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

Image source, Senedd Cymru

Plaid Cymru MS Llyr Gruffydd asks "what plans does the Welsh government have to secure the devolution of the Crown Estate?"

Eluned Morgan says "I've said it before and I'll say it again: there is no good reason why Wales should be treated any differently from Scotland in this area. The Crown Estate has been devolved there, and it should be devolved here. Welsh Labour's position on this is a long-standing one, backed up by independent commissions that all say the same thing: that the wealth generated from our natural resources should stay here in Wales."

Earlier this year, the UK Labour government rejected Plaid Cymru's calls for control over the Crown Estate to be given to ministers in Wales.

Owned by the monarch, and helping to fund the Royal Family, , externalthe estate owns more than £603m of land in Wales, including 65% of the seabed around the coastline.

Treasury minister James Murray told MPs in February that devolving the estates to the Welsh government would make "no commercial sense".

What is the Crown Estate?

The Crown Estate owns more £603m of land in Wales.

That includes:

• 65% of Wales' coast and riverbeds
• The seabed up to 12 miles out to sea
• 50,000 acres of land
• 250,000 acres of mineral deposits
• Any gold and silver

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

Image source, Getty Images

Conservative Mark Isherwood asks "what plans does the Welsh government have to improve stroke services?"

Eluned Morgan replies "stroke is one of Wales's biggest killers, but 90 per cent of strokes are preventable. That's why our plan is bold, and that is better prevention, faster diagnosis, and world-class rehabilitation."

Mark Isherwood says "those are ambitions, not plans. When it comes to stroke outcomes, Wales currently ranks 21 out of 26 countries in Europe, with England positioned at 12".

This winter a new "orange" category for ambulance 999 calls will be introduced in Wales, with the aim of speeding up and improving care for patients with strokes.

Those suffering strokes or a type of heart attack known as STEMI, external are currently in a broad "amber" category covering about 70% of all ambulance 999 calls.

Under the new approach specialist nurses and paramedics will screen calls to identify patients who need a rapid response and specialist care from paramedics before being taken to hospital.

What are the signs of a stroke?

A stroke occurs when blood stops flowing to a part of your brain.

The first signs include:

• face weakness – it might be hard to smile, and one side of your face may droop
• arm weakness – you may not be able to fully lift both arms and keep them there because of weakness or numbness in one arm
• speech problems – you may slur your words or sound confused

Plaid Cymru's Adam Price seeks an update on the current levels of housebuilding in Wales and the forecast for the rest of this financial year.

Eluned Morgan replies "we put house building as a centrepiece of the things that we are determined to deliver. Despite Brexit, Covid, rising inflation, and Tory chaos, this Welsh Labour government has delivered for the people of Wales. We've invested over £2 billion in social housing, the highest in nearly two decades, creating thousands of new homes in councils and housing associations."

Adam Price points to information published by the Welsh government in August, external which showed:

• In 2024-25, 3,798 new dwellings were started, down 26% on 2023-24.
• In the same period, 4,631 new dwellings were completed, down 3% on the previous year.
• Of the 4,631 dwellings completed, 73% were accounted for by the private sector, 23% by Registered Social Landlords (RSLs) and 5% by local authorities.
• 39% of completions were 3-bedroom homes and 23% of completions were homes with 4 or more bedrooms.

Adam Price accuses the government of allowing "house building in Wales to collapse at a time when there are 94,000 households on a housing waiting list".

The first minister says "we've got to distinguish between the private sector and the social sector, and obviously there is a need to push the private sector to go much further".

Image source, PA Media

Labour MS for Blaenau Gwent, Alun Davies, asks "what assessment has the first minister made of the impact of the UK government's defence industrial strategy on Wales?"

Eluned Morgan replies "Wales has always punched above its weight in defence, from General Dynamics in Merthyr to Airbus in Broughton, providing skilled, well-paid jobs that sustain communities. The sector already contributes £1.5 billion to our economy, and with a defence growth deal on the table, I'm determined to make sure that Wales get its fair share."

Earlier this month the UK Labour government set out a new defence industrial strategy where it will invest £250m in five local economies which it hopes will create jobs and fuel growth.

Defence Secretary John Healey announced that Cardiff, Belfast, Glasgow, Sheffield and Plymouth will receive investment to expand each of the area's military and security industries.

The UK government has promised to increase defence spending from 2.3% to 2.5% of national income by 2027 in order to prepare the country for "war-fighting readiness".

