Agenda and decisions

Venue: Y Siambr - Y Senedd

Media

Senedd.TV: View the webcast

Items
Expected timing No. Item

(45 mins)

1.

Questions to the Minister for Natural Resources

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 13.30

The first 10 questions were asked. Questions 2, 3, 5, 6, 7 and 9 were answered by the Deputy Minister for Farming and Food. The Presiding Officer invited party spokespeople to ask questions to the Minister and the Deputy Minister after Question 2.

(45 mins)

2.

Questions to the Minister for Communities and Tackling Poverty

The Presiding Officer will call Party Spokespeople to ask questions without notice to the Minister after Question 4.

View Questions

Decision:

The item started at 14.18

Questions 3 -14 were asked. Questions 1 and 2 were transferred for written answer by the Minister for Economy, Science and Transport. The Presiding Officer invited party spokespeople to ask questions to the Minister after Question 4.

(60 mins)

3.

Debate by Individual Members under Standing Order 11.21(iv)

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.

Supported by:

Rhun ap Iorwerth (Ynys Môn)

Lynne Neagle (Torfaen)

Decision:

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.

 

(30 mins)

4.

Plaid Cymru Debate

NDM5904 Elin Jones (Ceredigion)

To propose that the National Assembly for Wales:

1. Believes in the importance of securing a sustainable future for S4C as an independent Welsh-language broadcaster;

2. Welcomes the continuing commitment by S4C to move its headquarters out of Cardiff to Carmarthen; and

3. Believes the proposal in the comprehensive spending review to further cut the UK Government Department for Culture, Media and Sport's budget to S4C by 26 per cent is inimical to these aims and therefore unacceptable.

Comprehensive spending review

The following amendments have been tabled:

Amendment 1 - Aled Roberts (North Wales)

Insert at end of point 3:

'and calls on the UK Government to protect the funding and editorial independence of S4C'

Amendment 2 - Paul Davies (Preseli Pembrokeshire)

Add as new point at end of motion:

Welcomes the efforts by all parties represented in the Assembly towards securing a sustainable future for S4C.

Decision:

The item started at 15.53

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

A vote was taken on the motion without amendment:

NDM5904 Elin Jones (Ceredigion)

To propose that the National Assembly for Wales:

1. Believes in the importance of securing a sustainable future for S4C as an independent Welsh-language broadcaster;

2. Welcomes the continuing commitment by S4C to move its headquarters out of Cardiff to Carmarthen; and

3. Believes the proposal in the comprehensive spending review to further cut the UK Government Department for Culture, Media and Sport's budget to S4C by 26 per cent is inimical to these aims and therefore unacceptable.

For

Abstain

Against

Total

48

0

0

48

The motion without amendment was agreed.

 

(30 mins)

5.

Plaid Cymru Debate

NDM5905 Elin Jones (Ceredigion)

To propose that the National Assembly for Wales:

Calls on the Welsh Government to bring forward proposals to use new taxation powers under the Wales Act 2014 to allow the next Welsh Government to introduce a levy on sugary drinks.

Wales Act 2014

The following amendment has been tabled:

Amendment 1 - Paul Davies (Preseli Pembrokeshire)

Delete 'use new taxation powers under the Wales Act 2014 to allow the next Welsh Government to introduce a levy on' and replace with 'reduce the adverse public health impacts of'.

Decision:

The item started at 16.20

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

A vote was taken on the motion without amendment:

NDM5905 Elin Jones (Ceredigion)

To propose that the National Assembly for Wales:

Calls on the Welsh Government to bring forward proposals to use new taxation powers under the Wales Act 2014 to allow the next Welsh Government to introduce a levy on sugary drinks.

For

Abstain

Against

Total

38

0

10

48

The motion without amendment was agreed.

 

(60 mins)

6.

Welsh Liberal Democrats Debate

NDM5906 Aled Roberts (North Wales)

To propose that the National Assembly for Wales:

1.  Regrets that Wales lags behind the rest of the UK in educational outcomes, particularly in key areas of reading, mathematics and science.

2.  Believes that educational policies should help foster strong leadership and governance, excellent teaching, high aspirations and opportunities to innovate.

3.  Calls on the Welsh Government to empower teachers and school leaders who have shown capacity and innovation with the freedom to excel, by:

a) reducing infant class sizes to 25 to give teachers more time for individual learning with pupils;

b) introducing a talented headteachers programme to encourage top leaders to use their expertise to support underperforming schools;

c) ensuring that teachers are given protected time to undertake continuous professional development;

d) introducing elected representation of peers from the teaching profession to the Education Workforce Council to ensure proper accountability; and

e) introducing a system of individual pupil monitoring, so that teachers can focus on the experiences, achievements and outcomes for individual pupils.

The following amendments have been tabled:

Amendment 1 - Elin Jones (Ceredigion)

Insert as new point 2 and renumber accordingly:

Believes that investing in early education is the most effective way of raising educational attainment.

Amendment 2 - Paul Davies (Preseli Pembrokeshire)

Delete point 3 and replace with:

Calls on the Welsh Government to empower teachers and school leaders who have shown capacity and innovation with the freedom to excel, by:

a) introducing a comprehensive headteachers programme that provides continual professional development and ongoing support to all headteachers;

b) working with the teaching profession to develop and offer a suite of continuous professional development programmes that delivers for the needs of teachers and schools;

c) ensuring that teachers are given protected time to undertake mandatory continuous professional development; and

d) removing the bureaucratic burden from teachers to enable them to practise a system of individual pupil monitoring.

[If amendment 2 is agreed, amendments 3 and 4 will be de-selected]

Amendment 3 - Elin Jones (Ceredigion)

In point 3, delete sub-point a).

Amendment 4 - Elin Jones (Ceredigion)

Add as new sub-point at end of point 3:

introducing compulsory continuous professional development for teachers.

Amendment 5 - Paul Davies (Preseli Pembrokeshire)

Adds new point at the end of the motion

Calls on the Welsh Government to undertake a review of teaching capacity and training needs in order to enable accurate workforce planning.

 

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:

NDM5906 Aled Roberts (North Wales)

To propose that the National Assembly for Wales:

1.  Regrets that Wales lags behind the rest of the UK in educational outcomes, particularly in key areas of reading, mathematics and science.

2.  Believes that educational policies should help foster strong leadership and governance, excellent teaching, high aspirations and opportunities to innovate.

3.  Calls on the Welsh Government to empower teachers and school leaders who have shown capacity and innovation with the freedom to excel, by:

a) reducing infant class sizes to 25 to give teachers more time for individual learning with pupils;

b) introducing a talented headteachers programme to encourage top leaders to use their expertise to support underperforming schools;

c) ensuring that teachers are given protected time to undertake continuous professional development;

d) introducing elected representation of peers from the teaching profession to the Education Workforce Council to ensure proper accountability; and

e) introducing a system of individual pupil monitoring, so that teachers can focus on the experiences, achievements and outcomes for individual pupils.

For

Abstain

Against

Total

5

0

43

48

The motion without amendment was not agreed.

The following amendments were tabled:

Amendment 1 - Elin Jones (Ceredigion)

Insert as new point 2 and renumber accordingly:

Believes that investing in early education is the most effective way of raising educational attainment.

A vote was taken on Amendment 1:

For

Abstain

Against

Total

38

10

0

48

Amendment 1 was agreed.

Amendment 2 - Paul Davies (Preseli Pembrokeshire)

Delete point 3 and replace with:

Calls on the Welsh Government to empower teachers and school leaders who have shown capacity and innovation with the freedom to excel, by:

a) introducing a comprehensive headteachers programme that provides continual professional development and ongoing support to all headteachers;

b) working with the teaching profession to develop and offer a suite of continuous professional development programmes that delivers for the needs of teachers and schools;

c) ensuring that teachers are given protected time to undertake mandatory continuous professional development; and

d) removing the bureaucratic burden from teachers to enable them to practise a system of individual pupil monitoring.

A vote was taken on Amendment 2:

For

Abstain

Against

Total

10

0

38

48

Amendment 2 was not agreed.

Amendment 3 - Elin Jones (Ceredigion)

In point 3, delete sub-point a).

A vote was taken on Amendment 3:

For

Abstain

Against

Total

33

0

15

48

Amendment 3 was agreed.

Amendment 4 - Elin Jones (Ceredigion)

Add as new sub-point at end of point 3:

introducing compulsory continuous professional development for teachers.

A vote was taken on Amendment 4:

For

Abstain

Against

Total

24

0

25

49

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

Amendment 5 - Paul Davies (Preseli Pembrokeshire)

Adds new point at the end of the motion

Calls on the Welsh Government to undertake a review of teaching capacity and training needs in order to enable accurate workforce planning.

A vote was taken on Amendment 5:

For

Abstain

Against

Total

24

0

25

49

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

A vote was taken on the motion as amended:

NDM5906 Aled Roberts (North Wales)

To propose that the National Assembly for Wales:

1. Regrets that Wales lags behind the rest of the UK in educational outcomes, particularly in key areas of reading, mathematics and science.

2. Believes that investing in early education is the most effective way of raising educational attainment.

3.  Believes that educational policies should help foster strong leadership and governance, excellent teaching, high aspirations and opportunities to innovate.

4.  Calls on the Welsh Government to empower teachers and school leaders who have shown capacity and innovation with the freedom to excel, by:

a)  introducing a talented headteachers programme to encourage top leaders to use their expertise to support underperforming schools;

b) ensuring that teachers are given protected time to undertake continuous professional development;

c) introducing elected representation of peers from the teaching profession to the Education Workforce Council to ensure proper accountability; and

d) introducing a system of individual pupil monitoring, so that teachers can focus on the experiences, achievements and outcomes for individual pupils.

For

Abstain

Against

Total

24

0

25

49

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

 

7.

Voting time

Supporting documents:

Decision:

The item started at 17.44

 

(30 mins)

8.

Short Debate

NDM5907 William Powell (Mid and West Wales)

A deposit return scheme for drinks containers: an idea whose time has come… again.

Decision:

The item started at 17.50

NDM5907 William Powell (Mid and West Wales)

A deposit return scheme for drinks containers: an idea whose time has come… again.

 

Record of Proceedings

Supporting documents: