– in the Senedd at 6:15 pm on 3 February 2026.
Elin Jones
Plaid Cymru
6:15,
3 February 2026
We'll now move to group 6. These amendments relate to case co-ordination, and Amendment 55 is the lead amendment. I call on Rhys ab Owen to move the lead amendment.
Rhys ab Owen
Plaid Cymru
6:15,
3 February 2026
Diolch, Llywydd. Sections 23 and 24 require protocols for handling cases involving care leavers and persons particularly in need of support. Voices from Care and End Youth Homelessness Cymru welcomed the joint protocols with social services, but called for the Welsh Government to mandate good practice and communication between social services and homelessness services with national protocol templates. In fact, End Youth Homelessness Cymru referred to an existing example in Carmarthenshire of a joint team already established, with joint working protocols from social workers, housing options advisers and youth homelessness co-ordinators, which is working really well, with fantastic results.
Bearing in mind that officials yesterday suggested to me that Welsh Government might resist these amendments because the Cabinet Secretary wishes local authorities to develop local models, I think I can reassure the Welsh Government that, upon careful reading of Amendment 56, you will see that the purpose of the national protocol is, and I quote from the legal text of my amendment, to be a 'template to assist'. The important word for the Welsh Government here is 'assist'. It's not a template to dictate.
Amendment 55 makes it a requirement for a council or a county borough in Wales to publish a protocol for handling cases. The sole aim with these amendments is to assist with monitoring. Such an action is aligned with the view of the Local Government and Housing Committee that the Welsh Government should monitor co-operation. Diolch yn fawr.
Elin Jones
Plaid Cymru
6:17,
3 February 2026
Siân Gwenllian.
Siân Gwenllian
Plaid Cymru
I don't wish to speak on this.
Elin Jones
Plaid Cymru
Okay. The Cabinet Secretary to respond.
Jayne Bryant
Labour
Diolch, Llywydd. Section 24 of the Bill introduces a statutory duty that requires local authorities to have a protocol for handling cases involving persons in particular need of support. Amendment 55 seeks to require local authorities to publish their local case co-ordination protocol, and amendment 56 seeks to require Welsh Ministers to publish a national template protocol for case co-ordination to assist local authorities.
The purpose of the protocol is to achieve, among other specified objectives, effective case co-ordination for certain individuals with partner organisations. Many local authorities already utilise case co-ordination models that draw together a range of organisations to support individuals with multiple and complex needs. These models vary in form and reflect the demography and landscape of local areas. Some have been developed and manage a significant volume of cases, whilst others can take a smaller-scale approach.
In short, case co-ordination models across Wales are not the same, and nor should they be. We do not want to reinvent the wheel. All the evidence on multi-agency fora shows that localised buy-in and ownership are key to their success. We want to build on practice developed by local authorities because it works for them, not dictate a model that probably won't. For this reason, I cannot support amendment 56, which seeks to impose a national protocol, an approach that will not work and does not reflect current practice. Instead, there will be practice guidance setting out the principles for development of these protocols, alongside information on thresholding and case management, which we will co-produce with partners. This work is already under way.
Amendment 55 misunderstands the active partnership ethos behind section 24. Effective co-ordination relies on information exchange, strong relationships and communication, none of which are established through the paper exercise promoted by this amendment. The amendment suggests that the local authority will develop their own model and then inform others about it via publication. This undermines the purpose of case co-ordination, thwarts co-production and limits flexibility. The model itself must be jointly developed and co-owned to ensure it works for the most vulnerable in our communities. I therefore ask Members to resist this amendment.
Elin Jones
Plaid Cymru
6:20,
3 February 2026
Rhys ab Owen to reply.
Rhys ab Owen
Plaid Cymru
Nothing to add. Thank you.
