Agenda and decisions

Venue: Y Siambr - Y Senedd. View directions

Media

Senedd.TV: View the webcast

Items
Expected timing No. Item

(45 mins)

1.

Questions to the Minister for Education and Skills

The Presiding Officer will call Party Spokespeople to ask questions without notice to the Minister after Question 2.

 

View Questions

 

Supporting documents:

Decision:

The item started at 13.30

 

The first 7 questions were asked.  Question 5 was answered by the Deputy Minister for Skills and Technology. The Presiding Officer invited party spokespeople to ask questions to the Minister after Question 2.

(45 mins)

2.

Questions to the Minister for Economy, Science and Transport

The Presiding Officer will call Party Spokespeople to ask questions without notice to the Minister after Question 2.

 

View Questions

 

Decision:

The item started at 14.20

 

The first 14 questions were asked. The Presiding Officer invited party spokespeople to ask questions to the Minister after Question 2. Question 15 was transferred for written answer by the Minister for Communities and Tackling Poverty.

(30 mins)

3.

Motion to approve the Assembly Commission's Budget 2015/16

NDM5621 Rosemary Butler (Newport West)

 

To propose that the National Assembly for Wales in accordance with Standing Order 20.16:

 

Agrees the budget of the Assembly Commission for  2015-16, as specified in Table 1 of the "National Assembly for Wales Assembly Commission Budget 2015-16", laid before the Assembly on 12 November 2014 and that it be incorporated in the Annual Budget Motion under Standing Order 20.26 (ii).

 

Supporting documents:

 

Assembly Commission Budget document

Finance Committee’s Report

 

Decision:

The item started at 15.05

 

NDM5621 Rosemary Butler (Newport West)

 

To propose that the National Assembly for Wales in accordance with Standing Order 20.16:

 

Agrees the budget of the Assembly Commission for  2015-16, as specified in Table 1 of the "National Assembly for Wales Assembly Commission Budget 2015-16", laid before the Assembly on 12 November 2014 and that it be incorporated in the Annual Budget Motion under Standing Order 20.26 (ii).

 

The motion was agreed in accordance with Standing Order 12.36.

(60 mins)

4.

Welsh Conservatives Debate

NDM5624 Paul Davies (Preseli Pembrokeshire)

 

To propose that the National Assembly for Wales:

 

1. Recognises the vital contribution older people make to Wales's social and economic well-being and the importance of ensuring the rights of older people are reflected in Welsh Government policies and legislation.

 

2. Notes the publication of 'A Place to Call Home', a review by the Older People's Commissioner into the care of older people living in care homes in Wales;

 

3. Calls on the Welsh Government to work with the Older People's Commissioner to take forward the recommendations contained within the review.

 

4. Further calls on the Welsh Government to assess and specify minimum training requirements for care home employees which incorporate the principles of dignity and respect.

 

'A Place to Call Home' is available at:

 

A Place to Call Home

 

The following amendments have been tabled:

 

Amendment 1 - Aled Roberts (North Wales)

 

Insert as new point 3 and renumber accordingly:

 

Notes that a growing proportion of people in Wales are aged over 65 and calls on the Welsh Government to ensure that planning for health and social services takes this into account.

 

Amendment 2 - Elin Jones (Ceredigion)

 

Add as new point at end of motion:

 

Calls on the Welsh Government to tackle low pay and conditions, and improve training and career opportunities for care home employees.

 

Decision:

The item started at 15.14

 

NDM5624 Paul Davies (Preseli Pembrokeshire)

 

To propose that the National Assembly for Wales:

 

1. Recognises the vital contribution older people make to Wales's social and economic well-being and the importance of ensuring the rights of older people are reflected in Welsh Government policies and legislation.

 

2. Notes the publication of 'A Place to Call Home', a review by the Older People's Commissioner into the care of older people living in care homes in Wales;

 

3. Calls on the Welsh Government to work with the Older People's Commissioner to take forward the recommendations contained within the review.

