Agenda and decisions

Venue: Y Siambr - Y Senedd

Media

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Items
Expected timing No. Item

Presiding Officer Statement

The Presiding Officer announced that the Well-being of Future Generations (Wales) Bill and the Violence against Women, Domestic Abuse and Sexual Violence (Wales) Bill received Royal Assent on 29 April 2015.

(45 mins)

1.

Questions to the Minister for Finance and Government Business

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 11 questions were asked. The Presiding Officer invited party spokespeople to ask questions to the Minister after Question 2.

(45 mins)

2.

Questions to the Minister for Public Services

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 14.17

 

Questions 1 and 3-11 were asked. Question 2 was withdrawn. The Presiding Officer invited party spokespeople to ask questions to the Minister after Question 3.

(60 mins)

3.

Debate on the Finance Committee’s report on Best Practice Budget Process Part 2 - Planning and implementing new budget procedures

NDM5748 Jocelyn Davies (South Wales East)

 

The National Assembly for Wales:

 

Notes the report of the Finance Committee on its inquiry into Best Practice Budget Process Part 2 - Planning and implementing new budget procedures, which was laid in the Table Office on 9 March 2015.

 

Note: The Welsh Government's response to the report was laid in the Table Office on 22 April 2015.

 

Supporting Documents

 

Finance Committee’s Report

Welsh Government’s Response

Decision:

The item started at 15.01

NDM5748 Jocelyn Davies (South Wales East)

The National Assembly for Wales:

Notes the report of the Finance Committee on its inquiry into Best Practice Budget Process Part 2 - Planning and implementing new budget procedures, which was laid in the Table Office on 9 March 2015.

Note: The Welsh Government's response to the report was laid in the Table Office on 22 April 2015.

The motion was agreed in accordance with Standing Order 12.36.

(60 mins)

4.

Welsh Conservatives Debate

NDM5747 Paul Davies (Preseli Pembrokeshire)

 

To propose that the National Assembly for Wales:

 

1. Notes the importance of rural Wales to the Welsh economy;

 

2. Recognises the challenges facing the agricultural sector in Wales;

 

3. Calls for measures contained in the Localism Act 2011 to be fully enacted in Wales so that communities can bid for local assets such as post offices and pubs that are threatened with closure;

 

4. Calls on the Welsh Government to provide a timetable for the rollout of the remainder of the Superfast Cymru project, which is affecting businesses and residents in rural communities; and

 

5. Regrets the closure of high street banks in rural Wales and calls on the Welsh Government to facilitate discussions on a community banking model to ensure that over-the-counter services continue to be viable in rural Wales.

 

The following amendments have been tabled:

 

Amendment 1 - Aled Roberts (North Wales)

 

Insert as new point 2 and renumber accordingly:

 

Welcomes the announcement in the 2015 UK Government Budget to extend the period that self-employed farmers can average their profits for income tax purposes from 2 years to 5 years, helping over 3,000 individual farmers in Wales to plan for the future.

 

Amendment 2 - Aled Roberts (North Wales)

 

Insert as new point 3 and renumber accordingly:

 

Welcomes that funding for Welsh Young Farmers' Clubs has been reinstated and calls on the Welsh Government to work with the YFC to secure a long-term sustainable solution.

 

Amendment 3 - Aled Roberts (North Wales)

 

Insert as new point 3 and renumber accordingly:

 

Calls on the Welsh Government to help rural areas thrive by promoting share farming and succession planning.

 

Amendment 4 - Jane Hutt (Vale of Glamorgan)

 

Delete point 3 and replace with:

 

Recognises the need to develop a Welsh-specific approach to community assets that reflects Welsh needs and is based on wide consultation in Wales.

 

[If amendment 4 is agreed, amendment 5 will be de-selected]

 

Amendment 5 - Elin Jones (Ceredigion)

 

In point 3, delete 'contained in the Localism Act 2011 to be fully enacted in Wales' and replace with 'to be put in place'.

