Agenda and minutes

Venue: Y Siambr - Y Senedd. View directions

Expected timing: 281(v4) 

Media

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Transcript: Transcript for 24/06/2020 - Plenary - Fifth Senedd

Items
Expected timing No. Item

The item started at 11.00

The Llywydd welcomed Members to the virtual Plenary and set out that this Plenary meeting, being held by video conference in accordance with the Standing Orders of the Welsh Parliament, constitutes proceedings of the Senedd for the purposes of the Government of Wales Act 2006.

The Llywydd stated that, having consulted with the Business Committee, some of the provisions of Standing Order 34 will apply - all of which were noted on the agenda.

The Llywydd stated that, in accordance with Standing Order 34.15, that the public have been excluded from attending this Plenary meeting, as is required to protect public health, though the meeting would be broadcast live and the record of proceedings would be published as usual.

The Llywydd also reminded Members that Standing Orders relating to Order and the organisation of business in Plenary meetings would apply to this meeting.

 

(60 mins)

1.

Questions to the First Minister

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

The Deputy Minister and Chief Whip will answer questions for the last 15 minutes of this session on matters relating to her responsibilities.

View Questions

 

Supporting documents:

Minutes:

The item started at 11.00

The first 9 questions were asked. The Presiding Officer invited party leaders to ask questions to the First Minister after question 2. The Deputy Minister and Chief Whip answered the first four questions for the last 15 minutes of this session on matters relating to her responsibilities.

 

(15 mins)

2.

Business Statement and Announcement

Minutes:

The item started at 12.27

 

(45 mins)

3.

Questions to the Minister for Environment, Energy and Rural Affairs

The Presiding Officer will call party spokespeople to ask questions without notice after Question 2.

View Questions

Minutes:

The item started at 12.35

The first 6 questions were asked. The Presiding Officer invited party spokespeople to ask questions to the Minister after question 2.

 

At 13.19, the meeting was suspended until 14.00.

 

 

(45 mins)

4.

Questions to the Minister for Housing and Local Government

The Presiding Officer will call party spokespeople to ask questions without notice after Question 2.

View Questions

Minutes:

The item started at 14.00

The first 8 questions were asked. Questions 5, 7 and 8 were grouped together for answer. Question 6 was answered by the Deputy Minister for Housing and Local Government. The Presiding Officer invited party spokespeople to ask questions to the Minister after question 2.

 

(20 mins)

5.

Topical Questions

To ask the Minister for Health and Social Services

 

Rhun ap Iorwerth (Ynys Môn): Will the Minister make a statement on the cases of Covid-19 that stem from the 2 Sisters factory in Llangefni?

 

To ask the Minister for Education

 

Sian Gwenllian (Arfon): Will the Minister make a statement giving an update on the arrangements for reopening schools for four weeks before the summer break?

 

Minutes:

The item started at 14.53

To ask the Minister for Health and Social Services

Rhun ap Iorwerth (Ynys Môn): Will the Minister make a statement on the cases of Covid-19 that stem from the 2 Sisters factory in Llangefni?

 

To ask the Minister for Education

Sian Gwenllian (Arfon): Will the Minister make a statement giving an update on the arrangements for reopening schools for four weeks before the summer break?

 

(60 mins)

6.

Debate on the First Supplementary Budget 2020-21

NDM7335 Rebecca Evans (Gower)

To propose that the Senedd, in accordance with Standing Order 20.30, approves the First Supplementary Budget for the financial year 2020-21 laid in the Table Office on Thursday 28 May 2020.

Footnote:

In accordance with the relevant provisions contained in the Government of Wales Act 2006 and Standing Order 20, the Supplementary Budget comprises the following information:

(i) the written statement required under section 125(3) of the Government of Wales Act;

(ii) the resources agreed by the Treasury for the Welsh block budget for the financial year covered by the motion;

(iii) a reconciliation between the resources allocated to the Welsh block budget by the Treasury and the resources to be authorised for use in the motion;

(iv) a reconciliation between the estimated amounts to be paid into the Welsh Consolidated Fund by the Secretary of State and the amounts to be authorised for payment out of the Fund in the motion;

(v) a reconciliation between the resources to be authorised under section 125(1)(a) and (b) of the Act and the amounts to be authorised for payment out of the Welsh Consolidated Fund under section 125(1)(c); and

(vi) details of any revisions to the information provided in accordance with Standing Orders 20.7 – 20.7B for the draft budget, as specified in the protocol agreed under the Standing Order 20.1A

The following additional information has been made available to Members:

- a note explaining the main changes from previous plans. 