 

4. Further calls on the Welsh Government to assess and specify minimum training requirements for care home employees which incorporate the principles of dignity and respect.

 

The motion was agreed in accordance with Standing Order 12.36.

(60 mins)

5.

Plaid Cymru Debate

NDM5622 Elin Jones (Ceredigion)

 

To propose that the National Assembly for Wales:

 

1. Believes that utility costs are unacceptably high and notes the particular difficulties this creates for rural communities, businesses, and those on low incomes.

 

2. Calls on the Welsh Government to publish an action plan to alleviate high utility costs.

 

The following amendments have been tabled:

 

Amendment 1 - Aled Roberts (North Wales)

 

Insert as new point 2 and renumber accordingly:

 

Notes the Cheaper Energy Together fund launched by the UK Government's Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) to support collective switching, and calls on the Welsh Government to work with DECC to promote collective switching across Wales to reduce consumer bills.

 

Details of the Cheaper Energy Together fund is available at:

 

https://www.gov.uk/collective-switching-and-purchasing

 

Amendment 2 - Jane Hutt (Vale of Glamorgan)

 

Insert as new point 2 and renumber accordingly:

 

Calls on the UK Government to implement an energy price freeze.

 

Amendment 3 - Paul Davies (Preseli Pembrokeshire)

 

Add as new point at end of motion:

 

Calls on the Welsh Government to look at grid connection costs and their impact on utility bills, particularly in rural areas.

 

Amendment 4 - Paul Davies (Preseli Pembrokeshire)

 

Add as new point at end of motion:

 

Calls on the Welsh Government to make representations to the National Grid to ensure it looks at Wales as a whole when calculating how electricity is exported when pricing calculations are made to ensure value for money for consumers.

 

Amendment 5 - Paul Davies (Preseli Pembrokeshire)

 

Add as new point at end of motion:

 

Calls on the Welsh Government to consider the vulnerability of "off-grid" customers to price rises, where switching options are limited or where markets are unregulated.

 

Decision:

The item started at 16.14

 

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

 

A vote was taken on the motion without amendment:

 

NDM5622 Elin Jones (Ceredigion)

 

To propose that the National Assembly for Wales:

 

1. Believes that utility costs are unacceptably high and notes the particular difficulties this creates for rural communities, businesses, and those on low incomes.

 

2. Calls on the Welsh Government to publish an action plan to alleviate high utility costs.

For

Abstain

Against

Total

9

0

38

47

The motion without amendment was not agreed.

 

The following amendments were tabled:

 

Amendment 1 - Aled Roberts (North Wales)

 

Insert as new point 2 and renumber accordingly:

 

Notes the Cheaper Energy Together fund launched by the UK Government's Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) to support collective switching, and calls on the Welsh Government to work with DECC to promote collective switching across Wales to reduce consumer bills.

 

A vote was taken on Amendment 1:

For

Abstain

Against

Total

47

0

0

47

Amendment 1 was agreed.

 

Amendment 2 - Jane Hutt (Vale of Glamorgan)

 

Insert as new point 2 and renumber accordingly:

 

Calls on the UK Government to implement an energy price freeze.

 

A vote was taken on Amendment 2:

For

Abstain

Against

Total

33

0

14

47

Amendment 2 was agreed.

 

Amendment 3 - Paul Davies (Preseli Pembrokeshire)

 

Add as new point at end of motion:

 

Calls on the Welsh Government to look at grid connection costs and their impact on utility bills, particularly in rural areas.

 

A vote was taken on Amendment 3:

For

Abstain

Against

Total

47

0

0

47

Amendment 3 was agreed.

 

Amendment 4 - Paul Davies (Preseli Pembrokeshire)

 

Add as new point at end of motion:

 

Calls on the Welsh Government to make representations to the National Grid to ensure it looks at Wales as a whole when calculating how electricity is exported when pricing calculations are made to ensure value for money for consumers.

 

A vote was taken on Amendment 4:

For

Abstain

Against

Total

47

0

0

47

Amendment 4 was agreed.

