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

Image source, Senedd Cymru

Image source, Getty Images

Conservative Janet Finch-Saunders raises concerns about "the 12 per cent fall in house prices in north-west Wales in the year to November 2024" and about the number of homeless people living in temporary accommodation.

The first minister replies "we want people to be able to afford to live in the communities that they grew up in and we’re investing a record £1.4 billion this term to support affordable housing. Our approach, we think, is balanced and innovative; for example, we've introduced powers so local authorities can respond to local circumstances and housing needs".

Janet Finch-Saunders says "there needs to be more done to be able to build many more affordable houses quickly. Under your failed planning system, however, you're just not delivering anywhere near the numbers you should be".

She warns "you are allowing home prices to drop as a result of all of the regulatory burdens that you have brought in" and about "the many homeless people we see trapped in temporary accommodation for not just months but years".

The local authority in Gwynedd, north-west Wales, recently introduced a requirement to obtain planning permission to turn residential properties into second homes or holiday lets.

It is also one of a number of Welsh councils which charges a 150% council tax premium on such properties, having upped this from 100% in 2023.

The fall in value represents the biggest annual drop of any region in the Principality Building Society's Wales House Price Index, external, covering residential property sales in the final three months of 2024.

The council, Cyngor Gwynedd, has said its aim was to "increase the availability of high-quality, affordable homes for local people".

Image source, Senedd Cymru

Labour MS Mike Hedges expresses concerns about the decline in the numbers studying modern foreign languages in Wales.

He says "the most recent figures I have found show that GCSE entries of modern foreign languages in Wales have declined substantially. And at A-level, entries for modern foreign languages have halved since 2001. Several universities have closed their modern foreign languages departments due to declining student numbers."

The first minister says this makes her "particularly sad as somebody who studied international languages at university" but she says "our Global Futures plan sets out a clear vision to support international languages in our schools and we have extended this for a further year to demonstrate our commitment to supporting schools".

Image source, Senedd Cymru

Image source, Senedd Cymru

Plaid Cymru MS Llŷr Gruffydd expresses concerns again about a lack of availability of NHS dental treatment in north Wales.

He says "another week and another NHS dental contract handed back, in Denbigh this time - the seventh within just a few months, and that's at short notice. The agreement comes to an end on 1 April, which means that residents have less than a month to find alternative services, and those are added to the thousands of others who have been deprived of dental services under the NHS recently."

The first minister replies, "we have examples in Amlwch, in Connah's Quay, Dolgellau, Caernarfon, in Colwyn Bay, where these are new practices that have been rewarded. And let's not forget that when they hand the contract back, that's not the end of it; we re-contract them, we resubmit those programmes, so you don't lose it altogether. And I think it is really important that there is an understanding that we are in that process, £5 million very, very soon about to be determined in Betsi Cadwaladr in relation to dentistry."

Dentists who want to treat NHS patients sign a contract with the Welsh government, which then gives them money per patient under the condition of certain targets, such as seeing a certain number of new patients.

If these targets are not met, dentists may have to pay some money back as a penalty.

But according to the British Dental Association, any person seeing an NHS dentist has the same monetary value to the practice if they have a check up or have hours of treatment.

Image source, Senedd Cymru

Plaid Cymru leader Rhun ap Iorwerth asks whether the first minister accepts responsibility for north Wales’ health board remaining under the highest level of support and for progress being "slow".

He says "it's been almost 10 years since the board was placed in special measures. Since then, four Labour health ministers have tried and failed to ensure that the board can operate without government intervention. No other health board in Britain has been under such supervision for so long."

Betsi Cadwaladr Health Board was put back into special measures by the Welsh government in February 2023 following a damning audit report. The board had come out of special measures only two years earlier.

The first minister says, "we set out the strategic direction of travel, we give the money, and it is up to the health boards to determine how that should be spent, in accordance with the health priority needs in their areas. And I don’t think it’s fair to say that things haven’t improved in Betsi. Let me just give you some examples: if you look at local primary mental health support services, they were in a difficult situation. But by today, 88 per cent of people are being seen within the 28-day target. That is a huge and significant difference, compared to where we were before. Over the last 12 months, there’s been a 21 per cent reduction in two-year trauma and orthopaedics, and that is before we bring on the new orthopaedic centre based in Llandudno. The number of pathways of care delayed discharges decreased by almost 10 per cent, when compared to the same month last year."

Image source, Senedd Cymru

Darren Millar, leader of the Welsh Conservatives in the Senedd, says the inheritance tax changes announced by the UK Labour government are a "hammer blow" to farmers.

In Chancellor Rachel Reeves' Budget on 30 October it was announced inherited agricultural properties worth more than £1m would be subject to inheritance tax at 20% from April 2026.

The first minister replies "inheritance tax is a reserved tax, which is overseen by the UK government. They've taken some very tough decisions as a part of its budget as a result of the legacy left to us by 14 years of Tory government. Now, what I can tell you is that the Deputy First Minister has had very constructive conversations with the farmers' unions, has made sure that the farmers' unions of Wales have been able to make representations directly to the Treasury, and I know that he's very keen to make sure that he follows up on those conversations."

Darren Millar responds, "you were all very quick when there was a UK Conservative government to leap up and scream about things that were non-devolved matters, yet, on this issue, you've been absolutely silent. It's high time, I think, that your Welsh Labour Government stood up for our Welsh farmers, rather than standing up for the UK Labour government that is seeking to milk them dry".

The UK government has claimed the changes will only affect the wealthiest 500 farms each year, but farming groups argue as many as 70,000 could be affected.

Image source, Getty Images

Image source, Senedd Cymru

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

Former Conservative leader Andrew RT Davies seeks "an update on what support the Welsh government is providing to Welsh universities".

First Minister Eluned Morgan replies that the Welsh government has provided £28.5 million in additional grant funding during the current financial year, and twice increased the tuition fee cap.

Andrew RT Davies highlights the "blocks that have been put on universities discussing potential mergers of courses, so that those courses could be provided in a certain geographical area, by the Competition and Markets Authority".

The first minister says "I think this is an issue that has been highlighted as a result of the announcement that came from Cardiff University and why they couldn't discuss more broadly prior to the announcement. And part of the answer to that was that the Competition and Markets Authority might have restricted their ability to do that. We are looking at whether that is an overinterpretation of what the Competition and Markets Authority is saying, and we are certainly interested as a government to make sure that we do more all-Wales, pan-Wales planning, where people can co-ordinate and work together for the benefit of the nation."

Bangor University and the University of South Wales have announced plans to cut 200 and 90 jobs respectively, while Cardiff University is also looking to cut 400 jobs.

Image source, Alamy

Image source, Getty Images

Hello and welcome to our live coverage of Eluned Morgan’s twentieth 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.