General Dynamics, which employs more than 700 people at its armoured vehicle plant in Merthyr Tydfil, has said more investment would allow it to develop new models and tap into the export market.

Specialist military engineers Llanelec, in Neath, will open an academy to train more staff as demand for skilled workers is expected to increase.

Image source, Senedd Cymru

Plaid Cymru leader Rhun ap Iorwerth says "defending the interests of Wales by securing fair funding for our nation is surely one of the primary functions of this first minister"

He asks, "with that in mind, will she tell us when was the last time she called out Keir Starmer's lack of movement on fair funding, and how did he respond?"

Eluned Morgan replies "my priorities are going to be the priorities that were set for me when I first became first minister. I think it's the daily lives of people and how we improve them is what we should be focused on rather than constantly looking at constitutional changes, which seems to be the obsession of his party. What is important, of course, is that we ask for more. I will always ask for more from whatever government there is in the United Kingdom."

Rhun ap Iorwerth says the upcoming UK government budget on 26 November is "Labour's opportunity to prove once and for all that it is serious about addressing the way in which the Welsh government is resourced".

He calls on Labour to include in its Senedd election manifesto "an explicit pledge to scrap the Barnett formula".

The first minister says "we're in a position where we're still working up the manifesto, but we've always said we want to see a reform of the Barnett formula. There's nothing new there. There's nothing revolutionary there. We'll still keep making the same case. I think it is important for people in the country to recognise that what we've had is a £1.6 billion uplift as a result of a Labour government in Westminster, which is transforming lives in this country."

On 25 June 2025, Senedd members agreed to a Plaid Cymru motion proposing that the Senedd:

"1. Believes the current funding model for Wales, based on the Barnett formula, is outdated and unfair.

"2. Calls on the Welsh government to make representations to the UK government to replace the Barnett formula with a new, fair funding settlement for Wales."

The Barnett formula was put in place in the late 1970s - it was intended to be a temporary fix. Even its creator, Lord Barnett who died in 2014, said in the years before his death that the system was "unfair" and needed reform.

Under the formula, extra funding - or cuts - from Westminster is allocated according to the population size of each nation and which powers are devolved to them.

When the UK government increases or decreases funding for departments such as health and education in England, the Barnett formula is used to decide how much devolved governments will receive.

It is controversial because it often leads to public spending per head being considerably different in different parts of the UK.

Image source, Senedd Cymru

Darren Millar, leader of the Welsh Conservatives in the Senedd, criticises the "dire state of the Welsh national health service, with ambulance delays, overcrowded emergency departments with long waits for treatment, a lack of beds in our hospitals, difficulties getting general practitioner and dental appointments, and unacceptable waiting times for diagnostic tests and treatment".

Eluned Morgan refuses to accept his assertion that "on Labour's watch the Welsh NHS is broken".

She says "I don’t think a system that has 2.7 million appointments every single month in a population of three million people is a system that’s broken; I think it’s a system that is working for the vast, vast majority of people in this country. Do we need more? Of course we need more. Do we need it to work better? Of course we do. That’s why it is a priority area for us, as a government. That is why we’ve invested an extra £1.5 billion of extra money in Welsh public services, and a huge amount of that money went towards the NHS, specifically towards bringing those longest waiting lists down, and over the course of the year that is happening."

Darren Millar adds "since May 2021, since that last Senedd election, over 38,000 Welsh patients have died whilst waiting to get their treatment whilst on a waiting list. It is a national scandal. And what's worse is the fact that our waiting times for tests and treatment are still the worst in Britain. Thousands more people across Wales are at risk of the same fate as those 38,000 who've already died."

He calls on the Welsh government to declare a "health emergency, so that we can make sure that the people of Wales get the service that they need when they're in life and death situations".

Eluned Morgan replies, "We're investing £120 million in cutting waiting times. And there are people on those lists that have incredibly complex and difficult situations. A lot of them are very old. And clearly, there will be people who are on there who have very challenged health situations. What we did see in June was a 27 per cent decrease in the number of people waiting more than two years for treatment. That is something I think should be celebrated. Also, the number of people waiting for their first out-patient appointment decreased significantly as well."

Image source, PA Media

Image source, Getty Images

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

Conservative Sam Rowlands asks "what assessment has the first minister made of the state of the visitor economy in north Wales?"

First Minister Eluned Morgan replies "north Wales is the beating heart of our visitor economy, welcoming one in three overnight trips to Wales. From family-run bed-and-breakfasts to the world-class attractions that it hosts, local businesses are growing sustainably and creating jobs, helping communities right across the region. And this Welsh Labour government is backing growth in the tourism sector by investing over £2.5 million in local firms, helping communities to thrive and creating new jobs and opportunities for people right across the region."

