Agenda and minutes

This meeting was held in a hybrid format, with some Members in the Senedd Chamber and others joining by video-conference.
Having consulted with the Business Committee, the Llywydd determined that in accordance with Standing Order 34.14A-D, Members would be able to vote from any location by electronic means.
The Llywydd also gave notice, in accordance with Standing Order 34.15, that the public had been excluded from attending this Plenary meeting, as is required to protect public health. The meeting was broadcast live and the record of proceedings published as usual.

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

 

View Questions

The item started at 13.32

The first 9 questions were asked. The Presiding Officer invited party spokespeople to ask questions to the Minister after question 2.

 

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

 

View Questions

 

The item started at 14.17

Questions 1-9 and 11-12 were asked. Question 10 was not asked. Questions 1 and 9 were 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.

The item started at 15.12

No Topical Questions have been accepted.

No Topical Questions were accepted.

The item started at 16.01

Jack Sargeant made a statement on World Suicide Prevention Day.

Helen Mary Jones made a statement on 40 years of CYCA cycaonline.org which provides services for children and young people in Carmarthenshire.

Darren Millar made a statement on 80^th Anniversary of the Battle of Britain.

At 16.07, in accordance with Standing Order 12.18, the Presiding Officer suspended the meeting until 16.22.

NDM7374 Llyr Gruffydd (North Wales)

To propose that the Senedd, in accordance with paragraph 5(1) to Schedule 1 of the Public Audit (Wales) Act 2013, and under Standing Order 10.5:

Appoints Lindsay Foyster as Chair of the Wales Audit Office from 17 October 2020 until 15 March 2023.

Note: The Finance Committee’s report on the Appointment of the Non-Executive Members and Chair of the Wales Audit Office was laid in the Table Office on 9 September 2020.

Public Audit (Wales) Act 2013

The item started at 16.22

NDM7374 Llyr Gruffydd (North Wales)

To propose that the Senedd, in accordance with paragraph 5(1) to Schedule 1 of the Public Audit (Wales) Act 2013, and under Standing Order 10.5:

Appoints Lindsay Foyster as Chair of the Wales Audit Office from 17 October 2020 until 15 March 2023.

Note: The Finance Committee’s report on the Appointment of the Non-Executive Members and Chair of the Wales Audit Office was laid in the Table Office on 9 September 2020.

Public Audit (Wales) Act 2013

The motion was agreed in accordance with Standing Order 12.36.

 

NDM7375 Elin Jones (Ceredigion)

To propose that the Senedd, in accordance with Standing Order 16.3:

establishes the Llywydd’s Committee to carry out the functions set out in Standing Order 18B.2.

The item was withdrawn

NDM7373 John Griffiths (Newport East)

To propose that the Senedd:

Notes the report of the Equality, Local Government and Communities Committee, 'Benefits in Wales - options for better delivery', which was laid in the Table Office on 24 October 2019.

Note: Responses from the Welsh Government were laid in the Table Office on 6 December 2019 and 9 September 2020.

The item started at 16.24

 

NDM7373 John Griffiths (Newport East)

To propose that the Senedd:

Notes the report of the Equality, Local Government and Communities Committee, 'Benefits in Wales - options for better delivery', which was laid in the Table Office on 24 October 2019.

Note: Responses from the Welsh Government were laid in the Table Office on 6 December 2019 and 9 September 2020. 

The motion was agreed in accordance with Standing Order 12.36.

NDM7376 Darren Millar (Clwyd West)

To propose that the Senedd:

Calls upon the Welsh Government to:

a) extend the mandatory use of face coverings to include airports, shops, supermarkets, shopping centres, hospitals and other healthcare settings;

b) use local coronavirus restrictions in response to significant increases in Covid-19 infection rates in a proportionate manner to avoid a full Wales-wide lockdown;

c) require all travellers entering Wales from overseas to undertake a Covid-19 test on arrival at Cardiff Airport.

The following amendments have been tabled:

Amendment 1 Rebecca Evans (Gower)

 

Delete sub-point (a).

 

 

Amendment 2 Sian Gwenllian (Arfon)

 

Delete sub-point (c) and replace with:

 

'calls on the Welsh Government to review the effectiveness of measures to contain the spread of COVID-19 in relation to international travel to date and to implement any lessons learned.'

