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

Tomorrow Mr Gething will face a vote of no confidence, proposed by the Welsh Conservatives.

Image source, Senedd

Conservative Altaf Hussain asks "what action is the Welsh government taking to protect the welfare of racing greyhounds, both on and off the racetrack?"

The first minister replies that a consultation on proposals to strengthen how animal activities are regulated in Wales ended on 1 March.

The consultation considers the possibility of licensing owners, keepers and trainers of racing dogs such as greyhounds. It also included a request for evidence to justify or negate consideration of a phased ban on dog racing in future.

The first minister adds that the Welsh government received over 1,100 responses to this consultation and are now analysing the feedback.

Plaid Cymru MS Cefin Campbell asks "what evaluation has the Welsh government undertaken of the Initial Teacher Education Priority Subject Incentive Scheme?"

The first minister replies that "several research reports into attracting graduates into teaching, including the use of incentives, have been published since 2019. Preliminary work to further evaluate the priority subject incentive scheme specifically is currently under way."

Mr Campbell says he "was quite shocked recently to learn from the Cabinet Secretary for Education that the Welsh government has no data to determine if the recipients of the incentive before 2022-23 are still teaching in Wales, are teaching somewhere else, or not teaching at all? Now, this is a scheme that's been running, in one way or another, for over a decade, with millions of pounds spent on it, and we don't know if any of its previous recipients are still in teaching positions".

The scheme provides a £15,000 grant to eligible students, external.

The grant is paid in instalments during a student’s ITE programme and early career.

This is the second FMQs since Plaid Cymru ended its co-operation deal with Labour. The deal saw Plaid help the Labour-run Welsh government - which has exactly half the seats in the Senedd - get through important votes.

Plaid Cymru leader Rhun ap Iorwerth says "the office of the first minister has been undermined to such an extent that I have no doubt that the people of Wales have lost confidence in him".

He refers to the BBC Wales Investigates revelation that a senior Welsh Labour figure offered to lend Mr Gething money so he could pay back the donation in full, and asks why the first minister declined to take up the offer.

The first minister replies "I don't have £200,000 to repay anybody back. I'm not sure if the member has access to that petty cash; I certainly don't. And having followed the rules for donations and having followed the ministerial code as well. And I understand the member wants to make an alternative case that, regardless of not breaking rules, that I should nevertheless suffer the 'ultimate price' in political terms."

Image source, Senedd

Andrew RT Davies, leader of the Welsh Conservatives in the Senedd, refers to the BBC Wales Investigates programme that revealed that a company that bankrolled Vaughan Gething's successful bid to become Wales' first minister was linked to a criminal investigation at the time.

Mr Davies says "you had to feel sympathy and empathy for the poor people of Withyhedge who are suffering the smells and odours that are coming from that tip. You took £200,000 as a leadership donation from that company. We learned from the programme yesterday that that company was under criminal investigation. Can you confirm when you knew that that company was under a criminal investigation?"

The first minister replies "well, of course I feel sympathy for anyone directly affected by the issues raised in the programme around the operating of the site. The member will know, and I draw attention again to my register of interests, but, actually, this is an area where it would be wholly improper or inappropriate for me to know about the investigation that the BBC reported on. That's when I was first aware of it, when it was reported on."

Mr Gething's leadership campaign accepted £200,000 from a firm controlled by millionaire businessman David Neal.

A criminal investigation into suspected environmental offences by one of Mr Neal's firms, Resources Management Limited (RML), is being carried out by Natural Resources Wales, external.

RML runs the Withyhedge landfill site near Haverfordwest, Pembrokeshire, which people have complained since October 2023 is a "stink bomb on steroids".

RML has said it would "continue to fully cooperate with any pending investigations by Natural Resources Wales".

Asked by Mr Davies "what due diligence was actually undertaken" before accepting the donation, Mr Gething says "we undertook all the due diligence we were required to. That's exactly what happened. Again, even the BBC programme could not find an instance where any of the rules had been broken. So, we undertook due diligence."

BBC Wales Investigates: A Big Stink is available on iPlayer

Image source, Senedd

There is banging of tables as Labour MS John Griffiths indulges in what the Llywydd Elin Jones describes as a "party political broadcast" in asking a question contrasting Labour and Conservative economic policy.

She adds, "I'm sure you won't be the only one that tries this over the next few weeks, and it will come from all directions, I'm sure".

Image source, Senedd

Hello and welcome to our live coverage of Vaughan Gething’s seventh 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.