Vaughan Gething’s fifth session as first minister comes to a close.

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Image source, Senedd

Asked by Labour's Joyce Watson for an update on the Welsh government’s plans for a national care service, the first minister replies that they are at stage 1 of an implementation plan.

"That includes establishing a national office for care and support, research activities and, indeed, the question of the future funding of social care".

Image source, Getty Images

Liberal Democrat Jane Dodds questions "why there is currently no dedicated minister for babies, children and young people in the Welsh government?"

She says, "if we look at New Zealand, Ireland and Norway, each has a dedicated minister leading child poverty strategy. And, crucially, they outperform Wales in terms of the numbers of children living in poverty: in Ireland, 14 per cent; in New Zealand, 12 per cent; and in Norway 11 per cent. And that's compared to the shocking 20 per cent that it's operating at here in Wales".

The first minister replies "I have appointed a Minister for Mental Health and Early Years... Jayne Bryant's portfolio also covers areas related to children, young people and families. However, the duties set out in the Rights of the Children and Young Persons (Wales) Measure 2011 apply to, and are the responsibility of, all Welsh ministers".

Image source, Senedd

The first minister says there is a "presumption against" new gas-fired power plants in Wales, but that he cannot comment on any specific proposal.

He says "our general policy does not support the construction of new fossil fuelled power plants as they are a source of additional greenhouse gas emissions".

Siân Gwenllian says "there is concern locally" about a proposed new power plant on the former brickworks site in Caernarfon.

50 workers lost their jobs when Hanson closed Seiont Brickworks Quarry in 2008, ending a near 200-year history of brick-making in the town.

Image source, Senedd

Plaid Cymru leader Rhun ap Iorwerth asks what help the Welsh government can give to universities as they face a financial "crisis".

He says, "there is a saying in Welsh, ‘gorau arf, arf dysg’ - an education is the best weapon - and it’s so true that raising educational standards has to be one of the main tools used in Wales as we bring more prosperity to our nation".

He refers to reports of Aberystwyth university losing up to 200 jobs in trying to make savings of £15 million, and the vice chancellor in Cardiff university talking about £35 million deficit in the budget for this year.

"It’s a critical situation, and we’re the only nation in the UK that is moving backwards in terms of student participation in higher education. There are hundreds of jobs under threat. The economy is under threat," says Rhun ap Iorwerth.

Vaughan Gething replies that universities are "independent institutions" but the Welsh government has "taken the difficult decision to actually permit higher education to undertake fee increases to try to generate further income for the sector. There is a need to consider the amount of resource that can go into higher education together with every other part of our public realm".

He adds that universities are also facing "the reality that they’ve lost a significant chunk of income in the way that former EU funds were then repurposed and centralised in the UK government, and higher education was deliberately designed out of access to those funds".

Image source, Senedd

Image source, Senedd

Andrew RT Davies, leader of the Welsh Conservatives in the Senedd, says residents near Withyhedge landfill site in Pembrokeshire are living through a "nightmare".

He says, "that tip needs to shut. It has been run very badly, and residents are being affected in their everyday lives. That is just not good enough. I wouldn't tolerate it on my doorstep, and I certainly wouldn't tolerate it in my electoral area, and I'd be putting in all the possible support I could for residents to try to make sure that they had this situation addressed."

The first minister replies that it is a matter for Natural Resources Wales "to undertake the required action to ensure that improvement is delivered, and that's the very clear position of the whole government. I wouldn't expect any community to simply tolerate what is happening. That's why action needs to be taken. That's why it needs to be led by the regulator, to be clear about when requirement is undertaken and what will happen whether that required action is undertaken to time or not".

The company at the centre of the Vaughan Gething donation controversy has management responsibility.

Resources Management UK Limited (RML) is part of Dauson Environmental Group.

DEG is owned by David John Neal,who was given a suspended sentence of three months in 2013 for illegally dumping waste,and a suspended sentence of 18 weeks in 2017 for not cleaning it up.

Mr Gething has faced mounting pressure for accepting £200,000 from DEG for his leadership campaign, but has defended his integrity and rejected calls from opponents for an investigation.

Image source, COLIN BARNETT

Labour MS for Cardiff Central, Jenny Rathbone asks "what steps is the Welsh government taking to increase the number of primary school children who are able to swim?"

She expresses concern about figures showing just 16% of children in Cardiff can swim.

The city is the worst performing area in Wales for children learning to swim, according to data from Swim Wales and Cardiff Metropolitan University.

Only 57% of the city's primary schools provided swimming lessons last year.

The first minister replies "across the Welsh government, officials are working closely with both Swim Wales and Water Safety Wales to raise the profile of swimming within the Curriculum for Wales and to support primary school learners with swimming skills and water safety education".

He reveals that he learned to swim in his 30s.

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

The issue raised by Conservative Sam Rowlands is healthcare provision in north Wales.

The first minister acknowledges that "healthcare overall in north Wales is not where I, nor indeed the staff delivering those services, would want it to be. As part of the special measures escalation, the Welsh government is working closely with Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board to improve access to the safe and timely health and care that the people of north Wales deserve".

Sam Rowlands says "just last week, a black alert was issued in the north Wales health board because hospitals could not cope with the bank holiday levels of demand, and, sadly, this is far too often an occurrence for the residents that I represent in north Wales. And you'll also be aware that, of course, just before the last Senedd election, you felt it right to pull that health board out of special measures, and, then, inevitably, very quickly after the Senedd elections, the health board went straight back into special measures.

"Now, things are as bad as they ever have been for the residents that I represent in north Wales."

Hello and welcome to our live coverage of Vaughan Gething’s fifth session of First Minister's Questions.

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.