Junior doctors in a rally outside the Senedd on TuesdayImage caption: Junior doctors in a rally outside the Senedd on Tuesday
Plaid Cymru's Mabon ap Gwynfor raises the issue of the junior doctors’ strike action over pay.
He says "I've spoken to a number of doctors outside this Senedd today, and yesterday in Wrexham Maelor, for example, and an increasing number are saying that they're going to follow their friends to work in Australia, New Zealand or elsewhere. When you as a government say that you can't afford to pay more, can the NHS and Wales afford to lose more doctors?"
First Minister Mark Drakeford replies "of course we want to see public servants in Wales paid properly for the work that they do, but the offer that we have made is right at the limit of the funding that we have for this purpose".
The three-day walkout began on Monday morning following a pay
dispute with the Welsh government, with hundreds of operations and thousands of
appointments postponed.
The Welsh government's pay rise offer of 5% was
rejected by the British Medical Association (BMA).
In England, junior doctors have already been given an 8.8% pay
increase, but have rejected an additional offer worth 3% on average.
In Scotland, an improved offer of 12.4% has been accepted, while
in Northern Ireland a ballot is planned.
BBCCopyright: BBC
Mark DrakefordImage caption: Mark Drakeford
Horizon 'scandal'
The first minister says the Horizon "scandal illustrates wider factors in access to justice".
He adds, "we have a sense of the scale in that we know that in every single part of Wales - from Haverfordwest in the south right to the north - there have been individuals badly affected by this scandal. We don't have definitive numbers because we know that part of the scandal has been that there have been people who were innocent of any wrongdoing who felt obliged to plead guilty to an offence."
Between 1999 and 2015, more than 900 Post Office sub-postmasters and postmistresses were prosecuted for theft and false accounting after money appeared to be missing from their branches, but the prosecutions were based on evidence from faulty Horizon software.
Some sub-postmasters wrongfully went to prison, many were financially ruined. Some have since died.
ITVCopyright: ITV
The ITV drama Mr Bates vs The Post Office has renewed mass public interest in the scandal like never beforeImage caption: The ITV drama Mr Bates vs The Post Office has renewed mass public interest in the scandal like never before
20mph default speed limit
Conservative Gareth Davies says the new 20mph default speed limit in built-up areas in Wales is already leading to bus services being scrapped and he criticises inconsistency between local authorities in implementing exemptions.
The first minister replies that "in addition to reduced deaths and injuries, we can expect increases in cycling and walking, and improvements in public health".
He adds the Welsh government will work with local authorities to ensure the guidance is clear.
"Wales needs a government that supports business in order to create economic prosperity and social fairness, and our communities need a vibrant high street," he says.
Mr Drakeford replies it is "a temporary relief scheme; it's now in its fifth year. It has given more than £1 billion in additional rate relief to the sector to which the leader of Plaid Cymru refers, and in Wales, that relief will continue, not at 75 per cent, but at a level that we think will allow the sector to go on having the benefit of further public investment, on a path, as inevitably it has to be, to the day when this temporary scheme comes to an end".
Pressed further by Rhun ap Iorwerth, the first minister says "we will not be reconsidering that decision unless Plaid Cymru can tell me where the money that has been diverted from business rate relief to support many other programmes, including many of the other programmes that, week after week, Plaid Cymru members will tell me we have to find more money for - if he will tell me where that money is to come from."
In the draft budget in December,
as well as announcing plans to slash business rate relief from 75% to 40%, the
Welsh government said business rates would rise 5%.
In England rate relief will remain 75%.
UK Hospitality has said a typical Welsh pub or
restaurant could now pay an average £6,800 more than similar businesses in
England.
BBCCopyright: BBC
Rhun ap IorwerthImage caption: Rhun ap Iorwerth
Winter pressures in the NHS
Asked by Andrew RT Davies, leader of the Welsh Conservatives in the
Senedd, about the Healthcare Inspectorate Wales annual report and winter pressures in the NHS, the first minister says "the Welsh NHS has shown that, in some key metrics, things have been better this year, despite the fact that demand is significantly higher. So, ambulance waits outside hospitals are lower this year than they were last year, performance in our emergency departments has been better in the last figures that were published than the same time last year".
