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

Image source, Senedd Cymru

Conservative James Evans says "communities across mid Wales feel utterly ignored as our beautiful countryside is being targeted by speculative and often opaque wind farm developers, many of them driven by profit and not any genuine commitment to sustainability or community development".

He calls on the Welsh government to ban onshore wind developments.

Eluned Morgan replies, "our Labour government thinks that climate change is real, and it's a serious issue that needs to be addressed. What we need to do is to make sure that we play our part in addressing that climate issue. Now, what we also know is that by 2050, we expect to see a three-fold increase in the amount of electricity used in Wales. How do you propose that we can fix that unless we have continued dependence on people from other countries? You've seen the prices that people are paying today in Wales as a result of our overt dependence on imported energy."

The Welsh government has set a target for Wales to generate enough renewable electricity to meet 70% of what's used in Wales by 2030, rising to 100% by 2035.

Trydan Gwyrdd Cymru was set up by the Welsh government to speed up the delivery of renewable energy projects on public land while ensuring the profits stayed in Wales.

Image source, Senedd Cymru

Image source, Senedd Cymru

Labour MS Julie Morgan raises the need to promote organ donation.

She draws attention to a "new memorial garden to educate and support and honour those around organ donation" being opened at Thornhill crematorium in Cardiff.

"Legislation can only take you so far" says the first minister and she encourages families to discuss the topic.

Wales was the first nation in the UK to introduce an opt-out organ donation system in 2015.

However, more than 200 people have died waiting in the past decade, and more than 300 remain on the list, according to the NHS, with misconceptions about the law blamed for the figures.

Currently in Wales adults who have lived in the country for more than 12 months are considered organ donors unless they opt out, external.

Consent can be given by registering or by doing nothing, but families still have the power to refuse donation if their loved ones did not opt out - which is causing problems.

The easiest way to register as a donor is online, external or by calling 0300 1232323.

Image source, Getty Images

A decision by the Welsh government to withdraw funding from a digital skills programme and replace it with an English university’s scheme is criticised by Plaid Cymru's Sioned Williams.

She explains, "for more than two decades the Technocamps programme based at Swansea University has been delivered by computer science departments across Welsh universities, training around 900 teachers and running bilingual workshops for 30,000 pupils annually. I had the pleasure of visiting a Technocamps workshop at Swansea University, and I saw how they deliver on the government's strategic goals for digital education. They provide successful, bespoke, bilingual, face-to-face support for 900 teachers each year, ensuring every school in Wales is fully supported. But these teachers are now concerned that the government has cut Technocamps funding and that instead of this support, £1.4 million, twice the funding Technocamps received, is being given to the University of York to provide online resources, with only face-to-face sessions in priority areas. How can the government consider this to be an adequate, cost-effective replacement for in-person, local, made-in-Wales support?"

Eluned Morgan replies, "applicants for this grant went, as I understand it, through a robust process of appraisal and moderation against published specification. We had a number of different applications, so difficult decisions had to be made. We've prioritised professional learning, so we're giving schools the tools to do the job and to ensure schools across Wales benefit from our investment. We've increased our funding to develop computing and digital skills to £1.4 million over the next three years."

Image source, Senedd Cymru

Image source, Senedd Cymru

Plaid Cymru leader Rhun ap Iorwerth refers to HS2 and the issue of "fair funding" for Wales.

He refers to evidence given to the Senedd’s infrastructure committee last week by Peter Hendy, the Labour UK government's minister of state for rail.

Lord Hendy had said in 2023, before being appointed to the minister role, that “something is amiss” with the way the Barnett funding formula is applied to HS2, but in the committee last week he confirmed the nation will not receive a multi-billion-pound windfall.

Lord Hendy told the committee: “At the time I made my previous comments, I wasn’t a minister in the government – now I am and… the whole way in which the Barnett formula and Barnett consequentials work is about the devolution statement and a matter for wider government.”

Rhun ap Iorwerth asks "what happened to principles?" and whether the first minister was as "staggered" as he was by Lord Hendy's comments.

Eluned Morgan replies "I will always stand up for Wales. I think that there is, and was, an injustice when it came to rail underfunding. I'm glad that the UK Labour Party has started to correct that injustice, but let's be clear: it is just the start. We have a long way to go, and I will be looking for a longer term commitment from the UK government. We're not always going to get what we want, but I'll tell you what, I'm going to be pushing and pushing and pushing to make sure that Wales's voice is heard at every level of government in the UK."

HS2 is deemed to be an England-and-Wales project - although none of the track will reach Wales - so Wales gets no extra cash, which would be the case if it was England-only.

Rhun ap Iorwerth concludes, "what happened to the partnership in power? Isn't Neal Lawson right in his article on the death of Labour in Wales in the New Statesman this week, that Labour now stands for orthodoxy, caution and the establishment, that people are desperate for change, and that Plaid Cymru is the face of that progressive change for Wales?"

