Thanks for following - join us again in September.
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
Chepstow bypass
Conservative Peter Fox calls on the Welsh Government to "progress the Chepstow bypass to reduce air pollution in congested areas".
The first minister acknowledges the work that was done by the previous Conservative administration of Monmouth council, which he explains "brought forward three possible solutions to the acknowledged difficulties that are faced in parts of Chepstow".
He says, "the current county council have split those three potential solutions and are currently consulting on the first two—an active travel plan in around Chepstow, and part 2, a transport hub interchange at Chepstow railway station. I think it is right that, before the bypass option is further considered, we exhaust the potential of parts 1 and 2 to make their contribution to resolving the issues of air quality that are faced in that part of Wales. That doesn't mean that the bypass proposal may still have merit, but before we decide on the bypass, we want to make sure that those other things have been properly consulted upon, and every impact that can be extracted from them is put in place."
He adds it is a "major test" of the UK government that it "finds the money" to back recommendations of the Union Connectivity Review, chaired by Sir Peter Hendy, which had a remit to review the quality and availability of transport infrastructure across the UK.
GoogleCopyright: Google
Residents of Chepstow are concerned about congestion and air pollution in the townImage caption: Residents of Chepstow are concerned about congestion and air pollution in the town
'Residents evicted to make way for holiday lets'
Rhun ap Iorwerth raises concerns
that families are being evicted from long-term rental accommodation to make way
for holiday lets.
He says residents
in coastal homes around Anglesey have been given eviction notices in order
for the long-term lets to be turned into short-term holiday lets.
He says that some residents in accommodation owned by the Bodorgan Estate, who owned the property
rented by the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge when they were resident on the
island, have been asked to leave in order for the change of use in the
properties.
The first minister says he is "concerned" to hear the allegations, and asks for "further evidence".
He adds, "people cannot simply be
evicted by being asked to leave, there are rules and legal requirements that
landlords have to abide by in all sectors."
OLIVER DIXONCopyright: OLIVER DIXON
Bodorgan is a large estate in south-west AngleseyImage caption: Bodorgan is a large estate in south-west Anglesey
Deposit return scheme
Conservative Russell George seeks an update on the deposit return scheme.
In 2019, the Welsh Government consulted jointly with the UK government on proposals to introduce a deposit return scheme (DRS) for drinks containers.
A DRS is where you pay more money for a drink in a bottle or can. This extra money or deposit is returned when you take the drinks container back.
First Minister Mark Drakeford says "our aim has been to develop the scheme as a partnership with the UK and Northern Ireland governments. The absence of an executive in Northern Ireland and the turmoil in Westminster are both affecting the timetable for publication of the final scheme design. That now seems likely to be further delayed into the autumn."
He says there was "positive" feedback from a DRS pilot in Conwy which ran for four weeks from July 2020.
Getty ImagesCopyright: Getty Images
'All aspects of the needs of young people'
Rhun ap Iorwerth stands in for Plaid Cymru leader Adam Price.
He points to the first census results that have been published, which show the population is reducing in many areas, with Ceredigion seeing the greatest decrease at almost 6 per cent.
He says, "There is a suggestion that the population is also growing older, which emphasises the need to keep hold of our young people, and that means making them want to stay here in Wales. Now, does the first minister agree that the Welsh Government’s plan for young people needs to look at far more than simply jobs; it needs to include all aspects of the needs of young people: housing, environment, resources, vibrant communities, and that’s how you encourage young people to decide to live and prosper here in Wales?"
The first minister replies, "one of the reasons why I and Adam Price stood together in a press conference last week to set out the plan that we have on homes for people in rural areas was to try and create possibilities for the future for young people who want to live in the communities where they were born, and to stay there and to work there and to raise their children and of course, to have somewhere to live."
BBCCopyright: BBC
Rhun ap IorwerthImage caption: Rhun ap Iorwerth
The first minister and his tie
Andrew RT Davies complemented the first minister on his tie, which has a colourful knot at the top.
Mark Drakeford says it was "knitted for me by a very elderly lady who came to this country immediately after the second world war as a refugee from Ukraine.
"This knot is a Ukranian design which she knitted and sent in recognition of the work that, right across Wales, is going on to welcome people from Ukraine."
BBCCopyright: BBC
Mark DrakefordImage caption: Mark Drakeford
NHS waiting times
Andrew RT Davies, leader of the Welsh Conservatives in the Senedd, raises the issue of NHS waiting times. He says, "if we were standing here this time last year, the two-year-wait figure for people in the Welsh NHS would have been 7,600. Today, that two-year figure stands at nearly 70,000 people waiting."
The first minister says we are "beginning to see improvement" but acknowledges this is the "start of a long journey" because of the impact of coronavirus, even today.
