The final FMQs of the 2016-17 Assembly term took place this afternoon and it's also the final FMQs covered on this site.
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Showing posts with label FMQs. Show all posts
Showing posts with label FMQs. Show all posts
Tuesday, 18 July 2017
FMQs: RIFW Redux, Tuition Fees & Parking Fines
The final FMQs of the 2016-17 Assembly term took place this afternoon and it's also the final FMQs covered on this site.
Tuesday, 11 July 2017
FMQs: Mind Your Language
The penultimate FMQs of the 2016-17 term, and although there's still a lot of heat being generated on the Circuit of Wales saga (yet again) it's not generating much light at the moment but that might soon be about to change.
Tuesday, 4 July 2017
Tuesday, 27 June 2017
FMQs: Circuit of Wales, Stressed Teachers & Gambling
Here are the highlights of this afternoon's First Minister's Questions which, as you might expect, was dominated by the Welsh Government's decision earlier today not to underwrite the Circuit of Wales project in Blaenau Gwent.
Tuesday, 20 June 2017
FMQs: Brexit, Recycling & Grenfell Tower
Things are starting to get back to normal after the general election (ha!) so it's back to the grind for me with the latest First Minister's Questions from the Senedd.
Tuesday, 2 May 2017
FMQs: Gaffes, Circuit of Wales & Borrowing
This afternoon saw the final FMQs before the local elections on Thursday and the first since the announcement of the forthcoming UK general election.
Tuesday, 4 April 2017
FMQs: Sport Wales, Gibraltar & Banks
This afternoon saw the final FMQs before an extended Easter recess, which will no doubt be taken up by local election campaigning.
Tuesday, 28 March 2017
FMQs: Article 50, NHS Deficits & Grass fires
The news that the Welsh Government will refuse to bail out four health boards dominated proceedings today, but the activation of Article 50 tomorrow also focused attentions.
Tuesday, 21 March 2017
FMQs: City Deals, IndyWales & Rough Sleeping
It was a rather sedate edition of FMQs this afternoon (not that it's different to any other week) with today also marking Carwyn's 50th birthday 🎉 - to the jocularity of opposition leaders.
Tuesday, 14 March 2017
FMQs: IndyRef2, Drugs & Urgent Stuff
The usual stuff was on the agenda today alongside an abnormally large number of urgent questions (a few more weeks and I never have to do this again). Once again, Leader of the House, Jane Hutt (Lab, Vale of Glamorgan), was filling in for the First Minister.
Tuesday, 7 March 2017
FMQs: Aid, Air & Dogs
After last weekend's “excitement” I was hoping to return to normality. Plaid's Assembly Group have dealt with the issue in a refreshingly swift and professional manner even if – despite what I wrote on Sunday - a suspension seems too strong. As far as I'm concerned the matter's closed.
Tuesday, 28 February 2017
FMQs: GMC, MS & FGM
Following the half term break, the Senedd reconvened with First Minister's Questions....
Tuesday, 14 February 2017
FMQs: No Love Lost
The increasingly fractious row over Carmarthenshire Council's decision to make Llangennech School Welsh-medium-only continues. Plus, other questions on climate change, scams/cold calling and the Welsh Government “leaning” on lobbyists and the Third Sector.
Tuesday, 7 February 2017
FMQs: Teachers, Llangennech & Bridgend Ford
A refreshingly Brexit-light edition of First Minister's Questions this afternoon.
Tuesday, 31 January 2017
FMQs: Trump Ban, Cancer & Tidal Lagoons
For most of this afternoon's FMQs, you would think you were following a parliamentary session in an independent country: foreign policy, condemnation of foreign governments, state visits, discussion of immigration, how to win the battle against Islamic State – and Carwyn Jones was using the language of a Prime Minister, not a regional premier.
Tuesday, 24 January 2017
FMQs: Trains, Schools & Fraud
The big story is the Supreme Court's ruling that the UK Parliament must vote to start the Brexit process (“activate Article 50”) instead of it being left to the UK Government.
Tuesday, 17 January 2017
FMQs: Brexit, Trains & Disability
There are two big non-FMQ related stories today. Firstly, the Senedd voting on a Legislative Consent Motion (LCM) for the Wales Bill. It's expected to pass and there's little to add. Just cross your fingers and hope AMs haven't been sold magic beans (either way).
Tuesday, 10 January 2017
FMQs: Norway, Steel & Bird Flu
It may be a new year, but one of the constants in the world is getting the same old stuff from the Senedd. Even if this site isn't considered good enough anymore, my thankless gruntwork continues for now (as promised) – though regular readers will notice I'm going to pull back the throttle over these next/final few months.
As everyone's persistently whinging that Assembly proceedings are dull, I've decided to liven things up a bit by providing a relevant "invigorating soundtrack" in lieu of Senedd TV. 😈
FMQs, 10th January 2017
Party Leaders
Plaid Cymru leader, Leanne Wood (Plaid, Rhondda) called back to September (Mindfulness, Tourism & Winter is Coming), where she asked the First Minister about Child & Adolescent Mental Health (CAMHS) waiting times. He told her resources had been put in and waiting times will reduce. Leanne pointed to statistics saying the numbers waiting 16 weeks+ got slightly worse over the year, and the threshold to receive treatment was too high, resulting in patients being turned away. When could people expect improvements?
The First Minister told her the number of CAMHS admissions has stayed steady, with new money expected to make a difference. He stood by his view that children are being added to waiting lists without cause; CAMHS is an acute service, he wouldn't expect children to be referred to it automatically - they should/would go to a GP first.
Conservative leader, Andrew Davies (Con, South Wales Central), highlighted the considerable speculation over merits of the Tata Steel deal (here) – subject to a union ballot this month. It was important to understand the gravity of the situation as workers are being asked to give up something (pensions will be changed) in return for job security.
Before Christmas the First Minister said it was, “a deal (we) can endorse”; is that still his opinion? What would the consequences be if the deal were rejected (as suggested by Plaid Cymru)?
Carwyn was aware of members' concerns on pensions (raised in an earlier question), but there's "no Plan B", admitting (with unusual frankness) that,“it's this plan or no plan”. Other consortia interested in taking over Tata's operations were as concerned about pensions too. He was, however, disappointed the UK Government haven't taken as keen an interest in steel since Theresa May came to power.
UKIP leader, Neil Hamilton (UKIP, Mid & West Wales), asked what conclusions the First Minister drew from his recent fact-finding trip to Norway, particularly with regard free-movement? The reality is 508 million Europeans have a right to move to the UK and EEA membership would mean the same. He suggested a visit to South Korea, where they've agreed an EU free trade agreement without the burden of free movement.
The First Minister accepted Norway may not support EU membership but does support EEA membership (see more: What sort of Brexit suits Wales?). The rules are applied in Norway to allow freedom of movement for labour/workers – something he believes the UK public may support as a reasonable option.
Free trade agreements take years to negotiate, and officials he's spoken to find a two year timetable for a UK-EU free trade agreement “laughable”.
Backbenchers
Sian Gwenllian AM (Plaid, Arfon) asked how regional economic policies will sit alongside the ambition to have a million Welsh-speakers by 2050? Social and economic opportunities are essential, and national/public institutions (she suggested the Welsh Revenue Authority) should be established in Welsh-speaking areas.
The Welsh Government have consulted on the draft vision, with a finalised document discussing the relationship between economic development and the Welsh language. The First Minister asked officials to consider basing public bodies outside Cardiff, including the Caernarfon area or elsewhere in Wales.
Adam Price AM (Plaid, Carms. E. & Dinefwr) asked what plans the Welsh Government had to promote Welsh goods/produce to Welsh consumers? Many countries have an official “country of origin” brand for consumers. Can we have a strong brand for Wales to withstand the “economic lunacy of Westminster”?
The Welsh Government have taken a a number of actions, including working alongside the National Procurement Services to increase Welsh produce in the public sector. Welsh produce now has far better label than 15 years ago, and a “Brand Wales” may be advantageous to some companies but not to others. Carwyn stressed the importance of not having tarrifs applied to Welsh food and drink exports to the EU.
Joyce Watson AM (Lab, Mid & West Wales) asked for an update on the recent confirmed outbreak of avian flu in Wales. She praised the actions of Llanelli Wetland Centre for closing its doors to the public when the virus was detected to prevent its spread.
The First Minister described it as a matter of serious concern, with work undertaken with other governments to co-ordinate action. The Welsh Government's advice is updated continuously, and he called for those who work with birds to check it regularly.
Urgent Questions
Rhun ap Iorwerth AM (Plaid, Ynys Môn) asked for a statement on the Royal College of Emergency Medicine comments that emergency care in Wales was in a “state of crisis”. Figures from November 2016 showed only 77% of A&E patients were seen in 4 hours, and this was likely to get worse. Didn't the Health Secretary think it was an embarrassing situation for Labour colleagues in Westminster trying to attack Jeremy Hunt over recent bad headlines?
Health Secretary, Vaughan Gething (Lab, Cardiff S. & Penarth), praised staff, who always face pressure in winter and who he didn't want to see demoralised. He rejected any idea there was a “crisis”, but accepted there were very real pressures.
We all need to think sensibly and be accurate in our language about where we are in Wales; England runs different systems and Wales has avoided the headline-grabbing comments from the Red Cross and hasn't seen as harsh cuts in care budgets. Objectively-speaking we're in a better position than we were last year.
Tuesday, 6 December 2016
FMQs: PISA, Article 50 & Bank Closures
Obviously the big story today is the OECD's PISA 2015 results – I'm pushing to get something done for tomorrow but I'm currently unwell 😰. In the meantime, there's the penultimate FMQs of 2016 with PISA featuring heavily as you might expect.
Tuesday, 29 November 2016
FMQs : Sepsis, Letting Fees & Sport Wales
Sometimes AMs discuss stuff that only matters to themselves or those who lobby them. Sometimes they concentrate on things that have more topical relevance – as they did today.
