³ÉÈËÂÛ̳

The tenth FMQs of 2023 comes to a close.

Thanks for following - join us again next week.

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

Asked by Conservative Janet Finch-Saunders about the number of new homes built in Wales, the first minister says "in the last quarter, completions of house building in Wales were above the quarter immediately before the pandemic".

However he adds, "housing starts are down in the last quarter; they are down in 10 of the 12 UK nations and regions, and they are down, says the house builders organisation, because of the impact of the disastrous September mini-budget, which has increased mortgage costs, increased interest costs and led, across the whole of the United Kingdom, to a reduction in house building starts."

Ms Finch-Saunders says, "it's clear to everyone that the target of building 12,000 homes a year here in Wales has been missed repeatedly for years. Your government only delivered 5,273 houses in 2021-22; 90,000 languishing on social housing waiting lists; and less than 1,000 homes were completed in October to December of last year."

"I have never seen a worse deal for Wales," says the first minister about the UK government's budget.

He says "the budget provided no extra funding for health, social services or public sector pay, and offered bare minimum additional support for people and businesses. It prioritised petrol and potholes over people and pay. The dismal decade of Tory government ends as it began, with comprehensive neglect of the needs of Wales."

Conservative Peter Fox replies, "I felt that last week's budget was one of optimism and ambition, and central to it was protecting and supporting households across Wales, indeed the whole of the UK."

Plaid Cymru leader Adam Price says he met with Covid-19 Bereaved Families for Justice Cymru in the Senedd today, and he calls again on the Welsh Government to establish its own inquiry.

The first minister replies that the UK inquiry is best-placed to consider the "inter-connection between decisions made in Wales and elsewhere".

He adds, "the inquiry is at its formative stage. Judge Hallett continues to hear from people who believe that her remit ought to be pursued in particular ways, and she has been clear that she continues to consider all those views that are put to her."

Mr Drakeford also tells Adam Price he will consider proposals for a special purposes committee on Covid.

Andrew RT Davies, leader of the Welsh Conservatives in the Senedd, refers to the plans set out by Chancellor Jeremy Hunt in his Spring Budget last week, that free childcare for working parents in England is being expanded to cover children below the age of three. The offer will eventually cover all children from the age of nine months, Mr Hunt said.

Mr Drakeford is asked three times by Mr Davies if he would match the 9 month and above childcare offer in England.

Mr Drakeford did not say yes or no, but said "we already do far more in Wales than they do in England".

He elaborates, "for three and four-year-olds, here in Wales, families get 30 hours of childcare for 48 weeks of the year. In England, that's 38 weeks of the year; 10 weeks fewer in England than you get in Wales.

"Here in Wales, just last year, in our co-operation agreement with Plaid Cymru, we have extended the reach of the childcare offer for three and four-year-olds to people who are on the cusp of employment; 3,000 more parents are able to take advantage of that childcare offer here in Wales just on that one aspect."

He adds, "we will introduce an extra 2,500 places for two-year-olds in Wales from April of this year, and another 4,500 new places for two-year-olds in phase 2 from September of this year."

Conservative Russell George says there is "a real issue" in access to GPs in mid Wales.

The first minister replies, "I was able to discuss recruitment in Powys with the chief executive of the Powys university health board yesterday. She said to me that Powys has only one managed practice, and that there is a realistic hope that new contractors will be found, happy to come and take over the practice as well, and, while recruitment is challenging, as it is everywhere, it is holding up in the Powys health board area with some recent recruitment in parts of their responsibility."

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.

Independent MS Rhys ab Owen asks what assessment has the first minister made of the impact on Wales of the two-year delay on the Birmingham to Crewe leg of the HS2 railway line.

The first minister replies "the decision to delay aspects of the HS2 line was taken without reference of any sort to the Welsh Government or Transport for Wales. This further explodes the myth that this is an England and Wales project."

There have long been calls for HS2 to be reclassified as an England-only project so Wales receives proportional funds. Last year a cross-party group of MPs highlighted the fact that the UK government's own analysis concluded the rail project would produce "an economic dis-benefit to Wales".

The report says while the Welsh Government received "approximately £755m in Barnett consequentials" between 2015 and 2019 as a result of the Department for Transport spending money on HS2, it will not receive a proportionate amount because it has been classified by the Treasury as an "England and Wales project".

This has attracted criticism from the MPs because the rail line will run solely in England.

HS2 has been dogged by delays and rising costs - in 2010, it was expected to total £33bn, that figure has now soared to £71bn.

Image source, HS2

Hello and welcome to our live coverage of the tenth session of First Minister's Questions in 2023.

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.