Thanks for following - join us again
after the Whitsun Half Term recess.
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
Game-meat industry
Conservative Joel James says "the game-meat market in 2021 was estimated to be worth £100 million to the Welsh economy".
He says the Minister for Climate Change's recent comments - "the Welsh government does not support the shooting of live animals or birds as a leisure activity" - has caused concern.
The first minister says "the Minister for Climate Change was referring to leisure shooting - the shooting of live animals for sport. I certainly do not support that. We don't support it on Welsh government land. When it comes to the game-meat industry in Wales, that is a different matter, and that does have the support of the Welsh government."
Water quality in Welsh rivers
Conservative Peter Fox says "the public outrage about the condition of our rivers across Wales understandably continues to grow, not helped by the recent revelations that 25 per cent of all sewage discharges across the UK happen in Wales".
The first minister says "Natural Resources Wales assesses 44 per cent of our rivers at either good or higher ecological status. The latest river basin management plans set out how we intend to improve water quality across Wales working with our partners, and the Welsh government provides a £40 million funding package to support those endeavours."
He points out that there are 1,300 abandoned metal mines in Wales, "many of which contribute to pollution in our rivers".
BBCCopyright: BBC
An old copper mine at Parys Mountain has spoil heaps stained different colours by the metal ores in the rocksImage caption: An old copper mine at Parys Mountain has spoil heaps stained different colours by the metal ores in the rocks
Social mobility
On the effectiveness of the education system in enabling social mobility in Wales, Labour's John Griffiths says "at a recent meeting I had with a secondary school headteacher, concerns were raised regarding white working-class boys in the school not fulfilling their potential".
The first minister replies there are "three separate factors" in the performance of white working-class boys within the education system.
"My own view is that the most fundamental of those factors is the class factor, the fact that those are young people who come from homes where families have to deal with the consequence of poverty in their lives, where experiences that other families are able to take for granted may not be available to those young people."
He says the second of the three factors is gender - "the foundation phase is surely the most powerful thing we have in early years education to make sure that young boys feel that learning is something that matters to them".
"The third factor in white working-class boys is ethnicity, and I think that is the weakest explanatory variable."
BBCCopyright: BBC
Mark DrakefordImage caption: Mark Drakeford
Unemployment
In his first session of First Minister’s Questions as interim leader of
Plaid Cymru, Llyr Gruffydd says "figures published last week suggest that Wales saw the largest year-on-year increase in unemployment in the whole of the United Kingdom".
The first minister replies, "I think the more remarkable story about the Welsh economy is how resilient it has proved under the many stresses and strains that Llyr Gruffydd alluded to with employment levels. Despite the impact of interest rates and soaring energy prices, employment levels, I think, are showing resilience."
Mr Gruffydd calls for "an independent review of government programmes that seek to tackle lack of economic activity".
Mr Drakeford says "I'm willing to consider any ideas that Llyr Gruffydd has, but we already have a lot of evidence and I don't want to decelerate what we're doing at present by waiting for an independent review of what we're doing, when there are ideas that we already have that we can implement to help people".
BBCCopyright: BBC
Llyr GruffyddImage caption: Llyr Gruffydd
Waiting times
Andrew RT Davies, leader of the Welsh
Conservatives in the Senedd, calls on the first minister to commit to eliminating two-year waits in the Welsh NHS by the end of the year.
Mr Drakeford says the health minister has written to health boards setting out that expectation, "to provide 99 per cent, is what the minister is reminding me, because there will always be a small number of people for whom it is clinically not the right thing to proceed with an operation at the point that it was originally intended. So the 1 per cent is just there to make sure that that eventuality is covered. Otherwise, the letter to health boards is clear: we expect those long waits to be eliminated within the time frame that the leader of the opposition has identified."
Mr Davies says "I'm pleased, in one breath, to hear that, but mindful, obviously, that the original target for eliminating two-year waits within Wales was March of this year".
BBCCopyright: BBC
Andrew RT DaviesImage caption: Andrew RT Davies
Cost of school uniform
We continue with FMQs.
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 MS Hefin David
seeks an update on Welsh government support with the
cost of school uniform for learners and their families.
Mr Drakeford replies that "our updated uniform guidance requires schools to prioritise affordability", and that families
on lower incomes can apply for a Welsh
government grant of up to £300 to help with the cost of
school uniforms.
