Steve Bayliss

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1. 3. Questions to the Senedd Commission cy

   7. A wnaiff y Comisiwn gyhoeddi'r arfarniad o gostau oes gyfan ac opsiynau ar gyfer dyfodol Tŷ Hywel cyn llofnodi unrhyw gontractau rhwymol pellach? OQ64760

   Official English translation

   7. Will the Commission publish the whole-life costs and options appraisal for the future of Tŷ Hywel before signing any further binding contracts? OQ64760

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2. 3. Questions to the Senedd Commission en

   Thank you for that. This decision will commit public money for decades, and Members need to see the figures before the Commission commits to the deal. On 8 October, officials told the Finance Committee that the business case uses a 50-year appraisal period. The Commission has also confirmed a right to renew the existing Tŷ Hywel lease for a further 25 years. That option must be tested on a like-for-like basis against the preferred proposal. Will the Commissioner publish a comparison of the whole-life costs of both options, covering rent, refurbishment, temporary accommodation and maintenance? Will it use the same appraisal period and set out the assumptions made beyond the renewal term? And will Members have sufficient time to scrutinise that comparison before any further binding contractual commitment is made? Diolch.

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3. 4. Topical Questions en

   Thank you to the Member for raising this. Cabinet Minister, I spent over 20 years with South Wales Fire and Rescue Service, so I recognise the efforts of crews, Natural Resources Wales officers, and everyone containing pollution. But the facts are deeply concerning: kerosene from GE Aerospace's Nantgarw site has affected around 4 km of the Taff. Dead fish have been recovered, residents have been advised to close windows and doors, and fumes are present. GE Aerospace said it isolated the source on Friday, yet on Monday Natural Resources Wales said it was still investigating the drainage system to stop further pollution. Stopping the original leak is not the same as stopping pollution reaching the river. And this is not the first time; in 2024, pollution from PB Gelatins UK in Treforest killed fish. The outcome announced this June was the enforcement undertaking, including a £50,000 donation and nearly £15,000 in costs. Cabinet Minister, you chaired the committee that reported Natural Resources Wales's own concerns that its fines and sanctions weren't enough to deter polluters. You now oversee Natural Resources Wales. Our Reform manifesto commits us to dismantling and fundamentally restructuring Natural Resources Wales, bringing strategic policy under ministerial oversight while environmental protections continue without interruptions. The public deserve to know what went wrong, who is accountable and who will pay to put it right. So, Cabinet Minister, will you commit to a written statement to this Senedd within 14 days, setting out how much fuel was released, the damage identified so far, the timetable for Natural Resources Wales's investigation and any enforcement decision, and how all legal recoverable costs will be pursued from those found responsible and not the Welsh taxpayer? Diolch.

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1. 7. Statement by the Cabinet Minister for Finance: An Update on Council Tax en

   Diolch, Ddirprwy Lywydd. Cabinet Minister, families across Afan Ogwr Rhondda needed certainty, and so I give you credit for finally giving them the answer. But when the previous Government put 2028 into law, the Institute for Fiscal Studies hoped that would prevent further delays. Today, you're proposing 2032, beyond another Senedd election. So, you say protecting households that face higher bills could cost up to £80 million in the first year. The previous Government estimated £11.7 million to implement revaluation over 2026-27 and 2027-28. So, before asking this Senedd to approve another four-year delay, will you publish exactly how much taxpayers' money has already been spent or committed, including with the Valuation Office Agency, and what postponing the programme will cost? Diolch.

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1. 1. Questions to the Trefnydd, Chief Whip and Cabinet Minister for Culture and Sport en

   Diolch, Deputy Llywydd. Cabinet Minister, accessible sport means good facilities close to home, with affordable, fair access to every club, school and girls' team. I welcome your expansion support for artificial pitches. In May 2024, the then Cabinet Secretary told this Chamber that the Rhondda third generation facility was a Welsh Rugby Union priority, with Coleg y Cymoedd identified as a potential solution. She urged partners to work towards applying in the following financial year. More than two years on, our community needs a clear route forward. Will you confirm whether an application has been submitted for that proposal, and whether this year's funding could support a modern fourth generation all-weather rugby pitch that meets the required standards for training and competitive matches while the Sport Wales audit proceeds? Diolch.

