³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ

The twenty-eighth FMQs of 2022 comes to a close.

Thanks for following - join us again after the autumn half term recess.

The Senedd will once again be lit tonight in the blue and yellow colours of Ukraine’s flag as a sign of solidarity with Ukraine and its people.

Image source, Senedd Cymru

The first minister joins Conservative Paul Davies in drawing attention to World Stroke Day which takes place on October 29th every year.

Mr Davies says "in my health board area, the rate of thrombectomy in 2020-21 was 0.15 per cent, meaning that far too few stroke patients were able to have one, and yet, we know that this treatment can make a life-changing difference and significantly reduce the chance of disabilities, like paralysis, blindness or communication difficulties".

The first minister says there have been "very significant advances... in recent times in treatments available for stroke patients".

Conservative Gareth Davies says he has been contacted by many constituents over the summer "who are very concerned about some of the uses of wildflower meadows in built-up residential areas. Now, I can certainly see the benefit of wildflower meadows and the positive effects these have on promoting biodiversity and wildlife in Denbighshire, but would you join me, first minister, in calling on Denbighshire and local authorities to adopt a more common-sense approach to such projects?"

The first minister congratulates the Denbighshire wildflower project for creating "nearly 50 acres of native local-provenance meadows across the county. That is a really significant achievement. It is a proper contribution to sustaining biodiversity."

The first minister adds, "I genuinely didn't imagine this afternoon that we would hear that the Welsh Conservative party is against flowers".

Image source, Denbighshire County Council

The first minister and Conservative Laura Anne Jones exchange statistics about the Welsh Government's degree apprenticeships programme.

Degree apprenticeships are part of the Welsh Government’s aim to increase the number of higher level apprenticeships.

Laura Anne Jones says "we're seeing low numbers of university admissions from white, working-class males. How exactly are you trying to rectify the situation?"

The first minister replies, "the degree apprenticeship programme is designed to focus on those areas where we have particular needs in the Welsh economy, with digital, energy and advanced manufacturing being amongst them—areas where historically women have been under-represented but white young men are very much in the majority. And, despite our efforts to attract young women into those areas through the degree apprenticeship programme, that remains the case".

Plaid Cymru leader Adam Price points out that Mr Drakeford has said he did not have an invitation to talk to Liz Truss during her time at No. 10.

He suggests that the first minister proactively phones Rishi Sunak.

Mr Price says when the two leaders do speak, Mr Drakeford should "underline that the one thing Mr Sunak must not do in his Halloween budget is to usher in a new era of austerity, and plunge the economy into recession, people into poverty and our public services, including the NHS, into yet a deeper crisis".

The first minister replies "I hope very much that there will be early contact from the latest administration, and if there is, then you can be sure that I will want to have a constructive relationship with the new prime minister.

"If I have an opportunity, there will be a series of things that I will want to put early on his list of priorities. The future of the United Kingdom itself—I'll remind him, no doubt, that the Welsh Government is the only other unambiguously unionist government with which he will have contact, and I would want to work with him to make sure that there is a successful future for the United Kingdom.

"I want to talk to him about some very important individual issues that are important here in Wales, the future of Tata Steel, for example."

Last week, Mark Drakeford erupted in anger when facing questions from the Andrew RT Davies, leader of the Welsh Conservatives in the Senedd, about long ambulance waiting times.

Mr Davies now asks about difficulties in getting GP appointments - "I've seen that in other parts of the UK commitments have been made that if someone requires a GP appointment, they will get it within two days. Are you prepared to make a similar commitment here in Wales?"

The first minister replies, "there is no guarantee whatsoever that that promise will be delivered. I've heard it made by Conservative health ministers repeatedly over more than a decade. They've never managed to make it happen so far; they're certainly not going to make it happen this time either".

He says GPs "have the full support of the Welsh Government" against "very, very significant headwinds in being able to provide the service to everybody in the way that we would wish to do so".

He also says around 1,000 NHS staff in Wales are not in work because of Covid.

On the fact that Rishi Sunak is now the UK's 57th prime minister, Mr Drakeford says the "country needs a general election" which he describes as "a democratic and economic necessity".

Conservative Altaf Hussain draws attention to "the continued M4 congestion at Brynglas tunnels in Newport".

The first minister replies he will not revisit the issue of building an M4 relief road. He says the matter was settled at the last election.

He adds, "what we are doing is we are pressing ahead with the proposals of the Burns commission, a series of practical actions that can be taken to address congestion at the M4. We will complete the dualling of the Heads of the Valleys road, which will mean that heavy traffic coming from the Midlands will be able to go directly to south-west Wales without having to come down and pass through Newport".

The first minister again calls for benefits to be uprated in line with inflation, "that would be good news for those poor families in Wales".

However, he adds, "even if benefits are uprated in line with inflation, then the Resolution Foundation says that child poverty across the United Kingdom will rise to 34 per cent—the highest for over 20 years".

The Llywydd (presiding officer) 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.

Plaid Cymru’s Sioned Williams seeks a statement on Welsh Government measures to tackle child poverty.

The Welsh Government had targeted eradicating child poverty by 2020, but this was scrapped in 2016.

First Minister Mark Drakeford replies "we are in the midst of a crisis, and we are doing everything within our powers for those who are most vulnerable, including children. And this year, through programmes that protect disadvantaged households, and schemes that put money back in people’s pockets, we have provided support worth £1.6 billion."

He adds that the minister for social justice is committed to publishing a refreshed child poverty strategy.

Sioned Williams says "Plaid Cymru have announced a people's plan which would make the pay packet go further, extend free school meals in secondary schools and increase education maintenance allowance".

Hello and welcome to our live coverage of the twenty-eighth session of First Minister's Questions in 2022.

The meeting is held in a hybrid format, with some members in the Siambr (Senedd chamber) and others joining by video-conference.