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
Arbed scheme: government 'dragging its feet'
Plaid Cymru's Siân Gwenllian accuses the Welsh government of "dragging its feet" over problems that have resulted from the Arbed scheme, which was meant to address fuel poverty and reduce carbon emissions.
Numerous complaints have been made regarding the quality of internal and external wall insulation work that was done as part of the scheme.
The first minister replies, "independent advice, secured by the Welsh government, has confirmed that the system placed in some properties in Arfon is inappropriate, and has noted some cases of poor work. Officials have had discussions with contractors, and the minister will make a decision on the next steps soon".
Siân Gwenllian adds, "your government is continuing to refuse to provide a scheme for those in Arfon who can't make a claim for a contractor or a guarantor, and this despite the fact that their homes have been left in a poorer state after taking part in the government's Arbed scheme than they were previously. We're also waiting for an update on the cases related to two companies that continue to trade. The government's response to date has been very disappointing".
The BBC reported in 2019 that "green slimy" marks which appeared on the outsides of homes fitted with external wall insulation were being investigated.
BBCCopyright: BBC
Siân GwenllianImage caption: Siân Gwenllian
BBCCopyright: BBC
Green marks appeared on the outside of homesImage caption: Green marks appeared on the outside of homes
'Deliberate voter suppression agenda'
The first minister says the Welsh government will not introduce a requirement to provide photo ID before voting in local and Senedd elections in Wales.
He says the requirement introduced by the UK government as part of the Elections Act 2022 is "part of a deliberate voter suppression agenda pursued by the Conservative government. The way they think they can win elections is to learn the lessons from the far right in the United States, and that is to make it more difficult for people who might not support them to turn up and cast their vote".
Some people have told the BBC of their anger at being unable to vote in local elections in England last week due to the new ID rules.
Conservative Darren Millar told the first minister, "I'm baffled by the Welsh government's position on this matter. This is about the security and integrity of our elections. We know that across the whole of western Europe, voter ID is the norm, and in most western democracies, it is the norm. But it seems that you have an issue with it, perhaps because of your own party's record on fraud cases which have happened in Labour areas, such as the Tower Hamlets frauds, the Birmingham frauds as well, back in 2004".
BBCCopyright: BBC
Mark DrakefordImage caption: Mark Drakeford
Betsi Cadwaladr health board: dropped fraud probe
Plaid Cymru leader Adam Price questions why NHS Counter Fraud Wales dropped its investigation into Wales' largest health board in April.
The probe followed work by accountancy and consultancy firm EY, also known as Ernst and Young, prompted by auditors' concerns that £122m of expenditure was not properly accounted for by Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board.
EY's report is yet to be made public, and the first minister says he hasn't seen it.
Mr Drakeford adds, "It's not for me to explain why NHS counter fraud have come to the conclusions that they have; they're an entirely independent organisation. The report was sent to them. My understanding is that they investigated it. Their conclusion is that there were no criminal charges that needed to be brought".
The unreleased report found that accounts were "deliberately falsified", Mr Price claims.
He tells the Senedd the report alleged millions were "posted wrongly" to avoid losing them by the end of the financial year.
Mr Price says the report suggested a form of fraud.
Mr Drakeford says he understands disciplinary procedures are being instigated by the health board.
"Actions flowing from the report are still very possible," he says.
BBCCopyright: BBC
Adam PriceImage caption: Adam Price
Support for children
Andrew RT Davies, leader of the Welsh Conservatives in the Senedd, refers to Welsh government figures that showed there were 74,661 pupils with additional learning needs in schools (15.8% of all pupils) as of February 2022, down from 92,668 (19.5%) in April 2021.
He says "that is a significant drop and, if it was a drop for all the right reasons, then, obviously, we would be celebrating that".
He seeks assurance that schools and the Welsh government are ensuring that pupils who need extra support are receiving it.
The first minister replies, "we have a new system here in Wales, as he knows, put on the statute book by the Senedd and which is in its early stages of full implementation. I think it is very important that we interrogate those figures carefully. We want to see a system in which it is easier for young people to get the help that they need".
