Motions and Amendments for Debate on 20 January 2016
Motions tabled on 13 January 2016
Short Debate
NDM5924 Lynne Neagle (Torfaen): A national dementia strategy for Wales – responding to the health challenge of our time.
NDM5922 David Melding (South Wales Central)
The National Assembly for Wales:
Notes the report of the Constitutional and Legislative Affairs Committee on its inquiry into Making Laws in Wales, laid in the Table Office on 8 October 2015.
The Welsh Government's response to the report was laid in the Table Office on 13 January 2016.
The Assembly Commission's response to the report was laid in the Table Office on 13 January 2016.
NDM5920 Paul Davies (Preseli Pembrokeshire)
To propose that the National Assembly for Wales:
1. Notes the findings from the interim report into the Review of Higher Education Funding and Student Finance Arrangements in Wales, which states the existing system is "not sustainable", echoing calls from Universities Wales, the Learned Society of Wales and University and College Union;
2. Recognises the need, identified by the interim report, for the Welsh Government to "revisit the tuition fee grant policy" in Wales;
3. Believes the Welsh Government should remodel higher education funding in Wales, implementing a more sustainable policy and offering greater priority to a progressive system of living cost support.
Independent Review of Higher Education Funding and Student Finance Arrangements
NDM5923 Paul Davies (Preseli Pembrokeshire)
To propose that the National Assembly for Wales:
1. Notes that communities across Wales have been devastated by flooding in recent weeks; and pays tribute to the work of all of those who have provided vital support to those communities;
2. Recognises the importance of thorough, collaborative engagement with stakeholders across Wales in the development of a robust, flood prevention strategy; and
3. Calls on the Welsh Government to take immediate, tangible action to support flood-hit communities, including:
a) exploring the viability of providing rate relief to impacted businesses;
b) reviewing how the Trunk Road Agency responds to adverse weather conditions, and in particular assessing the management of the A55 in relation to flooding;
c) providing additional freedoms to farmers and landowners to undertake any necessary clearance of ditches, drains and agricultural channels; and
d) assessing how the Rural Development Programme can better support flood prevention schemes for communities affected by flooding.
Amendments tabled on 14 January 2016
To propose that the Assembly resolves to adopt the following amendments to motions:
NDM5920
1. Aled Roberts (North Wales)
Insert as new point 2 and renumber accordingly:
Notes the Welsh Liberal Democrat 2013 policy report 'Fairness and Freedom in Higher Education' which calls for a student living support grant, to shift the focus of government assistance from tuition fee debt relief to support for living costs, as a fairer and more effective way of ensuring finance is not a barrier to higher education.
Fairness and Freedom in Higher Education
2. Aled Roberts (North Wales)
Insert as new point 2 and renumber accordingly:
Notes the National Union of Students' policy report, 'Pound in Your Pocket', which found that 58 per cent of students regularly worry about not having enough money to meet their basic living expenses such as rent or utility bills.
3. Aled Roberts (North Wales)
At end of point 3, insert:
'such as by the introduction of a student living support grant.'
NDM5923
1. Aled Roberts (North Wales)
Insert as new point 3 and renumber accordingly:
Regrets the failure of the UK Government to apply for EU solidarity funds for flood relief.
2. Aled Roberts (North Wales)
Insert as new point 3 and renumber accordingly:
Regrets the decision of the UK Government to cut support for clean energy projects, which threatens our ability to tackle climate change and will increase the risk of extreme weather conditions and flooding in the future.
3. Aled Roberts (North Wales)
Insert as new sub-point at end of point 3:
Promoting schemes to alleviate flood risk through innovative land management including by planting trees and vegetation to slow run-off, restoring wetland areas, and creating safe flood reservoirs.
4. Elin Jones (Ceredigion)
Add as new point at end of motion:
Calls on the Welsh Government to strengthen the planning guidance regarding development on land susceptible to flooding.
5. Elin Jones (Ceredigion)
Add as new point at end of motion:
Calls on the Welsh Government to make more use of the natural environment in its management of flood risk.
Amendments tabled on 15 January 2016
To propose that the Assembly resolves to adopt the following amendments to motions:
NDM5920
1. Elin Jones (Ceredigion)
Add as new point at end of motion:
Condemns the severe cut to HEFCW's funding in the draft budget 2016-2017, which comes as a direct consequence of the Welsh Government's current fees policy. Believes that this is likely to lead to damaging cuts in support for part time students, research, high cost subjects and the Coleg Cymraeg Cenedlaethol.
NDM5923
2. Jane Hutt (Vale of Glamorgan)
At start of sub-point 3c), insert:
'reviewing the evidence for'