 

Amendment 5 - Paul Davies (Preseli Pembrokeshire)

 

Add as new point at end of motion:

 

Calls on the Welsh Government to consider the vulnerability of "off-grid" customers to price rises, where switching options are limited or where markets are unregulated.

 

A vote was taken on Amendment 5:

For

Abstain

Against

Total

47

0

0

47

Amendment 5 was agreed.

 

A vote was taken on the motion as amended:

 

NDM5622 Elin Jones (Ceredigion)

 

To propose that the National Assembly for Wales:

 

1. Believes that utility costs are unacceptably high and notes the particular difficulties this creates for rural communities, businesses, and those on low incomes.

 

2. Calls on the UK Government to implement an energy price freeze.

 

3. Notes the Cheaper Energy Together fund launched by the UK Government's Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) to support collective switching, and calls on the Welsh Government to work with DECC to promote collective switching across Wales to reduce consumer bills.

 

4. Calls on the Welsh Government to publish an action plan to alleviate high utility costs.

 

5. Calls on the Welsh Government to look at grid connection costs and their impact on utility bills, particularly in rural areas.

 

6. Calls on the Welsh Government to make representations to the National Grid to ensure it looks at Wales as a whole when calculating how electricity is exported when pricing calculations are made to ensure value for money for consumers.

 

7. Calls on the Welsh Government to consider the vulnerability of "off-grid" customers to price rises, where switching options are limited or where markets are unregulated.

 

For

Abstain

Against

Total

33

0

14

47

The motion as amended was agreed.

(60 mins)

6.

Welsh Liberal Democrats Debate

NDM5623 Aled Roberts (North Wales)

 

To propose that the National Assembly for Wales:

 

1. Recognises that transgender people in Wales are among the most vulnerable to social isolation and prejudice.

 

2. Notes that there is inadequate service provision in Wales for the transgender community in a number of areas, including employment and training, healthcare and housing.

 

3. Calls on the Welsh Government to:

 

a) identify a Minister to take responsibility for the issues faced by the trans community;

 

b) formulate an action plan for identifying institutionalised prejudice, improving access to public services and tackling social stigmatisation, harassment and bullying for this group; and

 

c) report back to the Assembly within 6 months of the Minister being appointed.

 

The following amendments have been tabled:

 

Amendment 1 - Paul Davies (Preseli Pembrokeshire)

 

Insert new sub point at end of point 3:

 

"raise public awareness of transgender hate crime, to encourage reporting of incidents by victims."

 

Amendment 2 - Paul Davies (Preseli Pembrokeshire)

 

Insert new sub point at end of point 3:

 

"ensure that transgender victims of hate crime have access to comprehensive and easily accessible support services."

 

Amendment 3 - Elin Jones (Ceredigion)

 

Add as new point at end of motion:

 

Work with LGBT groups and Police and Crime Commissioners to ensure that the police force takes transgender hate crimes seriously and that victims feel able to report crimes and are supported throughout the criminal justice process.

 

Decision:

The item started at 17.11

 

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

 

A vote was taken on the motion without amendment:

 

NDM5623 Aled Roberts (North Wales)

 

To propose that the National Assembly for Wales:

 

1. Recognises that transgender people in Wales are among the most vulnerable to social isolation and prejudice.

 

2. Notes that there is inadequate service provision in Wales for the transgender community in a number of areas, including employment and training, healthcare and housing.

 

3. Calls on the Welsh Government to:

 

a) identify a Minister to take responsibility for the issues faced by the trans community;

 

b) formulate an action plan for identifying institutionalised prejudice, improving access to public services and tackling social stigmatisation, harassment and bullying for this group; and

 

c) report back to the Assembly within 6 months of the Minister being appointed.

For

Abstain

Against

Total

28

0

19

47

The motion without amendment was agreed.

7.

Voting Time

Decision:

The item started at 17.58

Votes Summary

Supporting documents:

(30 mins)

8.

Short Debate - Postponed

Record of Proceedings

Supporting documents: