Anthony Slaughter

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1. 2. Questions to the Cabinet Minister for Finance cy

   8. Sut y bydd cyllideb ddrafft Llywodraeth Cymru ar gyfer 2027-28 yn sicrhau buddsoddiad digonol o ran gwydnwch hinsawdd? OQ64696

   Official English translation

   8. How will the Welsh Government's draft budget for 2027-28 ensure adequate investment in climate resilience? OQ64696

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2. 2. Questions to the Cabinet Minister for Finance en

   Diolch. I'm calling on the Welsh Government to create a new extreme weather resilience fund to invest in nature-based interventions to help mitigate the risks from extreme weather. Floods, droughts and wildfires are increasingly prevalent due to climate change, and nature-based solutions are some of the best available defences to protect our communities. If the climate emergency is a genuinely cross-government priority, funding needs to sit in every departmental budget to ensure that no area slips through the cracks. Evidence from WWF Cymru and others suggests that for relatively small amounts of money within each portfolio, we could see significant cross-cutting benefits, provided that all Welsh Ministers are prepared to show leadership. Can the Minister confirm the amount of money in this year's budget for climate resilience, and will you commit to reviewing existing departmental budgets to find opportunities for nature-based solutions to be ready for the next extreme weather event? Diolch.

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1. 1. Questions to the First Minister cy

   10. Pa gynlluniau sydd gan Lywodraeth Cymru i gyflawni ei hymrwymiadau i sicrhau bod gan bawb gartref diogel a fforddiadwy? OQ64698

   Official English translation

   10. What plans does the Welsh Government have to deliver its commitments to ensure that everyone has a safe and affordable home? OQ64698

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2. 1. Questions to the First Minister en

   Diolch, Brif Weinidog. There are currently over 10,000 people in temporary accommodation across Wales, including over 2,000 children. I welcome that the Government has set out its ambition to deliver 20,000 new social homes by the end of this Senedd. However, the latest data from Shelter Cymru suggests that there at least 94,000 households currently on a waiting list for a social home. Will the First Minister commit to publishing a new housing strategy as soon as possible, including the Government's plans for ending homelessness? What steps will you be taking to ensure that everyone in Wales is supported to access a safe and affordable home?

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1. 2. Questions to the Cabinet Minister for Local Government, Housing and Planning cy

   4. Pa gynnydd y mae Llywodraeth Cymru wedi'i wneud o ran ei chynlluniau i amddiffyn hawliau rhentwyr? OQ64622

   Official English translation

   4. What progress has the Welsh Government made on its plans to protect renters' rights? OQ64622

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2. 2. Questions to the Cabinet Minister for Local Government, Housing and Planning en

   Diolch, Minister. Strengthening the rights and protection for renters is, as you know, fundamental for ending the housing emergency in Wales. The Government's response so far does not meet the scale of the challenge. We are approaching another winter where people will be living in cold, freezing, damp, inadequate homes, and this is already a crisis. Families in Wales are spending over a third of their income on rent in the private sector, and they are still subject to the risk of a no-fault eviction, something that has been outlawed in England and Scotland but not in Wales. People across Wales need reassurance that you will stand up for their rights and protect them from unscrupulous landlords. Will you commit to ending no-fault evictions at the earliest possible opportunity, and will you now commit to an immediate freezing of rents in the private rental sector to give people much needed breathing space in the cost-of-living crisis? Diolch.

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3. 8. Reform UK Debate: Access to HMOs and social housing for foreign nationals en

   I will try and be brief because I fear that just like this isn't the first time we've ended our day having this sort of debate, it won't be the last time that we have to stand up at the end of the day and rebut this ugly, divisive and hateful rhetoric. I am ashamed that we have to keep having this discussion. Going back to something that was said earlier today by the Minister: everyone has the right to a safe and adequate home. Everyone. Without it, how can you begin to build a life? How can you begin to participate and contribute to society? How can you begin to choose to call Wales your home as so many of us have? I repeat: the right to safe and adequate housing for everyone is a key test for this Senedd. As I say, it's disappointing to see yet again more divisive rhetoric from the usual suspects in this Siambr, who are using—[Interruption.]—I can shout louder than you, believe me—what is a basic human right to stoke fear in our communities and cause division. Shame on you. When we say HMOs, the image that might come to mind may not be particularly pretty. But this image of what can be some of the worst quality, unsafe, overcrowded homes is now being used by Reform once again to scaremonger people about perceived dangers in their communities. The situation in some HMOs isn't ideal. That doesn't take anything away from the fact that everyone deserves a place to live—a safe, secure and warm place to live. Due to the lack of social homes that so many of our colleagues have mentioned, people are stuck in the cheapest, inadequate private housing options. And Reform are disgracefully arguing again that we need to look after our own—what do the words even mean—while ignoring the fundamental problem that there are not enough good-quality, affordable homes for everyone who needs one. And I would like to pay credit again to the housing Minister for making that point so clearly earlier on today. Foreign nationals or not, everyone needs somewhere to live. It is their human right. We need more social housing that meets the needs of everyone in our communities. Scarcity must not be used to pit communities against one another. This motion is nonsensical, hateful and inflammatory. And words have real consequences. I have said this time and time again in this Siambr, but, sadly, it bears repeating. [Interruption.] No. Divisive rhetoric, such as we've heard today, only stands to cause division in our communities. And this fearmongering is the sort of thing that leads people to feel even more unsafe in their homes and communities than they already do. People across Wales see this for what it is. They see you for what you're saying. I represent the most diverse constituency in Wales, and its diversity makes Cardiff what it is today. People from around the world have chosen to make Cardiff their home, and the people of Cardiff will not allow you to divide our communities. People, time and time again, have stood up to this divisive rhetoric and shown solidarity with their neighbours. Reform are not interested in community cohesion. Reform are not interested in finding housing solutions. Reform are only interested in dividing our communities to distract from the fact that you have no answers to the problems facing the people of Wales. Diolch.

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1. 2. Questions to the Cabinet Minister for Education and Welsh Language cy

   3. Beth mae Llywodraeth Cymru yn ei wneud i sicrhau bod gan bobl ifanc yng Nghaerdydd Penarth fynediad cyfartal at addysg ysgol uwchradd cyfrwng Cymraeg? OQ64509

   Official English translation

   3. What is the Welsh Government doing to ensure that young people in Caerdydd Penarth have equal access to Welsh-medium high school education? OQ64509

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2. 2. Questions to the Cabinet Minister for Education and Welsh Language en

   Thank you. Diolch. I know a family in Butetown whose daughter must leave the house by 7.30 a.m. every morning to get to Glantaf high school in time for registration—just one of many young people and their families whose decision to continue Welsh-language education wasn't and isn't straightforward. Travelling through an already broken transport system from one side of the city to another is not sustainable. It is expensive and difficult for parents, and stressful for vulnerable 11-year-olds starting high school. Many who want to stay for after-school clubs can't due to the lack of safe transport options home. The lack of access to Welsh-medium education for Grangetown, Butetown and the surrounding areas disproportionately impacts those on the doorstep of this very Siambr. I stand with the campaigners who call this a social injustice. It is structural discrimination against the most multicultural communities in our city. The public sector has a duty under the Equality Act 2010 to address the imbalance, irrespective of any discussions as to the viability of Callaghan Square—

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3. 2. Questions to the Cabinet Minister for Education and Welsh Language en

   —as a potential site. I'm aware, Minister, that you have previously expressed support for a fourth Welsh-medium secondary school in the city. While acknowledging Cardiff Council's ongoing role, what assurances can the Minister give to local families in south Cardiff of the Welsh Government's commitment to securing a Welsh-medium secondary school in de Caerdydd? Diolch.

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4. 9. Short Debate: The unacceptable pause in scheduled treatment for trans patients en

   Diolch, Lywydd. The following Members will be speaking after my opening remarks: Sarah Rees, Natasha Asghar, Matthew Jones, Cristiana Emsley, Huw Thomas and Joe Martin. Over the past few weeks, my e-mails, like others, have been flooded with messages from people, distraught and disorientated. People who had surgeries cancelled at the eleventh hour with no explanation or option to reschedule. Patients, friends and family members desperate for answers as to why this had happened, what went wrong and how they could move forward. On Friday, 28 August, three and a half weeks ago, hundreds of patients had their surgeries and surgical assessments suddenly paused while a clinical review was undertaken into Welsh gender services referrals. Many of these patients found out that their surgery would not be taking place while they were already in hospital. These are people who had spent years preparing, both physically and mentally, for this life-affirming surgery, which is recognised by medical organisations, professionals and NHS providers as being clinically effective at improving health outcomes and quality of life. They had jumped through every hoop asked of them, had arranged and rearranged their lives around this day. I listened to people who explained that they were left feeling abandoned, alone and confused, having had the rug pulled from under them at the very last second by the system that is supposed to care for them. Now, I wasn't planning on sharing this. However, when listening to the stories from my constituents and others, in my own way, I was able to relate to that agonising wait in the days leading up to planned surgery. Over recess, I underwent scheduled and serious surgery. Many of you might have noticed that I was somewhat absent over the summer, and the reason for that was I was preparing for surgery, in hospital and then in recovery. Over the summer, I experienced the reality of what prepping for surgery entailed, the physical and mental stress—something so many here will be able to relate to. When I walked onto that silent ward at 5.00 a.m., the wave of emotion I felt is difficult to put into words—the silence of the sleeping ward, the uncertainty, the fear.

