The fifth FMQs of 2024 comes to a close.

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Llywydd Elin Jones opened Senedd proceedings by giving the parliament's best wishes to the King.

"First as a Senedd I'm sure we would wish to extend our best wishes for a speedy recovery to King Charles as he begins his cancer treatment," she said.

Her comments were joined by words from the leaders of the Senedd's opposition parties.

Andrew RT Davies, Welsh Conservative Senedd leader, sent his "best wishes to His Majesty The King from the Conservative benches for his speedy recovery and praise him for coming forward with the condition that he's fighting, in the hope that he'll bring other people forward to have a speedy diagnosis, as we know that time is of the essence".

Rhun ap Iorwerth, leader of Plaid Cymru, said: "May I wish the King well after his diagnosis and wish everyone facing cancer a speedy recovery too."

Image source, Reuters

Mabon ap Gwynfor, Plaid Cymru MS for Dwyfor Meirionnydd, expresses concerns that two Wales Air Ambulance bases could be set to shut, according to a review into the service.

The review shortlists the closure of sites in Welshpool in Powys, and Caernarfon in Gwynedd, with the emergency helicopters relocated to north-east Wales.

Mabon ap Gwynfor says "the modelling shows that centralising services would mean that communities in north Anglesey, Pen Llŷn, Meirionnydd, Maldwyn and north Ceredigion would all lose out significantly".

"No reorganisation should be introduced that puts people at risk in those communities," says Mabon ap Gwynfor.

Mr Drakeford replies that Wales Air Ambulance is an independent charity, and "if the work demonstrates that we can continue to provide the service that exists now to people in north and west Wales, and also, ensure that more people are seen by the service in the future, then, I can't say that I would oppose that conclusion".

Conservative Altaf Hussain accuses the Welsh government of "failing" in its obligations to ensure sufficient housing supply to meet population needs.

The first minister replies, "I do accept that the housing system is under huge pressure. It's why we are investing records amount of money to create 20,000 new homes for social rent here in Wales. It's why we have retained the Help to Buy scheme in Wales, when it's been abandoned in England. It's why we have put records amount of money in the Wales property development fund and the Wales stalled sites fund, to make sure that house building can happen here in Wales."

Image source, PA Media

Plaid Cymru leader Rhun ap Iorwerth asks whether the first minister agrees that supporting a "just transition" should be an aim of the Welsh government for the agriculture industry as well as for the steel industry.

Mr Drakeford replies "as the steel industry faces a transition, so does farming, and that's the journey we are on. We are there to support farming communities in it. But the future will be different to the past."

Rhun ap Iorwerth says "agriculture has to be a partner in both tackling climate change and providing a secure and sustainable food future". He appeals to the first minister: "take stock, work with the sector in a spirit that feels to the sector like co-operation".

Specifically on the requirement for 10 per cent tree cover, Rhun ap Iorwerth says "look again at the impact that has on land devaluation, on the loss of productive farmland, the effects on livestock levels and employment in the industry."

The first minister replies, "the Welsh government has already shown that we have listened carefully to what farmers have said, but we will not compromise on the actions we will take to make sure that this country makes our contribution to climate change, and farming and the rural parts of Wales will make a contribution to that".

Image source, Getty Images

Andrew RT Davies, leader of the Welsh Conservatives in the Senedd, refers to the case of a 91-year-old woman was left on the floor "like a piece of rubbish" according to her family during a nearly 24-hour ambulance wait.

Theresa Jones had to be dragged back to her room on a sheet from the corridor where she fell in Port Talbot's Maes-y-Bryn residential home, her daughter Janice Maguire has said.

Mr Davies also points to a tweet by BBC journalist Jeremy Bowen who said "my 86 year old mother was asked by her doctor to go the University Hospital of Wales in Cardiff at 4pm yesterday to get a severe chest infection assessed. She’s still there, sitting stoically on a hard plastic chair all night. What’s going on? #NHSCrisis".

The first minister replies "I'm never in a position to comment on individual cases, no matter how much attention has been drawn to them. The Welsh ambulance trust has expressed its disappointment at the service that was able to be provided, and there will, no doubt, be questions that will need to be asked about the service, the advice that was given and so on, and they will do that. Our aim, as he knows, is to make sure that people who are presented at an A&E department are seen, treated and moved, either beyond the service itself or into a hospital within four hours."

Mr Davies calls on the first minister to apologise to the two individuals' families.

Mr Drakeford replies, "I apologise to anybody whose experience of the Welsh NHS is not the experience that we would wish them to have."

Image source, FAMILY PHOTO

The first minister says the Bus Services (Wales) Bill will give greater influence over bus services to the people of Wales.

He says it will "reform the failed system of deregulation. That will enable all levels of government to work with our communities to design and deliver bus services they need."

A law was originally proposed by the Welsh government four years ago, with powers for councils to franchise, alongside partnerships where councils work with companies.

Image source, Getty Images

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.

Labour MS Joyce Watson asks how the Welsh government is supporting food banks.

The first minister replies that since 2019 the Welsh government has provided £18m to support community food organisations, including £2 million in this financial year.

Food banks receive donated non-perishable food and other essential items which volunteers then sort into parcels which can be given to those in need.

Care professionals such as health visitors, school staff and social workers can identify people who need support and issue them with a food bank voucher so they can collect a food package.

Image source, Getty Images

Hello and welcome to our live coverage of the fifth session of First Minister's Questions in 2024.

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.