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 to the Cabinet Secretary after Question 2.

View Questions

The item started at 13.30

The first 8 questions were asked. The Presiding Officer invited party spokespeople to ask questions to the Cabinet Secretary after question 2.

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

View Questions

The item started at 14.21

The first 8 questions were asked. Questions 2 and 8 were grouped together for answer. Question 3 was answered by the Minister for Further and Higher Education. The Presiding Officer invited party spokespeople to ask questions to the Cabinet Secretary after question 2.

To ask the Cabinet Secretary for Social Justice, Trefnydd and Chief Whip

Rhun ap Iorwerth (Ynys Môn): Will the First Minister make a statement on the steps the Government will take to support the humanitarian campaign in response to the ceasefire in Gaza?

The item started at 15.14

Answered by the Cabinet Secretary for Social Justice, Trefnydd and Chief Whip

Rhun ap Iorwerth (Ynys Môn): Will the First Minister make a statement on the steps the Government will take to support the humanitarian campaign in response to the ceasefire in Gaza?

The item started at 15.37

Elin Jones made a statement on - Tribute to the historian, Geraint Jenkins.

NDM8756 Mabon ap Gwynfor (Dwyfor Meirionnydd)

To propose that the Senedd:

1. Notes:

a) Natural Resources Wales’s 'Case for Change' agenda;

b) that 120 staff members are directly impacted by the changes proposed under ‘Case for Change’; and

c) that services provided by NRW will be reduced.

2. Regrets:

a) Natural Resources Wales’s decision to approve the ‘Case for Change’ proposals; and

b) the decision to close catering and retail operations at Coed y Brenin, Nant yr Arian and Ynyslas.

3. Believes that these closures will have a detrimental impact on the mid-Wales economy.

4. Calls on Natural Resources Wales to proactively engage with communities and organisations to expedite the process in order to avoid temporary closure of the centres.

Co-submitters

Jane Dodds (Mid and West Wales)

Sam Rowlands (North Wales)

The following amendment was tabled:

Amendment 1 Jane Hutt (Vale of Glamorgan)

Delete all after sub-point 1 (a) and replace with:

the economic difficulties caused by 14 years of Conservative UK Government and subsequent pressure on all public bodies, including Natural Resources Wales (NRW);

that NRW continues to support staff members directly impacted by the ‘Case for Change’; and

that reshaping the organisation will allow NRW to focus on the delivery of its core functions and statutory duties.

Acknowledges:

a) the 'Case for Change' includes NRW ceasing its own delivery of catering and retail operations at Coed y Brenin, Nant yr Arian and Ynyslas;

b) the visitor centres sites remain open for walking, biking, car parking and toilet provision; and

c) this allows opportunities for social and community groups and local businesses to provide these services.

Calls on Natural Resources Wales to continue proactively engaging with local community groups and businesses, therefore expediting the process in seeking partners which are better placed to provide these retail and catering services.

The item started at 15.39

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

A vote was taken on the motion without amendment:

NDM8756 Mabon ap Gwynfor (Dwyfor Meirionnydd)

To propose that the Senedd:

1. Notes:

a) Natural Resources Wales’s 'Case for Change' agenda;

b) that 120 staff members are directly impacted by the changes proposed under ‘Case for Change’; and

c) that services provided by NRW will be reduced.

2. Regrets:

a) Natural Resources Wales’s decision to approve the ‘Case for Change’ proposals; and

b) the decision to close catering and retail operations at Coed y Brenin, Nant yr Arian and Ynyslas.

3. Believes that these closures will have a detrimental impact on the mid-Wales economy.

4. Calls on Natural Resources Wales to proactively engage with communities and organisations to expedite the process in order to avoid temporary closure of the centres.

Co-submitters

Jane Dodds (Mid and West Wales)

Sam Rowlands (North Wales)

For	Abstain	Against	Total
22	0	24	46

The motion without amendment was not agreed.

The following amendment was tabled:

Amendment 1 Jane Hutt (Vale of Glamorgan)

Delete all after sub-point 1 (a) and replace with:

the economic difficulties caused by 14 years of Conservative UK Government and subsequent pressure on all public bodies, including Natural Resources Wales (NRW);

that NRW continues to support staff members directly impacted by the ‘Case for Change’; and

that reshaping the organisation will allow NRW to focus on the delivery of its core functions and statutory duties.

Acknowledges:

a) the 'Case for Change' includes NRW ceasing its own delivery of catering and retail operations at Coed y Brenin, Nant yr Arian and Ynyslas;

b) the visitor centres sites remain open for walking, biking, car parking and toilet provision; and

c) this allows opportunities for social and community groups and local businesses to provide these services.

Calls on Natural Resources Wales to continue proactively engaging with local community groups and businesses, therefore expediting the process in seeking partners which are better placed to provide these retail and catering services.

A vote was taken on amendment 1:

For	Abstain	Against	Total
24	0	22	46

Amendment 1 was agreed.

A vote was taken on the motion as amended:

To propose that the Senedd:

1. Notes:

a) Natural Resources Wales’s 'Case for Change' agenda;

b) the economic difficulties caused by 14 years of Conservative UK Government and subsequent pressure on all public bodies, including Natural Resources Wales (NRW);

c) that NRW continues to support staff members directly impacted by the ‘Case for Change’; and

d) that reshaping the organisation will allow NRW to focus on the delivery of its core functions and statutory duties.

2. Acknowledges:

a) the 'Case for Change' includes NRW ceasing its own delivery of catering and retail operations at Coed y Brenin, Nant yr Arian and Ynyslas;

b) the visitor centres sites remain open for walking, biking, car parking and toilet provision; and

c) this allows opportunities for social and community groups and local businesses to provide these services.

3. Calls on Natural Resources Wales to continue proactively engaging with local community groups and businesses, therefore expediting the process in seeking partners which are better placed to provide these retail and catering services.

For	Abstain	Against	Total
24	0	22	46

The motion as amended was agreed.

NDM8794 Paul Davies (Preseli Pembrokeshire)

To propose that the Senedd:

1. Notes the January 2025 “Cancer Services in Wales” report by Audit Wales.

2. Regrets that the Welsh Labour Government has:

a) consistently failed to hit the 75 per cent target for cancer patients starting treatment within 62 days since August 2020;

b) caused confusion, undermining its own Cancer Improvement Plan by providing insufficient clarity to the NHS and third sector bodies; and

c) provided neither strong nor clear national leadership to help drive necessary improvements to cancer diagnosis and treatment.

3. Calls on the Welsh Government to:

a) set a clear timeframe to meet the 75 per cent target for cancer patients starting treatment within 62 days;

b) publicly clarify the statuses of each of their cancer improvement plans and their interactions with each other;

c) utilise cross-sector, cross-community and cross-border capacity to drive down the longest waits for cancer treatment; and

d) implement Audit Wales’s 10 recommendations from the January 2025 “Cancer Services in Wales” report.

Audit Wales: Cancer Services in Wales

A Cancer Improvement Plan for NHS Wales 2023-2026

The following amendments were tabled:

Amendment 1 Jane Hutt (Vale of Glamorgan)

Delete all after point 1 and replace with:

Recognises, as set out in the Audit Wales Cancer Services in Wales report:

a) real terms spending on cancer services has increased to almost £720 million, considerably higher than the real-terms growth in NHS Wales spending; and

b) five-year cancer survival rates have improved for people diagnosed with cancer between 2002-06 and 2016-22.

Calls on the Welsh Government to:

a) support NHS Wales organisations to improve cancer waiting time performance;

b) update the Quality Statement for Cancer to clarify roles, responsibilities and system metrics; and

c) introduce a National Cancer Steering Group to improve coordination of the NHS effort to improve cancer services.

The quality statement for cancer | GOV.WALES

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

Amendment 2 Heledd Fychan (South Wales Central)

Add as new point after point 2 and renumber accordingly:

Regrets that the Less Survivable Cancers Taskforce analysis shows that Wales, compared with 33 similar countries is in position 32 for stomach cancer, 31 for pancreatic and lung cancer, 21 for liver and oesophageal cancer and 12 for brain cancer.

