Minutes - Business Committee


Meeting Venue:

Tŷ Hywel

Meeting date: 8 October 2024

Meeting time: 09.00 - 09.56


Remote/ Private

------

------

Attendance

Category

Names

Committee Members:

Elin Jones MS, Llywydd (Chair)

Heledd Fychan MS

Jane Hutt MS

Darren Millar MS

Committee Staff:

Graeme Francis (Clerk)

Yan Thomas (Deputy Clerk)

Others in attendance

David Rees MS, Deputy Presiding Officer

Manon Antoniazzi, Chief Executive and Clerk

Siân Wilkins, Head of Procedures and Parliamentary Skills

Bethan Davies, Head of Chamber and Committee Service

Julian Luke, Head of Policy and Legislation Committee Service

Helen Carey, Welsh Government

Alun Davidson

Lisa Griffiths

 

<AI1>

1       Introductions, apologies and substitutions

The Llywydd welcomed Members to the meeting. Apologies were received from Jane Dodds

</AI1>

<AI2>

2       Minutes of the previous meeting

The Minutes of the previous meeting were agreed for publication

</AI2>

<AI3>

3       Organisation of Business

</AI3>

<AI4>

3.1   This week's business

Tuesday 

 

·         There will be no Voting Time.

·         Plenary is unlikely to run past 5.45pm

 

Wednesday

 

·         Voting Time will take place before the short debate.  

·         Plenary is unlikely to run past 7.10pm

</AI4>

<AI5>

3.2   Three week timetable of Government Business

The Trefnydd informed Business Managers of the following changes to the Three Week Timetable of Government Business:

 

Tuesday 15 October 2024

 

·         Statement by the Cabinet Secretary for Economy, Energy and Planning: Energy and the green economy (45 mins)

 

Tuesday 22 October 2024

 

·         Statement by the Deputy First Minister and Cabinet Secretary for Climate Change and Rural Affairs: The Climate Adaptation Strategy (45 mins)

·         The Historic Environment (Wales) Act 2023 (Consequential Provision) (Primary Legislation) Regulations 2024 (5 mins)

</AI5>

<AI6>

3.3   Three week timetable of Senedd Business

The following changes were agreed to the Three Week Timetable of Senedd Business: 

 

Wednesday 16 November 2024 –

 

 

Wednesday 6 November 2024 –

 

·         Debate on the Equality and Social Justice Committee report: The EU Settlement Scheme and citizen's rights after Brexit (60 mins)

·         Debate on petition P-06-1400: Fair and Adequate Resourcing of General Practice in Wales (30 mins)

·         Time allocated to the Welsh Conservatives (60 mins)

</AI6>

<AI7>

3.4   Members' Legislative Proposals: Selection of Motion for Debate

Heledd Fychan declared an interest having tabled one of the proposed motions for selection.

 

Business Committee considered the proposed motions for debate and agreed to schedule the following proposal on 16 October:

 

Heledd Fychan

NNDM8687 

To propose that the Senedd: 

1. Notes a proposal for a Bill on introducing a presumption in planning processes against approving quarry development in close proximity to settlements. 

2. Notes that the purpose of the Bill would be to: 

a) require the risks of proposed quarrying sites to the environment and biodiversity, and to public health, to be assessed as part of the planning process; 

b) set a mandatory buffer zone of 1,000 metres for all new and existing quarries; and 

c) provide that the decision on a planning application for quarry development may only be made by the relevant Welsh Government Minister, with consideration given to the Well-being of Future Generations (Wales) Act 2015. 

</AI7>

<AI8>

4       Legislation

</AI8>

<AI9>

4.1   Timetable for the Legislation (Procedure, Publication and Repeals) (Wales) Bill

Business Committee considered the correspondence received on the proposed timetable for scrutiny of the Legislation (Procedure, Publication and Repeals) (Wales) Bill, alongside the decision-making criteria for requests for expedited timetables. Darren Millar and Heledd Fychan indicated that the reasoning provided by the Government did not meet the agreed criteria for an expedited timetable for Stage 1 scrutiny and that a twelve week period should be provided.

The Trefnydd stated that the Government had proposed what they felt to be an appropriate, rather than expedited timetable for Stage 1, in light of the technical nature of the Bill and that with reluctance they could agree to move to ten sitting weeks for Stage 1.

The Business Committee agreed that the timetable should be amended to provide twelve weeks for Stage 1 scrutiny, and that the matter of whether there should be greater flexibility around the appropriate length for Stage 1 scrutiny for different Bills should be considered as part of a forthcoming review of the public Bill process

 

</AI9>

<AI10>

4.2   Decision-making criteria for requests for expedited timetables for Senedd Bills

</AI10>

<AI11>

4.3   Letter from the Cabinet Secretary for Social Justice, Trefnydd and Chief Whip regarding the Legislation (Procedure, Publication and Repeals) (Wales) Bill timetable

</AI11>

<AI12>

4.4   Response from the Chair of the Legislation, Justice and Constitution Committee regarding the Legislation (Procedure, Publication and Repeals) (Wales) Bill timetable

</AI12>

<AI13>

5       Procedural Work

</AI13>

<AI14>

5.1   Draft remit for a new committee to be proposed in response to the Business Committee and Senedd Commission Away Day

Business Committee considered the paper and agreed that the proposed new committee should be titled the Future Senedd Committee/Pwyllgor Senedd y Dyfodol.

 

Business Committee had a further discussion of the precise remit for the Future Senedd Committee and agreed to consider and agree some minor changes outside of the meeting.

 

Business Managers agreed to confirm the membership of the Committee to the secretariat and for a motion proposing the establishment of the committee to be laid for consideration by the Senedd in Plenary on Wednesday 16 October.

</AI14>

<AI15>

5.2   Committee Chair job-sharing: Summary of phase 1 evidence and  development of detailed proposals

Business Committee considered the evidence received during the phase 1 public consultation and agreed to proceed with a phase 2 consultation with Members of the Senedd and other bodies.

 

In doing so, the Committee agreed:

 

</AI15>

<TRAILER_SECTION>

</TRAILER_SECTION>

<LAYOUT_SECTION>

1.          FIELD_TITLE

FIELD_SUMMARY

</LAYOUT_SECTION>

<TITLE_ONLY_LAYOUT_SECTION>

2.          FIELD_TITLE

</TITLE_ONLY_LAYOUT_SECTION>

<HEADING_LAYOUT_SECTION>

FIELD_TITLE

</HEADING_LAYOUT_SECTION>

<TITLED_COMMENT_LAYOUT_SECTION>

FIELD_TITLE

FIELD_SUMMARY

</TITLED_COMMENT_LAYOUT_SECTION>

<COMMENT_LAYOUT_SECTION>

FIELD_SUMMARY

</COMMENT_LAYOUT_SECTION>

 

<SUBNUMBER_LAYOUT_SECTION>

2.1          FIELD_TITLE

FIELD_SUMMARY

</SUBNUMBER_LAYOUT_SECTION>

 

<TITLE_ONLY_SUBNUMBER_LAYOUT_SECTION>

2.2          FIELD_TITLE

</TITLE_ONLY_SUBNUMBER_LAYOUT_SECTION>