The Senedd will once again be lit tonight in the blue and yellow colours of Ukraine’s flag as a sign of solidarity with Ukraine and its people.
Senedd CymruCopyright: Senedd Cymru
Fuel poverty
"Up to 45% of households in Wales could already be in fuel poverty following the price increase in April," warns the first minister.
He points out that Ofgem reported householders can expect typical dual fuel bills to rise to £2,800 in October of this year.
Getty ImagesCopyright: Getty Images
The cost of heating our homes is putting huge pressure on household budgetsImage caption: The cost of heating our homes is putting huge pressure on household budgets
Bounce Bank Loan scheme
The first minister laments the billions of pounds lost through the UK government's Bounce Back Loan scheme.
He says, "fraud is only a third of the loss that the UK government itself say they now expect to make through that scheme. Five billion pounds lost directly in fraud, but £17 billion which the government now does not expect to recover from those loans. Now, there are court going through at the moment that show that those bounce-back loans, those fraudulent loans, were being used to pay for the purchase of private cars, for flying lessons, for pornography websites and, in a case which is to be in front of the courts next month, a case where someone who obtained a bounce-back loan is alleged to have used it to fund terrorist activity by Islamic State terrorists in Syria."
The UK government has said it would "not tolerate" people defrauding taxpayers.
The Bounce Bank Loan scheme was set up in April 2020 with the aim of keeping small businesses afloat during the coronavirus pandemic.
A total of 1.5 million loans worth £47bn were issued through the initiative, after about a quarter of UK businesses applied.
Getty ImagesCopyright: Getty Images
Terrence Higgins Trust's 'show heart' badge
The first minister is one of many members wearing the Terrence Higgins Trust's "show heart" badge in the Senedd today to show support and solidarity with people living with HIV.
Plaid Cymru leader Adam Price says "The Centre for European Reform last week said that Britain was £31 billion worse off than it would have been without the dual impact of Brexit and Covid, but that the bigger impact by far was the effect from Brexit. Isn't it the case that far from the promised sunlit uplands, Brexit is beginning to cast a long shadow on our economy at a time when we can least afford it?"
April's figure was weaker than expected, and it was the first time the economy has contracted for two months in a row since Covid struck.
The first minister agrees the UK economy is paying a "very high price" for Brexit, "but it's not an impact that anybody should be surprised at, because this was pointed out well in advance, and we were told to disregard the views of experts. Well, I'm afraid that expertise is turning out to have been right all along."
Mr Price says "Northern Ireland, is, of course, within the single market... that's why they have performed better over the last two years compared to Wales and, indeed, every other part of the UK outside of London."
BBCCopyright: BBC
Adam PriceImage caption: Adam Price
'What is being done to help people living with dangerous cladding?'
Andrew RT Davies, leader of the Welsh Conservatives in the Senedd, points out that today marks the five year anniversary of the Grenfell fire, where 72 people lost their lives.
He asks what is being done to help people in Wales living with dangerous cladding.
The first minister replies that his government is developing a significant reform programme to deliver a comprehensive
building safety regime.
He says "we will bring forward our leasehold programme before the end of this month, and that will set out details of ways in which leaseholders who have been badly affected by the worth of their properties on the open market as a result of anxieties about the standards to which those buildings were completed, how we will help them as well."
Mr Davies says the UK government "has brought developers to the table, and significant sums of money have been earmarked to rectify the defects."
BBCCopyright: BBC
Andrew RT DaviesImage caption: Andrew RT Davies
Getty ImagesCopyright: Getty Images
Flammable cladding panels have been blamed for the rapid spread of the 2017 Grenfell Tower fire, which led to 72 deathsImage caption: Flammable cladding panels have been blamed for the rapid spread of the 2017 Grenfell Tower fire, which led to 72 deaths
'The Tories always laugh at poverty'
There is uproar in the Siambr, with shouts of "disgrace" from the Conservative benches, when Alun Davies, Labour MS for Blaenau Gwent, says "the Tories always laugh at poverty... they always laugh when people are suffering".
