Eluned Morgan’s fifteenth session as first minister comes to a close.

Image source, Senedd Cymru

Image source, Colin Barnett

Conservative Paul Davies calls for a public inquiry into a controversial landfill site, saying "it's vital that lessons are learned so that residents can live without the threat of their health being compromised because of the operations at this specific landfill site."

Residents near the Withyhedge landfill site near Haverfordwest, Pembrokeshire, have described it as like “a stink bomb on steroids”.

The first minister replies that public inquiries take up a great deal of resources and time, and people "would rather us just get on with it".

She adds, "I hear that they've already resumed waste acceptance to the site. I understand that staff from Natural Resources Wales, Public Health Wales, Pembrokeshire County Council and the health board attended a public engagement session. There were about 60 members of the public there. I know there's a high level of concern from residents still, and I've also had representation. I know NRW try to reassure some of the members there in terms of the investment the company has made in terms of onsite infrastructure, in particular to the landfill gas management system. I can assure you that I'll keep a very close eye on this, and if those concerns continue, then we will have to just discuss with NRW what concrete additional steps will have to be taken."

The company which operates the site has denied unsuitable waste has been placed in landfill and has apologised to residents for the smell.

The firm's director, David Neal, who has twice been convicted for environmental offences, has been at the centre of a row involving a £200,000 donation from his company to the leadership campaign of former first minister Vaughan Gething.

Mr Neal was given a suspended prison sentence in 2013 for illegally dumping waste on a conservation site and four years later he was prosecuted again for not removing it.

Mr Gething has always maintained the rules over the donations have been followed.

Image source, Senedd Cymru

Former Labour Welsh government counsel general Mick Antoniw asks "what discussions has the first minister had with the UK government regarding HS2 consequential funding for Wales?"

The first minister says she does so "very regularly".

Because HS2 was designated as an England and Wales project, Wales gets no additional funding as a result despite none of the planned track reaching the country.

Mick Antoniw joins the the first minister in welcoming an admission by the UK government that spending to improve Wales' railways has been at "low levels" in recent years.

But he says the "HS2 issue has not gone away, we continue to have a constitutional entitlement to consequential rail investment in England, whether the Treasury pretends that HS2 has gone away or not, so this issue needs a proper resolution."

No new money has been announced, but Eluned Morgan says talks were taking place on rail investment.

She says, "I'm really pleased that the very strong representations that we've been making so far are starting to achieve those first results. It is a long journey, but it's a journey that other people tried without success with the Tory government. I'm pleased to see that we are seeing some shift from the UK Labour government. We are in discussions with the UK government in relation to rail funding, and there's a package of measures, including funding for enhancements to the core Valley lines, that is being discussed."

Differing figures have been given for how much politicians think Wales is owed from HS2, from £4bn suggested by Plaid Cymru and the Welsh government in the past to £350m in the most recent figures from Welsh ministers.

Image source, HS2

Image source, Senedd Cymru

Plaid Cymru leader Rhun ap Iorwerth says his party asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer Rachel Reeves in a written question "what recent discussions she has had with the Welsh government on devolving management of the Crown Estate to Wales?"

He quotes the answer by Chief Secretary to the Treasury Darren Jones: "The UK government has had no discussions with the Welsh government on devolving the Crown Estate."

The first minister replies, "I can assure you that they are taking place. Perhaps Darren Jones hasn't been involved in them, but I can assure you that other ministers have been involved in them. The finance secretary has had discussions very recently; I've mentioned this. I've brought it up with the Chancellor, and I know that the Deputy First Minister - it's part of his constitutional discussions as well. So, just because Darren Jones doesn't know about it, it doesn't mean that there aren't other people in the government who are involved and engaged in this."

Rhun ap Iorwerth says "as first minister I would be ready to make the positive case for the devolution of the Crown Estate every single day, and I'll do it now. Like they do in Scotland, Wales could do more to tap into our renewable energy potential, reinvest the profits in our communities, create more jobs."

Profits from the Crown Estate - a property business owned by the monarch but run independently - go to the Treasury. The level of profit made by the Crown Estate is used as a benchmark to calculate the funding given by the government to the Royal Family in the form of the Sovereign Grant.

The taxpayer-funded Sovereign Grant will rise to £132 million in the next financial year, after profits from the Crown Estate increased to £1.1 billion.

The estate's holdings north of the border were devolved to Scotland in 2016, and its revenue now goes to the Scottish government.

Image source, Principle Power

Image source, Senedd Cymru

Darren Millar, leader of the Welsh Conservatives in the Senedd, begins by inviting the first minister "to join with me and all of the Welsh Conservatives in congratulating the forty-seventh President of the United States of America, Donald Trump, on his inauguration yesterday".

On the election of Donald Trump, the first minister says "I think it is important for us to recognise that there are 40,000 people in Wales who work for US companies, so maintaining a relationship with the United States is critical for them. It counts also for 14 per cent of our exports and is the largest inward investor in Wales. So, keeping a relationship with one of the most powerful companies in the world, I think, is important, irrespective of who is running the country."

Darren Millar refers to an RCN (Royal College of Nursing) report in which nurses share the "devastating" impact of corridor care.