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1. 1. Questions to the First Minister cy

   4. Pa gamau mae Llywodraeth Cymru yn eu cymryd i ddatrys yr anghydfod o ran tâl ymwelwyr iechyd a graddio ym Mwrdd Iechyd Prifysgol Cwm Taf Morgannwg? OQ64682 [R]

   Official English translation

   4. What action is the Welsh Government taking to resolve the health visitor pay and grading dispute at Cwm Taf Morgannwg University Health Board? OQ64682 [R]

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2. 1. Questions to the First Minister en

   First Minister, I accept the health visitor dispute began before you took office, but it has continued under your Government, affecting vulnerable children and families in my constituency. In March, Heledd Fychan, who now sits in your Cabinet, asked the previous First Minister to intervene. Luke Fletcher reminded the Government that it was, in his words, 'setting the policy and funding the services.' Then, on 17 April, you signed a letter calling for band 6 health visitors to be upgraded to band 7. Yet your Cabinet Minister for health continues to describe this as a local employment dispute between Unite and the health board, with no fixed timetable for resolution. First Minister, you now set the policy, you fund the services, and you signed the call for band 7. So, I ask you plainly: will your Government provide the funding necessary to deliver band 7 for these health visitors? 'Yes' or 'no'?

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1. 1. Questions to the Cabinet Minister for Health and Care en

   I'd like to declare an interest, as my partner works within the NHS. Cabinet Minister, in Afan Ogwr Rhondda, around 27,000 people are living with cardiovascular disease, and it causes more than one in four deaths—around 630 people every year. More than 36,000 people are living with diagnosed high blood pressure, one of the biggest risk factors for heart attacks and strokes. Your programme for government commits to strengthening cardiovascular care and reducing regional variation. My constituency is served by both Cwm Taf Morgannwg University Health Board and Swansea Bay University Health Board, so reducing regional variation matters directly here. We do not need another plan for its own sake; we need action that reduces preventable heart attacks, strokes and premature deaths. So, by 31 March 2027, will you set both health boards a published, measurable target to increase the proportion of patients with high blood pressure whose condition is under control—yes or no? Thank you.

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2. 7. Reform UK Debate: Regional rugby en

   This debate is not about nostalgia, and it is not about politicians trying to run the Welsh Rugby Union. It is about whether Wales should lose a quarter of its men's professional game before anyone has shown that it must. The union has already fixed the destination: three teams from 2028. Cardiff and the Dragons have been offered the capital and east licences, and the Ospreys and Scarlets are left competing for one licence in the west. Yet, by the Welsh Rugby Union's own timetable, the process is set, the licensing framework does not begin until December. So, how can the destination already be decided when the framework has not yet been determined? We know one region must go before. We know the test that it will be judged by. That is the wrong way round. I accept the financial argument must be taken seriously. The union says there is no realistic prospect of the game generating enough revenue to fund four professional teams competitively beyond 2028. We should not dismiss that because we dislike the conclusion, but the assertion is not a demonstration. So, publish the evidence, the business case for the three against four and the impact on the community that loses its team. Because Afan Ogwr Rhondda is not excepted. Aberavon are playing their hundred and fiftieth season this year, with Ospreys-allocated players in their squad. That is what a player pathway looks like in practice. And once it is dismantled, rebuilding it is far harder than removing it. My constituency and yours, Cabinet Minister, knows what losing a region feels like. In 2004, the Celtic Warriors, the region built on Bridgend and Pontypridd, were wound up after a single season. The Welsh Government cannot simply reply that the union is independent—of course it is—but independence is not immunity from scrutiny. In 2021, £13.5 million of Welsh Government survival funding went into rugby; £2.7 million went to the union, and the rest was divided equally between the four regions, the Ospreys and Scarlets included. And Sport Wales put £434,945 into the Welsh Rugby Union in 2025-26. On 16 September, the Cabinet Minister told this Chamber that it's important to ensure that any decisions are transparent, evidence based and take full account of the wider impact on Welsh rugby. Those are her tests. But you cannot take full account of the impact nobody has measured. As my colleague Steven Rodaway told this Chamber, the day before, the Minister's answer to his written question confirmed that the Welsh Government had undertaken no assessment of the economic or community impact.  The amendment tabled by the Cabinet Minister would delete the call to protect four regions. It says that 'decisions of this significance must be informed...by a full assessment of their wider social, community and economic consequences.' I welcome that recognition, but if the Government does not assess them, who will? And will the assessment happen before the decision or after it? So, my question to the Cabinet Minister is this: she has told the Chamber that there are always discussions between the Government and the union. Will she use those discussions to ask the union, before the licensing process begins in December, to publish the business case for three teams against four and its assessment on the impact on community clubs and player pathways, and will she publish the reply? There is a difference between asking for another round of engagement and standing up for the future of four regions. People in my constituency are not asking Ministers to run rugby. They are asking them to stand up for the communities rugby depends on. That's why I support the motion as tabled. Diolch yn fawr.