The first minister says standing charges "I think are one of the scandals of the energy industry, and particularly so for people on prepayment meters. When you run out of credit and you're unable to heat your home, that standing charge continues to rack up day after day."
Getty ImagesCopyright: Getty Images
Home insulation
The Llywydd (presiding officer) Elin Jones conducts a ballot to determine the names of members who may table questions to the first minister and Welsh ministers. Each member may enter their name into a ballot.
Jenny Rathbone, Labour MS for Cardiff Central, asks what plans does the Welsh Government have to insulate the most energy inefficient housing.
After months of soaring gas prices, energy bills rose further for many in the UK when the energy cap increased on 1 April. Housing also accounts for 9% of all greenhouse gas emissions in Wales.
First Minister Mark Drakeford replies that "improving energy efficiency of homes in the social rented sector is progressing through the Welsh Government's £220 million optimised retrofit programme and the Welsh quality housing standards. Plans to assist those in privately owned and privately rented sectors, through the Warm Homes programme, will be announced in the autumn."
Jenny Rathbone calls for "an emergency programme to protect the most vulnerable households living in fuel poverty".
The first minister replies "there are a series of barriers, I'm afraid, to instituting an emergency programme of household insulation. To begin with, we simply don't have the capital available to the Welsh Government to mount such a programme."
Getty ImagesCopyright: Getty Images
Croeso
Hello and welcome to our live coverage of the eighteenth session of First Minister's Questions in 2022.
The meeting is held in a hybrid format, with some members in the Siambr (Senedd chamber) and others joining by video-conference.
Live Reporting
Alun Jones
All times stated are UK
Senedd CymruCopyright: Senedd Cymru 
Getty ImagesCopyright: Getty Images The cost of heating our homes is putting huge pressure on household budgetsImage caption: The cost of heating our homes is putting huge pressure on household budgets 
Getty ImagesCopyright: Getty Images 
BBCCopyright: BBC Mark DrakefordImage caption: Mark Drakeford View more on twitterView more on twitter View more on twitterView more on twitter 
BBCCopyright: BBC Adam PriceImage caption: Adam Price 
BBCCopyright: BBC Andrew RT DaviesImage caption: Andrew RT Davies 
Getty ImagesCopyright: Getty Images Flammable cladding panels have been blamed for the rapid spread of the 2017 Grenfell Tower fire, which led to 72 deathsImage caption: Flammable cladding panels have been blamed for the rapid spread of the 2017 Grenfell Tower fire, which led to 72 deaths 
Getty ImagesCopyright: Getty Images 
Getty ImagesCopyright: Getty Images
Latest PostHwyl fawr
The eighteenth FMQs of 2022 comes to a close.
Thanks for following - join us again next week.
The Senedd will once again be lit tonight in the blue and yellow colours of Ukraine’s flag as a sign of solidarity with Ukraine and its people.
Fuel poverty
"Up to 45% of households in Wales could already be in fuel poverty following the price increase in April," warns the first minister.
He points out that Ofgem reported householders can expect typical dual fuel bills to rise to £2,800 in October of this year.
Bounce Bank Loan scheme
The first minister laments the billions of pounds lost through the UK government's Bounce Back Loan scheme.
He says, "fraud is only a third of the loss that the UK government itself say they now expect to make through that scheme. Five billion pounds lost directly in fraud, but £17 billion which the government now does not expect to recover from those loans. Now, there are court going through at the moment that show that those bounce-back loans, those fraudulent loans, were being used to pay for the purchase of private cars, for flying lessons, for pornography websites and, in a case which is to be in front of the courts next month, a case where someone who obtained a bounce-back loan is alleged to have used it to fund terrorist activity by Islamic State terrorists in Syria."
The UK government has said it would "not tolerate" people defrauding taxpayers.
The Bounce Bank Loan scheme was set up in April 2020 with the aim of keeping small businesses afloat during the coronavirus pandemic.
A total of 1.5 million loans worth £47bn were issued through the initiative, after about a quarter of UK businesses applied.
Terrence Higgins Trust's 'show heart' badge
The first minister is one of many members wearing the Terrence Higgins Trust's "show heart" badge in the Senedd today to show support and solidarity with people living with HIV.
'Brexit is beginning to cast a long shadow'
Plaid Cymru leader Adam Price says "The Centre for European Reform last week said that Britain was £31 billion worse off than it would have been without the dual impact of Brexit and Covid, but that the bigger impact by far was the effect from Brexit. Isn't it the case that far from the promised sunlit uplands, Brexit is beginning to cast a long shadow on our economy at a time when we can least afford it?"
He points out that the economy contracted by 0.3% in April after it shrank by 0.1% in March, the Office for National Statistics said.
April's figure was weaker than expected, and it was the first time the economy has contracted for two months in a row since Covid struck.
The first minister agrees the UK economy is paying a "very high price" for Brexit, "but it's not an impact that anybody should be surprised at, because this was pointed out well in advance, and we were told to disregard the views of experts. Well, I'm afraid that expertise is turning out to have been right all along."
Mr Price says "Northern Ireland, is, of course, within the single market... that's why they have performed better over the last two years compared to Wales and, indeed, every other part of the UK outside of London."
'What is being done to help people living with dangerous cladding?'
Andrew RT Davies, leader of the Welsh Conservatives in the Senedd, points out that today marks the five year anniversary of the Grenfell fire, where 72 people lost their lives.
He asks what is being done to help people in Wales living with dangerous cladding.
The first minister replies that his government is developing a significant reform programme to deliver a comprehensive building safety regime.
He says "we will bring forward our leasehold programme before the end of this month, and that will set out details of ways in which leaseholders who have been badly affected by the worth of their properties on the open market as a result of anxieties about the standards to which those buildings were completed, how we will help them as well."
Mr Davies says the UK government "has brought developers to the table, and significant sums of money have been earmarked to rectify the defects."
'The Tories always laugh at poverty'
There is uproar in the Siambr, with shouts of "disgrace" from the Conservative benches, when Alun Davies, Labour MS for Blaenau Gwent, says "the Tories always laugh at poverty... they always laugh when people are suffering".
The first minister says standing charges "I think are one of the scandals of the energy industry, and particularly so for people on prepayment meters. When you run out of credit and you're unable to heat your home, that standing charge continues to rack up day after day."
Home insulation
The Llywydd (presiding officer) Elin Jones conducts a ballot to determine the names of members who may table questions to the first minister and Welsh ministers. Each member may enter their name into a ballot.
Jenny Rathbone, Labour MS for Cardiff Central, asks what plans does the Welsh Government have to insulate the most energy inefficient housing.
After months of soaring gas prices, energy bills rose further for many in the UK when the energy cap increased on 1 April. Housing also accounts for 9% of all greenhouse gas emissions in Wales.
First Minister Mark Drakeford replies that "improving energy efficiency of homes in the social rented sector is progressing through the Welsh Government's £220 million optimised retrofit programme and the Welsh quality housing standards. Plans to assist those in privately owned and privately rented sectors, through the Warm Homes programme, will be announced in the autumn."
Jenny Rathbone calls for "an emergency programme to protect the most vulnerable households living in fuel poverty".
The first minister replies "there are a series of barriers, I'm afraid, to instituting an emergency programme of household insulation. To begin with, we simply don't have the capital available to the Welsh Government to mount such a programme."
Croeso
Hello and welcome to our live coverage of the eighteenth session of First Minister's Questions in 2022.
The meeting is held in a hybrid format, with some members in the Siambr (Senedd chamber) and others joining by video-conference.