Mr Davies asks, "how will you meet the challenge to make sure that Health Inspectorate Wales is resourced appropriately so that it can undertake its work - its critical work - in supporting health boards and primary healthcare in particular to deliver the range of services across the whole of Wales, and ultimately respond to concerns that people have when they find shortcomings in that service provision?"
The first minister replies, "the budget laid in front of the Senedd is the most difficult budget we've ever had to set, and there's a choice to be made, and here you can see the choice in front of you. The Conservatives, through their leader, say that they would invest more in inspectorate services. We have decided to invest more in the services themselves."
BBCCopyright: BBC
Andrew RT DaviesImage caption: Andrew RT Davies
Brexit impact
BBCCopyright: BBC
Laura Anne JonesImage caption: Laura Anne Jones
Llywydd 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.
Asked
by his Labour colleague Jayne
Bryant about the impact of Brexit, First Minister Mark Drakeford replies that "leaving the single market has worsened trading conditions with Europe, to the detriment of businesses and consumers across Wales".
He also criticises "the UK government’s failure to replace more than £1 billion of Wales's European Union funding, while Office for Budget Responsibility analysis concludes that leaving the European Union will shrink the UK economy by 4 per cent."
Conservative Laura Anne Jones replies that "the majority of people voted for Brexit in Wales" and "Brexit has delivered a myriad of trade deals".
In turn, the first minister replies "the myriad of trade deals to which the member refers, are, in the main, simply deals that were already available to us on better terms while we were inside the European Union".
Getty ImagesCopyright: Getty Images
Croeso
Hello and
welcome to our live coverage of the second session of First Minister's
Questions in 2024, and the second since Mark Drakeford announced he is quitting
after five years in the job.
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 from
1.30pm.
Live Reporting
Alun Jones
All times stated are UK
BBCCopyright: BBC Junior doctors in a rally outside the Senedd on TuesdayImage caption: Junior doctors in a rally outside the Senedd on Tuesday 
BBCCopyright: BBC Mark DrakefordImage caption: Mark Drakeford 
ITVCopyright: ITV The ITV drama Mr Bates vs The Post Office has renewed mass public interest in the scandal like never beforeImage caption: The ITV drama Mr Bates vs The Post Office has renewed mass public interest in the scandal like never before 
Getty ImagesCopyright: Getty Images 
BBCCopyright: BBC Rhun ap IorwerthImage caption: Rhun ap Iorwerth 
BBCCopyright: BBC Andrew RT DaviesImage caption: Andrew RT Davies 
BBCCopyright: BBC Laura Anne JonesImage caption: Laura Anne Jones 
Getty ImagesCopyright: Getty Images
Latest PostHwyl fawr
The second FMQs of 2024 comes to a close.
Thanks for following - join us again next week.
Junior doctors’ strike action over pay
Plaid Cymru's Mabon ap Gwynfor raises the issue of the junior doctors’ strike action over pay.
He says "I've spoken to a number of doctors outside this Senedd today, and yesterday in Wrexham Maelor, for example, and an increasing number are saying that they're going to follow their friends to work in Australia, New Zealand or elsewhere. When you as a government say that you can't afford to pay more, can the NHS and Wales afford to lose more doctors?"
First Minister Mark Drakeford replies "of course we want to see public servants in Wales paid properly for the work that they do, but the offer that we have made is right at the limit of the funding that we have for this purpose".
The three-day walkout began on Monday morning following a pay dispute with the Welsh government, with hundreds of operations and thousands of appointments postponed.
The Welsh government's pay rise offer of 5% was rejected by the British Medical Association (BMA).
In England, junior doctors have already been given an 8.8% pay increase, but have rejected an additional offer worth 3% on average.
In Scotland, an improved offer of 12.4% has been accepted, while in Northern Ireland a ballot is planned.
Horizon 'scandal'
The first minister says the Horizon "scandal illustrates wider factors in access to justice".
