The eighth FMQs of 2024 comes to a close.

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Plaid Cymru's Delyth Jewell raises the issue of the environmental legacy of coal mining.

The first minister says there are 2,566 disused coal tips in Wales, which is approximately 40 per cent of all coal tips in Great Britain.

He adds, "our coal tip safety programme, including an inspection and maintenance regime and a new disused coal tips Bill, has community safety at its heart".

Delyth Jewell says "the coal tips, the rubbish that still darkens our horizons - those tips are a lasting reminder of Westminster's contempt for Wales, because even though they pre-date devolution, the UK government refuses to pay towards clearing them, towards making them safe, preventing another Aberfan from happening".

The first minister replies, "in an era of climate change, the tips that are left are no longer safe for the future. That is why we are investing £44 million ourselves in the resilience of coal tips across Wales. We've asked the UK government for a contribution to that; we haven't asked them to fund it all. In fact, we've asked them for £20 million to match the £44 million that this Senedd will be providing; and the answer comes back that they will not do that".

Conservative Paul Davies raises concerns about ambulance response times, citing the tragic case of a constituent.

"I was contacted by a constituent who informed me that her daughter-in-law had waited over an hour and a half for an ambulance after having a heart attack on Christmas Eve. Unfortunately, she passed away at the age of 40, leaving two small children, and the family are absolutely adamant that, if the ambulance had arrived in a timely manner, then she would have survived. I'm sure you'll therefore agree with me that that is absolutely appalling, and my heart goes out to the family".

The first minister replies, "first of all to agree with what Paul Davies said about the distress that the family will be experiencing, and, of course, the circumstances that he reports need to be investigated and answers to the family need to be provided".

More generally, the first minister says "the Welsh government goes on doing the things that we have done in recent times: investing in the ambulance services. More people work in the ambulance service than ever before. We invest in the equipment that the service has, and we invest in those additional services that try to make sure that ambulances are only used in those circumstances when an ambulance itself is the right answer."

Image source, Getty Images

Plaid Cymru leader Rhun ap Iorwerth asks whether the first minister accepts it was "not only wrong, but also in breach of his government's own rules" for any Welsh government minister or civil servant to delete WhatsApp messages during the pandemic.

Mr Drakeford replies that he will answer such questions when he appears before the Covid UK inquiry next week. "The inquiry is here to ask those questions. That's why it is in Wales. I'm not going to offer a preview of the questions that I will be asked as a witness to the inquiry".

Rhun ap Iorwerth also says that not holding a Wales-specific Covid inquiry was "a serious error of judgement" by the first minister.

"Every piece of evidence published, every testimony delivered during this three weeks - or up to now in this Covid inquiry - strengthens the case, I believe, for that Wales-specific Covid inquiry. And what we're hearing, of course, is only scratching the surface," says Rhun ap Iorwerth.

The first minister replies "I don't think that a Welsh-specific inquiry would give families in Wales the answers to the questions which they absolutely properly ask, and on which I am determined to help find those answers. And I entirely disagree with him; I think every witness in front of the inquiry demonstrates that you could not understand the actions taken in Wales in isolation from the decisions that were being made elsewhere. And a Welsh-specific inquiry simply would not be able to investigate those connections."

Image source, Getty Images

Andrew RT Davies, leader of the Welsh Conservatives in the Senedd, seeks clarification of the first minister's use of WhatsApp.

Mr Davies says, "we heard from the Covid inquiry that you do use WhatsApp regularly. On 7 November, when I questioned you on this particular issue, you said that you didn't use it, and then you clarified on 8 November that you used it but not very often. Can you confirm whether you do use WhatsApp regularly as in the evidence that was put to the Covid inquiry, in particular, when it came to policy and rule decisions?"

The first minister replies that he will answer any questions related to the inquiry when he appears before it next week.

But he refers to the statement he made in November, in which he clarified that WhatsApp is installed on his Senedd issued phone, after he had initially told the Welsh Parliament he did not use it, but he does not use the app to regularly send messages.

"I am a witness at the Covid inquiry. I will answer their questions, whatever points they put to me. I am not going to offer a preview of what I say to the inquiry. I will pay the inquiry the respect I think it believes, and I will give my answers to them as a witness," says the first minister.

Mr Davies pointed out that Mr Drakeford was stepping down in two weeks time, and said it was a "damning indictment of Welsh democracy".

He asked another question about whether Mr Drakeford was aware that special advisers were deleting messages, but Mr Drakeford again refused to answer.

Liberal Democrat Jane Dodds asks “what progress has the Welsh government made on delivering the commitments made to care-experienced young people in the declaration agreed at the radical reform summit in December 2022, external?”

Mr Drakeford replies he last week attended "the third summit led by care-experienced young people to report to them on our radical reform agenda. They celebrated the progress already made through the declaration and made a series of proposals for further action".

The Welsh government has committed to reducing the number of children and young people entering care but for those children who are in care, it “wants them to remain close to home so they can continue to be part of their community. The focus must be on keeping families together, through early help and supportive services provided at the right time for parents and children.”

Llywydd Elin Jones conducts a ballot to determine the names of members who may table questions to the first minister and Welsh ministers.

Conservative Peter Fox asks what assessment has the Welsh government made of the pressures that Welsh farmers face.

The first minister replies that "Welsh farmers face a range of pressures, including increased costs, EU exit barriers, hostile trade deals and the impacts of the climate and nature emergencies. We want a successful future for Welsh farming and continue to work with others to achieve it".

Mr Fox says, "we have all seen the way our rural communities have come together like no other time that I can ever remember, such is the concern, the anxiety and fear for the future that many farmers feel they face. Many feel they won't be able to achieve what the government is asking through the sustainable farming scheme and, as such, are starting to consider life without farm support, and no doubt many will choose to exit the industry, especially our older farmer community".

The consultation on the controversial Sustainable Farming Scheme (SFS) closes on 7 March. The proposals would require farmers to commit 10% of agricultural land to be used for trees and 10% for wildlife habitat.

Last week, thousands of farmers protested outside the Senedd against the Welsh government's plans.

Image source, CHRISTOPHER FURLONG/GETTY

Image source, CHRISTOPHER FURLONG/GETTY

Hello and welcome to our live coverage of the eighth 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 1.00pm.

Due to a busy schedule, including the Committee of the Whole Senedd session for Stage 2 proceedings of the Senedd Cymru (Members and Elections) Bill, the business committee agreed to bring forward the start of today’s plenary to 1pm from the usual 1.30pm.