The twenty-fourth FMQs of 2022 comes to a close.

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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.

Image source, Senedd Cymru

Lesley Griffiths expresses dismay at the "turmoil of what the mini budget last Friday did", adding "it's incredible the chaos that has been caused by Liz Truss, just a few days after moving into No. 10."

The pound plunged against the dollar on Monday after comments at the weekend from Chancellor Kwasi Kwarteng pledging more tax cuts, on top of Friday's mini-budget when he announced the biggest tax cuts for 50 years. Overnight, the pound stabilised at $1.08 after hitting a record low of $1.03 on Monday.

"I think it's very unfortunate that the prime minister hasn't picked up the phone to the first minister," says the Trefnydd Lesley Griffiths.

"She's really got nothing to be afraid of; he's a very straightforward person to deal with."

Image source, Getty Images

On the Welsh Government's role in the UK Covid-19 inquiry, Lesley Griffiths does not accept Rhun ap Iorwerth's assertion that there will be a lack of scrutiny without a Wales-only inquiry.

She says the "Welsh Government had a direct role in setting the terms of reference for the UK Covid-19 inquiry. Now the inquiry is formally established, the Welsh Government will be supplying significant evidence to it, to enable action taken in Wales to be properly scrutinised."

Image source, Getty Images

Plaid Cymru leader Adam Price calls on the Welsh Government to implement a rent freeze over winter which he says would protect thousands of people from rising housing costs.

He explains, "The Scottish Government has also announced a rent freeze at least until the end of March next year. Sadiq Khan, as Mayor of London, has asked for the power to introduce a rent freeze there. We have that power already in Wales, and since social housing rent won't increase anyway until 1 April, a rent freeze over the winter won't cost the Welsh Government a penny; it's focused on the private sector."

The Trefnydd Lesley Griffiths warns "it is important that you don't then suddenly get landlords taking houses for rent off the market, and having those unintended consequences."

She says the Welsh Government has invested in targeted cost-of-living support and universal programmes which put money back in people’s pockets.

Andrew RT Davies, leader of the Welsh Conservatives in the Senedd, raises the issue of waiting times, particularly at Betsi Cadwaladr health board.

Mr Davies says, "last week we had the waiting times out for the NHS in Wales. In north Wales, which you are the minister directly responsible for, there are 15,000 people waiting two years or more for a procedure. Will you apologise to those 15,000 people who are waiting such long times on the Welsh NHS?"

He asks the minister three times to apologise for the waiting times, and in the third answer she says "we're sorry that people have to wait for a lengthy time".

She says there "are waiting lists across the UK", adding "we are determined to tackle the backlog".

Betsi Cadwaladr health board was in special measures, under direct Welsh Government control, from the summer of 2015 until November 2020.

Further failings have since been identified and it has narrowly avoided being put back into special measures since then.

The health board's hospitals include Ysbyty Glan Clwyd in Bodelwyddan, Wrexham Maelor Hospital and Ysbyty Gwynedd in Bangor.

In June, Health Minister Eluned Morgan announced Ysbyty Glan Clwyd, in particular its vascular services and emergency care, had been put into "targeted intervention".

This is the second highest level of oversight by the Welsh Government.

Conservative Joel James claims "we are at crisis point with the education of science in Wales because of the lack of teachers in physics and chemistry. Wales now has so few physics teachers that there are not enough for every secondary school in Wales to have one, meaning that this science is almost predominantly being taught by teachers who have no qualifications in the subject area."

He adds "this situation could be described as a national embarrassment for Wales".

The Trefnydd Lesley Griffiths replies, "I don't recognise the picture that you're portraying. I certainly don't think physics teachers and the word 'crisis' go together and I certainly don't think that the Minister for Education and Welsh Language would agree with you either."

However, she acknowledges that the recruitment "of students studying to teach physics does remain below our desired position".

Image source, Science Photo Library

Hello and welcome to our live coverage of the twenty-fourth session of First Minister's Questions in 2022.

The Trefnydd (business manager) Lesley Griffiths stands in for First Minister Mark Drakeford.

A spokesperson for the Welsh Government explained that the first minister is "visiting Scotland today to meet the First Minister of Scotland. He will also visit projects there that help people as the cost of living rises."

The plenary meeting is held in a hybrid format, with some members in the Siambr (Senedd chamber) and others joining by video-conference.