Supporting Documents
Report of the Finance Committee

Minutes:

The item started at 15.20

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

NDM7335 Rebecca Evans (Gower)

To propose that the Senedd, in accordance with Standing Order 20.30, approves the First Supplementary Budget for the financial year 2020-21 laid in the Table Office on Thursday 28 May 2020.

Footnote:

In accordance with the relevant provisions contained in the Government of Wales Act 2006 and Standing Order 20, the Supplementary Budget comprises the following information:

(i) the written statement required under section 125(3) of the Government of Wales Act;

(ii) the resources agreed by the Treasury for the Welsh block budget for the financial year covered by the motion;

(iii) a reconciliation between the resources allocated to the Welsh block budget by the Treasury and the resources to be authorised for use in the motion;

(iv) a reconciliation between the estimated amounts to be paid into the Welsh Consolidated Fund by the Secretary of State and the amounts to be authorised for payment out of the Fund in the motion;

(v) a reconciliation between the resources to be authorised under section 125(1)(a) and (b) of the Act and the amounts to be authorised for payment out of the Welsh Consolidated Fund under section 125(1)(c); and

(vi) details of any revisions to the information provided in accordance with Standing Orders 20.7 – 20.7B for the draft budget, as specified in the protocol agreed under the Standing Order 20.1A

The following additional information has been made available to Members:

- a note explaining the main changes from previous plans. 

The result was as follows:

For

Abstain

Against

Total

30

24

1

55

The motion was agreed.

 

(15 mins)

7.

Debate on the LCM on the Finance Bill

NDM7336 Lesley Griffiths (Wrexham)

To propose that the Senedd, in accordance with Standing Order 29.6 agrees that provisions in the Finance Bill in so far as they fall within the legislative competence of the Senedd, should be considered by the UK Parliament.

A Legislative Consent Memorandum has been laid in Table Office on 13 May 2020 in accordance with Standing Order 29.2.

A copy of the Bill can be found on the UK Parliament website:

Finance Bill 2019-21

Supporting Documents
Report of the Finance Committee
Report of the Legislation, Justice and Constitution Committee

Minutes:

The item started at 16.14

NDM7336 Lesley Griffiths (Wrexham)

To propose that the Senedd, in accordance with Standing Order 29.6 agrees that provisions in the Finance Bill in so far as they fall within the legislative competence of the Senedd, should be considered by the UK Parliament.

A Legislative Consent Memorandum has been laid in Table Office on 13 May 2020 in accordance with Standing Order 29.2.

The motion was agreed in accordance with Standing Order 12.36.

 

(5 mins)

8.

Motion to amend Standing Order 34

NDM7338 Elin Jones (Ceredigion)

To propose that the Senedd, in accordance with Standing Order 33.2:

1. Considers the report of the Business Committee, ‘Remote Voting’ laid in the Table Office on 17 June 2020.

2. Approves the proposals to amend Standing Order 34, as set out in Annex A of the report of the Business Committee.

3. Notes that these changes are temporary, and will cease to have effect on the dissolution of this Senedd or when the Senedd so resolves, whichever is sooner.

 

Minutes:

The item started at 16.20

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

NDM7338 Elin Jones (Ceredigion)

To propose that the Senedd, in accordance with Standing Order 33.2:

1. Considers the report of the Business Committee, ‘Remote Voting’ laid in the Table Office on 17 June 2020.

2. Approves the proposals to amend Standing Order 34, as set out in Annex A of the report of the Business Committee.

3. Notes that these changes are temporary, and will cease to have effect on the dissolution of this Senedd or when the Senedd so resolves, whichever is sooner.

The result was as follows:

For

Abstain

Against

Total

54

1

0

55

The motion was agreed.

 

(30 mins)

9.

Debate on the Culture, Welsh Language and Communications Committee report - Impact of the COVID-19 outbreak on the arts sector

NDM7337 Helen Mary Jones (Mid and West Wales)

To propose that the Senedd:

Notes the report of the Culture, Welsh Language and Communications Committee on the impact of the COVID-19 outbreak on the arts sector laid in the Table Office on 5 June 2020.

 

Minutes:

The item started at 16.20

NDM7337 Helen Mary Jones (Mid and West Wales)

To propose that the Senedd:

Notes the report of the Culture, Welsh Language and Communications Committee on the impact of the COVID-19 outbreak on the arts sector laid in the Table Office on 5 June 2020.

The motion was agreed in accordance with Standing Order 12.36.

 

(60 mins)

10.

Brexit Party Debate - Lifting Lockdown

NDM7334 Caroline Jones (South Wales West)

To propose that the Senedd:

Calls on the Welsh Government to: 

a) accelerate lifting of lockdown measures;

b) work with the UK Government to support a UK-wide approach;

c) facilitate faster re-opening of the Welsh economy;

d) rule out raising Welsh rates of income tax to pay the costs of an extended lockdown.
The following amendment has been tabled:
Amendment 1 -
Neil McEvoy (South Wales Central)

Add as new point at end of motion:

Ensures that easing the lockdown is done safely by ensuring that the most rigorous possible test, track, isolate and treat programme be put in place.