Image source, HS2

Darren Millar, leader of the Welsh Conservatives in the Senedd, calls for more "urgency" in establishing a public inquiry into grooming gangs.

He says, "you'll recall that, back in January, I outlined that there was clear evidence of child exploitation by grooming gangs here in Wales. Your government denied at that time that this was the case, and you challenged me then to provide evidence, even though the independent inquiry into child sexual abuse had already identified exploitation by gangs in Swansea, and in spite of the bravery of victims like Emily Vaughn, who spoke openly about their experiences. You also failed to back my calls, at that time, for a public inquiry. You, in addition, refused to publish correspondence between the Welsh government, the police and social services departments in Wales. And you went on to say, and I quote, that there were 'no current widespread issues' with regards to grooming gangs in Wales. Then, when the UK government finally caved in to public pressure and gave the go-ahead for an England and Wales inquiry, you did a u-turn and backed it, which I welcome. First Minister, can you now provide an update on the progress with regards to the establishment of that public inquiry and the Welsh government's engagement with the UK government on this very important issue?"

Eluned Morgan replies, "the most important thing to do is for us to remember the survivors of the dreadful abuse that occurred at that time. I have written to the Home Secretary to ask to ensure that Welsh voices will be heard in that inquiry, and it is, I think, important that that inquiry starts as soon as possible."

She subsequently adds, "I can assure you that Welsh government officials have met regularly with UK government officials, as well as colleagues in the National Crime Agency... to ensure that Wales is fully involved. I hope the chair will be appointed as soon as possible, but obviously this is a matter for the UK government."

Darren Millar also expresses concern that two abuse survivors have quit their roles in the UK government's inquiry into grooming gangs. Fiona Goddard and Ellie-Ann Reynolds resigned from the inquiry's victims and survivors liaison panel on Monday in protest at how the UK government had handled the process.

Image source, Senedd Cymru

Image source, Senedd Cymru

Conservative Andrew RT Davies seeks an update on the Welsh government's priorities for Cardiff Airport for the remainder of this Senedd term.

Eluned Morgan says it's a "national asset, supporting hundreds of jobs, connecting Wales to the world, and driving our visitor economy. Since coming into public ownership, it's seen real progress - new routes, better passenger experiences, and growing private investment."

She says in the 12 months to the end of September 2025, 928,000 passengers travelled through the airport, a 5.3% increase on the previous year.

Andrew RT Davies calls for re-establishing the Qatar Airways link to Doha, as "that would be the biggest sign that Wales is open for business, and a real vote of confidence in the airport by your government, which owns it".

The first minister replies, "conversations have never stopped with the government of Qatar. We're still in conversations. We're still trying to convince them to restart that route."

Cardiff Airport was bought by the Welsh government in 2013.

Ministers hope a £206 million 10-year investment package announced in 2024 will help the airport attract two million passengers a year and develop its maintenance, cargo and aviation facilities.

Before that announcement, spending by the Welsh government had totalled £179.6 million, which includes the original price paid for the airport, as well as other finance such as Covid loans and money for improvements and equipment.

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.

Conservative Sam Rowlands asks "what discussions has the first minister had with the UK government about the impact on Wales of the upcoming autumn budget?"

First Minister Eluned Morgan replies, "things are night and day compared to what we had before. We've now got a UK government that actually listens and works with us, not against us. And we're constantly pressing Wales's case with the UK government, and our finance minister is in regular contact with Treasury ministers. Together, we're pushing for Wales to get what it needs - fair funding, flexibility to invest in our NHS and public services, and a real voice on UK-wide growth plans. And it's paying off - over £0.5 billion through the new local growth fund, for example, is something that has happened as a result of that relationship."

Sam Rowlands warns that independence for Wales would "risk billions in funding, and would cost taxpayers in Wales £11,000 per year, per person... create economic instability, and burden future generations with uncertainty and cost".

Chancellor Rachel Reeves will announce her autumn budget on 26 November.

Before the 2024 general election, Labour promised not to increase income tax, National Insurance or VAT for working people.

There has been a lot of speculation that Reeves will have to raise taxes because she needs more money in order to meet her self-imposed rules for government finances. She has two main rules, which she describes as "non-negotiable":

• Not to borrow to fund day-to-day public spending by the end of this parliament
• To get government debt falling as a share of national income by the end of this parliament.

Image source, Reuters

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

The Siambr (Senedd chamber) has closed for renovations until March 2026, as work is underway on altering it to accommodate the 96 Members who will be chosen in the next Senedd election in May 2026.

So the 60 MSs are meeting in Siambr Hywel, the original debating chamber that housed the then National Assembly for Wales from 1999 to 2006.

The meeting is held in a hybrid format, with some members in Siambr Hywel and others joining by video-conference.

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