Agenda and minutes

Venue: Y Siambr - Y Senedd. View directions

Expected timing: 220(v3) 

Media

Senedd.TV: View the webcast

Transcript: Transcript for 03/07/2019 - Plenary - Fifth Senedd

Items
Expected timing No. Item

(45 mins)

1.

Questions to the Minister for Education

The Presiding Officer will call party spokespeople to ask questions without notice after Question 3.

View Questions

Supporting documents:

Minutes:

The item started at 13.30

Question 1 was withdrawn. Questions 2 – 10 were asked. The Presiding Officer invited party spokespeople to ask questions to the Minister after question 3.

 

(45 mins)

2.

Questions to the Minister for Health and Social Services

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

View Questions

 

Minutes:

The item started at 14.17

Questions 1-2, 4-5 and 7-9 were asked. Questions 3 and 6 were withdrawn. Question 1 was answered by the Deputy Minister for Health and Social Care. The Presiding Officer invited party spokespeople to ask questions to the Minister after question 2.

 

3.

Topical Questions

No Topical Questions were accepted.

Minutes:

No Topical Questions were accepted.

 

(5 mins)

4.

90 Second Statements

Minutes:

The item started at 15.02

Huw Irranca-Davies made a statement on Co-operative Fortnight which runs from 24 June – 7 July.

Mike Hedges made a statement on the 50th Anniversary of Swansea being made a city.

John Griffiths made a statement celebrating Maindee Festival (6 July) a multi-cultural parade and day-long celebration of diverse culture including music, dance, food and drink and is an opportunity to bring different communities together and break down barriers.

 

(30 mins)

5.

Debate on a Member's Legislative Proposal - Health Service Management

NDM7102 Helen Mary Jones (Mid and West Wales)

To propose that the National Assembly for Wales:

1. Notes a proposal for a Bill on health service management.

2. Notes that the purpose of the Bill would be:

a) to establish a professional body for NHS managers in Wales to set core professional competencies for managers at all levels, ensure the development of appropriate initial training programmes and continuous professional development, and with the power to take sanctions against managers for poor or unsafe performance;

b)  to ensure true independence of Healthcare Inspectorate Wales;

c)  to establish a legal duty of candour to apply to all health professionals including managers; and

d)  to establish a genuine, robust and transparent complaints system that supports parents and families.

 

Minutes:

The item started at 15.07.

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

NDM7102 Helen Mary Jones (Mid and West Wales)

To propose that the National Assembly for Wales:

1. Notes a proposal for a Bill on health service management.

2. Notes that the purpose of the Bill would be:

a) to establish a professional body for NHS managers in Wales to set core professional competencies for managers at all levels, ensure the development of appropriate initial training programmes and continuous professional development, and with the power to take sanctions against managers for poor or unsafe performance;

b)  to ensure true independence of Healthcare Inspectorate Wales;

c)  to establish a legal duty of candour to apply to all health professionals including managers; and

d)  to establish a genuine, robust and transparent complaints system that supports parents and families.

The result was as follows:

For

Abstain

Against

Total

25

1

21

47

The motion was agreed.

 

Statement by the Deputy Minister for Economy and Transport

At 15.36, with the permission of the Deputy Presiding Officer, the Deputy Minister for Economy and Transport made a short statement without notice about the fatal railway accident earlier today when two rail workers died after being hit by a passenger train between Port Talbot Parkway and Bridgend stations. The Deputy Presiding Officer did not call any Members to ask questions on the statement.

 

(60 mins)

6.

Debate on the Economy, Infrastructure and Skills Committee report - The Future Development of Transport for Wales

NDM7108 Russell George (Montgomeryshire)

To propose that the National Assembly for Wales:

Notes the report of the Economy, Infrastructure and Skills Committee on its Inquiry: The Future Development of Transport for Wales - which was laid in the Table Office on 2 May 2019.

Note: The response by the Welsh Government was laid on 12 June 2019.  The response by Transport for Wales was laid on the 17 June 2019.

 

Minutes:

The item started at 15.38.