BBCCopyright: BBC
Andrew RT DaviesImage caption: Andrew RT Davies
Multiply programme 'catastrophic'
The first minister describes Multiply, the new UK government-funded programme to help adults improve their numeracy skills, as "catastrophic".
According to the UK government, "if you’re aged 19 and over and don’t have maths GCSE at grade C (or equivalent), you can access free numeracy courses through Multiply to build your confidence with numbers and gain a qualification".
The first minister says Multiply has meant "£100 million top-sliced out of money that was meant to come to Wales for a national programme that, I'm afraid, has been a huge failure on the ground. Certainly it has not delivered what was promised here in Wales. I'm afraid the Multiply programme just demonstrates the difficulties when ministers in Whitehall believe that they are able to design things on the ground in parts of the United Kingdom where they have no reach at all. They designed their Multiply programme without a single word of discussion with the Welsh government or with the local authorities that are expected to deliver it. As a result, it has not been possible to spend the money that was allocated to Wales".
Getty ImagesCopyright: Getty Images
Resettlement of people from Ukraine
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.
The Labour MS for
Blaenau Gwent, Alun Davies, seeks a statement on the
resettlement of people from Ukraine in Wales.
Mr Drakeford replies "as a nation of sanctuary, we have welcomed just under 6,900 Ukrainians to Wales, with 3,200 arriving under the Welsh government's sponsorship scheme. We continue to support guests, helping them to move on to longer-term accommodation, where they can live more settled lives and be supported within local communities".
Video content
Video caption: Ukraine: Refugee children learn Welsh at Anglesey schoolsUkraine: Refugee children learn Welsh at Anglesey schools
Croeso
Hello and welcome to our live coverage of the fourteenth session of First Minister's Questions in 2023.
The meeting is held in a hybrid format, with some members in the Siambr (Senedd chamber) and others joining by video-conference.
You can click on the play button above to watch the proceedings.
Live Reporting
Alun Jones
All times stated are UK
Senedd CymruCopyright: Senedd Cymru 
BBCCopyright: BBC Siân GwenllianImage caption: Siân Gwenllian 
BBCCopyright: BBC Green marks appeared on the outside of homesImage caption: Green marks appeared on the outside of homes 
BBCCopyright: BBC Mark DrakefordImage caption: Mark Drakeford 
BBCCopyright: BBC Adam PriceImage caption: Adam Price 
BBCCopyright: BBC Andrew RT DaviesImage caption: Andrew RT Davies 
Getty ImagesCopyright: Getty Images Video caption: Ukraine: Refugee children learn Welsh at Anglesey schoolsUkraine: Refugee children learn Welsh at Anglesey schools
Latest PostHwyl fawr
The fourteenth FMQs of 2023 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.
Arbed scheme: government 'dragging its feet'
Plaid Cymru's Siân Gwenllian accuses the Welsh government of "dragging its feet" over problems that have resulted from the Arbed scheme, which was meant to address fuel poverty and reduce carbon emissions.
Numerous complaints have been made regarding the quality of internal and external wall insulation work that was done as part of the scheme.
The first minister replies, "independent advice, secured by the Welsh government, has confirmed that the system placed in some properties in Arfon is inappropriate, and has noted some cases of poor work. Officials have had discussions with contractors, and the minister will make a decision on the next steps soon".
Siân Gwenllian adds, "your government is continuing to refuse to provide a scheme for those in Arfon who can't make a claim for a contractor or a guarantor, and this despite the fact that their homes have been left in a poorer state after taking part in the government's Arbed scheme than they were previously. We're also waiting for an update on the cases related to two companies that continue to trade. The government's response to date has been very disappointing".
The BBC reported in 2019 that "green slimy" marks which appeared on the outsides of homes fitted with external wall insulation were being investigated.
'Deliberate voter suppression agenda'
The first minister says the Welsh government will not introduce a requirement to provide photo ID before voting in local and Senedd elections in Wales.
