Eluned Morgan’s twenty-sixth session as first minister comes to a close.

Image source, Senedd Cymru

Image source, Senedd Cymru

Plaid Cymru MS Siân Gwenllian calls on the Welsh government to rise to the "enormous challenge" of "developing the skills needed to accelerate the process of upgrading and improving homes".

She says lessons must be learned from the experience of residents in the Arfon area after dozens of homes were left with water leaks and green algae growth due to faulty insulation from a Welsh government energy scheme.

The work was done on 42 homes in four villages 10 years ago, and has caused leaks and green growth over the gables of the houses.

Siân Gwenllian says "there are many lessons to be learned from that experience, including the need to create a local, reliable workforce to carry out the necessary work".

The first minister replies, "we have apprenticeships, of course, and there are over 2,000 of those in the construction sector. So, these are people who will be able to help us do the kind of work that needs to be done in your constituency as a result of the fact that there have been issues with things such as the programme."

The Welsh government has said it has now allocated £3.5m to repair the properties following a review last year of the Arbed scheme (arbed is Welsh for save) which was meant to help homeowners in disadvantaged areas to make houses more energy efficient for free.

New windows and boilers were installed and external walls were painted and sealed to improve insulation, but the problems soon became apparent and questions were asked about the quality of the work.

Liberal Democrat Jane Dodds renews her call for "parity between mental and physical health services", especially regarding the mental health needs of care-experienced young people.

She adds, "many of us know that their needs are much, much higher than the population in general. They are four times more likely to suffer mental health difficulties, and in a study that was done in November 2024, only 50 per cent actually knew where to go in order to access mental health support."

The first minister says the Welsh government "recognises that we need to provide an equitable level of treatment, care or support to people throughout their lives, irrespective of whether it's a matter of physical or mental health."

She adds, "we have recently updated our waiting time guidance to ensure that looked-after children are not disadvantaged should they move between health board areas whilst they are on a waiting list for treatment. That is really important, because some of them do move around, and, as you say, these are very vulnerable children who need that mental health support."

Image source, Senedd Cymru

Image source, Getty Images

Plans to introduce a tourism tax in Wales is creating "anxiety" among tourism operators says Conservative Gareth Davies.

He adds, "we need to be breaking down barriers to tourism, not building them, first minister. So, what direct message can you give to my constituents that this tourism tax will benefit the communities that I represent in Denbighshire, or is it another case of Labour taxing more and delivering less?"

Eluned Morgan replies "visitor levies are used successfully all over the world, and just in the past couple of weeks, Liverpool have also said that they're going to be introducing a visitor levy. It's not unusual".

The Welsh government wants to give local authorities the option to charge people staying overnight in Wales £1.30 plus VAT per night for hotels, B&Bs and self-catering accommodation, and 80p plus VAT for hostels and campsites, possibly from 2027 if passed by the Senedd.

The Welsh government said the levy could raise up to £33m per year, external to support and improve tourism in local areas and that councils would choose whether to charge it.

Image source, Getty Images

Plaid Cymru leader Rhun ap Iorwerth refers to a BBC Wales report last week that the first minister accused Welsh Labour MPs in Westminster during a meeting of not standing up for Wales.

"Can she confirm whether she did indeed call them out directly for their ambivalence towards Wales?" he asks.

Eluned Morgan replies, "what happens between me and Welsh Labour MPs is a matter for us. But what I will tell you is that we have focused in the Labour Party on listening to the people of Wales, on delivering on that promise, on those priorities, and we're able to do that because we've got significant additional funding from the UK government. What we will do, and what I will do, is to make sure that I stand up for Wales at every single opportunity, and I will do that."

Rhun ap Iorwerth quotes the first minister, talking about the relationship between the UK and Welsh governments, saying last week the nature of devolution meant "there will be times when we perhaps see things in a different light. That's ok. Everyone needs to relax."