Decision:

The item started at 15.37

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

A vote was taken on the motion without amendment:

NDM5747 Paul Davies (Preseli Pembrokeshire)

To propose that the National Assembly for Wales:

1. Notes the importance of rural Wales to the Welsh economy;

2. Recognises the challenges facing the agricultural sector in Wales;

3. Calls for measures contained in the Localism Act 2011 to be fully enacted in Wales so that communities can bid for local assets such as post offices and pubs that are threatened with closure;

4. Calls on the Welsh Government to provide a timetable for the rollout of the remainder of the Superfast Cymru project, which is affecting businesses and residents in rural communities; and

5. Regrets the closure of high street banks in rural Wales and calls on the Welsh Government to facilitate discussions on a community banking model to ensure that over-the-counter services continue to be viable in rural Wales.

For

Abstain

Against

Total

9

0

32

41

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:

Welcomes the announcement in the 2015 UK Government Budget to extend the period that self-employed farmers can average their profits for income tax purposes from 2 years to 5 years, helping over 3,000 individual farmers in Wales to plan for the future.

A vote was taken on Amendment 1:

For

Abstain

Against

Total

41

0

0

41

Amendment 1 was agreed.

Amendment 2 - Aled Roberts (North Wales)

Insert as new point 3 and renumber accordingly:

Welcomes that funding for Welsh Young Farmers' Clubs has been reinstated and calls on the Welsh Government to work with the YFC to secure a long-term sustainable solution.

A vote was taken on Amendment 2:

For

Abstain

Against

Total

40

0

0

40

Amendment 2 was agreed.

Amendment 3 - Aled Roberts (North Wales)

Insert as new point 3 and renumber accordingly:

Calls on the Welsh Government to help rural areas thrive by promoting share farming and succession planning.

A vote was taken on Amendment 3:

For

Abstain

Against

Total

41

0

0

41

Amendment 3 was agreed.

Amendment 4 - Jane Hutt (Vale of Glamorgan)

Delete point 3 and replace with:

Recognises the need to develop a Welsh-specific approach to community assets that reflects Welsh needs and is based on wide consultation in Wales.

A vote was taken on Amendment 4:

For

Abstain

Against

Total

21

0

20

41

Amendment 4 was agreed.

As Amendment 4 was agreed, Amendment 5 was de-selected.

A vote was taken on the Motion as amended:

NDM5747 Paul Davies (Preseli Pembrokeshire)

To propose that the National Assembly for Wales:

1. Notes the importance of rural Wales to the Welsh economy;

2. Welcomes the announcement in the 2015 UK Government Budget to extend the period that self-employed farmers can average their profits for income tax purposes from 2 years to 5 years, helping over 3,000 individual farmers in Wales to plan for the future.

3. Recognises the challenges facing the agricultural sector in Wales;

4. Welcomes that funding for Welsh Young Farmers' Clubs has been reinstated and calls on the Welsh Government to work with the YFC to secure a long-term sustainable solution.

5. Calls on the Welsh Government to help rural areas thrive by promoting share farming and succession planning.

6. Recognises the need to develop a Welsh-specific approach to community assets that reflects Welsh needs and is based on wide consultation in Wales.

7. Calls on the Welsh Government to provide a timetable for the rollout of the remainder of the Superfast Cymru project, which is affecting businesses and residents in rural communities; and

8. Regrets the closure of high street banks in rural Wales and calls on the Welsh Government to facilitate discussions on a community banking model to ensure that over-the-counter services continue to be viable in rural Wales.

For

Abstain

Against

Total

41

0

0

41

The Motion as amended was agreed.

(60 mins)

5.

Welsh Liberal Democrats Debate

NDM5746 Aled Roberts (North Wales)

 

To propose that the National Assembly for Wales:

 

1. Notes the sudden closure of the Welsh Government's flagship yet ineffective Jobs Growth Wales scheme, without any replacement.

 

2. Notes that the 2014 interim evaluation report on Jobs Growth Wales found that:

 

a) 73% of young people would have found employment without the scheme;

 

b) there were significant failures to target those young people most in need of help to find work; and

 

c) scheme participants were shown to be trapped on low wages, earning only 67% of the average for their age group.

 

3. Calls on the Welsh Government to focus future European Social Fund employment schemes on improving skill levels, increasing the number of apprenticeships and developing work-based training opportunities, which would support young people most at risk of long-term unemployment and give them the skills and opportunities to help build a stronger economy to enable them to get on in life.