Sam Rowlands says "over 70 per cent of attractions in the region have reported fewer visitors this summer, with some resorts seeing business fall by as much as 30 per cent. For a region so reliant on seasonal trade, these figures are deeply troubling. Tourism businesses in Wales need our support."

He criticises "damaging" Welsh government policies "like the 182-day rule, underinvestment in marketing and the looming tourism levy".

Controversial tax rules for owners of self-catering holiday accommodation in Wales look set to change following proposals put forward by the Welsh government.

Since 2023, self-catering properties must be available for 252 days and let out for 182 days each year to pay non-domestic rates instead of the higher council tax.

The Welsh government is now proposing changing this to an average of 182 days let over several years.

A total of 40% of holiday lets in Wales have not met the letting criteria since the new rules were brought in from 2023.

Separately, a new law allowing councils to tax visitors staying overnight in Wales was agreed by the Senedd in a vote in July.

People staying in hotels could have £1.30 per night added to the cost of their stay if the plans go ahead.

Officials hope the tax will raise as much as £33m a year to support and improve tourist destinations if all authorities took it up, but businesses worry it might put visitors off.

The Welsh Conservatives vowed to scrap the tax if the party wins the 2026 Senedd election.

Plaid Cymru support for the legislation meant the Welsh government had the numbers it needed to get the law through the Senedd.

Councils need to approve the measure before it becomes a reality.

Image source, Senedd Cymru

Llywydd Elin Jones calls for a short break prior to Questions to the First Minister.

Image source, Senedd Cymru

Plenary begins today with tributes to Hefin David.

He died suddenly in August at the age of 47.

He had been a Labour Member of the Senedd (MS) for Caerphilly since 2016.

With members of Mr David’s family watching from the public gallery, Llywydd Elin Jones begins, "returning to the Senedd today is so bittersweet. We return today as 59 Members, and we all, today, and forever more, will feel the loss of our dear friend, Hefin David. Many of Hefin’s family and friends have joined us in the public gallery. Thank you for joining us to share in these tributes. And our thoughts are particularly with Hefin’s beloved daughters and parents in this time of loss. But, also, Vikki, our colleague and Hefin’s partner."

She says he was “cherished” and “respected and liked" across the Siambr.

First Minister Eluned Morgan says "some people leave a mark quietly, and others leave it loudly. Hefin did both. He left a mark on everyone who knew him, through his laughter, his intellect, and his boundless energy, and his extraordinary capacity to care. Today, we come together to remember a friend, a colleague, a father, a partner, and a truly remarkable human being."

She concludes, "today, we share not only the loss of an extraordinary colleague and a friend, but also the profound sorrow of losing someone who loved so deeply. A love that extended outward, shaping the way he served his community every single day. Thank you, Hefin, for showing us how to do this job with heart, with humour, and with hope. You are loved, you are missed, and the world is both dimmer without you and brighter for having known you. Rest in peace, friend. You'll never be forgotten."

Darren Millar, leader of the Welsh Conservatives in the Senedd, says "many of us here in the Senedd had known Hefin, of course, for almost a decade. And it brings back difficult memories of other losses. You see, Hefin was so many things to so many people. He was a loving son, father, brother, partner, and friend. He was a caring boss, of course, to his staff. He was a much-loved colleague to so many of us right across the Chamber in all political parties."

Plaid Cymru leader Rhun ap Iorwerth says "we remember Hefin as a passionate and dedicated parliamentarian. He was, in many respects, everything an elected member should be: an ardent advocate for his constituents, a committed campaigner for the voiceless, and a free thinker, certainly never ever afraid to speak his mind. It is often said that campaigning is very different from governing, but it's seldom acknowledged that standing with and speaking for others is what actually drives change. Through his own personal experiences, Hefin magnified the often unfair treatment of autistic people in particular, a lived experience which not only drew cross-party support but the ear of government too. It's a legacy for which he will be remembered and an issue which we must all adopt in his honour."

An inquest was opened into Mr David's death late last month. It heard he had been found dead at his home on 12 August.

Hundreds of mourners paid their respects at his funeral in St Catwg's Church, Gelligaer, Caerphilly county on 1 September, where he was given a guard of honour by local air cadets.

Image source, Senedd Cymru

Hello and welcome to our live coverage of Eluned Morgan’s thirty-sixth session of First Minister's Questions, and the first since the summer recess.

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.