 

[If Amendment 2 is agreed, Amendment 3 will be de-selected]

 

 

Amendment 3 Rebecca Evans (Gower)

 

Delete sub-point (c) and replace with 'test people returning to Wales from non-exempt countries with a higher incidence rate of COVID 19 than Wales, in accordance with current advice from the Technical Advisory Group'.

Technical Advisory Group: statement on testing travellers returning to Wales from areas of high prevalence (Saesneg yn unig):

 

 

Amendment 4 Caroline Jones (South Wales West)

 

Add as new point at end of motion:

 

Calls upon the Welsh Government to secure accommodation to enable travellers and those without the facilities to quarantine in isolation.

 

Amendment 5 Sian Gwenllian (Arfon)

 

Add as new point at end of motion:

 

Calls on the Welsh Government to make face coverings mandatory in communal areas of specific education settings.

 

 

Amendment 6 Sian Gwenllian (Arfon)

 

Add as new point at end of motion:

 

Calls on the Welsh Government to introduce a new COVID-19 plan for Wales to provide an updated, holistic framework for dealing with the pandemic during the coming period.

 

 

Amendment 7 Sian Gwenllian (Arfon)

 

Add as new point at end of motion:

 

Calls on the Welsh Government to urgently address issues with the current testing regime and to work towards introducing mass daily testing.

 

Amendment 8 Sian Gwenllian (Arfon)

 

Add as new point at end of motion:

 

Calls on the Welsh Government to explore the use of ‘smart lockdowns’ in response to localised clusters, limiting restrictions to as local an area as possible.

 

The item started at 17.05

 

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

 

A vote was taken on the motion without amendment:

NDM7376 Darren Millar (Clwyd West)

To propose that the Senedd:

Calls upon the Welsh Government to:

a) extend the mandatory use of face coverings to include airports, shops, supermarkets, shopping centres, hospitals and other healthcare settings;

b) use local coronavirus restrictions in response to significant increases in Covid-19 infection rates in a proportionate manner to avoid a full Wales-wide lockdown;

c) require all travellers entering Wales from overseas to undertake a Covid-19 test on arrival at Cardiff Airport.

For	Abstain	Against	Total
13	0	40	53

The motion without amendment was not agreed.

 

The following amendments were tabled:

 

Amendment 1 Rebecca Evans (Gower)

Delete sub-point (a).

A vote was taken on amendment 1:

For	Abstain	Against	Total
32	11	11	54

Amendment 1 was agreed.

 

Amendment 2 Sian Gwenllian (Arfon)

Delete sub-point (c) and replace with:

'calls on the Welsh Government to review the effectiveness of measures to contain the spread of COVID-19 in relation to international travel to date and to implement any lessons learned.'

A vote was taken on amendment 2:

For	Abstain	Against	Total
10	2	42	54

Amendment 2 was not agreed.

 

Amendment 3 Rebecca Evans (Gower)

Delete sub-point (c) and replace with 'test people returning to Wales from non-exempt countries with a higher incidence rate of COVID 19 than Wales, in accordance with current advice from the Technical Advisory Group'.

Technical Advisory Group: statement on testing travellers returning to Wales from areas of high prevalence:

A vote was taken on amendment 3:

For	Abstain	Against	Total
31	1	22	54

Amendment 3 was agreed.

 

Amendment 4 Caroline Jones (South Wales West)

Add as new point at end of motion:

Calls upon the Welsh Government to secure accommodation to enable travellers and those without the facilities to quarantine in isolation.

A vote was taken on amendment 4:

For	Abstain	Against	Total
13	0	41	54

Amendment 4 was not agreed.

 

Amendment 5 Sian Gwenllian (Arfon)

Add as new point at end of motion:

Calls on the Welsh Government to make face coverings mandatory in communal areas of specific education settings.

A vote was taken on amendment 5:

For	Abstain	Against	Total
10	10	34	54

Amendment 5 was not agreed.

 

Amendment 6 Sian Gwenllian (Arfon)

Add as new point at end of motion:

Calls on the Welsh Government to introduce a new COVID-19 plan for Wales to provide an updated, holistic framework for dealing with the pandemic during the coming period.

