Agenda and decisions

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Media

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Items
Expected timing No. Item

(45 mins)

1.

Questions to the Minister for Finance

Supporting documents:

Decision:

The item started at 13.30

All 15 questions were asked.

(45 mins)

2.

Questions to the Minister for Local Government and Government Business

Decision:

The item started at 14.18

All 15 questions were asked.  Question 10 and 12 were grouped together for answer.

(15 mins)

3.

Questions to the Assembly Commission

Decision:

The item started at 15.04

Both questions were asked.

(60 mins)

4.

Welsh Conservatives Debate

NDM5370 William Graham (South Wales East)

 

To propose that the National Assembly for Wales

 

1. Notes that it is time of change in public service delivery, requiring system reform.

 

2. Recognises:

 

a) the potential for co-production to dramatically improve public service delivery.

 

b) the current Welsh Government commitment to ensuring that publicly owned assets have the potential to stay in community ownership in Wales.

 

3. Regrets:

 

a) not enough is being done to ensure that communities are aware of schemes such as the Community Asset Transfer or Community Facilities and Activities Programme.

 

b) that Wales is failing to share the success of the Community Rights Agenda in other parts of the UK.

 

4. Calls on the Welsh Government to:

 

a) promote co-production as a viable means to deliver public services following the publication of the findings of the Commission on Public Service Governance and Delivery.

 

b) examine the feasibility of adopting further aspects of the Localism Act in Wales.

 

A link to the Commission on Public Service Governance and Delivery can be found http://new.wales.gov.uk/topics/improvingservices/public-service-governance-and-delivery/?lang=en

 

A link to Localism Act can be found http://new.wales.gov.uk/topics/improvingservices/public-service-governance-and-delivery/?lang=en

 

The following amendments have been tabled:

 

Amendment 1 - Elin Jones (Ceredigion)

 

Delete point 3 and replace with:

 

3. Calls on the Welsh Government:

 

a) to ensure more awareness of schemes such as the Community Asset Transfer and Community Facilities and Activities Programme.

 

b) to develop a comprehensive community assets policy that is tailored to Welsh needs.

 

Amendment 2 - Elin Jones (Ceredigion)

 

Delete point 4b) and replace with:

 

ensure that the localism and community transfer agendas genuinely empower communities and are not used as a vehicle for the privatisation of public services.

 

Decision:

The item started at 15.09

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

A vote was taken on the motion without amendment:

NDM5370 William Graham (South Wales East)

 

To propose that the National Assembly for Wales

 

1. Notes that it is time of change in public service delivery, requiring system reform.

 

2. Recognises:

 

a) the potential for co-production to dramatically improve public service delivery.

 

b) the current Welsh Government commitment to ensuring that publicly owned assets have the potential to stay in community ownership in Wales.

 

3. Regrets:

 

a) not enough is being done to ensure that communities are aware of schemes such as the Community Asset Transfer or Community Facilities and Activities Programme.

 

b) that Wales is failing to share the success of the Community Rights Agenda in other parts of the UK.

 

4. Calls on the Welsh Government to:

 

a) promote co-production as a viable means to deliver public services following the publication of the findings of the Commission on Public Service Governance and Delivery.

 

b) examine the feasibility of adopting further aspects of the Localism Act in Wales.

 

For

Abstain

Against

Total

13

0

42

55

The motion without amendment was not agreed.

The following amendments were tabled:

Amendment 1 - Elin Jones (Ceredigion)

 

Delete point 3 and replace with:

 

3. Calls on the Welsh Government:

 

a) to ensure more awareness of schemes such as the Community Asset Transfer and Community Facilities and Activities Programme.

 

b) to develop a comprehensive community assets policy that is tailored to Welsh needs.

 A vote was taken on Amendment 1:

For

Abstain

Against

Total

15

0

41

56

Amendment 1 was not agreed.

Amendment 2 - Elin Jones (Ceredigion)

 

Delete point 4b) and replace with:

 

ensure that the localism and community transfer agendas genuinely empower communities and are not used as a vehicle for the privatisation of public services.

 

A vote was taken on Amendment 2:

For

Abstain

Against

Total

15

0

41

56

Amendment 2 was not agreed.

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

(60 mins)

5.

Welsh Conservatives Debate

NDM5371 William Graham (South Wales East)

 

To propose that the National Assembly for Wales

 

1. Expresses concern over the future of consultant-led maternity services at Withybush Hospital.

 

2. Notes the impact the absence of consultant led maternity services would have on other core services at the hospital, such as paediatric and emergency care.

 

3. Calls on the Welsh Government to:

 

(a) take urgent action to secure the future of core services at Withybush; and

 

(b) ensure that Hywel Dda Health Board communicates effectively and unambiguously their plans for the strategic direction of services at Withybush Hospital.

 

Decision:

The item started at 16.05

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

A vote was taken on the motion:

NDM5371 William Graham (South Wales East)

 

To propose that the National Assembly for Wales

 

1. Expresses concern over the future of consultant-led maternity services at Withybush Hospital.

 

2. Notes the impact the absence of consultant led maternity services would have on other core services at the hospital, such as paediatric and emergency care.

 

3. Calls on the Welsh Government to:

 

(a) take urgent action to secure the future of core services at Withybush; and

 

(b) ensure that Hywel Dda Health Board communicates effectively and unambiguously their plans for the strategic direction of services at Withybush Hospital.

