Agenda and minutes

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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 7 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 14.16

The first 8 questions were asked. Question 2 and 5 were grouped together for answer. Questions 1 and 4 were answered by the Minister for Lifelong Learning and Welsh Language. The Presiding Officer invited party spokespeople to ask questions to the Cabinet Secretary and the Minister after Question 2.

No questions tabled.

The item started at 15.03

No questions were tabled.

The item started at 15.03

Janet Finch-Saunders made a statement on the importance of national parks in Wales.

Hefin David made a statement paying tribute to the late Cyril Thomas, former assistant head teacher at Lewis Boys’ School, Pengam.

Bethan Jenkins made a statement paying tribute to Rebecca Evans from Shelter Cymru who recently died in a car crash on the M4 at Margam.

NDM6195 Paul Davies (Preseli Pembrokeshire)

To propose that the National Assembly for Wales:

1. Notes the Cabinet Secretary for Health, Wellbeing and Sport’s statement in November 2016 on winter preparedness.

2. Further notes the Royal College of Physicians’ response to the inquiry into winter preparedness 2016/17, which stated that: “The challenges facing health boards as they prepare for winter are complex. They reflect wider pressures on the NHS and social care”, and that; “Health boards are operating in an under-funded, under-doctored and overstretched context”.

3. Calls on the Welsh Government to provide a status report on how its 2016/17 planning, alongside those of Welsh Health Boards, is performing against the current situation across the Welsh NHS.

‘Statement: Winter Preparedness’

‘Inquiry into winter preparedness 2016/17: RCP Wales response’

The following amendments have been tabled:

Amendment 1. Jane Hutt (Vale of Glamorgan)
 
Delete all after "pressures on the NHS and social care" in point 2 and replace with:

3. Recognises that the Welsh Government is investing record levels in the NHS to meet growing demand, particularly during winter months.

4. Puts on record its support to the NHS and social care staff who have worked incredibly hard over the winter period to ensure the best treatment and care for patients.

5. Calls on the Welsh Government to provide a status report on how Local Health Boards' and the Welsh Ambulance Services NHS Trust's 2016/17 planning is performing against the current situation across the Welsh NHS.

[If amendment 1 is agreed, amendment 3 will be de-selected]

Amendment 2. Rhun ap Iorwerth (Ynys Môn)

After point 2, add as new point and renumber accordingly:

"Notes that social care services are also operating in an under-funded and overstretched context, and these services also provide an important part of winter preparedness.
 
Amendment 3. Rhun ap Iorwerth (Ynys Môn)
 
In point 3, after "Welsh Health Boards" insert "and social care services".

The item started at 15.08

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

A vote was taken on the motion without amendment:

NDM6195 Paul Davies (Preseli Pembrokeshire)

To propose that the National Assembly for Wales:

1. Notes the Cabinet Secretary for Health, Wellbeing and Sport’s statement in November 2016 on winter preparedness.

2. Further notes the Royal College of Physicians’ response to the inquiry into winter preparedness 2016/17, which stated that: “The challenges facing health boards as they prepare for winter are complex. They reflect wider pressures on the NHS and social care”, and that; “Health boards are operating in an under-funded, under-doctored and overstretched context”.

3. Calls on the Welsh Government to provide a status report on how its 2016/17 planning, alongside those of Welsh Health Boards, is performing against the current situation across the Welsh NHS.

The motion without amendment was not agreed.

The following amendments were tabled:

Amendment 1. Jane Hutt (Vale of Glamorgan)

Delete all after "pressures on the NHS and social care" in point 2 and replace with:

3. Recognises that the Welsh Government is investing record levels in the NHS to meet growing demand, particularly during winter months.

4. Puts on record its support to the NHS and social care staff who have worked incredibly hard over the winter period to ensure the best treatment and care for patients.

5. Calls on the Welsh Government to provide a status report on how Local Health Boards' and the Welsh Ambulance Services NHS Trust's 2016/17 planning is performing against the current situation across the Welsh NHS.

A vote was taken on Amendment 1:

Amendment 1 was agreed.