He also quotes a coroner who said Cwm Taf Morgannwg University Health Board has "normalised" treating emergency patients in corridors. The "unsafe" practice compromised patient hygiene, nutrition and ability to sleep, coroner David Regan has said. Mr Regan issued Cwm Taf Morgannwg University Health Board with a prevention of future deaths report during an inquest for a 16-year-old boy, Jackson Yeow, who died after waiting nine hours for an ambulance. Mr Regan said care for patients in the emergency department at the board's Princess of Wales Hospital, in Bridgend was "frequently" provided in corridors and other non-clinical spaces, which could "slow the process of ambulance handovers".

Mr Millar describes the RCN report as "shocking" and says "the single biggest contributor to the failure of our NHS to meet the needs of patients and staff is the Welsh Labour government, that’s been responsible for our NHS in Wales for over 26 years, and you’ve been the health secretary for three of them."

He asks the first minister to acknowledge there is a "crisis" in NHS Wales.

Eluned Morgan says "I think that the NHS does absolutely incredible work week in, week out, and people on the front row, more than ever before, more than 100,000 people on our front lines, working day in, day out, tirelessly, in the face of that huge, huge demand. And let me tell you, that when it comes to the front line, it is important to remember that the equivalent of two-thirds of the population have contact with the NHS in Wales on a monthly basis; the vast, vast majority of them having a very good service."

She adds, "we've got a strategic plan, when it comes to health. It was built together with stakeholders, with the public, it was built together with experts, and the RCN were also involved in the development of that plan."

Plaid Cymru MS Siân Gwenllian asks "what discussions is the Welsh government having with the Post Office about the reduction of essential services in Arfon?"

Mobile services will no longer be provided at Efailnewydd, Llanaelhaearn, Bryncir, Llithfaen, Pant Glas, Aberech Road, Minffordd, Borth-Y-Gest, Nasareth, Llanfrothan, Y Fron, Rhosgadfan, Llangybi, Talysarn, Edern, Ffestiniog, Chwilog, Morfa Bychan, Sarn, Llanfair and Llanbedr.

Cricieth Post Office will close at 5.30pm on Friday, January 31 – although the vacancy to run the branch is still being advertised.

The upheaval comes amid ongoing concerns over Caernarfon Post Office.

Siân Gwenllian accuses the Post Office of "turning its back on Gwynedd" and calls on the first minister "to turn every stone in order to restore and safeguard these crucial services".

The first minister replies, "I'm very sorry to hear that, and I'm sure that that will have an impact on the local population. I do know that many people do favour a face-to-face service, particularly elderly people. I know that this does cause a concern for you and also for us as a government. There is a responsibility on the Post Office to ensure that 99 per cent of people live within three miles of a local Post Office. Now, that doesn't help the kind of area that you have because they're part of the one per cent who aren't represented. So, I'm happy to ask our minister with responsibility for having discussions with the Post Office and others involved in ensuring that people do have other ways to gain access to money, for example. We will make representations on this issue."

A Post Office spokesperson has said, “Post Office has undertaken a comprehensive review of the network to ensure that it continues to meet evolving customer needs in a very challenging economic climate.

“This review examined the network at a very detailed, local level, analysing customer demand and accessibility of Post Office products and services.

“Consequently, it has informed our plans for the network as we work to ensure that our funding and resources are allocated to deliver maximum benefit for all customers."

Llywydd Elin Jones conducts a ballot to determine the names of members who may table questions to the first minister.

Conservative Mark Isherwood raises the need to ensure town centres are fully accessible for people who are blind or partially sighted.

He says, "RNIB Cymru is continuing to call on the Welsh government to prioritise the safety of disabled people by incorporating their key principles of inclusive street design into the Welsh government’s active travel guidance. And Guide Dogs Cymru are calling on the Welsh government to act on the findings of their Designing for Inclusion research, and to revise the active travel guidance technical advice note 18 and other relevant guidance, with the involvement of disabled people and other infrastructure users."

First Minister Eluned Morgan replies, "I do think it’s important that everybody feels they can be a part of our community. And, to ensure that, we need to make sure that people with disabilities don’t feel locked out; they need to be a part of the process of the development of policies. So, we’ve asked the local authorities to ensure that when they’re working out how to develop their town centres, they take that into account, including people who are blind."

During an inquiry looking at how town centre regeneration is working across Wales, the Senedd’s Public Accounts and Public Administration Committee, external, chaired by Mark Isherwood, heard that the lack of simple and integrated transport systems are preventing people from visiting town centres more often, preferring to use out-of-town locations instead.

The committee’s report, published in January 2024, contained eight recommendations for the Welsh government on how it can better deliver town centres regeneration across Wales, focusing on non-domestic rates, planning policy, transport, regional partnership and on empty properties. All of these recommendations were accepted by the Welsh government.

Image source, Senedd Cymru

Hello and welcome to our live coverage of Eluned Morgan’s fifteenth session of First Minister's Questions.

The meeting is held in a hybrid format, with some members in the Siambr (Senedd chamber) and others joining by video-conference.

You can click on the play button above to watch the proceedings from 1.30pm.