A vote was taken on amendment 6:

For	Abstain	Against	Total
23	0	31	54

Amendment 6 was not agreed.

 

Amendment 7 Sian Gwenllian (Arfon)

Add as new point at end of motion:

Calls on the Welsh Government to urgently address issues with the current testing regime and to work towards introducing mass daily testing.

A vote was taken on amendment 7:

For	Abstain	Against	Total
21	0	33	54

Amendment 7 was not agreed.

 

Amendment 8 Sian Gwenllian (Arfon)

Add as new point at end of motion:

Calls on the Welsh Government to explore the use of ‘smart lockdowns’ in response to localised clusters, limiting restrictions to as local an area as possible.

A vote was taken on amendment 8:

For	Abstain	Against	Total
21	0	33	54

Amendment 8 was not agreed.

 

A vote was taken on the motion as amended:

 

NDM7376 Darren Millar (Clwyd West)

To propose that the Senedd:

Calls upon the Welsh Government to:

a) use local coronavirus restrictions in response to significant increases in Covid-19 infection rates in a proportionate manner to avoid a full Wales-wide lockdown;

b) test people returning to Wales from non-exempt countries with a higher incidence rate of COVID 19 than Wales, in accordance with current advice from the Technical Advisory Group'.

Technical Advisory Group: statement on testing travellers returning to Wales from areas of high prevalence:

 

For	Abstain	Against	Total
31	9	14	54

The motion as amended was agreed.

 

At 18.04, in accordance with Standing Order 12.18, the Presiding Officer suspended the meeting until 18.12.

NDM7372 Mark Reckless (South Wales East)

To propose that the Senedd:

Welcomes the United Kingdom Internal Market Bill.

United Kingdom Internal Market Bill

The following amendments have been tabled:

Amendment 1 Neil Hamilton (Mid and West Wales)

 

Delete all and replace with:

 

Welcomes some parts of the United Kingdom Internal Market Bill which rightly repatriate important powers from the EU to the UK.

 

[If amendment 1 is agreed, amendments 2 and 3 will be de-selected]

 

Amendment 2 Rebecca Evans (Gower)

 

Delete all and replace with:

 

To propose that the Senedd:

 

Believes that the UK Government’s Internal Market Bill represents a comprehensive assault on the devolution settlement which, if enacted, would severely undermine the powers of the Senedd to protect and promote the interests of the people of Wales.

 

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

 

 

Amendment 3 Sian Gwenllian (Arfon)

 

Delete all and replace with:

 

To propose that the Senedd agrees that the UK Government’s Internal Market Bill is a direct assault on Welsh nationhood and democracy.

 

Amendment 4 Neil Hamilton (Mid and West Wales)

 

Add as new point to the end of the motion:

 

Regrets those parts of the United Kingdom Internal Market Bill which propose further devolution of powers to the Senedd and Welsh Government as, on the evidence of the last 20 years, the Welsh Government is likely to use them to increase regulation, restrict freedoms and undermine the competitiveness of the Welsh economy.

 

 

Amendment 5 Neil Hamilton Mid and West Wales)

 

Add as new point at the end of the motion:

 

Believes that, as part of a wider plan to remedy the unsatisfactory results of devolution by, in particular, democratising the NHS and creating more local autonomy in education, and while retaining the elements of the United Kingdom Internal Market Bill which assist in rightly repatriating powers from the EU to the UK, the Senedd should be scrapped.

 

Amendment 6 Gareth Bennett (South Wales Central)

 

Add as new point at end of motion:

 

Believes that the powers repatriated by the United Kingdom Internal Market Bill should not be devolved to Wales given the failure that the Welsh Government and Senedd have shown with the current devolved powers that they have.

 

 

Amendment 7 Gareth Bennett (South Wales Central)

 

Add as new point at end of motion:

 

Calls for a binding referendum on whether to keep or abolish the devolved government and parliament of Wales, in light of the proposed aims of the United Kingdom Internal Market Bill.

 

 

Amendment 8 Sian Gwenllian (Arfon)

 

Add as new point at end of motion: 

 

Calls on the Welsh Government to explore independence in order to protect Welsh democracy in light of the UK Government’s Internal Market Bill.

 

The item started at 18.12

 

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

 

A vote was taken on the motion without amendment:

NDM7372 Mark Reckless (South Wales East)

To propose that the Senedd:

Welcomes the United Kingdom Internal Market Bill.

United Kingdom Internal Market Bill

For	Abstain	Against	Total
12	2	40	54

The motion without amendment was not agreed.

 

The following amendments were tabled:

 

Amendment 1 Neil Hamilton (Mid and West Wales)

Delete all and replace with:

Welcomes some parts of the United Kingdom Internal Market Bill which rightly repatriate important powers from the EU to the UK.

A vote was taken on amendment 1:

For	Abstain	Against	Total
2	0	52	54

Amendment 1 was not agreed.

 

Amendment 2 Rebecca Evans (Gower)

Delete all and replace with:

To propose that the Senedd:

Believes that the UK Government’s Internal Market Bill represents a comprehensive assault on the devolution settlement which, if enacted, would severely undermine the powers of the Senedd to protect and promote the interests of the people of Wales.

A vote was taken on amendment 2:

For	Abstain	Against	Total
30	2	22	54

Amendment 2 was agreed.

 

As amendment 2 was agreed, amendment 3 was de-selected

 

Amendment 4 Neil Hamilton (Mid and West Wales)

Add as new point to the end of the motion:

Regrets those parts of the United Kingdom Internal Market Bill which propose further devolution of powers to the Senedd and Welsh Government as, on the evidence of the last 20 years, the Welsh Government is likely to use them to increase regulation, restrict freedoms and undermine the competitiveness of the Welsh economy.

A vote was taken on amendment 4:

For	Abstain	Against	Total
2	2	50	54

Amendment 4 was not agreed.

 

Amendment 5 Neil Hamilton Mid and West Wales)

Add as new point at the end of the motion:

Believes that, as part of a wider plan to remedy the unsatisfactory results of devolution by, in particular, democratising the NHS and creating more local autonomy in education, and while retaining the elements of the United Kingdom Internal Market Bill which assist in rightly repatriating powers from the EU to the UK, the Senedd should be scrapped.

A vote was taken on amendment 5:

For	Abstain	Against	Total
2	2	50	54

Amendment 5 was not agreed.

 

Amendment 6 Gareth Bennett (South Wales Central)

Add as new point at end of motion:

Believes that the powers repatriated by the United Kingdom Internal Market Bill should not be devolved to Wales given the failure that the Welsh Government and Senedd have shown with the current devolved powers that they have.

A vote was taken on amendment 6:

For	Abstain	Against	Total
2	2	50	54

Amendment 6 was not agreed.

 

Amendment 7 Gareth Bennett (South Wales Central)

Add as new point at end of motion:

Calls for a binding referendum on whether to keep or abolish the devolved government and parliament of Wales, in light of the proposed aims of the United Kingdom Internal Market Bill.

A vote was taken on amendment 7:

For	Abstain	Against	Total
2	2	50	54

Amendment 7 was not agreed.

 

Amendment 8 Sian Gwenllian (Arfon)

Add as new point at end of motion: 

Calls on the Welsh Government to explore independence in order to protect Welsh democracy in light of the UK Government’s Internal Market Bill.

A vote was taken on amendment 8:

For	Abstain	Against	Total
10	0	44	54

Amendment 8 was not agreed.

 

A vote was taken on the motion as amended:

 

NDM7372 Mark Reckless (South Wales East)

To propose that the Senedd:

Believes that the UK Government’s Internal Market Bill represents a comprehensive assault on the devolution settlement which, if enacted, would severely undermine the powers of the Senedd to protect and promote the interests of the people of Wales.

For	Abstain	Against	Total
39	2	13	54

The motion as amended was agreed.

 

In accordance with Standing Order 34.14D, at 19.16 proceedings were suspended to allow a technical break before voting time.

 

The item started at 19.26

NDM7371 David Melding (South Wales Central)

The need for a fire safety fund in Wales to offer assistance to leaseholders.

The item started at 19.43

NDM7371 David Melding (South Wales Central)

The need for a fire safety fund in Wales to offer assistance to leaseholders.