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.

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The item started at 13.30

Questions 1-6 and 8-10 were asked. Question 7 was withdrawn. 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 14.16

The first 10 questions were asked. The Presiding Officer invited party spokespeople to ask questions to the Minister after question 2.

To ask the Minister for Finance and Local Government

Tom Giffard (South Wales West): Will the Minister outline the Welsh Government's plans to increase the classification of self-catering accommodation for local tax purposes?

The item started at 15.02

Answered by the Minister for Finance and Local Government

Tom Giffard (South Wales West): Will the Minister outline the Welsh Government's plans to increase the classification of self-catering accommodation for local tax purposes?

The item started at 15.14

Jayne Bryant made a statement on – War Graves Week.

Mike Hedges made a statement on – Brittle Bones Month.

The item started at 15.18

NNDM8010 Elin Jones (Ceredigion)

To propose that the Senedd, in accordance with Standing Order 17.14, elects Jayne Bryant (Welsh Labour) as a member of the Local Government and Housing Committee in place of Alun Davies (Welsh Labour).

The motion was agreed in accordance with Standing Order 12.36.

NDM7964 Jack Sargeant (Alyn and Deeside)

To propose that the Senedd:

1. Notes:

a) that the Welsh Government was the first in the world to declare a climate emergency, recognising the serious threat climate change poses;

b) that public sector pension schemes continue to invest in fossil fuels and, for many years, campaigners have urged schemes to disinvest;

c) that the Welsh pension partnership moved quickly to withdraw investment from Russian holdings and has previously divested from coal, thus demonstrating that it is possible for pension funds to make these decisions;

d) that Members of the Senedd took the initiative to divest their own pension funds from fossil fuels;

e) that if public sector pension schemes in Wales disinvest, Wales would be the first nation in the world to achieve this, demonstrating to fund providers the need to create fossil fuel free investment products. 

2. Calls on the Welsh Government to work with the public sector to agree a strategy to decarbonise pensions by 2030, thus bringing them into line with current public sector net-zero targets.

Supporters

Alun Davies (Blaenau Gwent)

Buffy Williams (Rhondda)

Carolyn Thomas (North Wales)

Cefin Campbell (Mid and West Wales)

Heledd Fychan (South Wales Central)

Jane Dodds (Mid and West Wales)

Jayne Bryant (Newport West)

Llyr Gruffydd (North Wales)

Luke Fletcher (South Wales West)

Peredur Owen Griffiths (South Wales East)

Rhys ab Owen (South Wales Central)

Sarah Murphy (Bridgend)

Vikki Howells (Cynon Valley)

The item started at 15.18

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

NDM7964 Jack Sargeant (Alyn and Deeside)

To propose that the Senedd:

1. Notes:

a) that the Welsh Government was the first in the world to declare a climate emergency, recognising the serious threat climate change poses;

b) that public sector pension schemes continue to invest in fossil fuels and, for many years, campaigners have urged schemes to disinvest;

c) that the Welsh pension partnership moved quickly to withdraw investment from Russian holdings and has previously divested from coal, thus demonstrating that it is possible for pension funds to make these decisions;

d) that Members of the Senedd took the initiative to divest their own pension funds from fossil fuels;

e) that if public sector pension schemes in Wales disinvest, Wales would be the first nation in the world to achieve this, demonstrating to fund providers the need to create fossil fuel free investment products. 

2. Calls on the Welsh Government to work with the public sector to agree a strategy to decarbonise pensions by 2030, thus bringing them into line with current public sector net-zero targets.

Supporters

Alun Davies (Blaenau Gwent)

Buffy Williams (Rhondda)

Carolyn Thomas (North Wales)

Cefin Campbell (Mid and West Wales)

Heledd Fychan (South Wales Central)

Jane Dodds (Mid and West Wales)

Jayne Bryant (Newport West)

Llyr Gruffydd (North Wales)

Luke Fletcher (South Wales West)

Peredur Owen Griffiths (South Wales East)

Rhys ab Owen (South Wales Central)

Sarah Murphy (Bridgend)

Vikki Howells (Cynon Valley)

The result was as follows:

The motion was agreed.

NDM8008 Jack Sargeant (Alyn and Deeside)

To propose that the Senedd:

Notes the petition ‘P-06-1249 Provide a clinical pathway, medical care, and specialists for people with Tourette’s syndrome in Wales’ which received 10,393 signatures.

The item started at 16.01

NDM8008 Jack Sargeant (Alyn and Deeside)

To propose that the Senedd:

Notes the petition ‘P-06-1249 Provide a clinical pathway, medical care, and specialists for people with Tourette’s syndrome in Wales’ which received 10,393 signatures.

The motion was agreed in accordance with Standing Order 12.36.

NDM8009 Sian Gwenllian (Arfon)

To propose that the Senedd:

1. Believes that post-Brexit funding streams are not working for Wales.

2. Regrets that Wales will be £1 billion worse off in un-replaced funding over the next three years.

3. Believes that new arrangements run directly by the UK Government have undermined the Welsh Government’s ability to strategically plan spending for the benefit of Wales and its communities.

4. Calls on the UK Government to restore Welsh democratic oversight over the post-Brexit funding streams by devolving them to the Senedd.

The following amendment was tabled:

Amendment 1 Darren Millar (Clwyd West)

Delete all and replace with: 

To propose that the Senedd:

1. Recognises the commitment of the UK Government to empower local communities in Wales via the levelling-up agenda and the shared prosperity fund.

2. Welcomes the UK Government’s repeated confirmation that Wales will not lose out on post-EU funding.

3. Calls on the UK Government and the Welsh Government to ensure that lessons are learnt from how EU funds have been administered under the European structural and investment funds schemes so that future investment by both governments make a real difference to the Welsh economy.

The item started at 16.34

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

A vote was taken on the motion without amendment:

NDM8009 Sian Gwenllian (Arfon)

To propose that the Senedd:

1. Believes that post-Brexit funding streams are not working for Wales.

2. Regrets that Wales will be £1 billion worse off in un-replaced funding over the next three years.

3. Believes that new arrangements run directly by the UK Government have undermined the Welsh Government’s ability to strategically plan spending for the benefit of Wales and its communities.

4. Calls on the UK Government to restore Welsh democratic oversight over the post-Brexit funding streams by devolving them to the Senedd.

The motion without amendment was agreed.

In accordance with Standing Order 12.18, at 17.28 proceedings were suspended to allow a technical break before Voting Time.

The item started at 17.31

NDM8007 Carolyn Thomas (North Wales)

Biodiversity: the big picture. Seeding the future - the importance of managing grass verges and grasslands

The item started at 17.33

NDM8007 Carolyn Thomas (North Wales)

Biodiversity: the big picture. Seeding the future - the importance of managing grass verges and grasslands