Agenda and decisions

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

 

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The item started at 13.30

 

The first 7 questions were asked. Questions 1 and 6 were answered by the Deputy Minister for Health. The Presiding Officer invited party leaders to ask questions to the Minister after Question 2.

 

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The item started at 14.18

 

The question was asked.

 

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The item started at 14.21

 

The question was asked. 

 

NNDM5715

 

Bethan Jenkins

William Graham

Lynne Neagle

William Powell

 

To propose that the National Assembly for Wales:

 

Calls upon the Welsh Government to

 

a) instigate a moratorium on opencast mining across Wales, in order to ascertain whether planning law and current guidance provides sufficient protection for communities affected by opencast mining;

 

b) respond to the Research into the Failure to Restore Opencast Coal Sites in South Wales, stating specifically how it might address concerns about the workability of MTAN2 and the 500m buffer zone; and

 

c) support affected local authorities to make legal challenges, where required, when pursing restoration.

The item started at 14.26

 

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

NNDM5715

 

Bethan Jenkins

William Graham

Lynne Neagle

William Powell

 

To propose that the National Assembly for Wales:

 Calls upon the Welsh Government to

 

a) instigate a moratorium on opencast mining across Wales, in order to ascertain whether planning law and current guidance provides sufficient protection for communities affected by opencast mining;

 

b) respond to the Research into the Failure to Restore Opencast Coal Sites in South Wales, stating specifically how it might address concerns about the workability of MTAN2 and the 500m buffer zone; and

 

c) support affected local authorities to make legal challenges, where required, when pursing restoration.

 

The result was as follows:

For	Abstain	Against	Total
30	16	0	46

The motion was agreed.

 

NDM5742 Paul Davies (Preseli Pembrokeshire)

 

To propose that the National Assembly for Wales:

 

1. Acknowledges that UK Government policies since 2010 were essential in the restoration of the UK and Welsh economies;

 

2. Further acknowledges that the strengthening UK economy has underpinned growth in the private sector and created over 2 million jobs; and

 

3. Recognises that a thriving private sector is the foundation for sustaining our public services.

 

The following amendments have been tabled:

 

Amendment 1 - Elin Jones (Ceredigion)

 

Delete point 1 and replace with:

 

Acknowledges that the UK Government's austerity programme has failed by its own terms and regrets the economic and social impacts of the unnecessary 10% cut to the Welsh budget since 2010.

 

Amendment 2 - Elin Jones (Ceredigion)

 

Delete point 2 and replace with:

 

Welcomes new employment opportunities but regrets that 17,000 of the new jobs created in Wales since 2010 have been part-time.

 

Amendment 3 - Aled Roberts (North Wales)

 

Add as new point at end of motion:

 

Welcomes that the UK's economy is now the fastest growing of the G7 countries.

 

Amendment 4 - Aled Roberts (North Wales)

 

Add as new point at end of motion:

 

Welcomes that 1.2 million people in Wales have had an £800 income tax cut, thanks to the Liberal Democrats in the UK Government increasing the personal allowance threshold.

 

Amendment 5 - Aled Roberts (North Wales)

 

Add as new point at end of motion:

 

Believes that we must balance the books fairly, with investment in a high-skill, low-carbon economy, eliminate the structural budget deficit by 2017-18, ensure the wealthiest pay their fair share by introducing a mansion tax, and protect the most vulnerable in society.

The item started at 15.12

 

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

 

A vote was taken on the motion without amendment:

 

NDM5742 Paul Davies (Preseli Pembrokeshire)

 

To propose that the National Assembly for Wales:

 

1. Acknowledges that UK Government policies since 2010 were essential in the restoration of the UK and Welsh economies;

 

2. Further acknowledges that the strengthening UK economy has underpinned growth in the private sector and created over 2 million jobs; and

 

3. Recognises that a thriving private sector is the foundation for sustaining our public services.

 

For	Abstain	Against	Total
9	0	37	46

The motion without amendment not agreed.

 

The following amendments were tabled:

 

Amendment 1 - Elin Jones (Ceredigion)

 

Delete point 1 and replace with:

 

Acknowledges that the UK Government's austerity programme has failed by its own terms and regrets the economic and social impacts of the unnecessary 10% cut to the Welsh budget since 2010.

A vote was taken on Amendment 1:

For	Abstain	Against	Total
32	0	14	46

Amendment 1 was agreed.

 

Amendment 2 - Elin Jones (Ceredigion)

 

Delete point 2 and replace with:

 

Welcomes new employment opportunities but regrets that 17,000 of the new jobs created in Wales since 2010 have been part-time.

 

A vote was taken on Amendment 2:

For	Abstain	Against	Total
32	0	14	46

Amendment 2 was agreed.

 

Amendment 3 - Aled Roberts (North Wales)

 

Add as new point at end of motion:

 

Welcomes that the UK's economy is now the fastest growing of the G7 countries.

 

A vote was taken on Amendment 3:

For	Abstain	Against	Total
23	0	24	47

As required by Standing Order 6.20 the Deputy Presiding Officer exercised his casting vote by voting against the amendment.  Therefore, the amendment was not agreed.