He describes that as "contemptuous. She's relaxed about her own party acting against Wales's interests, from the betrayal of steelworkers and pensioners, HS2, the Crown Estate, welfare cuts and winter fuel cuts, the anti-business national insurance hike, a national insurance hike that the public sector in England, of course, has been compensated for and Wales is being hit with a £65 million bill for".

Eluned Morgan replies, "I think it's quite outrageous that a party like yours, who should understand how devolution works, who should understand that actually it's okay for us to do something different in Wales, that actually it's quite appropriate for us to make sure that we are responding to the needs of the Welsh public. And that's what we're doing, and if that's different in Wales, then I think we should relax."

Image source, Senedd Cymru

On the eightieth anniversary of VE Day this week, Darren Millar, leader of the Welsh Conservatives in the Senedd, says he learned during his recent second visit to Ukraine since the start of the war "how much people in Ukraine appreciate the solidarity of the people of Wales and the support of the Senedd for their war efforts".

He says Wales plays "a key role in the defence industry in the United Kingdom, with over 160 companies employing more than 20,000 people. Weapons, ammunition, other supplies and new technologies from Wales are a key component in the fight for freedom in Ukraine, and of course for our national security in an ever increasingly uncertain world.

"That's why I was shocked to learn recently that the Development Bank of Wales excludes businesses in the defence sector from being able to apply for financial support."

He asks "what are you going to do to remove the restriction on the Development Bank of Wales from being able to invest in the defence companies that we need to see succeed in order to make sure that we have national security here at home and abroad?"

Eluned Morgan replies "I'm dead serious about our opportunities in relation to the defence industry. I think there are companies and businesses in Wales that can make a major contribution, and I think the fact that the MOD now will be getting a significant uplift in its budget gives an opportunity for Welsh companies. But I'm happy to explore further what the situation is in relation to the Development Bank of Wales."

Image source, Senedd Cymru

Independent MS Rhys ab Owen raises concerns about the "dilapidated estate at the University Hospital of Wales".

He says "I remember walking along the corridors with my pregnant wife two years ago, trying to encourage our daughter to be born in the early hours of the morning, and I was shocked at how poor the condition of the corridors were, and the state of the hospital as a whole."

Eluned Morgan says "Cardiff and Vale University Health Board is responsible for the condition of its own estate. The health board can submit business cases to the Welsh government for capital funding for its assessed priorities. These will then be considered against other schemes across NHS Wales."

Cardiff and Vale University Health Board said in 2019 that Wales' largest hospital is "no longer fit for purpose".

Image source, Mick Lobb/Geograph

Llywydd Elin Jones conducts a ballot to determine the names of members who may table questions to the first minister.

Conservative Paul Davies raises concerns about traffic issues in Lower Town, Fishguard.

He calls again on the Welsh government and relevant stakeholders to deliver a footbridge to better support pedestrians on the A487 as heavy traffic continues to have an impact on the narrow pavements.

He says "the current road system means that pedestrians have to use the same bridge as vehicles of all sizes, and there are regular reports of severe congestion because some heavy goods vehicles are ignoring the restrictions that are currently in place".

The first minister replies, "the setout in Lower Fishguard is difficult, as you know. It’s very, very difficult, and you’re quite right, we need to stop the heavy goods vehicles from using that particular pathway, but there are lots of different calls in relation to the road network."

Image source, Senedd Cymru

Hello and welcome to our live coverage of Eluned Morgan’s twenty-sixth session of First Minister's Questions.

The Siambr (Senedd chamber) has closed for renovations until March 2026, as work starts on altering the chamber to accommodate the 96 Members who will be chosen in the next Senedd election in May 2026.

So the MSs are meeting in Siambr Hywel, the original debating chamber that housed the then National Assembly for Wales from 1999 to 2006.

The meeting is held in a hybrid format, with some members in Siambr Hywel and others joining by video-conference.

You can click on the play button above to watch the proceedings from 1.30pm.