He says the requirement introduced by the UK government as part of the Elections Act 2022 is "part of a deliberate voter suppression agenda pursued by the Conservative government. The way they think they can win elections is to learn the lessons from the far right in the United States, and that is to make it more difficult for people who might not support them to turn up and cast their vote".
Some people have told the BBC of their anger at being unable to vote in local elections in England last week due to the new ID rules.
Conservative Darren Millar told the first minister, "I'm baffled by the Welsh government's position on this matter. This is about the security and integrity of our elections. We know that across the whole of western Europe, voter ID is the norm, and in most western democracies, it is the norm. But it seems that you have an issue with it, perhaps because of your own party's record on fraud cases which have happened in Labour areas, such as the Tower Hamlets frauds, the Birmingham frauds as well, back in 2004".
Betsi Cadwaladr health board: dropped fraud probe
Plaid Cymru leader Adam Price questions why NHS Counter Fraud Wales dropped its investigation into Wales' largest health board in April.
The probe followed work by accountancy and consultancy firm EY, also known as Ernst and Young, prompted by auditors' concerns that £122m of expenditure was not properly accounted for by Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board.
EY's report is yet to be made public, and the first minister says he hasn't seen it.
Mr Drakeford adds, "It's not for me to explain why NHS counter fraud have come to the conclusions that they have; they're an entirely independent organisation. The report was sent to them. My understanding is that they investigated it. Their conclusion is that there were no criminal charges that needed to be brought".
The unreleased report found that accounts were "deliberately falsified", Mr Price claims.
He tells the Senedd the report alleged millions were "posted wrongly" to avoid losing them by the end of the financial year. Mr Price says the report suggested a form of fraud.
Mr Drakeford says he understands disciplinary procedures are being instigated by the health board.
"Actions flowing from the report are still very possible," he says.
Support for children
Andrew RT Davies, leader of the Welsh Conservatives in the Senedd, refers to Welsh government figures that showed there were 74,661 pupils with additional learning needs in schools (15.8% of all pupils) as of February 2022, down from 92,668 (19.5%) in April 2021.
He says "that is a significant drop and, if it was a drop for all the right reasons, then, obviously, we would be celebrating that".
He seeks assurance that schools and the Welsh government are ensuring that pupils who need extra support are receiving it.
The first minister replies, "we have a new system here in Wales, as he knows, put on the statute book by the Senedd and which is in its early stages of full implementation. I think it is very important that we interrogate those figures carefully. We want to see a system in which it is easier for young people to get the help that they need".
Multiply programme 'catastrophic'
The first minister describes Multiply, the new UK government-funded programme to help adults improve their numeracy skills, as "catastrophic".
According to the UK government, "if you’re aged 19 and over and don’t have maths GCSE at grade C (or equivalent), you can access free numeracy courses through Multiply to build your confidence with numbers and gain a qualification".
The first minister says Multiply has meant "£100 million top-sliced out of money that was meant to come to Wales for a national programme that, I'm afraid, has been a huge failure on the ground. Certainly it has not delivered what was promised here in Wales. I'm afraid the Multiply programme just demonstrates the difficulties when ministers in Whitehall believe that they are able to design things on the ground in parts of the United Kingdom where they have no reach at all. They designed their Multiply programme without a single word of discussion with the Welsh government or with the local authorities that are expected to deliver it. As a result, it has not been possible to spend the money that was allocated to Wales".
Resettlement of people from Ukraine
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.
The Labour MS for Blaenau Gwent, Alun Davies, seeks a statement on the resettlement of people from Ukraine in Wales.
Mr Drakeford replies "as a nation of sanctuary, we have welcomed just under 6,900 Ukrainians to Wales, with 3,200 arriving under the Welsh government's sponsorship scheme. We continue to support guests, helping them to move on to longer-term accommodation, where they can live more settled lives and be supported within local communities".
Video content
Croeso
Hello and welcome to our live coverage of the fourteenth session of First Minister's Questions in 2023.
The meeting is held in a hybrid format, with some members in the Siambr (Senedd chamber) and others joining by video-conference.
You can click on the play button above to watch the proceedings.