 

Minutes:

The item started at 16.50

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

Amendment 1 was not moved

A vote was taken on the motion:

NDM7334 Caroline Jones (South Wales West)

To propose that the Senedd:

Calls on the Welsh Government to: 

a) accelerate lifting of lockdown measures;

b) work with the UK Government to support a UK-wide approach;

c) facilitate faster re-opening of the Welsh economy;

d) rule out raising Welsh rates of income tax to pay the costs of an extended lockdown.

For

Abstain

Against

Total

16

0

39

55

The motion was not agreed.

 

(60 mins)

11.

Welsh Conservatives Debate - COVID and the economy

NDM7339 Darren Millar (Clwyd West)

To propose that the Senedd:

1. Recognises that the coronavirus pandemic is both a public health and an economic emergency. 

2. Welcomes the economic benefits afforded to Wales as a result of being part of the United Kingdom during the pandemic, including funding for:

a) the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme which is protecting 316,500 livelihoods in Wales; and

b) the Self-Employed Income Support Scheme which is helping 102,000 people in Wales. 

3. Notes with concern the Centre for Towns report 'Covid and our Towns' which suggests that the economies of towns in the valleys and on the north Wales coast will be among those hardest hit by the pandemic. 

4. Calls upon the Welsh Government to establish a Covid Community Recovery Fund to provide targeted economic support for those communities most adversely affected by the pandemic.

Centre for Towns - Covid and our Towns - 23 April 2020

The following amendments have been tabled:

Amendment 1 - Rebecca Evans (Gower)

Delete points 3 and 4 and replace with:

Welcomes the Welsh Government’s £500m Economic Resilience Fund, part of a £1.7bn package of support for business in Wales in response to the pandemic, which is the most generous anywhere in the UK.

Notes that EU funding has helped the Welsh Government respond to the Covid-19 pandemic and further notes that without successor funding the Welsh Government will be unable to respond at this scale in any future crisis.

Notes the Centre for Towns report ‘Covid and our Towns’ and welcomes the cross-government measures the Welsh Government is taking through its Town Centre Action Group and ‘Transforming Towns’ agenda across Wales.

Recognises the important role that creative and dynamic town councils and Business Improvement Districts will play in helping town centres recover from the economic impact of Coronavirus.

Welcomes the experimental work being done through the Foundational Economy Challenge Fund to explore new ways of building resilience into towns and communities across Wales which can support our response to the covid pandemic.

Welcomes calls made by organisations including WLGA, FSB Cymru, Wales TUC, Institute for Fiscal Studies and Wales Governance Centre for the UK Government to urgently remove the fiscal restrictions that significantly limit the Welsh Government’s spending power to allow it to respond effectively to the pandemic.

Further calls on the UK Government to develop a significant economic stimulus package that can support the Welsh Government’s work towards a green and just recovery for towns and communities the length and breadth of Wales in light of the pandemic.

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

Amendment 2 - Sian Gwenllian (Arfon)

Delete point 4 and replace with:

Calls upon the Welsh Government to establish an All-Wales Renewal Fund to deal with the effects of the pandemic, that would transform sectors identified as being hit hardest by Covid-19, build a sustainable Wales by paving the way to a carbon free nation by 2030 and develop a new sense of ‘localism’ which values public services.

Amendment 3 - Sian Gwenllian (Arfon)

Add as new point at end of motion:

Believes that now is the time for the UK Government to devolve further fiscal powers to the Welsh Government so that it is able to better care for the people of Wales in light of the Covid-19 pandemic.

 

 

Minutes:

The item started at 17.41

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

A vote was taken on the motion without amendment:

NDM7339 Darren Millar (Clwyd West)

To propose that the Senedd:

1. Recognises that the coronavirus pandemic is both a public health and an economic emergency. 

2. Welcomes the economic benefits afforded to Wales as a result of being part of the United Kingdom during the pandemic, including funding for:

a) the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme which is protecting 316,500 livelihoods in Wales; and

b) the Self-Employed Income Support Scheme which is helping 102,000 people in Wales. 

3. Notes with concern the Centre for Towns report 'Covid and our Towns' which suggests that the economies of towns in the valleys and on the north Wales coast will be among those hardest hit by the pandemic. 

4. Calls upon the Welsh Government to establish a Covid Community Recovery Fund to provide targeted economic support for those communities most adversely affected by the pandemic.