 

For

Abstain

Against

Total

28

0

29

57

 

As required by Standing Order 6.20 the Deputy Presiding Officer exercised his casting vote by voting against the motion. Therefore, the motion was not agreed.

(60 mins)

6.

Plaid Cymru Debate

NDM5372 Elin Jones (Ceredigion)

 

To propose that the National Assembly for Wales

 

1. Notes that Wales’ performance in PISA and other national and international measurements of educational performance will not improve enough to reach the Welsh Government’s targets unless the attainment rates of pupils from disadvantaged backgrounds is drastically improved.

 

2. Calls upon the Welsh Government to invest in a comprehensive training programme for new and existing teachers, headteachers and support staff on early intervention to improve literacy, numeracy, attendance and behaviour in order to raise the attainment rates of disadvantaged pupils.

 

3. Welcomes Plaid Cymru’s budget agreement with the Welsh Liberal Democrats and the Welsh Government to more than double the funding given per child through the Pupil Deprivation Grant.

 

4. Calls upon the Welsh Government to:

 

a) strengthen the guidelines on the use of the Pupil Deprivation Grant to ensure it is used effectively and efficiently to raise the attainment of disadvantaged pupils based on evidence of what works; and

 

b) strengthen the monitoring of the use of the Pupil Deprivation Grant to ensure that it is used for its intended purpose.

 

The following amendments have been tabled:

 

Amendment 1 - Aled Roberts (North Wales)

 

Insert as new point 3 and renumber accordingly:

 

Notes that the introduction of a Welsh ‘Pupil Premium’ was a key Welsh Liberal Democrat manifesto commitment and subsequently welcomes the introduction of the Pupil Deprivation Grant following the 2012-13 budget deal between the Welsh Liberal Democrats and the Welsh Government, which secured £32.4 million to help break the link between poverty and educational underachievement.

 

Amendment 2 - William Graham (South Wales East)

 

Delete point 3 and replace with:

 

Notes the extra Pupil Deprivation Grant funding per child allocated in the Draft Budget 2014/15.

 

Amendment 3 - Aled Roberts (North Wales)

 

Insert as new point 4 and renumber accordingly:

 

Notes the Welsh Liberal Democrats’ publication ‘Learning lessons from the Pupil Deprivation Grant’, and its recommendations.

 

A link to the publication ‘Learning lessons from the Pupil Deprivation Grant’ can be found at:

http://welshlibdems.org.uk/en/page/education

 

Amendment 4 - Aled Roberts (North Wales)

 

Insert as new point 4 and renumber accordingly:

 

Notes that on 30th May 2012, this Assembly voted unanimously in favour of a Welsh Liberal Democrat amendment calling on the Welsh Government to “ensure that spending of the Pupil Deprivation Grant is effectively monitored so that it delivers improvement in attainment”.

 

http://www.assemblywales.org/bus-home/bus-chamber-fourth-assembly-rop.htm?act=dis&id=234886&ds=5/2012

 

Amendment 5 - Aled Roberts (North Wales)

 

Insert as new sub-point at the end of point 4:

 

introduce an individual pupil monitoring programme to measure pupils’ progress, allowing schools to target efforts at those students who are not meeting their potential.

 

Amendment 6 - William Graham (South Wales East)

 

Add as new point at the end of the motion:

 

Calls on the Welsh Government to review and improve the indicators for measuring disadvantage amongst school pupils in Wales.

Decision:

The item started at 16.57

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

A vote was taken on the motion without amendment:

NDM5372 Elin Jones (Ceredigion)

 

To propose that the National Assembly for Wales

 

1. Notes that Wales’ performance in PISA and other national and international measurements of educational performance will not improve enough to reach the Welsh Government’s targets unless the attainment rates of pupils from disadvantaged backgrounds is drastically improved.

 

2. Calls upon the Welsh Government to invest in a comprehensive training programme for new and existing teachers, headteachers and support staff on early intervention to improve literacy, numeracy, attendance and behaviour in order to raise the attainment rates of disadvantaged pupils.

 

3. Welcomes Plaid Cymru’s budget agreement with the Welsh Liberal Democrats and the Welsh Government to more than double the funding given per child through the Pupil Deprivation Grant.

 

4. Calls upon the Welsh Government to:

 

a) strengthen the guidelines on the use of the Pupil Deprivation Grant to ensure it is used effectively and efficiently to raise the attainment of disadvantaged pupils based on evidence of what works; and

 

b) strengthen the monitoring of the use of the Pupil Deprivation Grant to ensure that it is used for its intended purpose.

 

For

Abstain

Against

Total

38

0

18

56

The motion without amendment was agreed.

Voting Time

The item started at 17.44

 

Votes Summary

Supporting documents:

(0 mins)

7.

Short Debate

No topic tabled.

 

Decision:

No topic tabled.

 

(30 mins)

8.

Short Debate - Re-scheduled from 25 September

NDM5305 Julie James (Swansea West): The Benefits of the Dylan Thomas Centenary for Wales

 

Decision:

The item started at 17.54

NDM5305 Julie James (Swansea West): The Benefits of the Dylan Thomas Centenary for Wales

 

Record of Proceedings

Supporting documents: