Agenda and minutes

This meeting was held in a virtual format, with Members joining by video-conference.

 

View Questions

The item started at 13.30

The first 8 questions were asked. Question 9 was withdrawn. Question 8 was answered by the Deputy Minister for Economy and Transport. The Presiding Officer invited party spokespeople to ask questions to the Minister after question 2.

 

View Questions

The item started at 14.32

The first 8 questions were asked. Questions 2 and 8 were grouped together for answer. The Presiding Officer invited party spokespeople to ask questions to the Minister after question 2.

 

No Topical Questions were accepted.

No Topical Questions were accepted.

Mike Hedges made a statement on -  John Hughes (composer of the tune Calon Lan is traditionally sung to)

 

Bethan Sayed made a statement on -  Eating disorder awareness week 2021

NDM7576 Llyr Gruffydd (North Wales)

To propose that the Senedd, in accordance with Standing Order 27.2:

Agrees that The Water Resources (Control of Agricultural Pollution) (Wales) Regulations 2021, laid before the Senedd on 27 January 2021, be annulled.

 

 

The item started at 15.24

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

NDM7576 Llyr Gruffydd (North Wales)

To propose that the Senedd, in accordance with Standing Order 27.2:

Agrees that The Water Resources (Control of Agricultural Pollution) (Wales) Regulations 2021, laid before the Senedd on 27 January 2021, be annulled.

The result was as follows:

For	Abstain	Against	Total
27	0	30	57

The motion was not agreed.

 

NDM7610 Dai Lloyd (South Wales West)

To propose that the Senedd:

Notes the report of the Health, Social Care and Sport Committee: Inquiry into the impact of the Covid-19 outbreak, and its management, on health and social care in Wales: Report 2 – Impact on mental health and wellbeing, which was laid in the Table Office on 17 December 2020.

Note: The response from the Welsh Government to the report was laid in the Table Office on 24 February 2021.

 

The item started at 15.57

NDM7610 Dai Lloyd (South Wales West)

To propose that the Senedd:

Notes the report of the Health, Social Care and Sport Committee: Inquiry into the impact of the Covid-19 outbreak, and its management, on health and social care in Wales: Report 2 – Impact on mental health and wellbeing, which was laid in the Table Office on 17 December 2020.

Note: The response from the Welsh Government to the report was laid in the Table Office on 24 February 2021.

The motion was agreed in accordance with Standing Order 12.36.

 

NDM7608 Janet Finch-Saunders (Aberconwy)

To propose that the Senedd:

Notes the following petitions concerning the COVID-19 vaccination programme:

a) Petition ‘P-05-1117 Give Police Officers the Covid Vaccination as a priority’ which received 10,879 signatures;

b) Petition ‘P-05-1119 Prioritise teachers, school and childcare staff for COVID-19 vaccination’ which received 16,288 signatures.

 

The item started at 16.30

NDM7608 Janet Finch-Saunders (Aberconwy)

To propose that the Senedd:

Notes the following petitions concerning the COVID-19 vaccination programme:

a) Petition ‘P-05-1117 Give Police Officers the Covid Vaccination as a priority’ which received 10,879 signatures;

b) Petition ‘P-05-1119 Prioritise teachers, school and childcare staff for COVID-19 vaccination’ which received 16,288 signatures.

The motion was agreed in accordance with Standing Order 12.36.

 

NDM7609 Janet Finch-Saunders (Aberconwy)

To propose that the Senedd:

Notes the following petitions concerning the development of a new Velindre Cancer Centre:

a) Petition ‘P-05-1001 Hold an independent inquiry into the choice of site for the proposed new Velindre Cancer Centre’ which received 5,348 signatures;

b) Petition ‘P-05-1018 Support for the current proposed plans to build a new Velindre Cancer Centre, Cardiff, in any future inquiry’ which received 11,392 signatures.

 

The item started at 16.51

NDM7609 Janet Finch-Saunders (Aberconwy)

To propose that the Senedd:

Notes the following petitions concerning the development of a new Velindre Cancer Centre:

a) Petition ‘P-05-1001 Hold an independent inquiry into the choice of site for the proposed new Velindre Cancer Centre’ which received 5,348 signatures;

b) Petition ‘P-05-1018 Support for the current proposed plans to build a new Velindre Cancer Centre, Cardiff, in any future inquiry’ which received 11,392 signatures.

The motion was agreed in accordance with Standing Order 12.36.

 

NDM7606 Caroline Jones (South Wales West)

To propose that the Senedd:

1. Recognises that the lack of investment in school infrastructure over recent decades has resulted in many schools not being fit for purpose.

2. Welcomes recent investment such as the 21st Century Schools Programme, but regrets the fact that this is being used as a vehicle by local education authorities to merge schools.

3. Calls upon the Welsh Government to:

a) put a halt on the creation of super schools which are detrimental to the learning experience of young people;

b) ensure that local education authorities do not use a lack of investment as an excuse to close community schools; and

c) issue guidance to local education authorities to ensure that school pupils do not have to travel more than 15 minutes by car or public transport to attend their nearest school.

The following amendments have been tabled:

 

Amendment 1 Rebecca Evans (Gower)

Delete all and replace with:

To propose that the Senedd:

1. Believes that all children and young people should have the opportunity to learn in the best learning environments.

2. Recognises that local authorities are responsible for planning school places and choosing an appropriate learning model for a particular area.   