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5. 9. Short Debate: The unacceptable pause in scheduled treatment for trans patients en

   But what does provide solace in those scary moments? It's the knowledge that you are in the place where everyone is working around the clock to treat you, to care for you, to listen to you. You trust the system around you. Now, for some, that trust has been broken. To think that, today, right here in Wales, we have a system that, for a certain group of people, is felt to be actively working in opposition to their well-being is a terrifying thought, one that, had it been something that I had had to consider alongside everything else, would've made my personal experience exponentially so much more traumatic. To think that the right to access health and care for some people in this country is now up for debate is unthinkable. It is not how this system was designed to run. Now, my personal story is not what's important here. What is important is that the voices and experiences of the trans community are amplified and understood. One of the key principles on which our NHS is based is equal access to healthcare for all, regardless of age, gender or background. Another is that it has a patient-centred approach, putting individuals at the heart of their operations, providing a service that is reflective of their needs and their preferences. Gender-affirming surgery has been available on the NHS since the 1960s, with thousands of surgeries performed each year. This is not experimental treatment and this should not be considered a controversial area of medicine. It is a well-established and highly studied area of medicine that the NHS has a legal and statutory duty to provide. The decision to pause these surgeries was ill-thought-out and callous. But it also demonstrates a failure of governance within NHS Wales Joint Commissioning Committee and sadly, a breakdown in communication with the Welsh Government. For patients to be told, just hours away from surgery, vulnerable but prepared, that their operation would not be going ahead, with no explanation, no indication of a rescheduled date and with no communication in the days following demonstrates a failure of the duty of care that patients are entitled to during one of the most significant events of their lives—a decision made seemingly without evidence of imminent or direct risk to patients and with no clear safety justification. How have we found ourselves in a situation where some of the supposed core values of the NHS appear to be less applicable to some patients than others? Why is the Welsh Gender Service being punished for being more efficient and effective than its English and Scottish counterparts? The Welsh Greens are shouting loudly about this, because there's a dangerous precedent that this decision sets for human rights. This is not an ideological debate; everyone in Wales is entitled to NHS healthcare. Gender-affirming healthcare saves lives. We know, based on conversations with key stakeholders in the community, that, in June, the Welsh Gender Service was not aware of any concerns. But just two months later, the drastic escalation was made by the NWJCC to suspend all referrals and surgeries. NHS Wales's very own oversight and escalation framework, section 28, is designed to identify and address emerging issues before they have a material impact. This raises legitimate questions about how this situation rapidly evolved without any oversight or involvement from the Welsh Government. The Welsh Government should never have been surprised by this issue, nor should the NWJCC have been baffled by the discrepancy in referral numbers. Patients who had their surgeries paused had been referred in 2020, meaning that they'd waited six years just to get to this point, with months of mental and physical preparation for surgery. Now, trans people in this country disproportionately experience poorer mental health, and the impact of this uncertainty and of cancellations have only caused further harm and distrust. Key stakeholder groups and community members have been calling on Welsh Government Ministers to use their powers under the NHS (Wales) Act 2006 to overturn this pause and resume surgery. This was clearly a disproportionate and drastic decision given the lack of evidence of harm or malpractice. So, my question is: what powers do the Welsh Government have to intervene? The trans community are constantly left fearing that they are an afterthought, that their health and well-being are always under attack, that their right to safety and security in Wales is not a given. What this community needs now more than ever is decisive action—proof that their Government will stand up for them and take the lead, not tiptoe around the edges. The trans community should not be left waiting yet again whilst having to justify their right to healthcare and justify their very existence. Again, this is not up for debate. When I walked into the Heath this summer with a clear timeline for surgery and recovery, there was not a doubt in my mind that I would be operated on, no doubt that I would be receiving aftercare and that my treatment plan would be thoroughly communicated. To think that there are some patients in Wales for whom that is now not their reality is horrifying. This decision has lost the trust of a vulnerable and consistently targeted group of people. Is this really the future we see in Wales, where healthcare becomes selective? The Welsh Government needs to act now, and I call on the Minister to answer the unanswered questions from community stakeholders. What is the exact nature of the so-called concerns cited by the NWJCC? How do these reflect a clear and immediate risk to patients to the extent that it required overnight cancellation of all planned surgeries? Second, will the Welsh Government review the failure of governance that led to both patients and the Government being blindsided and put in place robust measures in consultation with the affected stakeholders to hold the NWJCC to account? Will the Welsh Government apologise to the trans community for the clear failure of communication that has left them in this unbearable limbo? Healthcare in Wales must be based on evidence, fairness and dignity, not on uncertainty, fear or political pressure. Diolch.

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1. 1. Questions to the First Minister cy

   3. Beth mae Llywodraeth Cymru yn ei wneud i baratoi ar gyfer digwyddiadau tywydd garw ac eithafol y gaeaf hwn? OQ64508

   Official English translation

   3. What is the Welsh Government doing to prepare for adverse and extreme weather events this winter? OQ64508

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2. 1. Questions to the First Minister en

   Thank you. Last week, First Minister, you issued a statement saying that you will convene a resilience summit focusing on wildfires—very much welcomed. Yet, we must be ready for all of the escalating risks of a changing climate. This includes extreme cold, winter flooding and severe storms this coming winter. The Met Office has warned of a heightened risk on the horizon due to an unprecedented El Niño event this year, only highlighted in shocking headlines yesterday, recording the record breaking of 150 years of records. Weaknesses in our infrastructure and our resilience, such as recently witnessed in Gwaelod-y-garth, will only become more apparent in the coming months. Wales is dangerously unprepared for the predicted onslaught of extreme weather conditions. Climate response must be integrated as our first line of defence. Welsh Government allocated in its supplementary budget just £1 million for emergency preparedness. Establishing a climate shock fund would be a vital step forward in demonstrating that the Welsh Government is serious about protecting communities this winter, with or without UK Government support. What discussions has the First Minister had with the UK Government on funding these emergency measures? Diolch.

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1. 9. Debate: The First Supplementary Budget 2026-27 en

   Firstly, we acknowledge and appreciate that a supplementary budget like this is not the ideal time to make substantial changes. Also, we're aware of the tightening fiscal environment and an inherited budget legacy. We have an ongoing shortfall in educational funding; that much is obvious. Whilst the £120 million allocation of additional funding for additional learning needs won't solve all the challenges it faces, to reject it as part of the supplementary budget would be to play politics with school funding. Unlike others in the Chamber, we won't be using this as a political football to gain some illusion of control. There is strong consensus among many in this Chamber about what we could do and what we can work to deliver for the people of Wales. It is time we genuinely worked together collaboratively and co-operatively to deliver these. Additional healthcare funding and the shift towards primary care is a step in the right direction, as is the £20 million capital funding for social housing. The housing crisis is a health crisis, and we know, as does the Government, that collective solutions will be more cost-effective, helping those who need it most, where they need it most, in their homes. This is something we will expect to see prominently feature in the next budget. Likewise, noting the £1 bus fare provision, we want to see investment in public transport go further, with cleaner, integrated, sustainable travel putting money back into people's pockets as well as addressing the urgent need to transition away from fossil fuels. On climate, I'd like now to move to the most glaring omission in this supplementary budget. There is a small, but welcome, uplift in both resource and capital allowances to develop and implement climate change policy, green growth and environmental protection. But this funding is apparently ring-fenced for the Welsh Government energy service, not to address the climate change mitigation and adaptation. The Met Office yesterday released data showing that more than 2,700 people are thought to have died from heat-related causes during the May and June heatwaves in England and Wales. Of those, almost half died as a result of the extra heat caused by human-induced warming. The authors of this report said: 'It's time we woke up to the fact that we now live in a country with dangerously hot summers. To protect people during future extremes, we must urgently adapt'. Our summers are 3-4 degrees Celsius hotter than they would have been without human-induced climate change. Last month, 35.9 degrees Celsius was recorded at Bute Park in Cardiff, breaking the previous June record of 33.7 degrees Celsius, set in 2000. That week, children were sent home from school. As a country, we are incredibly underprepared. The UK Climate Change Committee's recent climate risk assessment found that critical action was needed in Wales to address health risks from heat. It estimates that UK-wide heat deaths could increase from around 1,400 to between 3,000 and 10,000 in the 2050s without further adaptation. The health toll is rising and it's costing lives. This week, as was mentioned earlier today, North Wales Fire and Rescue Service have been tackling a major incident with the outbreak of wildfires near Conwy mountain. Families are having to flee their homes to safety. This is a frightening situation for all involved, and our thoughts are with anyone impacted by this devastating situation. Having declared a climate emergency all those years ago, where is the action to treat the situation as the genuine crisis that it is? For the people of Wales, these issues cannot wait until the next budget, or the next one. The climate change action fund has not changed but the reality of the situation has. Where will the money come from to address this unfolding crisis? The Government must provide assurances that climate mitigation and adaptation will be given the necessary prominence it needs, going forward, and within the next budget. Finally, I'd like to say, as a Member of a party that never whips its Members in any Parliament, we will be voting to support this budget. I believe that to do otherwise would be an irresponsible dereliction of duty. Diolch.