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3. 10. Short Debate: The importance of port infrastructure and maritime traffic to the Welsh economy en

   Diolch, Deputy Llywydd. And thank you to Ben for giving me a minute to contribute. Wales's ports are not simply gateways for freight, they are strategic economic assets, and nowhere is more at stake than Port Talbot. The UK Government is backing the development of a floating offshore wind port there, and the Celtic Freeport projects up to 11,500 jobs. But the port alone won't deliver; it needs roads, rail, grid and skills. The free port's own five-year plan names grid connections as a blocker, and for the first five years prioritises laying the foundations for future skills interventions. So, will the Welsh Government publish every year how many of these jobs go to Welsh workers, and how much of the spending reaches Welsh businesses, so our ports become engines of prosperity rather than gateways through which the economic value passes? Thank you.

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1. 2. Questions to the First Minister en

   This month, the Cabinet Minister said lower bills would come eventually. I want the claim put into pounds and pence for Afan Ogwr Rhondda. The previous Labour Government approved £430,000 for Community Energy Wales and YnNi Teg in 2025-26. CEW is co-led by your party's former leader, Leanne Wood. Ministerial advice calls it sponsorship to act as a voice for the sector and build its capacity. Audit Wales told me it had done no audit work referring to CEW since 2022—fair enough; that's the Government's job. Yet, in December last year, officials told me that, beyond a foundational economy evaluation, there were no further evaluation reports. So, will the First Minister publish what these organisations have achieved against their grant targets and this year's funding, and tell my constituents how many households will pay less under his strategy, by how much a year, and from when? Diolch.

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1. 1. Questions to the First Minister en

   First Minister, I recognise that £85 million has been invested in flood risk management this year, but Rhondda Cynon Taf's investigation into storm Dennis has found that Blaenllechau was flooded from the steep hillside above it, that felling on Welsh Government-owned Natural Resources Wales-managed woodland may have contributed to surface water run-off, and that modelling suggested three of the four culvert networks lacked adequate capacity. This August, a major wildfire burned around 150 hectares of Llanwonno mountain, above Blaenllechau and Ferndale. So, before the winter rain arrives, will you ensure that Natural Resources Wales and RCT carry out a co-ordinated inspection of that hillside, its drainage and culverts, with the Mining Remediation Authority checking any relevant higher category coal tips within or below that affected area, and report the findings and any remedial work required to the Senedd by the end of October? Diolch.

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1. 6. Reform UK Debate: Cwm Taf Morgannwg University Health Board health visitor pay dispute en

   In Rhondda and Ogmore, a health visitor is often the first to notice a baby not feeding, a mother not coping, a home not safe. I accept that the board is the employer and banding must follow NHS job evaluation—the Cabinet Minister cannot sign a payslip. But this dispute has outlasted three First Ministers, and the fourth signed the demand himself—a joint open letter, on 17 April, calling for band 7. Health visitors have now publicly called on him to honour that support. Unite said the board's grading matched the roles to band 7. The board says its revaluation contains band 6. Publish the date, job descriptions, evaluation, records, scores and review rights; explain the differences. That is where a fair offer starts. Amendment 4 replaces a call for immediate action with recognition of negotiations and the Chief Nursing Officer for Wales's review. In August, the health unions refused to take part in that job description work. Their reason: social partnership has broken down. My freedom of information request asked whether maternity staff were deployed into health visiting between 23 February and 4 August, when Tirion's suspension was announced. The board's 8 September response did not address that question. My 9 September follow-up requested an answer by 23 September. Cabinet Minister, on 17 June, you told this Chamber you'd expect the parties to get back around the table. Three months later, what has your personal intervention achieved? What still prevents agreement? When will that review report? And what has this Government done in four months to act on the First Minister's own signature? I ask for three commitments. First, within 14 days, publish the banding records and a resolution timetable naming who is accountable. Secondly, publish verified monthly figures for contacts due, completed and outstanding, alongside safeguarding referrals by council area and a recovery plan prioritising children at greatest risk. Thirdly, demonstrate that cover arrangements are safe, supervised and do not weaken other services. Families need to know when help will reach them. Staff need to know when their case will be decided. This Government needs to answer both. Diolch.