NDM7108 Russell George (Montgomeryshire)

To propose that the National Assembly for Wales:

Notes the report of the Economy, Infrastructure and Skills Committee on its Inquiry: The Future Development of Transport for Wales - which was laid in the Table Office on 2 May 2019.

Note: The response by the Welsh Government was laid on 12 June 2019.  The response by Transport for Wales was laid on the 17 June 2019.

The motion was agreed in accordance with Standing Order 12.36.

 

(60 mins)

7.

Debate on the Children, Young People and Education Committee report - Bacc to the Future: The status of the Welsh Baccalaureate qualification

NDM7112 Lynne Neagle (Torfaen)

To propose that the National Assembly for Wales:

Notes the Children, Young People and Education Committee Report - Bacc to the Future: The status of the Welsh Baccalaureate qualification, which was laid in the Table Office on 3 April 2019.

Note: The response by the Welsh Government was laid on 26 June 2019.

 

Minutes:

The item started at 16.27

NDM7112 Lynne Neagle (Torfaen)

To propose that the National Assembly for Wales:

Notes the Children, Young People and Education Committee Report - Bacc to the Future: The status of the Welsh Baccalaureate qualification, which was laid in the Table Office on 3 April 2019.

The motion was agreed in accordance with Standing Order 12.36.

 

Point of Order

Hefin David raised a point of order under Standing Order 13.10. He did not believe that Michelle Brown had withdrawn her statement when asked to by the Deputy Presiding Officer. He was also concerned that Michelle Brown’s contribution did not reflect the views of the Committee, and that the Member was not listening when the Committee Chair was responding to her points.

 

The Deputy Presiding Officer stated that the Member’s concerns were on the record, and that Members have a right to use their time in debates and to make their contributions as they see fit. The Deputy Presiding Officer further stated that she did not want to start calling to order Members who aren’t listening.

 

 

(30 mins)

8.

Welsh Conservatives Debate - Sight Loss

NDM7110 Darren Millar (Clwyd West)

To propose that the National Assembly for Wales:

1. Notes that:

a) there are currently 111,000 people living with sight loss in Wales;

b) the number of people with sight loss is predicted to increase by 32 per cent by 2030 and double by 2050.

2. Welcomes the introduction of new performance measures for eye care patients.

3. Regrets that 1 in 3 patients deemed to be at high risk of losing their sight are waiting longer that their target waiting time for ophthalmology appointments.

4. Calls on the Welsh Government to:

a) robustly hold health boards to account over their failure to meet eye care waiting time targets and implement its eye care measures;

b) develop a national workforce plan for ophthalmology to ensure sufficient capacity in eye clinics to meet the current and future needs of the people of Wales;

c) improve the capture, analysis and learning from complaints and serious incidents where sight loss has occurred;

d) urgently publish a timetable for the development and publication of a new eye care delivery plan for Wales.

The following amendment has been tabled:

Amendment 1 - Rebecca Evans (Gower)

Delete all after sub-point 4a and replace with:

progress publication and implementation of the national workforce plan for the whole of the eye care sector and issue a Welsh Health Circular to ensure sufficient capacity in eye clinics to meet the current and future needs of the people of Wales;

improve the capture, analysis and learning from complaints and serious incidents where sight loss has occurred;

continue to drive forward implementation of the eye care delivery plan recommendations in its final year and notes the Chief Optometric Advisor will work with stakeholders across Wales over the coming months to agree next steps.

Eye health care delivery plan 2013 to 2018

 

 

Minutes:

The item started at 17.21

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

A vote was taken on the motion without amendment:

NDM7110 Darren Millar (Clwyd West)

To propose that the National Assembly for Wales:

1. Notes that:

a) there are currently 111,000 people living with sight loss in Wales;

b) the number of people with sight loss is predicted to increase by 32 per cent by 2030 and double by 2050.

2. Welcomes the introduction of new performance measures for eye care patients.

3. Regrets that 1 in 3 patients deemed to be at high risk of losing their sight are waiting longer that their target waiting time for ophthalmology appointments.