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1. 2. Questions to the Cabinet Minister for Rural Resilience and Sustainability en

   Community-led solutions to climate change have been proven time and time again to be far more effective than top-down imposed programmes. This was at the forefront of my mind when I also visited, alongside Huw, the inspiring Treescapism exhibition led by Splott community volunteers, together with Coed Cadw, last week. And there I spoke to one of the volunteers, who passionately told me that she and her neighbours were tirelessly dedicating as many spare moments as they could find to this invaluable community work. This experience is echoed across my constituency: examples like Gwyrddio Penarth Greening, which—I believe I should declare an interest—I chaired for six years, or Benthyg, the Library of Things. These organisations create multiple environmental and social co-benefits. Local repair cafes tackle the escalation of waste and put money into the pockets of families by avoiding the need to buy new. Planting a community orchard is a well-being act, one where I have felt the benefits first-hand. Local projects like this matter. They are what got me into politics in the first place. Community-led climate action works, and it's almost always led by people juggling multiple roles and responsibilities—time-pressured, passionate individuals that care deeply about what they do. It needs Government to practically fulfil its role and show leadership on its part to assist these organisations. How will the Government work together with local authorities and communities to facilitate and enable climate-led community action?

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1. 7. Debate: Fair Funding en

   Diolch, Lywydd. I shall try and be brief given the time. This debate is, at its heart, one about fairness for the people of Wales, which is why I support the motion for improved fiscal arrangements and increased borrowing powers. The Wales Green Party has always believed that the relationship between the UK Treasury and successive Welsh Governments has not been fit for purpose, in that it fails to consider the needs of the people of Wales. The Barnett formula was never intended to be a permanent solution for funding devolved nations and is inherently unfair in its design. Decisions about what funding Wales gets from the UK Treasury are made by the Treasury with no insight or consideration of Wales's unique needs. It leaves Wales with no way to adequately invest in the future. It constrains our ability to plan sustainably in line with the Well-being of Future Generations (Wales) Act 2015. It hampers Wales taking its rightful place on the international stage while delivering localised, real-life solutions to modern-day challenges, challenges that are unprecedented. Global instability, ecosystems' collapse, heightening inequality, food and supply chains barely holding on, and the acceleration of climate impacts on our doorsteps. The time for tinkering around the edges is over. But under strain, we are a nation of solutionists. Our agility as a small nation, our culture and our progressive, localised agenda gives Wales a unique opportunity to pivot. With the power and self-determination that the people of Wales deserve, we can deliver bold solutions. Increased borrowing powers are essential to deliver our vision of a thriving nation. They would enable transport infrastructure to be built more cost-effectively. Increased borrowing powers can support strategic investment to meet the scale of the housing crisis, to deliver affordable, secure and warm homes. A greener, more stable economy supported by additional borrowing powers will unlock secure, well-paid jobs with long-term investment in climate solutions. This is essential to deliver climate adaptation, not to mention cheaper in the long term and necessary to save lives. The needs of Wales must be taken seriously, and the Welsh Government has a timely window of opportunity to push hard for change. Without this, the balance of power will remain distorted and the people of Wales deprived of opportunity. Decisions will be made that impact funding at every democratic level without considering the needs of those who are most directly impacted. This is the moment that the UK Government must be held to account to address the legacy of underfunding and the culture of disproportionate power and control. I have consistently supported the call for devolution of powers and fairer funding and will continue to do so to ensure that the people of Wales no longer get left behind and to deliver the thriving green economy that we deserve. Diolch.

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1. 1. Questions to the Cabinet Minister for Enterprise, Connectivity and Energy en

   Minister, yesterday, the National Energy System Operator published its 'Beyond 2030' update. The report clearly shows that Wales's electricity network is not fit for purpose. It was designed over 60 years ago to serve fossil-fuel power stations that Wales no longer has. The report sets out the investment needed to address the bottlenecks in the network. If transmission infrastructure is not delivered where needed, it says, constraint costs rise, leaving bill payers facing higher costs and additional costs. It will delay new connections for homes, businesses and clean generation. It will also hold back economic growth. The report identifies the need for a new line between north Wales and Shropshire, and a new substation in mid Wales. Alongside efficiency and community-owned generation, network upgrades will unlock an onshore wind sector in Wales worth £3.5 billion, creating thousands of well-paid, secure jobs. What will the Minister be doing to take forward the recommendations of the report to upgrade the Welsh network and unlock the Government's vision of an energy-independent Wales?

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2. 7. Reform UK Debate: Nation of Sanctuary en

   Like Gwyn, I find myself in a position that a lot of what I would have said has been said, but there are still things to say. It's obviously beyond disappointing and embarrassing to see vulnerable communities, vulnerable people, and community cohesion across Wales being treated as a political football in this Chamber. And what was interesting in the leader of Reform's opening remarks on this motion about the nation of sanctuary was that he hardly talked about the nation of sanctuary. He talked about a load of unrelated things. I can assure you that people in this Chamber on the progressive side, people watching, above and at home, know what this debate is for. We see you, we hear you, and we stand up to you. People have mentioned facts. There are facts and emotions in this discussion. As we've already heard, the budget implication of the nation of sanctuary is tiny, but its impact on Welsh life is enormous. It is practical and common sense. Building on a cultural legacy of that warm Welsh hospitality that has been referenced, the nation of sanctuary helps people who have a right to be here to integrate, gain independence and contribute to Welsh society. It helps match the skills of people coming into Wales with the economic and employment gaps that already exist here—11,000 vacancies in construction, 5,000 in the NHS, 5,500 in the all-important social care sector. Matching these skills and opportunities ensures that everyone in Wales feels the benefits of being a nation of sanctuary. It avoids wasting public money on separate services by consolidating sanctuary seekers' needs. It enables neighbourhoods and communities to build solutions and cohesion that lasts and benefits all. And let's be clear, scrapping the nation of sanctuary will not stop asylum seekers coming to the UK or coming to Wales. To suggest otherwise is deliberate and divisive misinformation. And on this point, though, we do need to remember that everyone fleeing persecution, war and horrors has the right to seek asylum in the UK under international law. Scrapping the nation of sanctuary makes no sense. A more chaotic, less joined-up approach benefits no-one. It would remove the structure that allows everyone to benefit from integration, and removing it would also undermine community cohesion. Finally, I have touched on this in previous contributions, but Members of this Senedd must be aware that this conversation has ripple effects and consequences. Words matter. When they are divisive, they set the tone for conversations up and down the country, leaving communities isolated and fearful. The Siambr floor is, unfortunately, being used today once again to polarise society and create social media content rather than create a better future for the people of Wales. We're not here to feed your algorithms. Misinformation has no place in this Chamber. The Wales Green Party—Paul and myself—are proud to co-move this amendment, alongside the other progressive parties in this Chamber. It shows the people of Wales that we understand what this debate is all about. It delivers the hope and belief that Wales can continue to support safe and united communities—a Wales we all want, we will create, and we can create; it's already there. A Wales where divisive political rhetoric no longer has a home or gets a hearing. Diolch. [Applause.]