Amendment 2. Rhun ap Iorwerth (Ynys Môn)

After point 2, add as new point and renumber accordingly:

"Notes that social care services are also operating in an under-funded and overstretched context, and these services also provide an important part of winter preparedness.

A vote was taken on Amendment 2:

Amendment 2 was not agreed.

As amendment 1 was agreed, amendment 3 was de-selected.

A vote was taken on the motion as amended:

NDM6195 Paul Davies (Preseli Pembrokeshire)

To propose that the National Assembly for Wales:

1. Notes the Cabinet Secretary for Health, Wellbeing and Sport’s statement in November 2016 on winter preparedness.

2. Further notes the Royal College of Physicians’ response to the inquiry into winter preparedness 2016/17, which stated that: “The challenges facing health boards as they prepare for winter are complex. They reflect wider pressures on the NHS and social care”,

3. Recognises that the Welsh Government is investing record levels in the NHS to meet growing demand, particularly during winter months.

4. Puts on record its support to the NHS and social care staff who have worked incredibly hard over the winter period to ensure the best treatment and care for patients.

5. Calls on the Welsh Government to provide a status report on how Local Health Boards' and the Welsh Ambulance Services NHS Trust's 2016/17 planning is performing against the current situation across the Welsh NHS.

The motion as amended was agreed.

NDM6196 Paul Davies (Preseli Pembrokeshire)

To propose that the National Assembly for Wales:

1. Notes that, in light of National Obesity Awareness Week, obesity levels in Wales are increasing.

2. Expresses concern that as many as 59 per cent of adults were classified as overweight or obese, as stated in the recent Welsh Health Survey, and 27.3 per cent of children in Wales are obese or overweight, as recorded in the Child Measurement Programme for Wales: Current Annual Report.

3. Calls on the Welsh Government to address the lack of coherence between its public health initiatives, and cuts to local government funding, which prevent the effective uptake of these programmes.

‘Welsh Health Survey’

‘The Child Measurement Programme for Wales: Current Annual Report’

The following amendments have been tabled:

Amendment 1. Jane Hutt (Vale of Glamorgan)

Delete all and replace with:

1. Notes:
a) in light of National Obesity Awareness Week, that there has been little change in the number of adults who are overweight or obese in Wales since 2012 - but we want to see these numbers fall;

b) that the latest Welsh Health Survey shows that 59 per cent of adults are classified as overweight or obese and the Child  Measurement Programme for Wales: Current Annual Report records 26.2 per cent of children as overweight or obese; and

c) that the Welsh Government continues to invest across all portfolio areas including through NHS Wales, education, sport and local government - to support people in Wales to lead healthy lifestyles.

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

Amendment 2. Rhun ap Iorwerth (Ynys Môn)
 
After point 2, add as new point and renumber accordingly:

Notes that taxation of unhealthy products and rules over the advertising of such products, are non-devolved matters, and regrets that successive UK governments have failed to utilise these powers to tackle obesity.

The item started at 15.42

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

A vote was taken on the motion without amendment:

NDM6196 Paul Davies (Preseli Pembrokeshire)

To propose that the National Assembly for Wales:

1. Notes that, in light of National Obesity Awareness Week, obesity levels in Wales are increasing.

2. Expresses concern that as many as 59 per cent of adults were classified as overweight or obese, as stated in the recent Welsh Health Survey, and 27.3 per cent of children in Wales are obese or overweight, as recorded in the Child Measurement Programme for Wales: Current Annual Report.

3. Calls on the Welsh Government to address the lack of coherence between its public health initiatives, and cuts to local government funding, which prevent the effective uptake of these programmes.

The motion without amendment was not agreed.

The following amendments were tabled:

Amendment 1. Jane Hutt (Vale of Glamorgan)

Delete all and replace with:

1. Notes:

a) in light of National Obesity Awareness Week, that there has been little change in the number of adults who are overweight or obese in Wales since 2012 - but we want to see these numbers fall;

b) that the latest Welsh Health Survey shows that 59% of adults are classified as overweight or obese and the Child  Measurement Programme for Wales: Current Annual Report records 26.2% of children as overweight or obese; and

c) that the Welsh Government continues to invest across all portfolio areas including through NHS Wales, education, sport and local government - to support people in Wales to lead healthy lifestyles.

