Third Assembly Plenary Meeting

Votes and Proceedings (147)

Date: Wednesday, 15 July 2009
Time: 13.30

Item 1: Questions to the Counsel General

Questions 1 and 2 were grouped together for answer. Both questions were answered.

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13.32
Item 2: Questions to the Minister for Rural Affairs

The first 9 questions were answered.

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14.11
Item 3: Questions to the Minister for the Environment, Sustainability and Housing

All 15 questions were answered. Questions 1, 6, 9, 10 and 15 were withdrawn. Questions 8 and 14 were answered by the Deputy Minister for Housing. Questions 11, 12 and 13 were not asked.

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14.42
Item 4: Statement by the Deputy First Minister and Minister for the Economy and Transport : The National Transport Plan  

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15.53
Item 5: Statement by the Minister for Social Justice and Local Government on the Wales Audit Office Report into Anglesey Council

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16.19
Item 6: Motion in relation to Committee scrutiny of the Highways and Transport Legislative Competence Order

NDM4267 Dafydd Elis-Thomas (Dwyfor Meirionnydd)

The National Assembly for Wales, in accordance with Standing Order 22.16(ii) agrees that there should be no detailed consideration by committee of the proposed National Assembly for Wales (Legislative Competence) (Highways and Transport) Order 2009.

The motion was agreed, in accordance with Standing Order 7.35.

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16.27
Item 7: Protocol from the Committee on Standards of Conduct in accordance with Standing Order 1.13

NDM4271 Jeff Cuthbert (Caerphilly)

To propose that the National Assembly for Wales:

Approves the National Assembly for Wales Code on the different roles and responsibilities of constituency Members and regional Members - drafted by the Committee on Standards of Conduct in accordance with SO1.13 and laid in the Table Office on 3 July 2009.

The motion was agreed, in accordance with Standing Order 7.35.

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16:31
Item 8: Debate on the Sustainability Committee's Report into Carbon Reduction by Energy Production

NDM4268 Mick Bates (Montgomeryshire)

The National Assembly for Wales:

Notes the report of the Sustainability Committee on Carbon Reduction from Energy Production: 4th Report of the Sustainability Committee's Inquiry into Carbon Reduction in Wales which was laid in the Table Office on 13 May 2009.

Note: The response of the Minister for the Environment, Sustainability and Housing to the report was laid in the Table Office on 8 July 2009.

The motion was agreed, in accordance with Standing Order 7.35.

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17:12
Item 9: Welsh Conservatives Debate

NDM4270 Alun Cairns (South Wales West)

The National Assembly for Wales;

1)  Notes with concern that the road infrastructure of Wales may lack the necessary capital investment required to meet the strategic needs of an economy recovering from recession.

2) Believes that east-west trunk roads must be developed and maintained as a key priority if the Welsh economy is to improve its GVA position in relation to the rest of the UK.

3) Regrets the delays announced by the Deputy First Minister in the development of key arterial routes.

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

A vote was taken on the motion without amendment:

The motion without amendment was not agreed.

The following amendments were tabled:

Amendment 1 - Carwyn Jones (Bridgend)

Delete all and replace with:

"The National Assembly for Wales;

1. Welcomes the publication of the National Transport Plan on Wednesday, 15 July,

2. Believes the plan achieves the right balance of integrated transport schemes for the economy of Wales,

3. Confirms that this Welsh Assembly Government has not delayed the development of key arterial routes.”

A vote was taken on amendment 1:

Amendment 1 was agreed.

Amendment 2 - Peter Black (South Wales West) - As amendment 1 was agreed, amendment 2 was deselected.

In point 1, delete 'road' and replace with 'transport'.

Amendment 3 - Peter Black (South Wales West) - As amendment 1 was agreed, amendment 3 was deselected.

In point 2, delete 'trunk roads' and replace with 'transport infrastructure'.

A vote was taken on the motion as amended:

NDM4270 Alun Cairns (South Wales West)

The National Assembly for Wales;

1. Welcomes the publication of the National Transport Plan on Wednesday, 15 July,

2. Believes the plan achieves the right balance of integrated transport schemes for the economy of Wales,

3. Confirms that this Welsh Assembly Government has not delayed the development of key arterial routes.

The motion as amended was agreed.

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18:17
Item 10: Welsh Liberal Democrats Debate

NDM4269 Peter Black (South Wales West)

The National Assembly for Wales:

1. Notes the current financial and operational difficulties facing the Welsh Ambulance Service.

2. Calls on the Welsh government to seek to:

(a) Provide financial stability and certainty for the Welsh Ambulance Service,

(b) Bring forward capital bids to fast-track investment in infrastructure and operational resources,

(c) Review the number of acute beds at the busiest locations to help reduce ambulance waiting times,

(d) Develop effective telephone triage services across Wales,

(e) Ring-fence rural ambulance provision.

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

A vote was taken on the motion without amendment:

The motion without amendment was not agreed.

The following amendments were tabled:

Amendment 1 - Carwyn Jones (Bridgend)

Delete all and replace with:

"The National Assembly for Wales;

1. Notes the operational difficulties which have faced the Welsh Ambulance Service,

2. Recognises the actions taken by the Assembly Government: to

(a) support recruitment to full establishment at an operational and senior executive level,

(b) secure additional non-executive expertise,

(c) establish close partnership working to reduce excessive patient handover times,

(d)  develop effective telephone triage services across Wales,

(e) provide capital and revenue resources to bring about stability, certainty and service improvement in all parts of Wales.”

A vote was taken on amendment 1:

Amendment 1 was agreed.

Amendment 2 - Alun Cairns (South Wales West)

Add new point at end of motion:

"Calls on the Welsh Assembly Government to take measures to ensure that there are sufficient numbers of staffed ambulances on duty to improve response times and patient care.”

A vote was taken on amendment 2:

Amendment 2 was not agreed.

Amendment 3 - Alun Cairns (South Wales West)

Add new point at end of motion:

"Calls on the Welsh Assembly Government to reconsider how performance of the Welsh Ambulance Service is measured.”

A vote was taken on amendment 3:

Amendment 3 was not agreed.

Amendment 4 - Alun Cairns (South Wales West)

Add new point at end of motion:

"Calls on the Welsh Assembly Government to invest in new technology which will allow the Welsh Ambulance Service to improve its performance.”

A vote was taken on amendment 4:

Amendment 4 was not agreed.

Amendment 5 - Alun Cairns (South Wales West)

Add new point at end of motion:

"Regrets the loss of bed capacity and notes the pressure this is putting on both the Ambulance Service and A&E departments.”

A vote was taken on amendment 5:

Amendment 5 was not agreed.

A vote was taken on the motion as amended:

NDM4269 Peter Black (South Wales West)

The National Assembly for Wales:

1. Notes the operational difficulties which have faced the Welsh Ambulance Service,

2. Recognises the actions taken by the Assembly Government: to

(a) support recruitment to full establishment at an operational and senior executive level,

(b) secure additional non-executive expertise,

(c) establish close partnership working to reduce excessive patient handover times,

(d)  develop effective telephone triage services across Wales,

(e) provide capital and revenue resources to bring about stability, certainty and service improvement in all parts of Wales.

The motion as amended was agreed.

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19:04
Voting Time

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19:08
Procedural Motion

Bethan Jenkins moved a procedural motion in accordance with Standing Order 7.26 to postpone the Short Debate.

The motion was agreed, in accordance with Standing Order 7.35.

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Item 11: Short Debate - This Item was Postponed

NDM4272 Bethan Jenkins (South Wales West):

A Presumption Against Opencast Mining in Wales?

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The meeting concluded at 19:08

The Assembly will sit again in Plenary at 13.30 on Tuesday 22 September 2009

Chamber Secretariat