirsty Williams (Brecon and Radnorshire)

To propose that the National Assembly for Wales:

Calls on the Welsh Government to make a measurable reduction in avoidable sight loss a public health priority for Wales.

Supported by:

Mike Hedges (Swansea East)

Rebecca Evans (Mid and West Wales)

Julie James (Swansea West)

Lynne Neagle (Torfaen)

Antoinette Sandbach (North Wales)

Sandy Mewies (Delyn)

Mark Isherwood (North Wales)

Joyce Watson (Mid and West Wales)

Mick Antoniw (Pontypridd)

Aled Roberts (North Wales)

Andrew RT Davies (South Wales Central)

Darren Millar (Clwyd West)

Janet Finch-Saunders (Aberconwy)

Nick Ramsay (Monmouth)

Eluned Parrott (South Wales Central)

Keith Davies (Llanelli)

David Rees (Aberavon)

Alun Ffred Jones (Arfon)

Russell George (Montgomeryshire)

Byron Davies (South Wales West)

Jenny Rathbone (Cardiff Central)

The motion was agreed in accordance with Standing Order 12.36.

The item started at 15.18

NDM4863

Llyr Huws Gruffydd (North Wales)

Rebecca Evans (Mid and West Wales)

William Powell (Mid and West Wales)

To propose that the National Assembly for Wales:

Urges the Welsh Government to ensure that the National Transport Plan promotes funding and activity focused on enabling a wide variety of low carbon, sustainable modes of travel in rural areas, including National Parks.

Supported by:

Antoinette Sandbach (North Wales)

The motion was agreed in accordance with Standing Order 12.36.

Item started at 15.04

The motion was agreed in accordance with Standing Order 12.36.

The motion was agreed, in accordance with Standing Order 12.36.

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

A vote was taken on the Motion:

The Motion was agreed.