Amendment 3 Heledd Fychan (South Wales Central)

In point 3, delete sub-point (c) and replace with:

strengthen structures for regional co-operation in order to better identify capacity and address the postcode lottery in relation to quality and timeliness of care;

Amendment 4 Heledd Fychan (South Wales Central)

Add as new point at end of motion:

Notes that the recommendations of the Audit Wales report correspond with those outlined in the Plaid Cymru report, published in November, on reforming the NHS governance structure, and calls upon Welsh Government to implement the recommendations on reforming governance in accordance with those noted in the Plaid Cymru report.

The Welsh Health System: Accountability, Performance and Culture

The item started at 16.23

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

A vote was taken on the motion without amendment:

NDM8794 Paul Davies (Preseli Pembrokeshire)

To propose that the Senedd:

1. Notes the January 2025 “Cancer Services in Wales” report by Audit Wales.

2. Regrets that the Welsh Labour Government has:

a) consistently failed to hit the 75 per cent target for cancer patients starting treatment within 62 days since August 2020;

b) caused confusion, undermining its own Cancer Improvement Plan by providing insufficient clarity to the NHS and third sector bodies; and

c) provided neither strong nor clear national leadership to help drive necessary improvements to cancer diagnosis and treatment.

3. Calls on the Welsh Government to:

a) set a clear timeframe to meet the 75 per cent target for cancer patients starting treatment within 62 days;

b) publicly clarify the statuses of each of their cancer improvement plans and their interactions with each other;

c) utilise cross-sector, cross-community and cross-border capacity to drive down the longest waits for cancer treatment; and

d) implement Audit Wales’s 10 recommendations from the January 2025 “Cancer Services in Wales” report.

Audit Wales: Cancer Services in Wales

A Cancer Improvement Plan for NHS Wales 2023-2026

For	Abstain	Against	Total
12	0	34	46

The motion without amendment was not agreed.

The following amendments were tabled:

Amendment 1 Jane Hutt (Vale of Glamorgan)

Delete all after point 1 and replace with:

Recognises, as set out in the Audit Wales Cancer Services in Wales report:

a) real terms spending on cancer services has increased to almost £720 million, considerably higher than the real-terms growth in NHS Wales spending; and

b) five-year cancer survival rates have improved for people diagnosed with cancer between 2002-06 and 2016-22.

Calls on the Welsh Government to:

a) support NHS Wales organisations to improve cancer waiting time performance;

b) update the Quality Statement for Cancer to clarify roles, responsibilities and system metrics; and

c) introduce a National Cancer Steering Group to improve coordination of the NHS effort to improve cancer services.

The quality statement for cancer | GOV.WALES

A vote was taken on amendment 1:

For	Abstain	Against	Total
24	0	22	46

Amendment 1 was agreed.

As amendment 1 was agreed, amendments 2 and 3 were de-selected.

Amendment 4 Heledd Fychan (South Wales Central)

Add as new point at end of motion:

Notes that the recommendations of the Audit Wales report correspond with those outlined in the Plaid Cymru report, published in November, on reforming the NHS governance structure, and calls upon Welsh Government to implement the recommendations on reforming governance in accordance with those noted in the Plaid Cymru report.

The Welsh Health System: Accountability, Performance and Culture

A vote was taken on amendment 4:

For	Abstain	Against	Total
10	12	24	46

Amendment 4 was not agreed.

A vote was taken on the motion as amended:

To propose that the Senedd:

1. Notes the January 2025 “Cancer Services in Wales” report by Audit Wales.

2. Recognises, as set out in the Audit Wales Cancer Services in Wales report:

a) real terms spending on cancer services has increased to almost £720 million, considerably higher than the real-terms growth in NHS Wales spending; and

b) five-year cancer survival rates have improved for people diagnosed with cancer between 2002-06 and 2016-22.

3. Calls on the Welsh Government to:

a) support NHS Wales organisations to improve cancer waiting time performance;

b) update the Quality Statement for Cancer to clarify roles, responsibilities and system metrics; and

c) introduce a National Cancer Steering Group to improve coordination of the NHS effort to improve cancer services.

For	Abstain	Against	Total
33	0	13	46

The motion as amended was agreed.