 

Amendment 4 - Aled Roberts (North Wales)

 

Add as new point at end of motion:

 

Welcomes that 1.2 million people in Wales have had an £800 income tax cut, thanks to the Liberal Democrats in the UK Government increasing the personal allowance threshold.

 

A vote was taken on Amendment 4:

For	Abstain	Against	Total
5	9	32	46

Amendment 4 was not agreed.

 

Amendment 5 - Aled Roberts (North Wales)

 

Add as new point at end of motion:

 

Believes that we must balance the books fairly, with investment in a high-skill, low-carbon economy, eliminate the structural budget deficit by 2017-18, ensure the wealthiest pay their fair share by introducing a mansion tax, and protect the most vulnerable in society.

 

A vote was taken on Amendment 5:

For	Abstain	Against	Total
5	0	41	46

Amendment 5 was not agreed

 

A vote was taken on the motion as amended:

 

NDM5742 Paul Davies (Preseli Pembrokeshire)

 

To propose that the National Assembly for Wales:

 

1. Acknowledges that the UK Government's austerity programme has failed by its own terms and regrets the economic and social impacts of the unnecessary 10% cut to the Welsh budget since 2010;

 

2. Welcomes new employment opportunities but regrets that 17,000 of the new jobs created in Wales since 2010 have been part-time; and

 

3. Recognises that a thriving private sector is the foundation for sustaining our public services.

For	Abstain	Against	Total
32	0	14	46

The motion as amended was agreed.

 

NDM5741 Elin Jones (Ceredigion)

 

To propose that the National Assembly for Wales:

 

1. Notes the importance of further education institutions to the provision of post-16 education;

 

2. Notes the importance of providing adult learning opportunities for adults wanting to acquire new skills;

 

3. Regrets the impact of cuts to post-16 education on the further education sector; and

 

4. Welcomes the Welsh Government's commitment to annually monitor the pay of senior management in higher education and urges that be extended to further education.

 

The following amendments have been tabled:

 

Amendment 1 - Aled Roberts (North Wales)

 

At end of point 3 insert:

 

'and notes the 47% decrease in people enrolling in part-time courses between 2003 and 2013.'

 

Amendment 2 - Paul Davies (Preseli Pembrokeshire)

 

Add as new point 4 and renumber accordingly:

 

Notes the importance of the Sector Priorities Fund to further education institutions for developing learners' skills.

 

Amendment 3 - Paul Davies (Preseli Pembrokeshire)

 

Add as new point 4 and renumber accordingly:

 

Regrets that fewer apprenticeship opportunities are available to the Welsh Government's priority areas of 16 to 24-year-old learners and higher apprenticeships.

 

Amendment 4 - Paul Davies (Preseli Pembrokeshire)

 

Add as new point 4 and renumber accordingly:

 

Regrets the Welsh Government's lack of urgency in informing further education institutions whether they will receive their allocation of the Sector Priorities Fund.

 

Amendment 5 - Aled Roberts (North Wales)

 

Insert as new point 4 and renumber accordingly:

 

Notes that the number of people aged 50 and over who are not in employment, education or training (NEET) is estimated to be three times as many as those under 25 and calls on the Welsh Government to design and implement a specific programme to improve the skills and employability prospects of people over 50 who are NEET.

 

Amendment 6 - Aled Roberts (North Wales)

 

Add as new point at end of motion:

 

Welcomes the budget deal between the Welsh Liberal Democrats and the Welsh Government that ensured additional funding for 5,000 new apprenticeships and a new scheme providing childcare for parents in further education.

The item started at 16.13

 

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

 

A vote was taken on the motion without amendment:

 

NDM5741 Elin Jones (Ceredigion)

 

To propose that the National Assembly for Wales:

 

1. Notes the importance of further education institutions to the provision of post-16 education;

 

2. Notes the importance of providing adult learning opportunities for adults wanting to acquire new skills;

 

3. Regrets the impact of cuts to post-16 education on the further education sector; and

 

4. Welcomes the Welsh Government's commitment to annually monitor the pay of senior management in higher education and urges that be extended to further education.

 

For	Abstain	Against	Total
37	0	9	46

The motion without amendment was agreed.

 

The item started at 17.15

 

NDM3740 Russell George (Montgomeryshire)

 

Healthcare in Mid Wales

 

The challenges of delivering healthcare in rural Mid Wales in a cross-border context and issues surrounding the Mid Wales Healthcare Study.

The item started at 17.19

 

NDM3740 Russell George (Montgomeryshire)

 

Healthcare in Mid Wales

 

The challenges of delivering healthcare in rural Mid Wales in a cross-border context and issues surrounding the Mid Wales Healthcare Study.

 

NDM5726 Leanne Wood (South Wales Central)

 

Delivering a devolution dividend for the whole of Wales

 

Maximising the opportunities of devolution to make sure that the whole country reaps the benefits.

NDM5726 Leanne Wood (South Wales Central)

 

Delivering a devolution dividend for the whole of Wales

 

Maximising the opportunities of devolution to make sure that the whole country reaps the benefits.