 

The 2014 'Jobs Growth Wales: Interim evaluation report' is available here:

 

The following amendments have been tabled:

 

Amendment 1 - Paul Davies (Preseli Pembrokeshire)

 

Add as new point 1 and renumber accordingly:

 

1. Acknowledges that a strong UK economy:

 

a) creates the conditions for growth in job opportunities for our young people;

 

b) challenges schools, further and higher education institutions, governments and employers to identify  and meet skills required in the growth employment market; a

 

c) allows young entrepreneurs to seize the opportunities of economic growth.

 

Amendment 2 - Elin Jones (Ceredigion)

 

Delete point 1 and replace with:

 

Notes the sudden closure of the Welsh Government's flagship Jobs Growth Wales scheme and calls for the swift reinstatement of an equivalent programme.

 

Decision:

The item started at 16.28

Voting on the Motion and Amendments under this item was deferred until Voting Time.

A vote was taken on the Motion without amendment:

NDM5746 Aled Roberts (North Wales)

To propose that the National Assembly for Wales:

1. Notes the sudden closure of the Welsh Government's flagship yet ineffective Jobs Growth Wales scheme, without any replacement.

2. Notes that the 2014 interim evaluation report on Jobs Growth Wales found that:

a) 73% of young people would have found employment without the scheme;

b) there were significant failures to target those young people most in need of help to find work; and

c) scheme participants were shown to be trapped on low wages, earning only 67% of the average for their age group.

3. Calls on the Welsh Government to focus future European Social Fund employment schemes on improving skill levels, increasing the number of apprenticeships and developing work-based training opportunities, which would support young people most at risk of long-term unemployment and give them the skills and opportunities to help build a stronger economy to enable them to get on in life.

For

Abstain

Against

Total

4

0

37

41

The Motion without amendment was not agreed.

The following amendments were tabled:

Amendment 1 - Paul Davies (Preseli Pembrokeshire)

Add as new point 1 and renumber accordingly:

1. Acknowledges that a strong UK economy:

a) creates the conditions for growth in job opportunities for our young people;

b) challenges schools, further and higher education institutions, governments and employers to identify  and meet skills required in the growth employment market; a

c) allows young entrepreneurs to seize the opportunities of economic growth.

A vote was taken on Amendment 1:

For

Abstain

Against

Total

35

0

7

42

Amendment 1 was agreed.

Amendment 2 - Elin Jones (Ceredigion)

Delete point 1 and replace with:

Notes the sudden closure of the Welsh Government's flagship Jobs Growth Wales scheme and calls for the swift reinstatement of an equivalent programme.

A vote was taken on Amendment 2:

For

Abstain

Against

Total

11

9

21

41

Amendment 2 was not agreed.

A vote was taken on the Motion as amended:

NDM5746 Aled Roberts (North Wales)

To propose that the National Assembly for Wales:

1. Acknowledges that a strong UK economy:

a) creates the conditions for growth in job opportunities for our young people;

b) challenges schools, further and higher education institutions, governments and employers to identify  and meet skills required in the growth employment market; a

c) allows young entrepreneurs to seize the opportunities of economic growth.

2. Notes the sudden closure of the Welsh Government's flagship yet ineffective Jobs Growth Wales scheme, without any replacement.

3. Notes that the 2014 interim evaluation report on Jobs Growth Wales found that:

a) 73% of young people would have found employment without the scheme;

b) there were significant failures to target those young people most in need of help to find work; and

c) scheme participants were shown to be trapped on low wages, earning only 67% of the average for their age group.

4. Calls on the Welsh Government to focus future European Social Fund employment schemes on improving skill levels, increasing the number of apprenticeships and developing work-based training opportunities, which would support young people most at risk of long-term unemployment and give them the skills and opportunities to help build a stronger economy to enable them to get on in life.

For

Abstain

Against

Total

13

0

28

41

The Motion as amended was not agreed.

6.

Voting Time

Decision:

The item started at 17.23

(0 mins)

7.

Short Debate - Postponed

Votes Summary

Supporting documents:

Record of Proceedings

Supporting documents: