, Equality and Social Justice Committee
Group 1: Definition of British Sign Language (Amendments 1, 2)
Diolch. Thank you. Perhaps before speaking on the amendments, I should declare that I'm patron of COS, that's the Centre of Sign-Sight-Sound, formerly the North Wales Deaf Association. And perhaps I should, just for the record, state that I chair the…
, Public Accounts and Public Administration Committee
Motion under Standing Order 17.42(ix) to resolve to exclude the public from the remainder of this meeting
Thank you. I see that Members are content. We're grateful if we could go into private session.
, Public Accounts and Public Administration Committee
Motion under Standing Order 17.42(ix) to resolve to exclude the public from the remainder of this meeting
In that case—technical stuff, so thank you very much indeed—I propose that, in accordance with Standing Order 17.42(ix), the committee resolves to meet in private from the remainder of this meeting. Are Members content?
, Public Accounts and Public Administration Committee
Motion to elect a temporary Chair under Standing Order 17.22 for the meeting on Wednesday 4 February 2026
Thank you very much indeed.
, Public Accounts and Public Administration Committee
Motion to elect a temporary Chair under Standing Order 17.22 for the meeting on Wednesday 4 February 2026
I ask Members to consent, formally, to the election of a temporary Chair for our meeting on Wednesday, 4 February, where it's proposed that Tom Giffard takes that role on that occasion. Are Members content?
, Public Accounts and Public Administration Committee
Covering Teachers' Absence: evidence session with Welsh Government
Well, thank you very much indeed everyone, then, for attending. As always, we will provide you with a transcript of today's meeting for you to check for your accuracy.
, Public Accounts and Public Administration Committee
Covering Teachers' Absence: evidence session with Welsh Government
Okay, thank you. Members, do you have any further questions you'd like to raise that we haven't already covered? Mike Hedges, welcome. You joined us some time ago; you've not had an opportunity to raise anything—no obligation to do so if you have nothing…
, Public Accounts and Public Administration Committee
Covering Teachers' Absence: evidence session with Welsh Government
Well, I remember workload being referred to regularly 20 years ago, and there was a workload plan then, developed with the teaching workforce and unions. I suppose the question is why it appears to have been reactive, given the ways of working specified in…
, Public Accounts and Public Administration Committee
Covering Teachers' Absence: evidence session with Welsh Government
Okay, thank you. And coming towards the end of the formal questioning, why do you believe the strategic workload co-ordination group needed to recommend that workload impact assessments should be a routine requirement for all policy areas affecting schools…
, Public Accounts and Public Administration Committee
Covering Teachers' Absence: evidence session with Welsh Government
[Inaudible.]—multi-option solution, or picking good practice and focusing on some of those options?
, Public Accounts and Public Administration Committee
Covering Teachers' Absence: evidence session with Welsh Government
Okay, thank you. In September, the Cabinet Secretary stated that one of her priorities was to, quote, 'develop our proposals for covering teacher absence'. What options are you considering for that?
, Public Accounts and Public Administration Committee
Covering Teachers' Absence: evidence session with Welsh Government
Thank you. What action, if any, is the Welsh Government taking to ensure alignment between this plan and other strategic planning, including by the Education Workforce Council, Dysgu and the pre-existing Welsh in education workforce plan?
, Public Accounts and Public Administration Committee
Covering Teachers' Absence: evidence session with Welsh Government
Thank you very much indeed. Moving on again, when do you believe the Welsh Government will finalise its new strategic education workforce plan, and how is the work of the strategic workload co-ordination group feeding into that?
, Public Accounts and Public Administration Committee
Covering Teachers' Absence: evidence session with Welsh Government
Okay, thank you. Tom Giffard, please.
, Public Accounts and Public Administration Committee
Covering Teachers' Absence: evidence session with Welsh Government
Oh, sorry. Rhianon Passmore has a supplementary—sorry, yes.
, Public Accounts and Public Administration Committee
Covering Teachers' Absence: evidence session with Welsh Government
Okay, thank you for confirming that. Could I then thank Adam Price and invite Tom Giffard—
, Public Accounts and Public Administration Committee
Covering Teachers' Absence: evidence session with Welsh Government
Just on that issue, two specific points if I may. You previously indicated that there were issues with the payroll platform. Why couldn't they be resolved—and I suspect they were part of the issues you're referring to—and what were the costs of ending this…
, Public Accounts and Public Administration Committee
Covering Teachers' Absence: evidence session with Welsh Government
Thank you. Given the reference to teaching assistants, perhaps at this point I should declare that one of my children works as a teaching assistant in north Wales, on a local education authority contract. Of course, unlike teachers who are rightly paid for…
, Public Accounts and Public Administration Committee
Covering Teachers' Absence: evidence session with Welsh Government
That's an appropriate point then to bring Rhianon Passmore in, who has some questions on supply teacher availability.
, Public Accounts and Public Administration Committee
Covering Teachers' Absence: evidence session with Welsh Government
Okay.
, Public Accounts and Public Administration Committee
Covering Teachers' Absence: evidence session with Welsh Government
Okay, Rhianon Passmore, please.
, Public Accounts and Public Administration Committee
Covering Teachers' Absence: evidence session with Welsh Government
Before I just bring Rhianon Passmore in, in terms of sickness, rather than being a single tick, are you considering whether there's any merit in breaking that down a bit further to see whether, for example, it's mental health or pressures that people might be…
, Public Accounts and Public Administration Committee
Covering Teachers' Absence: evidence session with Welsh Government
Anyone else? No. Thank you. You've touched in your response on the consideration that’s being given to the collation of information on absence in the future. Obviously, our previous recommendation stated that monitoring and reporting on the extent of…
, Public Accounts and Public Administration Committee
Covering Teachers' Absence: evidence session with Welsh Government
Thank you. Perhaps at the end of the session, Members, we can decide whether we wish to ask for that summary report offered, based upon the responses we receive to our questions and whether there are any gaps remaining. So, as convention has it, as Chair…
, Public Accounts and Public Administration Committee
Covering Teachers' Absence: evidence session with Welsh Government
Thank you very much indeed. I'll just remind you, as I'm sure you're aware, that the meeting is bilingual and you have headsets which provide simultaneous translation on channel 1, and sound amplification, if needed, on channel 2. Before I start with the…