Mr Davies accuses the first minister of offering "no plans" and "no solutions", with no "road out" for those stuck on lists.
Mr Drakeford, for his part, accuses the Conservative party of being "ferrets in a sack" that are "unlikely to come up with a plan for the NHS anywhere in the UK".
BBCCopyright: BBC
Andrew RT DaviesImage caption: Andrew RT Davies
Reconciling nuclear power and the Well-being of Future Generations Act?
Plaid Cymru's Mabon ap Gwynfor asks how does the Welsh Government "reconcile the work of Cwmni Egino on the development of nuclear power stations with the requirements of the Well-being of Future Generations Act 2015?"
The UK government announced in May that the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority (NDA) and Welsh Government-owned Cwmni Egino will work together on proposals for the siting of a new nuclear development at the Trawsfynydd site in Gwynedd.
First Minister Mark Drakeford replies "Cwmni Egino has been established to redevelop the former Trawsfynydd power station site. As stipulated in the company's remit letter, the requirements of the well-being of future generations Act will be integral to its assessment of all potential projects."
Mabon ap Gwynfor says "if the first people to leave the African continent 80,000 years ago would have mined for uranium, and developed nuclear energy, then we would be continuing to deal with the waste today...If we're producing this waste, isn't it our responsibility to deal with it, rather than leaving 140 tonnes of radioactive waste, the largest store in the world, to stand in Sellafield in Cumbria?"
The first minister responds, "we've had a nuclear industry in Trawsfynydd for many years, so that problem has arisen previously—we're not creating a new problem through the possibilities that Cwmni Egino is discussing now about that site."
The purpose of Cwmni Egino, says the Welsh Government, "is to bring forward potential new projects including the deployment of small nuclear reactors to generate electricity and also a medical radioisotope research reactor to produce radionuclides for use in cancer diagnostics and treatment."
Getty ImagesCopyright: Getty Images
The nuclear power station at Trawsfynydd was shut down in 1991Image caption: The nuclear power station at Trawsfynydd was shut down in 1991
Supporting people to access work
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.
Labour's Vikki Howells asks how is the Welsh Government supporting more people in her Cynon Valley constituency to access work.
First Minister Mark Drakeford says that in September his government will "extend the most generous childcare offer in the UK to those in education and training, which will allow more women in particular to access work".
Croeso
Hello and welcome to our live coverage of the twenty-second 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 
GoogleCopyright: Google Residents of Chepstow are concerned about congestion and air pollution in the townImage caption: Residents of Chepstow are concerned about congestion and air pollution in the town 
OLIVER DIXONCopyright: OLIVER DIXON Bodorgan is a large estate in south-west AngleseyImage caption: Bodorgan is a large estate in south-west Anglesey 
Getty ImagesCopyright: Getty Images 
BBCCopyright: BBC Rhun ap IorwerthImage caption: Rhun ap Iorwerth 
BBCCopyright: BBC Mark DrakefordImage caption: Mark Drakeford 
BBCCopyright: BBC Andrew RT DaviesImage caption: Andrew RT Davies 
Getty ImagesCopyright: Getty Images The nuclear power station at Trawsfynydd was shut down in 1991Image caption: The nuclear power station at Trawsfynydd was shut down in 1991
Latest PostHwyl fawr
The twenty-second FMQs of 2022 comes to a close.
Thanks for following - join us again in September.
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.
Chepstow bypass
Conservative Peter Fox calls on the Welsh Government to "progress the Chepstow bypass to reduce air pollution in congested areas".
The first minister acknowledges the work that was done by the previous Conservative administration of Monmouth council, which he explains "brought forward three possible solutions to the acknowledged difficulties that are faced in parts of Chepstow".
He says, "the current county council have split those three potential solutions and are currently consulting on the first two—an active travel plan in around Chepstow, and part 2, a transport hub interchange at Chepstow railway station. I think it is right that, before the bypass option is further considered, we exhaust the potential of parts 1 and 2 to make their contribution to resolving the issues of air quality that are faced in that part of Wales. That doesn't mean that the bypass proposal may still have merit, but before we decide on the bypass, we want to make sure that those other things have been properly consulted upon, and every impact that can be extracted from them is put in place."
He adds it is a "major test" of the UK government that it "finds the money" to back recommendations of the Union Connectivity Review, chaired by Sir Peter Hendy, which had a remit to review the quality and availability of transport infrastructure across the UK.
'Residents evicted to make way for holiday lets'
Rhun ap Iorwerth raises concerns that families are being evicted from long-term rental accommodation to make way for holiday lets.
He says residents in coastal homes around Anglesey have been given eviction notices in order for the long-term lets to be turned into short-term holiday lets.
He says that some residents in accommodation owned by the Bodorgan Estate, who owned the property rented by the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge when they were resident on the island, have been asked to leave in order for the change of use in the properties.