NDM8795 Paul Davies (Preseli Pembrokeshire)

To propose that the Senedd:

1. Notes the Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists' 80th anniversary this month.

2. Recognises the crucial role that speech and language therapists carry out in providing treatment, support and care for people with additional communication needs.

3. Regrets that in Wales there are fewer speech and language therapists per head of the population, than in any other part of the UK.

4. Understands that according to the Youth Justice Board, 71 per cent of sentenced children have speech, language or communication needs.

5. Supports calls from the Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists to increase the number of speech and language therapists in Wales and improve workforce planning for the profession.

6. Calls on the Welsh Government to:

a) establish a clear, sustainable funding model for speech and language therapists within youth justice teams across Wales; and

b) work with the UK Government to mandate the presence of a speech and language therapist in all youth justice teams as a statutory requirement.

Youth Justice Board report - 'Assessing the needs of sentenced children in the Youth Justice System 2019-20'

The Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists State of the Nation report - 'The Speech and Language Therapy Workforce in Wales'

The following amendment was tabled:

Amendment 1 Jane Hutt (Vale of Glamorgan)

Delete all after point 2 and replace with:

Notes:

a) the Welsh Government’s decision to continue to fund and commission speech and language therapist education in Wales, including a new bilingual programme in Wrexham; and

b) the number of speech and language therapist education places in Wales has increased since 2023.

Calls on the Welsh Government to work with the UK Government to increase access to speech and language therapy in youth justice teams.

The item started at 17.15

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

A vote was taken on the motion without amendment:

NDM8795 Paul Davies (Preseli Pembrokeshire)

To propose that the Senedd:

1. Notes the Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists' 80th anniversary this month.

2. Recognises the crucial role that speech and language therapists carry out in providing treatment, support and care for people with additional communication needs.

3. Regrets that in Wales there are fewer speech and language therapists per head of the population, than in any other part of the UK.

4. Understands that according to the Youth Justice Board, 71 per cent of sentenced children have speech, language or communication needs.

5. Supports calls from the Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists to increase the number of speech and language therapists in Wales and improve workforce planning for the profession.

6. Calls on the Welsh Government to:

a) establish a clear, sustainable funding model for speech and language therapists within youth justice teams across Wales; and

b) work with the UK Government to mandate the presence of a speech and language therapist in all youth justice teams as a statutory requirement.

Youth Justice Board report - 'Assessing the needs of sentenced children in the Youth Justice System 2019-20'

The Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists State of the Nation report - 'The Speech and Language Therapy Workforce in Wales'

For	Abstain	Against	Total
22	0	24	46

The motion without amendment was not agreed.

The following amendment was tabled:

Amendment 1 Jane Hutt (Vale of Glamorgan)

Delete all after point 2 and replace with:

Notes:

a) the Welsh Government’s decision to continue to fund and commission speech and language therapist education in Wales, including a new bilingual programme in Wrexham; and

b) the number of speech and language therapist education places in Wales has increased since 2023.

Calls on the Welsh Government to work with the UK Government to increase access to speech and language therapy in youth justice teams.

A vote was taken on amendment 1:

For	Abstain	Against	Total
24	0	22	46

Amendment 1 was agreed.

A vote was taken on the motion as amended:

To propose that the Senedd:

1. Notes the Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists' 80th anniversary this month.

2. Recognises the crucial role that speech and language therapists carry out in providing treatment, support and care for people with additional communication needs.

3. Notes:

a) the Welsh Government’s decision to continue to fund and commission speech and language therapist education in Wales, including a new bilingual programme in Wrexham; and

b) the number of speech and language therapist education places in Wales has increased since 2023.

4. Calls on the Welsh Government to work with the UK Government to increase access to speech and language therapy in youth justice teams.

For	Abstain	Against	Total
24	10	12	46

The motion as amended was agreed.

The item started at 18.07

NDM8787 Mick Antoniw (Pontypridd)

Reaching a tipping point? Wales’s littering and fly-tipping epidemic.

The item started at 18.12

NDM8787 Mick Antoniw (Pontypridd)

Reaching a tipping point? Wales’s littering and fly-tipping epidemic.