Decision details

Debates are one of the most frequent items of business on the Plenary agenda. Many types of debate are brought forward in Plenary, including:

• Opposition party debates on a topic of their choice;

Other than in the case of Government debates, the time allocated for all other types of debates and their frequency are determined by the Business Committee

The item started at 15.51

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

A vote was taken on the motion without amendment:

NDM5224 Jocelyn Davies (South Wales East)

To propose that the National Assembly for Wales:

Calls on the Welsh government to remit the Commission on Public Service Governance to address the current lack of democratic accountability within the NHS by considering:

a) direct elections to Local Health Boards;

b) democratic oversight of joint working and pooled budget arrangements between Health Boards and local authorities;

c) the election of service users to Community Health Councils; and

d) the financial accountability of Local Health Boards directly to the National Assembly’s Finance Committee

For	Abstain	Against	Total
9	0	41	50

The motion without amendment was not agreed.

The following amendments were tabled:

Amendment 1 - William Graham (South Wales East)

Delete ‘remit the Commission on Public Service Governance to address the current lack of democratic accountability within the NHS by considering:’ and replace with ‘include within the terms of reference of  the Commission on Public Service Governance the current lack of democratic accountability within the NHS and whether this could be addressed through:’

A vote was taken on Amendment 1:

For	Abstain	Against	Total
16	0	34	50

Amendment 1 was not agreed.

Amendment 2 - William Graham (South Wales East)

Delete sub-point d) and replace with:

‘the role of the National Assembly and local authorities in the financial accountability arrangements for the Welsh NHS.’

A vote was taken on Amendment 2:

For	Abstain	Against	Total
16	0	34	50

Amendment 2 was not agreed.

Amendment 3 - Lesley Griffiths (Wrexham)

Delete sub-point d)

A vote was taken on Amendment 3:

For	Abstain	Against	Total
26	8	16	50

Amendment 3 was agreed.

Amendment 4 - Aled Roberts (North Wales)

Insert as new sub-point d) and renumber accordingly:

‘the adoption of a standard specification of skills, experience and aptitude required for members elected to Community Health Council executive committees;’

A vote was taken on Amendment 4:

For	Abstain	Against	Total
16	8	26	50

Amendment 4 was not agreed.

Amendment 5- William Graham (South Wales East)

Add as new sub-point at end of motion:

‘a requirement for local health boards to publish details of every item of expenditure above £500 (other than individual staff costs) online for public scrutiny’.

A vote was taken on Amendment 5:

For	Abstain	Against	Total
16	0	34	50

Amendment 5 was not agreed.

Amendment 6 - William Graham (South Wales East)

Add as new sub-point at end of motion:

‘the role of third sector organisations in improving the accountability of the NHS to the people of Wales.’

A vote was taken on Amendment 6:

For	Abstain	Against	Total
46	0	4	50

Amendment 6 was agreed.

A vote was taken on the motion as amended:

NDM5224 Jocelyn Davies (South Wales East)

To propose that the National Assembly for Wales:

Calls on the Welsh government to remit the Commission on Public Service Governance to address the current lack of democratic accountability within the NHS by considering:

a) direct elections to Local Health Boards;

b) democratic oversight of joint working and pooled budget arrangements between Health Boards and local authorities;

c) the election of service users to Community Health Councils; and

d) the role of third sector organisations in improving the accountability of the NHS to the people of Wales.

For	Abstain	Against	Total
50	0	0	50

The motion as amended was agreed.