4. Calls on the Welsh Government to:

a) robustly hold health boards to account over their failure to meet eye care waiting time targets and implement its eye care measures;

b) develop a national workforce plan for ophthalmology to ensure sufficient capacity in eye clinics to meet the current and future needs of the people of Wales;

c) improve the capture, analysis and learning from complaints and serious incidents where sight loss has occurred;

d) urgently publish a timetable for the development and publication of a new eye care delivery plan for Wales.

For

Abstain

Against

Total

20

0

27

47

The motion without amendment was not agreed.

The following amendment was tabled:

Amendment 1 - Rebecca Evans (Gower)

Delete all after sub-point 4a and replace with:

progress publication and implementation of the national workforce plan for the whole of the eye care sector and issue a Welsh Health Circular to ensure sufficient capacity in eye clinics to meet the current and future needs of the people of Wales;

improve the capture, analysis and learning from complaints and serious incidents where sight loss has occurred;

continue to drive forward implementation of the eye care delivery plan recommendations in its final year and notes the Chief Optometric Advisor will work with stakeholders across Wales over the coming months to agree next steps.

A vote was taken on amendment 1:

For

Abstain

Against

Total

30

0

17

47

Amendment 1 was agreed.

A vote was taken on the motion as amended:

NDM7110 Darren Millar (Clwyd West)

To propose that the National Assembly for Wales:

1. Notes that:

a) there are currently 111,000 people living with sight loss in Wales;

b) the number of people with sight loss is predicted to increase by 32 per cent by 2030 and double by 2050.

2. Welcomes the introduction of new performance measures for eye care patients.

3. Regrets that 1 in 3 patients deemed to be at high risk of losing their sight are waiting longer that their target waiting time for ophthalmology appointments.

4. Calls on the Welsh Government to:

a) robustly hold health boards to account over their failure to meet eye care waiting time targets and implement its eye care measures;

b) progress publication and implementation of the national workforce plan for the whole of the eye care sector and issue a Welsh Health Circular to ensure sufficient capacity in eye clinics to meet the current and future needs of the people of Wales;

c) improve the capture, analysis and learning from complaints and serious incidents where sight loss has occurred;

d) continue to drive forward implementation of the eye care delivery plan recommendations in its final year and notes the Chief Optometric Advisor will work with stakeholders across Wales over the coming months to agree next steps.

For

Abstain

Against

Total

38

3

6

47

The motion as amended was agreed.

 

(30 mins)

9.

Welsh Conservatives Debate - The ambition of the Cymraeg 2050 strategy of reaching one million Welsh speakers in a generation

NDM7111 Darren Millar (Clwyd West)

To propose that the National Assembly for Wales:

1. Notes the cross-party support within the Assembly for the ambition of the Cymraeg 2050 strategy of reaching one million Welsh speakers in a generation.

2. Recognises that the success of the strategy is dependent, in part, on:

a) creating more opportunities for people to use and develop their Welsh language skills in the workplace as well as in the community;

b) convincing businesses that there is commercial advantage in promoting a bilingual identity;

c) achieving a balance and flexibility between legislative and non-legislative steps to achieve this, and acknowledging that 99 per cent of Welsh enterprises are micro, small, or medium in size;

d) identifying and delivering value-for-money through increased use of Welsh in the workplace rather than the introduction of requirements which do not achieve this and which are not considered a priority by Welsh speakers.

3. Calls on the Welsh Government to update the Assembly via oral statements every six months on progress made in relation to Cymraeg 2050.

4. Calls on the Welsh Government to report to the Assembly before the end of 2019 on the effectiveness of its current promotion of the Welsh language to businesses, as distinct from the work of the Welsh Language Commissioner.

5. Calls on the Welsh Government to appoint a network of Welsh language business champions to promote the use of the language by micro, small and medium sized enterprises.

6. Calls on the Welsh Government to consider further reform of the role of the Welsh Language Commissioner to permit investigation of claims by both Welsh and non-Welsh speakers regarding breaches of their language rights.

