Decision details

Welsh Liberal Democrats Debate

Decision Maker: Plenary - Fourth Assembly

Status: Recommendations approved

Is Key decision?: Yes

Purpose:

Debates are one of the most frequent items of business on the Plenary agenda. Many types of debate are brought forward in Plenary, including:

  • Opposition party debates on a topic of their choice;

Other than in the case of Government debates, the time allocated for all other types of debates and their frequency are determined by the Business Committee

Decision:

The item started at 16.51

 

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

 

A vote was taken on the motion without amendment:

 

NDM5417 Aled Roberts (North Wales)

 

To propose that the National Assembly for Wales:

 

1. Notes the findings of the School Food Plan that free school meals for all children in primary schools would lead to positive improvements in health, educational attainment and social cohesion and help families with the cost of living.

 

2. Notes that in Wales only 21% of infants currently receive a free school meal and only around 24% of primary age pupils in 2012-13 took a free school breakfast.

 

3. Notes that Wales will receive over £62m of Barnett consequential revenue funding for 2014-16 and over £4m of capital funding in 2014-15 following the announcement by the UK Government on free school meals for all infant age pupils in England.

 

4. Calls on the Welsh Government to use the Barnett consequential to introduce universal free school meals for infants in Wales, so that all infants can receive a hot, healthy school lunch to boost pupil health, education and well-being.

 

For

Abstain

Against

Total

5

0

49

54

The motion without amendment was not agreed.

 

The following amendments were tabled:

 

Amendment 1 - Elin Jones (Ceredigion)

 

In point 1, delete all after ‘School Food Plan’ and replace with ‘that well-nourished children fare better at school’.

 

A vote was taken on Amendment 1:

For

Abstain

Against

Total

10

0

44

54

Amendment 1 was not agreed.

 

Amendment 2 - Elin Jones (Ceredigion)

 

In point 4, delete all after ‘Barnett consequential’ and replace with ‘in the most effective and proven way to improve standards and well-being and to publish a programme of its intentions for all school meals provision’.

 

A vote was taken on Amendment 2:

For

Abstain

Against

Total

10

0

44

54

Amendment 2 was not agreed.

 

 

As the Assembly has not agreed the motion without amendment, and has not agreed the amendments tabled to the motion, the motion is therefore not agreed.

Publication date: 29/01/2014

Date of decision: 29/01/2014

Decided at meeting: 29/01/2014 - Plenary - Fourth Assembly