Meeting Venue:
Remote - Digital
Meeting date: 11 July 2023
Meeting time: 09.00 - 09.35
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Category |
Names |
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Committee Members: |
Elin Jones MS, Llywydd (Chair) Darren Millar MS Lesley Griffiths MS Heledd Fychan |
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Committee Staff: |
Graeme Francis (Clerk) Yan Thomas (Deputy Clerk) |
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Others in attendance |
Jane Dodds MS David Rees MS, Deputy Presiding Officer Manon Antoniazzi, Chief Executive and Clerk Siwan Davies, Director of Senedd Business Julian Luke, Head of Policy and Legislation Committee Service, Bethan Davies, Head of Chamber and Committee Service Helen Carey, Welsh Government |
1 Introductions, apologies and substitutions
The Llywydd welcomed Members to the Committee
2 Minutes of the previous meeting
The Minutes of the previous meeting were agreed for publication
3 Organisation of Business
3.1 This week's business
Tuesday
Heledd Fychan requested Government statements on the School Essentials Grant and the School Holiday Enrichment Programme prior to summer recess. The Trefnydd indicated that she would raise this with the Minister for Education and Welsh Language and that updates would likely be provided in the form of written statements.
Wednesday
Business Committee agreed to table a motion to propose that the Senedd elect Buffy Williams as a member of the Economy, Trade, and Rural Affairs Committee in place of Sarah Murphy. The Llywydd drew attention to this and the following additions to Wednesday’s meeting:
Business Committee agreed that the Llywydd will invite nominations for the Chair of the Reform Bill Committee from the Labour group at Wednesday’s meeting.
3.2 Three week timetable of Government Business
There were no changes to the Three Week Timetable of Government Business.
Heledd Fychan requested an update on the scheduling of the Stage 3 debate on the Health Service Procurement (Wales) Bill. The Trefnydd indicated that the date of the debate was dependent upon the scheduling of the Procurement Bill at Westminster and that she would update Business Managers as soon as more information was available.
3.3 Three week timetable of Senedd Business
The following changes were agreed to the Three-Week Timetable of Senedd Business:
Wednesday 27 September 2023 –
4 Legislation
4.1 Update on LCMs
Business Committee noted an update from the Trefnydd on the UK Government bills requiring, or likely to require, the legislative consent of the Senedd following the summer recess.
5 Welsh Government Draft Budget 2024-25
5.1 Letter from the Chair of the Finance Committee regarding the timetable for publishing the draft and final budget 2024-25
Business Committee noted the Finance Committee’s concerns about the proposed timetable and the fact that the Welsh Government was again proposing not to follow the agreed protocol between the Senedd and the Government. The Trefnydd confirmed that this was as a result of uncertainty over the timing of the UK Government’s autumn fiscal event, and indicated that the Minister for Finance and Local Government would be responding in writing to concerns expressed by the Finance Committee.
Business Committee agreed the proposed timetable and that it would write to the Finance Committee to invite it to consider reviewing the budget procedures in light of the experience of recent years.
5.2 Letter from the Chair of the Finance Committee regarding the Plenary Debate on the First Supplementary Budget 2023-24
Business Committee noted the letter. The Trefnydd noted that no concerns had been raised with her or the Business Committee prior to the debate but agreed to schedule future debates of this type for 30 minutes.
6 Committees
6.1 Scrutiny arrangements for the Senedd Reform Bill and linked legislation
6.2 The Senedd Reform Bill - timetable
Business Committee considered the scrutiny arrangements for the Senedd Reform Bill and linked legislation and agreed the following:
Business Committee agreed to return to the issue of whether the proposed local government electoral administration bill should also be referred to the Reform Bill Committee in the autumn term.
7 Senedd Timetable
7.1 Recess Dates
Business Committee considered and confirmed the dates for Spring Half Term and Easter Recess 2024 and agreed provisional recess dates for Whitsun Half Term and Summer Recess 2024, adjusting the provisional dates of the Summer recess for 2024 as indicated below.
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Recess |
Dates |
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Summer Recess 2023 |
Monday 17 July 2023 - Sunday 10 September 2023 |
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Autumn Half Term
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Mon 30 October 2023 – Sunday 5 November 2023 |
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Christmas Recess
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Mon 18 December 2023 – Sunday 7 January 2024 |
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Spring Half Term |
Monday 12 February 2024 – Sunday 18 February 2024 |
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Easter Recess |
Monday 25 March 2024 – Sunday 14 April 2024 |
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*Whitsun Half Term
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Mon 27 May 2024- Sunday 2 June 2024 |
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*Summer Recess |
Mon 22 July 2024 – Sunday 15 September 2024 |
* Provisional dates to be confirmed by Business Committee.
8 Tabling arrangements
8.1 Summer Recess Tabling Arrangements
Business Committee agreed the arrangements for tabling plenary business and the arrangements for the tabling of Written Questions during the Summer recess.
9 Any other business
Member Bill ballot and review of selection process
Business Committee agreed that the next Member Bill ballot be conducted using the existing procedures, in advance of any review of the selection process that it may subsequently agree to conduct.
The Committee also noted that it is the Llywydd’s intention to announce during Plenary this week the date in the autumn term on which the next Member Bill ballot will be held, in order to enable Members to prepare.