He adds, "we have a sense of the scale in that we know that in every single part of Wales - from Haverfordwest in the south right to the north - there have been individuals badly affected by this scandal. We don't have definitive numbers because we know that part of the scandal has been that there have been people who were innocent of any wrongdoing who felt obliged to plead guilty to an offence."
Between 1999 and 2015, more than 900 Post Office sub-postmasters and postmistresses were prosecuted for theft and false accounting after money appeared to be missing from their branches, but the prosecutions were based on evidence from faulty Horizon software.
Some sub-postmasters wrongfully went to prison, many were financially ruined. Some have since died.
20mph default speed limit
Conservative Gareth Davies says the new 20mph default speed limit in built-up areas in Wales is already leading to bus services being scrapped and he criticises inconsistency between local authorities in implementing exemptions.
The first minister replies that "in addition to reduced deaths and injuries, we can expect increases in cycling and walking, and improvements in public health".
He adds the Welsh government will work with local authorities to ensure the guidance is clear.
'Rethink plans to cut business rates relief'
Plaid Cymru leader Rhun ap Iorwerth calls on the Welsh government to rethink plans to cut business rates relief from 75% to 40%.
"Wales needs a government that supports business in order to create economic prosperity and social fairness, and our communities need a vibrant high street," he says.
Mr Drakeford replies it is "a temporary relief scheme; it's now in its fifth year. It has given more than £1 billion in additional rate relief to the sector to which the leader of Plaid Cymru refers, and in Wales, that relief will continue, not at 75 per cent, but at a level that we think will allow the sector to go on having the benefit of further public investment, on a path, as inevitably it has to be, to the day when this temporary scheme comes to an end".
Pressed further by Rhun ap Iorwerth, the first minister says "we will not be reconsidering that decision unless Plaid Cymru can tell me where the money that has been diverted from business rate relief to support many other programmes, including many of the other programmes that, week after week, Plaid Cymru members will tell me we have to find more money for - if he will tell me where that money is to come from."
In the draft budget in December, as well as announcing plans to slash business rate relief from 75% to 40%, the Welsh government said business rates would rise 5%.
In England rate relief will remain 75%.
UK Hospitality has said a typical Welsh pub or restaurant could now pay an average £6,800 more than similar businesses in England.
Winter pressures in the NHS
Asked by Andrew RT Davies, leader of the Welsh Conservatives in the Senedd, about the Healthcare Inspectorate Wales annual report and winter pressures in the NHS, the first minister says "the Welsh NHS has shown that, in some key metrics, things have been better this year, despite the fact that demand is significantly higher. So, ambulance waits outside hospitals are lower this year than they were last year, performance in our emergency departments has been better in the last figures that were published than the same time last year".
Mr Davies asks, "how will you meet the challenge to make sure that Health Inspectorate Wales is resourced appropriately so that it can undertake its work - its critical work - in supporting health boards and primary healthcare in particular to deliver the range of services across the whole of Wales, and ultimately respond to concerns that people have when they find shortcomings in that service provision?"
The first minister replies, "the budget laid in front of the Senedd is the most difficult budget we've ever had to set, and there's a choice to be made, and here you can see the choice in front of you. The Conservatives, through their leader, say that they would invest more in inspectorate services. We have decided to invest more in the services themselves."
Brexit impact
Llywydd 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.
Asked by his Labour colleague Jayne Bryant about the impact of Brexit, First Minister Mark Drakeford replies that "leaving the single market has worsened trading conditions with Europe, to the detriment of businesses and consumers across Wales".
He also criticises "the UK government’s failure to replace more than £1 billion of Wales's European Union funding, while Office for Budget Responsibility analysis concludes that leaving the European Union will shrink the UK economy by 4 per cent."
Conservative Laura Anne Jones replies that "the majority of people voted for Brexit in Wales" and "Brexit has delivered a myriad of trade deals".
In turn, the first minister replies "the myriad of trade deals to which the member refers, are, in the main, simply deals that were already available to us on better terms while we were inside the European Union".
Croeso
Hello and welcome to our live coverage of the second session of First Minister's Questions in 2024, and the second since Mark Drakeford announced he is quitting after five years in the job.
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 from 1.30pm.