3. Notes that when making major changes to schools, including school closures, local authorities must comply with the School Organisation Code and take into account a range of factors, the prime concern being the interests of learners.

4. Welcomes that the Welsh Government:

a) has prioritised investment in the schools and colleges estate and continues to do so through its 21st Century Schools and Colleges Programme;

b) will invest in excess of £300 million in our schools and colleges this year; the highest annual spend since the programme commenced;

c) scrutinises investment in the 21st Century Schools and Colleges Programme to ensure that active travel is a key part of the new provision; and

d) is reviewing the Learner Travel (Wales) Measure 2008, which sets the conditions under which local authorities are required to provide home to school travel for learners, to ensure that it remains fit for purpose.

School Organisation Code

21st Century Schools and Colleges Programme

Learner Travel (Wales) Measure 2008

 

[If amendment 1 is agreed, amendment 2 will be de-selected]

 

Amendment 2 Mark Isherwood (North Wales)

Delete point 3 and replace with:

Calls on the Welsh Government to:

a) end the underfunding of pupils in Wales;

b) deliver fair funding for local authorities to protect rural schools;

c) bring forward projects in phase B of the 21st Century Schools and Colleges Programme to start rebuilding Wales;

d) ensure that all new schools are designed in a disability-aware way;

e) resist the creation of super schools and ensure no school is closed against community wishes;

f) ensure that local education authorities cannot use a lack of investment as an excuse to close local schools; and

g) conduct a Wales-wide audit of the condition of the existing estate for Welsh medium provision.

 

 

 

The item started at 17.18

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

A vote was taken on the motion without amendment:

NDM7606 Caroline Jones (South Wales West)

To propose that the Senedd:

1. Recognises that the lack of investment in school infrastructure over recent decades has resulted in many schools not being fit for purpose.

2. Welcomes recent investment such as the 21st Century Schools Programme, but regrets the fact that this is being used as a vehicle by local education authorities to merge schools.

3. Calls upon the Welsh Government to:

a) put a halt on the creation of super schools which are detrimental to the learning experience of young people;

b) ensure that local education authorities do not use a lack of investment as an excuse to close community schools; and

c) issue guidance to local education authorities to ensure that school pupils do not have to travel more than 15 minutes by car or public transport to attend their nearest school.

For	Abstain	Against	Total
7	3	47	57

The motion without amendment was not agreed.

The following amendments were tabled:

Amendment 1 Rebecca Evans (Gower)

Delete all and replace with:

To propose that the Senedd:

1. Believes that all children and young people should have the opportunity to learn in the best learning environments.

2. Recognises that local authorities are responsible for planning school places and choosing an appropriate learning model for a particular area.   

3. Notes that when making major changes to schools, including school closures, local authorities must comply with the School Organisation Code and take into account a range of factors, the prime concern being the interests of learners.

4. Welcomes that the Welsh Government:

a) has prioritised investment in the schools and colleges estate and continues to do so through its 21st Century Schools and Colleges Programme;

b) will invest in excess of £300 million in our schools and colleges this year; the highest annual spend since the programme commenced;

c) scrutinises investment in the 21st Century Schools and Colleges Programme to ensure that active travel is a key part of the new provision; and

d) is reviewing the Learner Travel (Wales) Measure 2008, which sets the conditions under which local authorities are required to provide home to school travel for learners, to ensure that it remains fit for purpose.

School Organisation Code

21st Century Schools and Colleges Programme

Learner Travel (Wales) Measure 2008

A vote was taken on amendment 1:

For	Abstain	Against	Total
30	2	25	57

Amendment 1 was agreed.

[As amendment 1 is agreed, amendment 2 was de-selected]

A vote was taken on the motion as amended:

NDM7606 Caroline Jones (South Wales West)

To propose that the Senedd:

1. Believes that all children and young people should have the opportunity to learn in the best learning environments.

2. Recognises that local authorities are responsible for planning school places and choosing an appropriate learning model for a particular area.   

3. Notes that when making major changes to schools, including school closures, local authorities must comply with the School Organisation Code and take into account a range of factors, the prime concern being the interests of learners.

4. Welcomes that the Welsh Government:

a) has prioritised investment in the schools and colleges estate and continues to do so through its 21st Century Schools and Colleges Programme;

b) will invest in excess of £300 million in our schools and colleges this year; the highest annual spend since the programme commenced;

c) scrutinises investment in the 21st Century Schools and Colleges Programme to ensure that active travel is a key part of the new provision; and

d) is reviewing the Learner Travel (Wales) Measure 2008, which sets the conditions under which local authorities are required to provide home to school travel for learners, to ensure that it remains fit for purpose.

School Organisation Code

21st Century Schools and Colleges Programme

Learner Travel (Wales) Measure 2008

 

For	Abstain	Against	Total
29	3	25	57

The motion as amended was agreed.

 

In accordance with Standing Order 12.18, at 17.42 proceedings were suspended to allow a technical break before voting time.

The item started at 17.47

 

NDM7607 Nick Ramsay (Monmouth)

Adapt now Welsh homes for motor neurone disease: how can we make sure people living with MND have safe and accessible homes, maintaining independence, dignity and quality of life.

 

The item started at 17.51

NDM7607 Nick Ramsay (Monmouth)

Adapt now Welsh homes for motor neurone disease: how can we make sure people living with MND have safe and accessible homes, maintaining independence, dignity and quality of life.