A vote was taken on Amendment 1:

Amendment 1 was agreed.

As amendment 1 was agreed, amendment 2 was de-selected.

A vote was taken on the motion as amended:

NDM6196 Paul Davies (Preseli Pembrokeshire)

To propose that the National Assembly for Wales:

1. Notes:

a) in light of National Obesity Awareness Week, that there has been little change in the number of adults who are overweight or obese in Wales since 2012 - but we want to see these numbers fall;

b) that the latest Welsh Health Survey shows that 59% of adults are classified as overweight or obese and the Child  Measurement Programme for Wales: Current Annual Report records 26.2% of children as overweight or obese; and

c) that the Welsh Government continues to invest across all portfolio areas including through NHS Wales, education, sport and local government - to support people in Wales to lead healthy lifestyles.

The motion as amended was agreed.

NDM6198 Rhun ap Iorwerth (Ynys Môn)

To propose that the National Assembly for Wales:

1. Recognises the important contribution of the Welsh higher education sector in providing important opportunities to the people of Wales, and delivering significant economic benefits to communities across the nation.

2. Believes that a successful and vibrant higher education sector is essential for a prosperous Wales.

3. Believes that the Welsh Government should do all that is necessary to safeguard the future sustainability of the Welsh higher education sector.

4. Calls on the Welsh Government to work with the UK Government to:

a) protect or replace existing EU funding and programmes for research and higher education;

b) secure the continued participation of Welsh universities in the Erasmus Plus scheme of staff and student exchange, and to support further international collaborations and movement of students, researchers, and staff;

c) secure the visa and citizenship status of EU nationals working in Welsh universities;

d) enable Welsh universities to participate in a post-study work visa scheme; and

e) remove international students from UK net migration targets.

The following amendment has been tabled:

Amendment 1. Paul Davies (Preseli Pembrokeshire)

In point 4, delete sub-points a), b), c) and d) and replace with:

'a) maximise international sources of research funding for Welsh universities;

b) support collaborations which provide opportunities for Welsh university students, researchers and staff to engage in international exchange programmes;

c) explore the development of reciprocal arrangements with the EU to address concerns regarding the status of EU nationals working in Welsh universities;

d) continue to provide opportunities for international graduates to be provided with visas post their studies which enable them to work and establish businesses in the UK;'

The item started at 16.16

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

A vote was taken on the motion without amendment:

NDM6198 Rhun ap Iorwerth (Ynys Môn)

To propose that the National Assembly for Wales:

1. Recognises the important contribution of the Welsh higher education sector in providing important opportunities to the people of Wales, and delivering significant economic benefits to communities across the nation.

2. Believes that a successful and vibrant higher education sector is essential for a prosperous Wales.

3. Believes that the Welsh Government should do all that is necessary to safeguard the future sustainability of the Welsh higher education sector.

4. Calls on the Welsh Government to work with the UK Government to:

a) protect or replace existing EU funding and programmes for research and higher education;

b) secure the continued participation of Welsh universities in the Erasmus Plus scheme of staff and student exchange, and to support further international collaborations and movement of students, researchers, and staff;

c) secure the visa and citizenship status of EU nationals working in Welsh universities;

d) enable Welsh universities to participate in a post-study work visa scheme; and

e) remove international students from UK net migration targets.

The motion without amendment was agreed.

NDM6197 Neil Hamilton (Mid and West Wales)

To propose that the National Assembly for Wales:

1. Welcomes the First Minister's fact-finding trip to Norway to see for himself the regulatory burdens and costs imposed on Norway by full membership of the EU's Single Market.

2. Notes that these burdens and costs fall on all Norway's businesses, whether they export to the EU or not.

3. Believes that:

a) it is in Wales's best interests for laws and regulations to be made by Britain's democratically-elected representatives in Westminster and Cardiff, not remote and unaccountable officials in Brussels; and

b) Single Market membership would preclude effective control of immigration of EU citizens into the UK, thus undermining the referendum result and frustrating the wishes of a majority of Wales's voters.

4. Notes that the EU currently exports £8 billion more in goods to the UK every month than the UK exports to the EU.

5. Supports the UK Government's general negotiating position of seeking the maximum degree of free trade with the EU consistent with firm immigration control.

The following amendments have been tabled:

Amendment 1. Paul Davies (Preseli Pembrokeshire)
 
Delete all and replace with:
 
1. Welcomes the Prime Minister's intention to build a powerful new relationship with the European Union that works for the United Kingdom and Wales.
 
2. Recognises the importance of trade with Europe and the rest of the world, which is vital to the future of the Welsh economy.
 
3. Welcomes the UK Government's commitment to secure a strong trading relationship which provides British companies with the freedom to trade and operate in the Single Market and that reciprocal arrangements should be extended to EU businesses trading and operating in the UK.

[If amendment 1 is agreed, amendment 2 will be de-selected]
 
Amendment 2. Rhun ap Iorwerth (Ynys Môn)
 
Delete all and replace with:

1. Welcomes the First Minister's visit to Norway.

2. Notes that Norway is a member of the EEA and EFTA.

3. Calls on the Welsh Government to support full and unfettered access to the European Single Market, through membership of the EEA and/or EFTA.

The item started at 17.22

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

A vote was taken on the motion without amendment:

NDM6197 Neil Hamilton (Mid and West Wales)

To propose that the National Assembly for Wales:

1. Welcomes the First Minister's fact-finding trip to Norway to see for himself the regulatory burdens and costs imposed on Norway by full membership of the EU's Single Market.

2. Notes that these burdens and costs fall on all Norway's businesses, whether they export to the EU or not.

3. Believes that:

a) it is in Wales's best interests for laws and regulations to be made by Britain's democratically-elected representatives in Westminster and Cardiff, not remote and unaccountable officials in Brussels; and

b) Single Market membership would preclude effective control of immigration of EU citizens into the UK, thus undermining the referendum result and frustrating the wishes of a majority of Wales's voters.

4. Notes that the EU currently exports £8 billion more in goods to the UK every month than the UK exports to the EU.

5. Supports the UK Government's general negotiating position of seeking the maximum degree of free trade with the EU consistent with firm immigration control.

The motion without amendment was not agreed.

The following amendments were tabled:

Amendment 1. Paul Davies (Preseli Pembrokeshire)

Delete all and replace with:

1. Welcomes the Prime Minister's intention to build a powerful new relationship with the European Union that works for the United Kingdom and Wales.

2. Recognises the importance of trade with Europe and the rest of the world, which is vital to the future of the Welsh economy.

3. Welcomes the UK Government's commitment to secure a strong trading relationship which provides British companies with the freedom to trade and operate in the Single Market and that reciprocal arrangements should be extended to EU businesses trading and operating in the UK.

A vote was taken on Amendment 1:

Amendment 1 was not agreed.

Amendment 2. Rhun ap Iorwerth (Ynys Môn)

Delete all and replace with:

1. Welcomes the First Minister's visit to Norway.

2. Notes that Norway is a member of the EEA and EFTA.

3. Calls on the Welsh Government to support full and unfettered access to the European Single Market, through membership of the EEA and/or EFTA.

A vote was taken on Amendment 2:

Amendment 2 was agreed.

A vote was taken on the motion as amended:

NDM6197 Neil Hamilton (Mid and West Wales)

To propose that the National Assembly for Wales:

1. Welcomes the First Minister's visit to Norway.

2. Notes that Norway is a member of the EEA and EFTA.

3. Calls on the Welsh Government to support full and unfettered access to the European Single Market, through membership of the EEA and/or EFTA.

The motion as amended was agreed.

The item started at 18.11

NDM6199 Joyce Watson (Mid and West Wales)

Hidden in plain sight: loneliness in Welsh communities, and how to tackle it

The item started at 18.18

NDM6199 Joyce Watson (Mid and West Wales

Hidden in plain sight: loneliness in Welsh communities, and how to tackle it