Third Assembly Plenary Meeting

Votes and Proceedings (112)

Date: Tuesday, 10 February 2009
Time: 1.30pm

Item 1:  Questions to the First Minister

The first 10 questions were answered.

………………………

2.29pm
Item 2: Business Statement and Announcement

………………………

2.39pm
Item 3: Debate on the Police Settlement

NDM4131 Carwyn Jones (Bridgend)

To propose that the National Assembly for Wales, in accordance with Section 84H of the Local Government Finance Act 1988:

Approves the Local Government Finance Report (No. 2) 2009-2010 (Final Settlement - Police) laid in Table Office and e-mailed to Assembly Members on Tuesday 03 February.

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

A vote was taken on the Motion

Votes and Proceedings

For	Abstain	Against	Total
30	5	10	45

The Motion was agreed.

………………………

3.26pm
Item 4: Debate on the Housing Strategy

NDM4132 Carwyn Jones (Bridgend)

To propose that the National Assembly for Wales:

Welcomes the consultation on Sustainable Homes: A National Housing Strategy for Wales.

The following amendments were tabled:

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

Amendment 1 - William Graham (South Wales East)

Add as new point at end of motion:

"Recognises the need for urgent implementation of a National Housing Recovery Plan.”

A vote was taken on Amendment 1

Votes and Proceedings

For	Abstain	Against	Total
14	0	31	45

Amendment 1 was not agreed.

Amendment 2 - Peter Black (South Wales West)

Add as new point at end of motion:

"Calls on the Welsh Assembly Government to introduce a full-funded empty homes strategy which includes assistance for councils and housing associations to borrow money to buy up empty new homes for social housing.”

A vote was taken on Amendment 2

Votes and Proceedings

For	Abstain	Against	Total
5	10	31	46

Amendment 2 was not agreed.

Amendment 3 - Peter Black (South Wales West)

Add as new point at end of motion:

"Calls on the Welsh Assembly Government to allow councils greater flexibility to impose punitive council tax rates on long term empty homes so as to encourage owners to bring them back into use and to compensate communities for the blight they impose locally.”

A vote was taken on Amendment 3

Votes and Proceedings

For	Abstain	Against	Total
5	0	41	46

Amendment 3 was not agreed.

Amendment 4 - Peter Black (South Wales West)

Add as new point at end of motion:

"Calls on the Welsh Assembly Government to make representations to the UK government to reduce the rate of VAT on building repairs and improvement work to existing buildings.”

A vote was taken on Amendment 4

Votes and Proceedings

For	Abstain	Against	Total
36	10	0	46

Amendment 4 was agreed.

A vote was taken on the Motion as Amended

NDM4132 Carwyn Jones (Bridgend)

To propose that the National Assembly for Wales:

Welcomes the consultation on Sustainable Homes: A National Housing Strategy for Wales.

Calls on the Welsh Assembly Government to make representations to the UK government to reduce the rate of VAT on building repairs and improvement work to existing buildings.

Votes and Proceedings

For	Abstain	Against	Total
36	0	10	46

The Motion as amended was agreed.

………………………

4.11pm
Item 5: Debate following the 4th Economic Summit

NDM4133 Carwyn Jones (Bridgend)

To propose that the National Assembly for Wales:

Notes the meeting of the Economic Summit on 6th February and endorses the action taken by the Welsh Assembly Government to date.

The following amendments were tabled:

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

Amendment 1 - William Graham (South Wales East)

Add new point at the end of the motion:

"Regrets the absence of a clear action plan and implementation timetable for the Welsh Assembly Government's response to the recession.”

A vote was taken on Amendment 1

Votes and Proceedings

For	Abstain	Against	Total
15	0	31	46

Amendment 1 was not agreed.

Amendment 2 - William Graham (South Wales East)

Add new point at the end of the motion:

"Regrets the Welsh Assembly Government’s failure to involve the Higher Education and Further Education sectors in its Economic Summits.”

A vote was taken on Amendment 2

Votes and Proceedings

For	Abstain	Against	Total
15	0	31	46

Amendment 2 was not agreed.

Amendment 3 - Peter Black (South Wales West)

Add as new point at end of motion:

"Calls on the Welsh Assembly Government to increase its funding for the Further Education sector to enable it to respond swiftly to the need to retrain those made redundant or those in danger of being made redundant.”

A vote was taken on Amendment 3

Votes and Proceedings

For	Abstain	Against	Total
15	0	31	46

Amendment 3 was not agreed.

Amendment 4 - Peter Black (South Wales West)

Add as new point at end of motion:

"Calls on the Welsh Assembly Government to amend the application process for the ProAct scheme to make it easier for applicants to access the scheme.”

A vote was taken on Amendment 4

Votes and Proceedings

For	Abstain	Against	Total
15	0	31	46

Amendment 4 was not agreed.

A vote was taken on the Motion

NDM4133 Carwyn Jones (Bridgend)

To propose that the National Assembly for Wales:

Notes the meeting of the Economic Summit on 6th February and endorses the action taken by the Welsh Assembly Government to date.

Votes and Proceedings

For	Abstain	Against	Total
31	0	15	46

The Motion was agreed.

The meeting concluded at 5.07pm.

The Assembly will sit again in Plenary at 1.30pm on Wednesday 11 February 2009

Chamber Secretariat