Cymraeg 2050: Welsh language strategy

The following amendments have been tabled:

Amendment 1 - Rebecca Evans (Gower)

Delete points 2–6 and replace with:

Acknowledges that the Cymraeg 2050 strategy has three elements which pave the way for reaching a million Welsh speakers, namely:

a) increasing the number of speakers through the Cymraeg i Blant / Cymraeg for Kids programme, the improved Welsh in Education Strategic Plans and the new approach to teaching Welsh through the National Centre for Learning Welsh;

b) increasing the everyday use of the language in workplaces, businesses and in the community;

c) providing a solid infrastructure as a basis for all actions which includes public buy-in, linguistic infrastructure, and technology.

Celebrates since the launch of Cymraeg 2050, the Welsh Government has made significant progress in the following areas:

a) increasing the number of Cylchoedd Meithrin and Cylchoedd Ti a Fi in order to set more children on the journey into Welsh medium education;

b) moving from assessing the demand to creating the demand for Welsh medium education in order to increase the number of speakers via the Welsh in Education Strategic Plans;

c) launching a new Welsh Language Technology Action Plan which sets out the vision for Welsh to be readily available in technology;

d) funding the National Centre for Learning Welsh to provide the Cymraeg Gwaith / Work Welsh scheme to develop the Welsh language skills of workers within targeted sectors, including the apprenticeship sector;

e) the provision of almost £60 million of capital funding for early years, education and the renovation of Neuadd Pantycelyn and the Urdd facilities at Glan-llyn and Llangrannog;

f) funding 14 business officers across Wales to offer practical advice and tools to help businesses use more Welsh. A helpline will be launched soon to assist with information about the Welsh language, signposting and short translations.

Notes the Welsh Government’s active participation in the UN International Year for Indigenous Languages as a platform to celebrate Wales as an outward facing bilingual nation.

Welsh Language Technology Action Plan

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

Amendment 2 - Rhun ap Iorwerth (Ynys Môn)

Delete point 2 and replace with:

Recognises that implementing the aspiration of the strategy requires strategic planning and practical intentional implementation in every area, especially in relation to education, economic development, community development, status and infrastructure of the Welsh language, the workplace and the family.

Amendment 3 - Rhun ap Iorwerth (Ynys Môn)

Delete point 6 and replace with:

Calls on the Welsh Government to introduce a timetable that permits the Welsh Language Commissioner to set Welsh language standards and expand the rights to use the Welsh language in the area of housing associations, water, postal services, transport, energy, telecommunications as well as adding new bodies to regulations that have already been passed.

 

 

Minutes:

The item started at 17.56

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

A vote was taken on the motion without amendment:

NDM7111 Darren Millar (Clwyd West)

To propose that the National Assembly for Wales:

1. Notes the cross-party support within the Assembly for the ambition of the Cymraeg 2050 strategy of reaching one million Welsh speakers in a generation.

2. Recognises that the success of the strategy is dependent, in part, on:

a) creating more opportunities for people to use and develop their Welsh language skills in the workplace as well as in the community;

b) convincing businesses that there is commercial advantage in promoting a bilingual identity;

c) achieving a balance and flexibility between legislative and non-legislative steps to achieve this, and acknowledging that 99 per cent of Welsh enterprises are micro, small, or medium in size;

d) identifying and delivering value-for-money through increased use of Welsh in the workplace rather than the introduction of requirements which do not achieve this and which are not considered a priority by Welsh speakers.

3. Calls on the Welsh Government to update the Assembly via oral statements every six months on progress made in relation to Cymraeg 2050.

4. Calls on the Welsh Government to report to the Assembly before the end of 2019 on the effectiveness of its current promotion of the Welsh language to businesses, as distinct from the work of the Welsh Language Commissioner.

5. Calls on the Welsh Government to appoint a network of Welsh language business champions to promote the use of the language by micro, small and medium sized enterprises.

6. Calls on the Welsh Government to consider further reform of the role of the Welsh Language Commissioner to permit investigation of claims by both Welsh and non-Welsh speakers regarding breaches of their language rights.

For

Abstain

Against

Total

11

3

33

47

The motion without amendment was not agreed.

The following amendments were tabled:

Amendment 1 - Rebecca Evans (Gower)

Delete points 2–6 and replace with:

Acknowledges that the Cymraeg 2050 strategy has three elements which pave the way for reaching a million Welsh speakers, namely:

a) increasing the number of speakers through the Cymraeg i Blant / Cymraeg for Kids programme, the improved Welsh in Education Strategic Plans and the new approach to teaching Welsh through the National Centre for Learning Welsh;

b) increasing the everyday use of the language in workplaces, businesses and in the community;

c) providing a solid infrastructure as a basis for all actions which includes public buy-in, linguistic infrastructure, and technology.

Celebrates since the launch of Cymraeg 2050, the Welsh Government has made significant progress in the following areas:

a) increasing the number of Cylchoedd Meithrin and Cylchoedd Ti a Fi in order to set more children on the journey into Welsh medium education;

b) moving from assessing the demand to creating the demand for Welsh medium education in order to increase the number of speakers via the Welsh in Education Strategic Plans;

c) launching a new Welsh Language Technology Action Plan which sets out the vision for Welsh to be readily available in technology;

d) funding the National Centre for Learning Welsh to provide the Cymraeg Gwaith / Work Welsh scheme to develop the Welsh language skills of workers within targeted sectors, including the apprenticeship sector;

e) the provision of almost £60 million of capital funding for early years, education and the renovation of Neuadd Pantycelyn and the Urdd facilities at Glan-llyn and Llangrannog;

f) funding 14 business officers across Wales to offer practical advice and tools to help businesses use more Welsh. A helpline will be launched soon to assist with information about the Welsh language, signposting and short translations.

Notes the Welsh Government’s active participation in the UN International Year for Indigenous Languages as a platform to celebrate Wales as an outward facing bilingual nation.

A vote was taken on amendment 1:

For

Abstain

Against

Total

27

3

17

47

Amendment 1 was agreed.

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

A vote was taken on the motion as amended:

NDM7111 Darren Millar (Clwyd West)

To propose that the National Assembly for Wales:

1. Notes the cross-party support within the Assembly for the ambition of the Cymraeg 2050 strategy of reaching one million Welsh speakers in a generation.

2. Acknowledges that the Cymraeg 2050 strategy has three elements which pave the way for reaching a million Welsh speakers, namely:

a) increasing the number of speakers through the Cymraeg i Blant / Cymraeg for Kids programme, the improved Welsh in Education Strategic Plans and the new approach to teaching Welsh through the National Centre for Learning Welsh;

b) increasing the everyday use of the language in workplaces, businesses and in the community;

c) providing a solid infrastructure as a basis for all actions which includes public buy-in, linguistic infrastructure, and technology.

3. Celebrates since the launch of Cymraeg 2050, the Welsh Government has made significant progress in the following areas:

a) increasing the number of Cylchoedd Meithrin and Cylchoedd Ti a Fi in order to set more children on the journey into Welsh medium education;

b) moving from assessing the demand to creating the demand for Welsh medium education in order to increase the number of speakers via the Welsh in Education Strategic Plans;

c) launching a new Welsh Language Technology Action Plan which sets out the vision for Welsh to be readily available in technology;

d) funding the National Centre for Learning Welsh to provide the Cymraeg Gwaith / Work Welsh scheme to develop the Welsh language skills of workers within targeted sectors, including the apprenticeship sector;

e) the provision of almost £60 million of capital funding for early years, education and the renovation of Neuadd Pantycelyn and the Urdd facilities at Glan-llyn and Llangrannog;

f) funding 14 business officers across Wales to offer practical advice and tools to help businesses use more Welsh. A helpline will be launched soon to assist with information about the Welsh language, signposting and short translations.

4. Notes the Welsh Government’s active participation in the UN International Year for Indigenous Languages as a platform to celebrate Wales as an outward facing bilingual nation.

For

Abstain

Against

Total

27

11

9

47

The motion as amended was agreed.

 

10.

Voting Time

Minutes:

The item started at 18.20

 

(30 mins)

11.

Short Debate

NDM7067 Jack Sargeant (Alyn and Deeside)

Action for Kinder Politics: A route map for creating kinder communities across Wales.

 

Minutes:

The item started at 18.24

NDM7067 Jack Sargeant (Alyn and Deeside)

Action for Kinder Politics: A route map for creating kinder communities across Wales.

 

Votes Summary

Supporting documents: