Agenda and minutes

This meeting was held in a hybrid format, with some Members in the Senedd Chamber and others joining by video-conference.

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

View Questions

The item started at 13.30

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 14.20

The first 7 questions were asked. Question 3 was withdrawn. Presiding Officer invited party spokespeople to ask questions to the Minister after question 2.

 

To ask the First Minister

 

Adam Price (Carmarthen East and Dinefwr Will the First Minister make a statement following the latest news that the UK Prime Minister has rejected a further request made by the Welsh Government on 13 October relating to travel restrictions?

The item started at 15.10

To the First Minister

Adam Price (Carmarthen East and Dinefwr): Will the First Minister make a statement following the latest news that the UK Prime Minister has rejected a further request made by the Welsh Government on 13 October relating to travel restrictions?

 

The item started at 15.19

Lynne Neagle made a statement on – Celebrating Erasmus+.

Janet Finch-Saunders made a statement on Wool Week 2020.

In accordance with Standing Order 12.18, at 15.22 the Presiding Officer suspended the meeting.

 

NDM7304 Jenny Rathbone (Cardiff Central)

To propose that the Senedd:

1. Recognises the devastating impact of endometriosis which affects one in 10 women in Wales.

2. Notes that it takes on average eight years and 26 GP appointments to get a referral to an endometriosis specialist.

3. Calls for more research into the causes and possible cures for endometriosis.

4. Calls on the Welsh Government to ensure that schools make all pupils aware of what is a normal menstrual period and when to seek medical advice.

5. Calls on the Welsh Government to ensure that more endometriosis specialists are trained so that all women can have access to specialist treatment in Wales.

Co-Submitters

Angela Burns (Carmarthen West and South Pembrokeshire)

Suzy Davies (South Wales West)

Vikki Howells (Cynon Valley)

Supporters

Jack Sargeant (Alyn and Deeside)

The item started at 15.30

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

NDM7304 Jenny Rathbone (Cardiff Central)

To propose that the Senedd:

1. Recognises the devastating impact of endometriosis which affects one in 10 women in Wales.

2. Notes that it takes on average eight years and 26 GP appointments to get a referral to an endometriosis specialist.

3. Calls for more research into the causes and possible cures for endometriosis.

4. Calls on the Welsh Government to ensure that schools make all pupils aware of what is a normal menstrual period and when to seek medical advice.

5. Calls on the Welsh Government to ensure that more endometriosis specialists are trained so that all women can have access to specialist treatment in Wales.

Co-Submitters

Angela Burns (Carmarthen West and South Pembrokeshire)

Suzy Davies (South Wales West)

Vikki Howells (Cynon Valley)

Supporters

Jack Sargeant (Alyn and Deeside)

The result was as follows:

For	Abstain	Against	Total
36	13	0	49

The motion was agreed.

 

NDM7426 Llyr Gruffydd (North Wales)

To propose that the Senedd:

Notes the report of the Finance Committee into a legislative budget process, which was laid in the Table Office on 6 August 2020.

Note: The response of the Welsh Government to the report was laid in the Table Office on 21 September 2020.

The item started at 16.20

NDM7426 Llyr Gruffydd (North Wales)

To propose that the Senedd:

Notes the report of the Finance Committee into a legislative budget process, which was laid in the Table Office on 6 August 2020.

The motion was agreed in accordance with Standing Order 12.36.

In accordance with Standing Order 12.18, at 16.53 the temporary chair suspended the meeting.

 

NDM7428 Darren Millar (Clwyd West)

To propose that the Senedd:

1. Welcomes the £4 billion of extra funding made available to the Welsh Government by the Her Majesty’s Government to address the impact of the coronavirus pandemic in Wales.

2. Recognises the significant adverse impact of local coronavirus restrictions on businesses and other employers.

3. Notes the need to ensure that coronavirus restrictions that impact upon employers are proportionate.

4. Calls upon the Welsh Government to:

a) remove the expectation for employers to have a unionised workplace in order to access Welsh Government funding and grants;

b) extend business rate relief to businesses with a rateable value in excess of £500,000 and to landlords who are unable to let vacant commercial properties;

c) waive the 10 per cent investment requirement to access grants under phase 3 of the economic resilience fund; and

d) publish, in the public domain, data on the number of positive COVID-19 tests on a local authority ward basis.

Supporting document

Letter from the Minister for Economy, Transport and North Wales to business owners.

In accordance with Standing Order 12.23 (iii) amendment 4 tabled to the motion has not been selected.

Amendment 1 Rebecca Evans (Gower)

Delete all and replace with:

To propose that the Senedd:

1. Notes the Welsh Government is dedicating more than £4 billion to its response to COVID-19, a sum greater than the Barnett consequentials received from the UK Government.

2. Recognises the Welsh Government’s £1.7 billion package of COVID-19 support for business is the best anywhere in the UK, including a £500 million economic resilience fund which is helping to protect in excess of 100,000 jobs.

3. Notes that fair work is at the heart of the Welsh Government’s response and that every recipient of business support has agreed to the principles of the economic contract.

4. Recognises the early, proportionate and transparent measures the Welsh Government is taking to tackle the virus and its public health and economic impacts.

5. Welcomes the Welsh Government’s £140 million plans for the third phase of the economic resilience fund (ERF3), including £20 million dedicated for tourism and hospitality.

6. Notes that Welsh businesses continuing to trade are able to receive support under the ERF3 rapid reaction fund, which is not the case in relation to business support in restricted local areas in England

7. Regrets the decision of the UK Government to terminate the job retention scheme and believes that the job support scheme gives insufficient incentive for employers in the most vulnerable sectors to retain employees through the crisis, including tourism and hospitality.

8. Calls on the UK Government to make available a comprehensive package of funding for local areas subject to additional restrictions to tackle the virus.

[If amendment 1 is agreed, amendments 2  and 5 will be de-selected]

Amendment 2 Sian Gwenllian (Arfon)

Delete point 1 and replace with:

Calls for the enhancement of borrowing powers at the Welsh level to respond to the impact of the pandemic in line with the needs and priorities of Wales.

 

Amendment 3 Sian Gwenllian (Arfon)

Insert as new point after point 1 and renumber accordingly:

Regrets that the UK Government's job support scheme is of no help to a large number of Welsh businesses, particularly small businesses and businesses in the service sector such as hospitality and hair and beauty.

Amendment 5 Sian Gwenllian (Arfon)

Add as new sub-point at end of point 4:

re-evaluate COVID-19 business support to ensure that it effectively fills the gaps left by the UK Government's schemes.

 

The item started at 17.01

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

A vote was taken on the motion without amendment:

NDM7428 Darren Millar (Clwyd West)

To propose that the Senedd:

1. Welcomes the £4 billion of extra funding made available to the Welsh Government by the Her Majesty’s Government to address the impact of the coronavirus pandemic in Wales.

2. Recognises the significant adverse impact of local coronavirus restrictions on businesses and other employers.

3. Notes the need to ensure that coronavirus restrictions that impact upon employers are proportionate.

4. Calls upon the Welsh Government to:

a) remove the expectation for employers to have a unionised workplace in order to access Welsh Government funding and grants;

b) extend business rate relief to businesses with a rateable value in excess of £500,000 and to landlords who are unable to let vacant commercial properties;

c) waive the 10 per cent investment requirement to access grants under phase 3 of the economic resilience fund; and

d) publish, in the public domain, data on the number of positive COVID-19 tests on a local authority ward basis.

For	Abstain	Against	Total
13	0	36	49

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. Notes the Welsh Government is dedicating more than £4 billion to its response to COVID-19, a sum greater than the Barnett consequentials received from the UK Government.

2. Recognises the Welsh Government’s £1.7 billion package of COVID-19 support for business is the best anywhere in the UK, including a £500 million economic resilience fund which is helping to protect in excess of 100,000 jobs.

3. Notes that fair work is at the heart of the Welsh Government’s response and that every recipient of business support has agreed to the principles of the economic contract.

4. Recognises the early, proportionate and transparent measures the Welsh Government is taking to tackle the virus and its public health and economic impacts.

5. Welcomes the Welsh Government’s £140 million plans for the third phase of the economic resilience fund (ERF3), including £20 million dedicated for tourism and hospitality.

6. Notes that Welsh businesses continuing to trade are able to receive support under the ERF3 rapid reaction fund, which is not the case in relation to business support in restricted local areas in England

7. Regrets the decision of the UK Government to terminate the job retention scheme and believes that the job support scheme gives insufficient incentive for employers in the most vulnerable sectors to retain employees through the crisis, including tourism and hospitality.

8. Calls on the UK Government to make available a comprehensive package of funding for local areas subject to additional restrictions to tackle the virus.

A vote was taken on amendment 1:

For	Abstain	Against	Total
27	0	22	49

Amendment 1 was agreed.

As amendment 1 was agreed, amendments 2 and 5 were de-selected

Amendment 3 Sian Gwenllian (Arfon)

Insert as new point after point 1 and renumber accordingly:

Regrets that the UK Government's job support scheme is of no help to a large number of Welsh businesses, particularly small businesses and businesses in the service sector such as hospitality and hair and beauty.

A vote was taken on amendment 3:

For	Abstain	Against	Total
36	5	8	49

Amendment 3 was agreed.

In accordance with Standing Order 12.23 (iii), amendment 4 was not selected.

A vote was taken on the motion as amended:

NDM7428 Darren Millar (Clwyd West)

To propose that the Senedd:

1. Notes the Welsh Government is dedicating more than £4 billion to its response to COVID-19, a sum greater than the Barnett consequentials received from the UK Government.

2. Regrets that the UK Government's job support scheme is of no help to a large number of Welsh businesses, particularly small businesses and businesses in the service sector such as hospitality and hair and beauty.

3. Recognises the Welsh Government’s £1.7 billion package of COVID-19 support for business is the best anywhere in the UK, including a £500 million economic resilience fund which is helping to protect in excess of 100,000 jobs.

4. Notes that fair work is at the heart of the Welsh Government’s response and that every recipient of business support has agreed to the principles of the economic contract.

5. Recognises the early, proportionate and transparent measures the Welsh Government is taking to tackle the virus and its public health and economic impacts.

6. Welcomes the Welsh Government’s £140 million plans for the third phase of the economic resilience fund (ERF3), including £20 million dedicated for tourism and hospitality.

7. Notes that Welsh businesses continuing to trade are able to receive support under the ERF3 rapid reaction fund, which is not the case in relation to business support in restricted local areas in England

8. Regrets the decision of the UK Government to terminate the job retention scheme and believes that the job support scheme gives insufficient incentive for employers in the most vulnerable sectors to retain employees through the crisis, including tourism and hospitality.

9. Calls on the UK Government to make available a comprehensive package of funding for local areas subject to additional restrictions to tackle the virus.

For	Abstain	Against	Total
27	0	22	49

The motion as amended was agreed.

 

In accordance with Standing Order 34.14D, at 18.05 proceedings were suspended to allow a technical break before voting time.

The item started at 18.13

 

No motion tabled.

No motion tabled

 

NDM7415 Alun Davies (Blaenau Gwent)

Beyond COVID-19: a sustainable economy for the Heads of the Valleys.

 

The item started at 18.18

NDM7415 Alun Davies (Blaenau Gwent)

Beyond COVID-19: a sustainable economy for the Heads of the Valleys.