The first minister says he is "concerned" to hear the allegations, and asks for "further evidence".
He adds, "people cannot simply be evicted by being asked to leave, there are rules and legal requirements that landlords have to abide by in all sectors."
Deposit return scheme
Conservative Russell George seeks an update on the deposit return scheme.
In 2019, the Welsh Government consulted jointly with the UK government on proposals to introduce a deposit return scheme (DRS) for drinks containers.
A DRS is where you pay more money for a drink in a bottle or can. This extra money or deposit is returned when you take the drinks container back.
First Minister Mark Drakeford says "our aim has been to develop the scheme as a partnership with the UK and Northern Ireland governments. The absence of an executive in Northern Ireland and the turmoil in Westminster are both affecting the timetable for publication of the final scheme design. That now seems likely to be further delayed into the autumn."
He says there was "positive" feedback from a DRS pilot in Conwy which ran for four weeks from July 2020.
'All aspects of the needs of young people'
Rhun ap Iorwerth stands in for Plaid Cymru leader Adam Price.
He points to the first census results that have been published, which show the population is reducing in many areas, with Ceredigion seeing the greatest decrease at almost 6 per cent.
He says, "There is a suggestion that the population is also growing older, which emphasises the need to keep hold of our young people, and that means making them want to stay here in Wales. Now, does the first minister agree that the Welsh Government’s plan for young people needs to look at far more than simply jobs; it needs to include all aspects of the needs of young people: housing, environment, resources, vibrant communities, and that’s how you encourage young people to decide to live and prosper here in Wales?"
The first minister replies, "one of the reasons why I and Adam Price stood together in a press conference last week to set out the plan that we have on homes for people in rural areas was to try and create possibilities for the future for young people who want to live in the communities where they were born, and to stay there and to work there and to raise their children and of course, to have somewhere to live."
The first minister and his tie
Andrew RT Davies complemented the first minister on his tie, which has a colourful knot at the top.
Mark Drakeford says it was "knitted for me by a very elderly lady who came to this country immediately after the second world war as a refugee from Ukraine.
"This knot is a Ukranian design which she knitted and sent in recognition of the work that, right across Wales, is going on to welcome people from Ukraine."
NHS waiting times
Andrew RT Davies, leader of the Welsh Conservatives in the Senedd, raises the issue of NHS waiting times. He says, "if we were standing here this time last year, the two-year-wait figure for people in the Welsh NHS would have been 7,600. Today, that two-year figure stands at nearly 70,000 people waiting."
The first minister says we are "beginning to see improvement" but acknowledges this is the "start of a long journey" because of the impact of coronavirus, even today.
Mr Davies accuses the first minister of offering "no plans" and "no solutions", with no "road out" for those stuck on lists.
Mr Drakeford, for his part, accuses the Conservative party of being "ferrets in a sack" that are "unlikely to come up with a plan for the NHS anywhere in the UK".
Reconciling nuclear power and the Well-being of Future Generations Act?
Plaid Cymru's Mabon ap Gwynfor asks how does the Welsh Government "reconcile the work of Cwmni Egino on the development of nuclear power stations with the requirements of the Well-being of Future Generations Act 2015?"
The UK government announced in May that the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority (NDA) and Welsh Government-owned Cwmni Egino will work together on proposals for the siting of a new nuclear development at the Trawsfynydd site in Gwynedd.
First Minister Mark Drakeford replies "Cwmni Egino has been established to redevelop the former Trawsfynydd power station site. As stipulated in the company's remit letter, the requirements of the well-being of future generations Act will be integral to its assessment of all potential projects."
Mabon ap Gwynfor says "if the first people to leave the African continent 80,000 years ago would have mined for uranium, and developed nuclear energy, then we would be continuing to deal with the waste today...If we're producing this waste, isn't it our responsibility to deal with it, rather than leaving 140 tonnes of radioactive waste, the largest store in the world, to stand in Sellafield in Cumbria?"
The first minister responds, "we've had a nuclear industry in Trawsfynydd for many years, so that problem has arisen previously—we're not creating a new problem through the possibilities that Cwmni Egino is discussing now about that site."
The purpose of Cwmni Egino, says the Welsh Government, "is to bring forward potential new projects including the deployment of small nuclear reactors to generate electricity and also a medical radioisotope research reactor to produce radionuclides for use in cancer diagnostics and treatment."
Supporting people to access work
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.
Labour's Vikki Howells asks how is the Welsh Government supporting more people in her Cynon Valley constituency to access work.
First Minister Mark Drakeford says that in September his government will "extend the most generous childcare offer in the UK to those in education and training, which will allow more women in particular to access work".
Croeso
Hello and welcome to our live coverage of the twenty-second 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.