But the
Welsh government has stopped short of calling for school logos on clothes to be
ditched, saying they should "not be compulsory".
Mr David welcomes the measures by the Welsh government, adding, "in complement to that, in Lansbury Park in Caerphilly, Lisa Watkins runs the Caerphilly Uniform Exchange, whereby people can visit to exchange uniforms, to pick up uniforms, and, the most important thing to know, they're open to everyone - regardless of income, you are welcome to go along and use the Caerphilly Uniform Exchange."
BBCCopyright: BBC
A swap shop is run by parents at Ysgol Bro Edern in Cardiff to help keep costs of uniform downImage caption: A swap shop is run by parents at Ysgol Bro Edern in Cardiff to help keep costs of uniform down
Emergency Question
Andrew RT Davies, leader of the Welsh Conservatives in the Senedd, asks "what discussions is the Welsh Government having with South Wales Police regarding riots in Cardiff over the last 24 hours?"
Jane Hutt, the Minister for Social Justice, calls for calm following the riots in Ely.
She says, "this is a tragic incident, my thoughts are with all those affected".
"I would call for calm and for people to support the police and other agencies involved in supporting the local community."
Mr Davies says there "could be no excuse for the violence".
Ms Hutt agreed that there was "completely unacceptable" violence.
Plaid Cymru's Heledd Fychan says: "Many people are devastated by what happened last night and the subsequent violence as well. People are terrified saying that they are still worried that this could still escalate further."
Two teenage boys died in a crash before a riot broke out in Cardiff which left several police officers injured.
Cars were set alight and fireworks thrown at police as 100 to 150 people gathered at the scene in Ely on Monday.
Police dismissed social media rumours that they were involved in the crash, saying officers arrived at the scene afterwards.
BBCCopyright: BBC
Jane HuttImage caption: Jane Hutt
Getty ImagesCopyright: Getty Images
BBCCopyright: BBC
Riot police attended the scene of disorder in the district of Ely in CardiffImage caption: Riot police attended the scene of disorder in the district of Ely in Cardiff
Croeso
Hello and welcome to our live coverage of the Emergency Question on the riots in Cardiff last night, and the sixteenth 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 An old copper mine at Parys Mountain has spoil heaps stained different colours by the metal ores in the rocksImage caption: An old copper mine at Parys Mountain has spoil heaps stained different colours by the metal ores in the rocks 
BBCCopyright: BBC Mark DrakefordImage caption: Mark Drakeford 
BBCCopyright: BBC Llyr GruffyddImage caption: Llyr Gruffydd 
BBCCopyright: BBC Andrew RT DaviesImage caption: Andrew RT Davies 
BBCCopyright: BBC A swap shop is run by parents at Ysgol Bro Edern in Cardiff to help keep costs of uniform downImage caption: A swap shop is run by parents at Ysgol Bro Edern in Cardiff to help keep costs of uniform down 
BBCCopyright: BBC Jane HuttImage caption: Jane Hutt 
Getty ImagesCopyright: Getty Images 
BBCCopyright: BBC Riot police attended the scene of disorder in the district of Ely in CardiffImage caption: Riot police attended the scene of disorder in the district of Ely in Cardiff
Latest PostHwyl fawr
The sixteenth FMQs of 2023 comes to a close.
Thanks for following - join us again after the Whitsun Half Term recess.
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.
Game-meat industry
Conservative Joel James says "the game-meat market in 2021 was estimated to be worth £100 million to the Welsh economy".
He says the Minister for Climate Change's recent comments - "the Welsh government does not support the shooting of live animals or birds as a leisure activity" - has caused concern.
The first minister says "the Minister for Climate Change was referring to leisure shooting - the shooting of live animals for sport. I certainly do not support that. We don't support it on Welsh government land. When it comes to the game-meat industry in Wales, that is a different matter, and that does have the support of the Welsh government."
Water quality in Welsh rivers
Conservative Peter Fox says "the public outrage about the condition of our rivers across Wales understandably continues to grow, not helped by the recent revelations that 25 per cent of all sewage discharges across the UK happen in Wales".
The first minister says "Natural Resources Wales assesses 44 per cent of our rivers at either good or higher ecological status. The latest river basin management plans set out how we intend to improve water quality across Wales working with our partners, and the Welsh government provides a £40 million funding package to support those endeavours."
He points out that there are 1,300 abandoned metal mines in Wales, "many of which contribute to pollution in our rivers".
