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The thirty-first FMQs of 2023 comes to a close.

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Because of the Israel-Gaza crisis, the lights in the Senedd continue to be dimmed each evening.

Llywydd Elin Jones says it is “to reflect the sentiment that such attacks represent another dark moment for humanity in the Middle East.

"It is a source of great sorrow for a democratic institution such as ours.

"As well as reflecting the sorrow, the darkness will also represent a statement of solidarity with all those suffering as a result of the attacks.”

The first minister says a "foul-mouthed, misogynistic, paranoid atmosphere that pervaded 10 Downing Street [was] defended week after week here on the floor of the Senedd during the Covid emergency".

Addressing Conservative group leader Andrew RT Davies, the first minister says "he is still defending the sorts of foul-mouthed misogyny - well, he shares the misogyny, we know".

Llywydd Elin Jones intervenes, "no, no. I'm sure the first minister will want to reflect on the direct accusation that he made to the leader of the opposition there. I don't think there was anything misogynistic in Andrew RT Davies's contribution today".

The first minister replies, "I'll agree with that, Llywydd. I heard nothing misogynistic today".

The Llywydd later added, "Misogynistic remarks are made by members in this chamber. I've been subject to one of them myself not too long ago."

Regarding the impact on Wales of the recent King's Speech, the first minister expresses concerns over whether the UK government "will respect the Sewel convention".

What is the Sewel Convention?

In July 1998, the UK government announced that a convention would be established so that Westminster would not normally legislate on devolved matters in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland without the consent of the Scottish Parliament, the Welsh Assembly as it was then called (now the Senedd) or the Northern Ireland Assembly.

Liberal Democrat Jane Dodds calls on the Welsh government to improve access to dental care for the elderly in Wales to help combat rising levels of oral cancer.

According to an Age Cymru survey, 80% of elderly patients reported negative experiences accessing dental care, an increase of 10% from the previous year.

The first minister says, "regrettably, despite being a largely preventable disease, oral cancer rates have been rising in Wales, in the United Kingdom and globally over the last 20 years. Mouth cancer is strongly linked to smoking and heavy alcohol consumption, and is the most often experienced by people aged between 60 and 69 of age."

He adds that the chief dental officer in Wales has told him "that he did not think that dentists were necessarily the best front-line service, as far as oral cancer is concerned. Oral cancer consists of three different types of cancer—lip cancer, mouth cancer and throat cancer—and it’s only the middle of those three that dentists are trained to identify or report on into the system."

Plaid Cymru's Heledd Fychan and Conservative Joel James express concerns about Rhondda Cynon Taf Council's decision to privatise the remaining home-care services under its control.

The first minister says "it is for each local authority to decide how best to provide or arrange care services for its citizens, within their statutory duties. No local authority needs the permission of Welsh government in order to act on the responsibility provided by their democratic mandate."

He adds, "the 10 per cent of long-term care provided by the local authority will join the 90 per cent of that care already provided by the independent sector. No jobs will be lost, no change will take place in the level of service or care provided to residents."

Image source, LDR ANTHONY LEWIS

Plaid Cymru leader Rhun ap Iorwerth criticises UK Labour leader Syr Keir Starmer's "apparent determination not to make a fair funding pledge for Wales".

Mr Drakeford replies that the Plaid Cymru leader is "obsessed by being let down by a Labour government that hasn't been elected".

Rhun ap Iorwerth also says that "one way of ensuring that families don't have to choose between heating and eating this winter would be to introduce a new social tariff on energy. There is some support for those on means-tested benefits, but there are 6.3 million UK households in fuel poverty; that's up 2 million in just two years."

The first minister says that "the Welsh government is on record for many, many months in calling for social tariffs; it's there in the letters that were written by my colleagues, the minister for social justice and the finance minister".

Image source, Getty Images

The first minister denies that the Labour MP for Rhondda, Chris Bryant described the implementation of Wales's 20mph speed limit as "bonkers".

Responding to a question from the Conservatives' group leader Andrew RT Davies, Mr Drakeford said it was clear that his Labour colleague was supportive of the policy.

Mr Drakeford tells MSs, "I can assure you that he did not say what the Leader of the Opposition says."

Speaking on the ���˿���'s Question Time last Thursday Mr Bryant said: "There are some areas where it's just a bit, frankly, bonkers. You go from 20 to 30 back to 20."

Mr Bryant called for a full review.

The first minister said that was "exactly the sort of issue we will look at once we've had some further months of its practical implementation."

Mr Drakeford also picked up on a different section of Mr Bryant's comments and read what he said was a transcript of them:

"Everybody believes that outside a school and a hospital, and a clinic, and a chemist and in some residential areas it should be 20mph.

"The thing is, that's nearly every road in the Rhondda."

Mr Davies accused the first minister of "having selective hearing."

Mr Davies concludes, "we disagree about the policy as Conservatives and Labour in this chamber. I said to you that the Member for the Rhondda said the implementation of the policy was bonkers, and, frankly, a lot of people across the length and breadth of Wales believe it is bonkers".

Mark Drakeford also confirmed that he has WhatsApp on his phone, and makes use of it, in response to a different question from Mr Davies.

It follows his comments to the Senedd last week that he did not use the app after revealing that some government officials might have deleted messages during the pandemic.

He had already written to the Llywydd to clarify that he had WhatsApp on his Senedd-issued mobile.

Responding to a question by Labour MS Vikki Howells, the first minister says the Welsh government has raised concerns about the quality of the Office for National Statistics' labour market survey data for Wales for a number of months.

The ONS did not publish labour market survey data in October.

The first minister adds, "I think the Financial Times probably summed it up best of all when it said simply that bad statistics lead to bad decisions. And the struggle of the ONS to provide reliable labour force data and some other aspects of its work in recent times is a troubling matter for policy makers."

The 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.

Conservative Darren Millar asks what action is the Welsh government taking to promote Wales’s faith heritage.

First Minister Mark Drakeford replies it does so by providing resources, advice and grants by Cadw and Visit Wales.

He also commends (Welsh Religious Buildings Trust), a charity set up "to take into ownership a selection of redundant chapels that are historically and/or architecturally significant to the story of chapel building and Nonconformity in Wales and that are valuable to their local communities".

Mr Millar says "I met last week with the cross-party group on faith, which had a wide-ranging discussion on the question 'Is Wales doing enough to promote, protect and celebrate its faith heritage?'

"The conclusion that we reached, after presentations from Nathan Abrams of Bangor University about his work with the Jewish community, and Christine Moore of Addoldai Cymru, was that Wales was doing a reasonable job but could do better".

Hello and welcome to our live coverage 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.