Elin Jones
Plaid Cymru
The question is that Amendment 55 be agreed to. Does any Member object? [Objection.] There are objections. We will therefore move to a vote. Open the vote on amendment 55. Close the vote. The vote is tied. I exercise my casting vote against amendment 55. Therefore, there were 24 in favour, no abstentions and 25 against. Amendment 55 is not agreed.
Division number 7124
Amendment 55
Elin Jones
Plaid Cymru
6:21,
3 February 2026
Amendment 56. Is it moved by Rhys ab Owen?
Rhys ab Owen
Plaid Cymru
6:21,
3 February 2026
Move.
Elin Jones
Plaid Cymru
It is. Are there any objections? [Objection.] There are. Open the vote on Amendment 56. Close the vote. The vote is tied. I exercise my casting vote against amendment 56. There were 24 in favour, no abstentions and 25 against. Therefore, amendment 56 is not agreed.
Division number 7125
Amendment 56
As a bill passes through Parliament, MPs and peers may suggest amendments - or changes - which they believe will improve the quality of the legislation.
Many hundreds of amendments are proposed by members to major bills as they pass through committee stage, report stage and third reading in both Houses of Parliament.
In the end only a handful of amendments will be incorporated into any bill.
The Speaker - or the chairman in the case of standing committees - has the power to select which amendments should be debated.
As a bill passes through Parliament, MPs and peers may suggest amendments - or changes - which they believe will improve the quality of the legislation.
Many hundreds of amendments are proposed by members to major bills as they pass through committee stage, report stage and third reading in both Houses of Parliament.
In the end only a handful of amendments will be incorporated into any bill.
The Speaker - or the chairman in the case of standing committees - has the power to select which amendments should be debated.
The cabinet is the group of twenty or so (and no more than 22) senior government ministers who are responsible for running the departments of state and deciding government policy.
It is chaired by the prime minister.
The cabinet is bound by collective responsibility, which means that all its members must abide by and defend the decisions it takes, despite any private doubts that they might have.
Cabinet ministers are appointed by the prime minister and chosen from MPs or peers of the governing party.
However, during periods of national emergency, or when no single party gains a large enough majority to govern alone, coalition governments have been formed with cabinets containing members from more than one political party.
War cabinets have sometimes been formed with a much smaller membership than the full cabinet.
From time to time the prime minister will reorganise the cabinet in order to bring in new members, or to move existing members around. This reorganisation is known as a cabinet re-shuffle.
The cabinet normally meets once a week in the cabinet room at Downing Street.
The House of Commons votes by dividing. Those voting Aye (yes) to any proposition walk through the division lobby to the right of the Speaker and those voting no through the lobby to the left. In each of the lobbies there are desks occupied by Clerks who tick Members' names off division lists as they pass through. Then at the exit doors the Members are counted by two Members acting as tellers. The Speaker calls for a vote by announcing "Clear the Lobbies". In the House of Lords "Clear the Bar" is called. Division Bells ring throughout the building and the police direct all Strangers to leave the vicinity of the Members’ Lobby. They also walk through the public rooms of the House shouting "division". MPs have eight minutes to get to the Division Lobby before the doors are closed. Members make their way to the Chamber, where Whips are on hand to remind the uncertain which way, if any, their party is voting. Meanwhile the Clerks who will take the names of those voting have taken their place at the high tables with the alphabetical lists of MPs' names on which ticks are made to record the vote. When the tellers are ready the counting process begins - the recording of names by the Clerk and the counting of heads by the tellers. When both lobbies have been counted and the figures entered on a card this is given to the Speaker who reads the figures and announces "So the Ayes [or Noes] have it". In the House of Lords the process is the same except that the Lobbies are called the Contents Lobby and the Not Contents Lobby. Unlike many other legislatures, the House of Commons and the House of Lords have not adopted a mechanical or electronic means of voting. This was considered in 1998 but rejected. Divisions rarely take less than ten minutes and those where most Members are voting usually take about fifteen. Further information can be obtained from factsheet P9 at the UK Parliament site.