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1. 9. Short Debate: Life expectancy inequalities in Cardiff’s southern arc en

   It is clear that health inequalities in my constituency, Caerdydd Penarth, and the rest of the southern arc are stark and on the rise, as they are in communities across Wales. Almost half—48 per cent—of adults in Wales live with a chronic health condition, and the prevalence of long-term illness is projected to rise, according to Public Health Wales. The causes of this are many, but they are the responsibility of Government to address. Where poverty is rising, like here in Caerdydd, it brings poorer health. With increasing food insecurity, parents are skipping meals. Now, this is being picked up by so many wonderful volunteer groups; tomorrow morning, I'm visiting Splott Community Volunteers for their breakfast club. But it shouldn't be the work of volunteers to address these stark inequalities. And where families live, whether it be in poor housing conditions or breathing polluted air, determines whether they spend up to two decades longer than necessary living in poor health. This geographic inequality within Cardiff paints a stark picture of what is a wider trend, and it says much about our ability to tackle the issue across Wales as a whole. It is, as always, the most vulnerable in our communities who bear the burden. The intersectional nature of the challenge is that those already under stress face multiple health and social risks, and these are often those with the least resilience to extreme heat and wider climate change impacts that we are experiencing right now, here today. Wales already has a framework through which to view these challenges and identify cross-cutting solutions. The Well-being of Future Generations (Wales) Act 2015, which, at its inception, put Wales on a leadership footing, is more pertinent now than ever before. A healthier Wales and a more equal Wales are key well-being goals. Cymru is uniquely placed to respond differently, to act today and make an immediate and long-term commitment to tackling health inequalities and social inequalities, as well as the structural and environmental inequalities that burden the southern Cardiff arc. The Government needs to take bolder steps to tackle inequality, which will deliver cross-cutting benefits for more resilient communities now and for future generations. Diolch.

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1. 1. Questions to the First Minister en

   On this, last night, I had the privilege of attending the Welsh Refugee Council's nation of sanctuary awards. Here, I heard stories from inspiring individuals from several countries, of people who, despite having escaped great hardship, have thrown themselves into helping others in their local community, inspiring and uplifting tales of courage and resilience—people who have even set up new community spaces to help others—showing just how much the nation of sanctuary builds community cohesion and inclusion. This is the opposite of any threat to public safety. What does ensure threats to public safety is the constant peddling of misinformation for cheap political gain. The stories of the people I met last night clearly illustrated the impact of connection over division, and the difference it makes to Welsh life. Would the First Minister join me in acknowledging and celebrating the invaluable contribution those that have been welcomed to Cymru under this scheme have made to our nation?

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1. 1. Questions to the First Minister en

   It is essential for tenants in Wales to get the protections they deserve. Too many renters face rising costs, insecurity and poor housing conditions. The Government could take immediate steps to ease youth homelessness by banning no-fault evictions. The Wales Green Party supports the housing campaigners ACORN in their position that no-fault evictions are unacceptable, and that the knock-on implications of spiralling rents, including the displacement of young people and homelessness, should now be treated as a national emergency. No-fault evictions are already banned in England, yet tenants here live with the ongoing anxiety of losing their home without reason because they have a Welsh postcode. In your manifesto, you promised to protect renters. What is the Government’s plan to move at pace to end no-fault evictions and stop rents escalating through bidding wars?

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1. 3. Statement by the First Minister: The First Minister's Priorities en

   As someone with only a week's experience, I hadn't planned on speaking today, but given that others are presuming to speak for the Greens I thought I should say a few words. [Laughter.] Firstly, welcome to the First Minister and the new Cabinet, and the statement that you've put out today. This was a historic election—people have talked about that—the political landscape in Wales has changed, and I'm really proud of the part the Wales Green Party have played in being part of that change. I'm looking forward to working with colleagues across this Chamber to tackle the multiple crises faced by the population of Wales. We stood on a clear platform in this election, a clear platform of bold policies to deliver an ambitious future for the people of Wales, for the environment and the future of our planet here in Wales. We're here, the Welsh Greens, to speak for tenants paying unaffordable rents for damp, mouldy homes. We're here to speak for people in precarious jobs, working three or four jobs, still not able to feed their children. We're here for those young families struggling with the exorbitant costs of childcare. And I'm looking forward to working with the future—. And also not to mention the nature and climate crisis. And what matters to us is actions, not words. So, I look forward to working with the new Welsh Government and others in this Chamber to deliver that bold action that our communities need. This was an election of change. Change has to be more than a word. In four years' time, we have to have delivered that change for the people of Wales and the planet. Diolch.

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1. 2. Election of the Deputy Presiding Officer under Standing Order 6 en

   I second Kerry Ferguson.

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