Social mobility
On the effectiveness of the education system in enabling social mobility in Wales, Labour's John Griffiths says "at a recent meeting I had with a secondary school headteacher, concerns were raised regarding white working-class boys in the school not fulfilling their potential".
The first minister replies there are "three separate factors" in the performance of white working-class boys within the education system.
"My own view is that the most fundamental of those factors is the class factor, the fact that those are young people who come from homes where families have to deal with the consequence of poverty in their lives, where experiences that other families are able to take for granted may not be available to those young people."
He says the second of the three factors is gender - "the foundation phase is surely the most powerful thing we have in early years education to make sure that young boys feel that learning is something that matters to them".
"The third factor in white working-class boys is ethnicity, and I think that is the weakest explanatory variable."
Unemployment
In his first session of First Minister’s Questions as interim leader of Plaid Cymru, Llyr Gruffydd says "figures published last week suggest that Wales saw the largest year-on-year increase in unemployment in the whole of the United Kingdom".
The first minister replies, "I think the more remarkable story about the Welsh economy is how resilient it has proved under the many stresses and strains that Llyr Gruffydd alluded to with employment levels. Despite the impact of interest rates and soaring energy prices, employment levels, I think, are showing resilience."
Mr Gruffydd calls for "an independent review of government programmes that seek to tackle lack of economic activity".
Mr Drakeford says "I'm willing to consider any ideas that Llyr Gruffydd has, but we already have a lot of evidence and I don't want to decelerate what we're doing at present by waiting for an independent review of what we're doing, when there are ideas that we already have that we can implement to help people".
Waiting times
Andrew RT Davies, leader of the Welsh Conservatives in the Senedd, calls on the first minister to commit to eliminating two-year waits in the Welsh NHS by the end of the year.
Mr Drakeford says the health minister has written to health boards setting out that expectation, "to provide 99 per cent, is what the minister is reminding me, because there will always be a small number of people for whom it is clinically not the right thing to proceed with an operation at the point that it was originally intended. So the 1 per cent is just there to make sure that that eventuality is covered. Otherwise, the letter to health boards is clear: we expect those long waits to be eliminated within the time frame that the leader of the opposition has identified."
Mr Davies says "I'm pleased, in one breath, to hear that, but mindful, obviously, that the original target for eliminating two-year waits within Wales was March of this year".
Cost of school uniform
We continue with FMQs.
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 MS Hefin David seeks an update on Welsh government support with the cost of school uniform for learners and their families.
Mr Drakeford replies that "our updated uniform guidance requires schools to prioritise affordability", and that families on lower incomes can apply for a Welsh government grant of up to £300 to help with the cost of school uniforms.
But the Welsh government has stopped short of calling for school logos on clothes to be ditched, saying they should "not be compulsory".
It comes after a consultation which asked for views on easing the burden of buying uniforms for families struggling with the cost of living.
Mr David welcomes the measures by the Welsh government, adding, "in complement to that, in Lansbury Park in Caerphilly, Lisa Watkins runs the Caerphilly Uniform Exchange, whereby people can visit to exchange uniforms, to pick up uniforms, and, the most important thing to know, they're open to everyone - regardless of income, you are welcome to go along and use the Caerphilly Uniform Exchange."
Emergency Question
Andrew RT Davies, leader of the Welsh Conservatives in the Senedd, asks "what discussions is the Welsh Government having with South Wales Police regarding riots in Cardiff over the last 24 hours?"
Jane Hutt, the Minister for Social Justice, calls for calm following the riots in Ely.
She says, "this is a tragic incident, my thoughts are with all those affected".
"I would call for calm and for people to support the police and other agencies involved in supporting the local community."
Mr Davies says there "could be no excuse for the violence".
Ms Hutt agreed that there was "completely unacceptable" violence.
Plaid Cymru's Heledd Fychan says: "Many people are devastated by what happened last night and the subsequent violence as well. People are terrified saying that they are still worried that this could still escalate further."
Two teenage boys died in a crash before a riot broke out in Cardiff which left several police officers injured.
Cars were set alight and fireworks thrown at police as 100 to 150 people gathered at the scene in Ely on Monday.
Police dismissed social media rumours that they were involved in the crash, saying officers arrived at the scene afterwards.
Croeso
Hello and welcome to our live coverage of the Emergency Question on the riots in Cardiff last night, and the sixteenth 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.