Meeting Venue:
Tŷ Hywel
Meeting date: 4 March 2025
Meeting time: 09.00 - 09.50
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Category |
Names |
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Committee Members: |
Elin Jones MS, Llywydd (Chair) Paul Davies MS Heledd Fychan MS Jane Hutt MS |
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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 Matthew Richards, Interim Director of Senedd Business Bethan Davies, Head of Chamber and Committee Service Julian Luke, Head of Policy and Legislation Committee Service Julie James MS, Counsel General and Minister for Delivery Helen Carey, Welsh Government Charlie Thomas, Welsh Government |
The Deputy Presiding Officer welcomed Members to the meeting and chaired items 1 to 5.1, the Llywydd chaired items 5.2 and 5.3. There were no apologies.
The Minutes of the previous meeting were agreed for publication.
Tuesday
· Voting Time will take place as the last item of business.
· Plenary is unlikely to run past 7.45pm.
The Deputy Presiding Officer informed Business Managers that the Llywydd intends to pay tribute to former Member Alison Halford and offer condolences on behalf of the Senedd at the start of Plenary today.
Wednesday
· Voting Time will take place before the Short Debate.
· Plenary is unlikely to run past 7.10pm.
The Deputy Presiding Officer informed Business Managers that live BSL interpretation has been arranged for Mark Isherwood’s Member Debate on Wednesday.
The Trefnydd informed Business Managers of the following changes to the Three Week Timetable of Government Business:
Tuesday 11 March 2025
·
Statement by the Cabinet Secretary for Social Justice, Trefnydd
and Chief Whip: International Women’s Day (45 mins)
· Debate: International Women’s Day – accelerating action (60 mins)
Tuesday 18 March 2025
·
Statement by the Minister for Culture, Skills and Social
Partnership: Employability support programmes in Wales (45
mins) postponed
Heledd Fychan asked when debates on the Crown Estate and the Learner Travel Measure would take place, following previous commitments made by the Government. The Trefnydd confirmed that both debates will be scheduled on Tuesday 1 April.
The following items were agreed to be scheduled on the Three Week Timetable of Senedd Business:
Wednesday 26 March 2025 –
· Debate on a Member's Legislative Proposal (30 mins) Rescheduled from 12 March
· Debate on the Culture, Communications, Welsh Language, Sport, and International Relations Committee report - A decade of cuts: Impact of funding reductions for culture and sport (60 mins)
· Time allocated to the Welsh Conservatives (60 mins)
· Short Debate: Heledd Fychan MS (South Wales Central) (30 mins)
The Deputy Presiding Officer asked Business Managers to remind Members of their groups that the deadline for tabling the first proposals for Open Debate topics is this Thursday, 6 March.
Business Committee considered two recommendations for it to consider undertaking procedural reviews made by the Legislation, Justice and Constitution Committee in its report on the General Principles of the Legislation (Procedure, Publication and Repeals) (Wales) Bill.
The Business Committee agreed to respond to the Legislation, Justice and Constitution Committee to indicate that it will give further consideration to the proposals when considering the prioritisation of its procedural work programme for the remainder of the Sixth Senedd early in the Summer term.
Business Committee noted further correspondence from the Legislation, Justice and Constitution Committee to the Counsel General and Minister for Delivery concerning the timescales for proposed Bills to consolidate planning law, in advance of its own discussion with the Counsel General and Minister for Delivery taking place later in the same meeting.
Business Committee considered an update on Legislative Consent Memoranda and:
The Trefnydd recognised again the unwelcome position this places the Senedd in and that the Government will continue to raise the importance of the legislative consent process as a factor for UK Government to be aware of in timetabling their legislation.
Business Committee received a briefing from the Counsel General and Minister for Delivery on a Government proposal to modify the pre-introduction process for Bills. The Counsel General outlined that the aim of the change would be to assist Senedd committees in their considerations and help the Business Committee decide on timetables for Government Bills introduced in the final year of the legislative programme.
Business Managers questioned the Counsel General about the proposed approach and noted that further briefing on potential implications would be provided in a future meeting.