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The seventh FMQs of 2024 comes to a close.

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Plaid Cymru's Siân Gwenllïan says there is "huge opposition" to plans to create a gas-fired power plant in Arfon.

She elaborates, "the intention is to construct a gas-fired power station on the site of an old quarry in the town - a site that's been used as a brickworks recently, and, more recently, by the contractor constructing the new road in Arfon.

"I don't have to mention the need to shift away from a dependency on fossil fuels to generate energy - that argument is well known. The specific concern is about a gas-powered power plant in an old quarry, in an enclosed cauldron that has leisure facilities, a hospital and hundreds of homes nearby, in the exact place where poisonous gasses would be released".

The first minister replies that he is unable to discuss the details of any planning application because of possible ministerial involvement in that process, but he quotes the policy context that the Welsh government brings to those issues as set out last year:

"Where the Welsh government is called to decide on future proposals to build unabated power generation in Wales, it is the intention of Welsh ministers to maintain a strong presumption against new fossil fuelled power plant, nor to replace our current fleet of plant with alternatives that may themselves be the source of greenhouse gas emissions. This presumption will also have the effect of discouraging local decision makers from consenting new small-scale fossil fuel plant."

Liberal Democrat Jane Dodds says child poverty has remained "stubbornly high at around 28 per cent" in Wales.

She says "the child mortality rate in Wales is 70 per cent higher for children in the most deprived groups than the least deprived children. And children living in poverty are four times more likely to develop a mental health problem by the age of 11".

She calls for "a target looking at health inequality and poverty, and how we can link the two together and make sure we've got clear targets to address that".

The first minister replies "child health inequality is rooted in broader inequality that children face from the start of their lives, and see it in many, many aspects of their lives. The government is committed, of course, to addressing the impact of those factors in the lives of those children who live in our most deprived communities".

He makes one further point. "You know how controversial the Welsh government's policy of 20 mph has been in some places, yet we know that children from deprived communities are more likely to suffer in accidents than children in any other part of the population. The word 'accident' is misleading because it implies that, somehow, these things happen at random. They don't. Children in our least well-off communities are more likely to suffer in an accident. including accidents on their streets involving motor vehicles, and the impact of our policy, which will save people's lives, will have a bigger impact on the lives of poor children than any other part of the population."

Image source, Getty Images

The first minister says the NHS "has to be a health service and not an illness service".

He elaborates, "it has to be a service that helps people to do the things in their own lives that will make a difference to their own long-term health prospect".

As an example, he says in 2010, 23 per cent of the population of Wales recorded themselves as smoking. Today, that's 13 per cent - a 10 per cent drop over that decade.

Image source, PA Media

Plaid Cymru leader Rhun ap Iorwerth says farming in Wales is at a "crossroads".

He says, "the Welsh family farm needs the Welsh government to be a champion for them, and at the moment, that's not how it feels to people. Now, does the first minister agree with me that we are at a crossroads in terms of rural Wales and the agricultural community and now is the moment, now is the time for a change of direction? Because listening is one thing - and the government regularly says that they are listening - but there needs to be action now".

Mr Drakeford replies that the Welsh government has held "constructive" meetings with farming unions and will continue the dialogue "to find a way forward together".

He says the government will consider "fresh proposals to deal with on-farm slaughter of cattle who have contracted TB" and will also hold a review of agricultural pollution regulations.

He adds, "as far as the sustainable farming scheme itself is concerned, we discussed yesterday with those farmers who came into Cathays Park ideas about how we can simplify some of the data that they will be asked to provided, how we can make that data more valuable to them, so that they can make profits out of the data that they provide. We talked about how we can find other ways in which carbon can be sequestered on farms."

The consultation on the Sustainable Farming Scheme ends on 7 March.

The scheme will replace EU-era subsidies which paid farmers mainly based on how much land they have.

The scheme currently proposes that farms will have to commit to a checklist designed to reward sustainable farming practices, including - most controversially - having trees on 10% of their land.

Separately, asked by Rhun ap Iorwerth whether Vaughan Gething should return the £200,000 in donations from Dauson Environmental - the company run by a man convicted of environmental offences - Mr Drakeford talked about the vote for the Welsh Labour leadership instead.

"There are thousands and thousands of people able to take part in that debate, they will make their minds up. That is the way in which this matter is best resolved," Mr Drakeford said.

The first minister tells Andrew RT Davies, leader of the Welsh Conservatives in the Senedd, that he followed the "normal procedures" in reaching the conclusion that Welsh Labour leadership candidate Vaughan Gething did not breach the ministerial code.

Mr Davies had written to the first minister after the economy minister received £200,000 in donations from Dauson Environmental.

The company is run by a man convicted of environmental offences.

But Mr Drakeford said "I asked for an investigation and the investigation advised me that there was no breach of the ministerial code. So, there has been an investigation and the answer was provided to me in unambiguous terms".

He adds, "if anybody wants any further matters to be investigated they should write to me, they should set out what they think needs to be investigated and it will be done absolutely by the book."

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.

Asked by Conservative Gareth Davies about waiting times at Ysbyty Glan Clwyd in Rhyl, the first minister says "waiting times for some patients at Glan Clwyd Hospital are not where they need to be, especially in the emergency department. Extra investment by the Welsh government, and a fresh focus by the new board, will help front-line staff to bring about improvement".

Gareth Davies points out that, according to the latest figures, Glan Clwyd was the worst-performing against the four hour target in accident and emergency departments in Wales, with only 45.1% of patients discharged, transferred or admitted within four hours – compared to 68.4% of patients seen within four hours across Wales.

Mr Davies adds, "residents of north Wales simply shouldn't have to put up with this. This month, a patient, Mr Taylor, arrived at Ysbyty Glan Clwyd with chest pains, and, following a triage, was left in a corridor for six hours in a wheelchair. Whilst noting that the staff were excellent, they were overwhelmed and he was left in tears, sadly."

Hello and welcome to our live coverage of the seventh session of First Minister's Questions in 2024.

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.