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1. 3. Statement by the First Minister: Weather, wildfires, drought and resilience en

   I would like to declare an interest, having worked for South Wales Fire and Rescue Service for over 20 years. First Minister, I thank our firefighters, control staff and support teams. On 13 August, joint fire control handled over 1,000 calls. At one point, south Wales crews faced 14 wildfires simultaneously. Afan Ogwr Rhondda needs well-trained crews, the right equipment and reliable water supplies, even in drought. On 23 July, your Cabinet Minister announced a review of firefighting capability and costs. Will you publish a costed plan by 31 October, agreed with all three fire services, identifying what must improve, who is responsible, and what will be delivered before next spring? Your Government extended the intervention in south Wales, where commissioners set the levy paid by local councils. Will your draft budget fund those improvements so councils are not left to meet the additional costs? Diolch.

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1. 6. Statement by the Deputy Minister for Public and Preventative Health: Priorities for Public and Preventative Health en

   Nobody in this Chamber disputes that preventing illness is better than treating it. But look at the evidence in my constituency. Swansea bay has been under targeted intervention for cancer since 24 January, and on the latest published figures, its bowel screening uptake is the lowest in Wales, at around 57 per cent in the most deprived communities, compared with around 72 per cent in the least deprived. Prevention is falling short precisely where it is needed most. Analysis by the future generations commissioner also found that less than 10 per cent of the previous Welsh Government's budget was directed towards evidence-based primary prevention. Warm words about prevention have never been in short supply in this Chamber; budgets and screening programmes have. So, Deputy Minister, will your Government do better? When will eligible people across Wales begin receiving invitations for the national lung cancer screening programme? And will the first budget increase the proportion spent on evidence-based primary prevention? Thank you.

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

   I respect the Welsh language and recognise its importance to our national heritage, but respect for the language does not remove the duty to demonstrate value for money. My constituents in Afan Ogwr Rhondda expect evidence that public spending delivers real outcomes, not simply larger budgets. Where millions of pounds are being invested in promoting the Welsh language, every pound of taxpayers' money should deliver measurable results and genuine value. Can the Cabinet Minister, therefore, explain what measurable evidence the Welsh Government has that this investment is increasing the everyday use of Welsh in communities such as Afan Ogwr Rhondda, rather than simply expanding programme strategies and administration? Will she commit to publishing, constituency by constituency, how much public money has been spent, what outcomes have been achieved and how value for money has been assessed, so that this Senedd can judge successfully on evidence, not aspiration? Thank you.

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1. 5. 90-second Statements en

   Diolch. It is with great sadness that I rise to pay tribute to Caroline Jones, a former Member of the Senedd and a woman whose courage, kindness and dedication to others left a lasting mark on Wales. Caroline was, above all else, a public servant. Throughout her life, she devoted herself to helping others, supporting charities, veterans, homeless people, women's refuges, children's organisations, and countless community causes. She gave her time generously and worked tirelessly to improve the lives of those around her. Her commitment to others was perhaps most evident in her support for women facing breast cancer. She faced that battle herself. Caroline became a mentor and source of hope for many women confronting the same diagnosis. She showed extraordinary courage, refusing to allow illness to define her life or limit her ambitions. Indeed, one of the most remarkable examples of her resilience was her election to this Senedd while continuing treatment for cancer. That achievement reflected not only her determination, but also her unwavering belief in public service and her desire to make a difference. Caroline was also a proud advocate for veterans, inspired by her father's military service and strengthened by her husband's distinguished career in the armed forces. She championed those who had served our country and never missed an opportunity to support their causes. Those who knew Caroline speak of her warmth, her generosity, her sense of humour and her ability to make people feel valued and welcome. She touched countless lives through friendship, compassion and simple acts of kindness. Today we remember not only a former Member of this Senedd, but a remarkable woman whose legacy of courage, service and kindness will endure. Our thoughts and deepest condolences are with her husband, Alun, her family, her friends and all those lives she touched. May she rest in peace.

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1. 1. Questions to the Deputy First Minister and Cabinet Minister for Social Justice and Equality en

   I thank the Member for the question. Food poverty is a serious issue, but it cannot be an excuse to lower food standards or short-change Welsh farmers. Earlier this year, it emerged that Welsh councils were serving schoolchildren chicken imported from Thailand and China—99 nine per cent of supply in Merthyr Tydfil and 87 per cent in Caerphilly. That is difficult to justify when Welsh farmers already meet some of the highest animal welfare and food production standards in the world, yet are expected to compete on an uneven playing field. Bridgend has shown that there is no justification for this failure, sourcing 100 per cent UK chicken for its schools within the very same funding envelope and procurement framework. So, will the Cabinet Secretary accept that public money should never be used to buy food produced to standards that would not be permitted in Wales, and will the Welsh Government now reform procurement rules and require full transparency on food provenance, so parents know exactly where the food served in Welsh schools comes from? Thank you.

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