For

Abstain

Against

Total

15

1

39

55

The motion without amendment was not agreed.

The following amendments were tabled:

Amendment 1 - Rebecca Evans (Gower)

Delete points 3 and 4 and replace with:

Welcomes the Welsh Government’s £500m Economic Resilience Fund, part of a £1.7bn package of support for business in Wales in response to the pandemic, which is the most generous anywhere in the UK.

Notes that EU funding has helped the Welsh Government respond to the Covid-19 pandemic and further notes that without successor funding the Welsh Government will be unable to respond at this scale in any future crisis.

Notes the Centre for Towns report ‘Covid and our Towns’ and welcomes the cross-government measures the Welsh Government is taking through its Town Centre Action Group and ‘Transforming Towns’ agenda across Wales.

Recognises the important role that creative and dynamic town councils and Business Improvement Districts will play in helping town centres recover from the economic impact of Coronavirus.

Welcomes the experimental work being done through the Foundational Economy Challenge Fund to explore new ways of building resilience into towns and communities across Wales which can support our response to the covid pandemic.

Welcomes calls made by organisations including WLGA, FSB Cymru, Wales TUC, Institute for Fiscal Studies and Wales Governance Centre for the UK Government to urgently remove the fiscal restrictions that significantly limit the Welsh Government’s spending power to allow it to respond effectively to the pandemic.

Further calls on the UK Government to develop a significant economic stimulus package that can support the Welsh Government’s work towards a green and just recovery for towns and communities the length and breadth of Wales in light of the pandemic.

A vote was taken on amendment 1:

For

Abstain

Against

Total

30

0

25

55

Amendment 1 was agreed.

As Amendment 1 was agreed amendment 2 was de-selected

Amendment 3 - Sian Gwenllian (Arfon)

Add as new point at end of motion:

Believes that now is the time for the UK Government to devolve further fiscal powers to the Welsh Government so that it is able to better care for the people of Wales in light of the Covid-19 pandemic.

A vote was taken on amendment 3:

For

Abstain

Against

Total

39

0

16

55

Amendment 3 was agreed.

A vote was taken on the motion as amended:

NDM7339 Darren Millar (Clwyd West)

To propose that the Senedd:

1. Recognises that the coronavirus pandemic is both a public health and an economic emergency. 

2. Welcomes the economic benefits afforded to Wales as a result of being part of the United Kingdom during the pandemic, including funding for:

a) the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme which is protecting 316,500 livelihoods in Wales; and

b) the Self-Employed Income Support Scheme which is helping 102,000 people in Wales. 

3. Welcomes the Welsh Government’s £500m Economic Resilience Fund, part of a £1.7bn package of support for business in Wales in response to the pandemic, which is the most generous anywhere in the UK.

4. Notes that EU funding has helped the Welsh Government respond to the Covid-19 pandemic and further notes that without successor funding the Welsh Government will be unable to respond at this scale in any future crisis.

5. Notes the Centre for Towns report ‘Covid and our Towns’ and welcomes the cross-government measures the Welsh Government is taking through its Town Centre Action Group and ‘Transforming Towns’ agenda across Wales.

6. Recognises the important role that creative and dynamic town councils and Business Improvement Districts will play in helping town centres recover from the economic impact of Coronavirus.

7. Welcomes the experimental work being done through the Foundational Economy Challenge Fund to explore new ways of building resilience into towns and communities across Wales which can support our response to the covid pandemic.

8. Welcomes calls made by organisations including WLGA, FSB Cymru, Wales TUC, Institute for Fiscal Studies and Wales Governance Centre for the UK Government to urgently remove the fiscal restrictions that significantly limit the Welsh Government’s spending power to allow it to respond effectively to the pandemic.

9. Further calls on the UK Government to develop a significant economic stimulus package that can support the Welsh Government’s work towards a green and just recovery for towns and communities the length and breadth of Wales in light of the pandemic.

10. Believes that now is the time for the UK Government to devolve further fiscal powers to the Welsh Government so that it is able to better care for the people of Wales in light of the Covid-19 pandemic.

For

Abstain

Against

Total

30

0

25

55

The motion as amended was agreed.

 

Point of Order

Neil Hamilton put on record that he had intended to vote against the Coronavirus Regulations last week, but had been unable to do so due to him having his microphone incorrectly placed.

 

12.

Voting Time

Minutes:

The item started at 18.34
As indicated on the Agenda, today’s votes were conducted in accordance with Standing Order 34.11.

Each political group nominated one Member of the group or grouping to carry the same number of votes as there are members of the group. In the case of a political group with an executive role, the nominee will carry the same number of votes as there are members of that group plus any other members of the government. Members who do not belong to a group or grouping voted for themselves.

Votes Summary

Supporting documents: