, Public Accounts and Public Administration Committee
Introductions, apologies and substitutions
Bore da. Croeso. Good morning and welcome to today's meeting of the Public Accounts and Public Administration Committee in the Senedd. The main items of business today will be an evidence session with the Welsh Government in relation to the committee's…
, Plenary
Welsh Conservatives' Debate: Agriculture
Well, that is a very disappointing intervention, Llywydd. [Laughter.] The disappointing intervener chose to speak about future funds, which are not guaranteed, rather than loans, which are coming this way. He said parts of the farming system need fixing, but…
, Plenary
Welsh Conservatives' Debate: Agriculture
I'm sorry?
, Plenary
Welsh Conservatives' Debate: Agriculture
I think a number of speakers made the point that, if you don't support the core of this motion, particularly its central elements, and delete them, you will actually be damaging the potential for the sustainable farming scheme to be a success in the future…
, Plenary
Welsh Conservatives' Debate: Agriculture
It's hard when you're scribbling notes and trying to catch everything everyone said or summarise. But I'll begin by referring to Sam Kurtz's opening. As he said, the motion looks to support the essential role played by our farmers in producing food…
, Plenary
Debate on a Member's Legislative Proposal: A Bill on the regulation of debt collectors
Given the horror stories we've all heard, we fully share concern about the issue that this proposed Bill seeks to address and clearly support the intent behind it. However, Senedd lawyers have advised that a Bill to regulate debt enforcement agents would be…
, Plenary
Questions to the Counsel General and Minister for the Constitution
Nonetheless, the Welsh Government had said it would seek the powers that Scotland has, so this ruling is significant in that context. Two weeks ago, plans for the Welsh Government Bill intended to create gender quotas for Senedd elections were withdrawn. It's…
, Plenary
Questions to the Counsel General and Minister for the Constitution
As I said, the Supreme Court ruled that your action was premature, and, yes, went ahead nonetheless, at, no doubt, a significant expense. In January, the First Minister stated that Wales should have a gender self-identification system similar to the one…
, Plenary
Questions to the Counsel General and Minister for the Constitution
Diolch, Llywydd. Rejecting a bid by the Welsh Government to overturn a Court of Appeal decision that a judicial review would be premature 16 months ago, the Supreme Court concluded there is no useful purpose in ruling on potential conflicts between the powers…
, Plenary
Questions to the Minister for Social Justice and Chief Whip
Thank you. Well, the Care & Repair report, 'Older People in Wales: Poverty in Winter 2023-24', found that, even with UK and Welsh Government financial support, the average Care & Repair client will be spending, on average, 19 per cent of their income on…
, Plenary
Questions to the Minister for Social Justice and Chief Whip
4. How is the Welsh Government helping older people in Wales with the rising cost of living? OQ60410
, Plenary
Questions to the First Minister
Diolch. Developmental language disorder, or DLD, is diagnosed when children fail to acquire their own language for no obvious reason, which can result in their having difficulty understanding what people say to them and struggling to articulate their ideas…
, Plenary
Questions to the First Minister
7. What action is the Welsh Government taking to ensure that the communication needs of disabled pupils are met in schools? OQ60411
, Committee for the Scrutiny of the First Minister
Ministerial scrutiny session - the co-operation agreement
No, from your perspective, are there things that have occurred—perhaps an announcement made or a press release issued or a comment on social media about any of the content of the agreement—that the other party wasn't already appraised of, even if they were in…
, Committee for the Scrutiny of the First Minister
Ministerial scrutiny session - the co-operation agreement
Have you kept to the joint aim of a 'no surprises' relationship?
, Committee for the Scrutiny of the First Minister
Ministerial scrutiny session - the co-operation agreement
Well, arguably, the 46 commitments all lie within the Welsh Government's remit and powers. But, my final questions: how would each of you sum up how effective your working arrangements and collaboration have been between Ministers and designated Members…
, Committee for the Scrutiny of the First Minister
Ministerial scrutiny session - the co-operation agreement
Again, a question to you very briefly: reflecting on the overall direction of the agreement, looking back, would you, given the chance, have pushed harder for health to be included?
, Committee for the Scrutiny of the First Minister
Ministerial scrutiny session - the co-operation agreement
Again, if I may ask a question to Rhun, to what extent have you and Plaid Cymru been kept in the loop regarding situations surrounding the Senedd Cymru (Electoral Candidate Lists) Bill, and to what extent do you support the Welsh Government decision to delay…
, Committee for the Scrutiny of the First Minister
Ministerial scrutiny session - the co-operation agreement
Okay. Where there have been differences in opinion over applying the co-operation agreement policy areas, such as funding the provision of universal free school meals over school holidays, how would you each describe the level of communication between you…
, Committee for the Scrutiny of the First Minister
Ministerial scrutiny session - the co-operation agreement
Well, again, a question for Rhun ap Iorwerth, if I may: does Plaid Cymru see any of the commitments as more of a priority than any other? And have you seen any progress towards any of the three areas your March 2023 joint paper with the Welsh Government…
, Committee for the Scrutiny of the First Minister
Ministerial scrutiny session - the co-operation agreement
Well, the question wasn't so much that as whether you've considered reprioritising commitments in that context.
, Committee for the Scrutiny of the First Minister
Ministerial scrutiny session - the co-operation agreement
Further to the Chancellor's autumn statement, what, if any, further prioritisation between the commitments in the agreement has there been?
, Committee for the Scrutiny of the First Minister
Ministerial scrutiny session - the co-operation agreement
So, is the budget for them protected, in next year's budget?
, Committee for the Scrutiny of the First Minister
Ministerial scrutiny session - the co-operation agreement
Thank you. Well, you refer to those 46 commitments, and you've previously referred to protecting budgets for them and said that that funding has been allocated to 13 specific areas within the agreement. What are those 13 areas and will they continue to be…
, Committee for the Scrutiny of the First Minister
Warm and fed this winter
The Welsh Government's tackling fuel poverty plan 2021-35 has overarching objectives, but it doesn't have interim targets. However, the Welsh Government has statutory obligations to provide specific, 'interim objectives to be achieved and target dates for…
